U-Amosi 5
1 Zwana ilizwi leli, wena ndlu ka-Israyeli, isililo lesi engisenzayo ngani:
Hear this word, a lamentation, which I take up against you, O house of Israel.
2 “Iwile iNtombi u-Israyeli, kayiphindi ivuke futhi, ideliwe elizweni layo, kungekho ongayiphakamisela phezulu.”
The virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more arise: she is cast down upon her land; there is none to raise her up.
3 Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: “Idolobho lenu elikhupha inkulungwane eziqinileyo lizasala labalikhulu kuphela; idolobho elikhupha abalikhulu abaqinileyo lizasala labalitshumi kuphela.”
For thus saith the Lord Jehovah: The city that went forth a thousand shall have a hundred left, and that which went forth a hundred shall have ten left, for the house of Israel.
4 Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo endlini ka-Israyeli: “Dingani mina, liphile;
For thus saith Jehovah unto the house of Israel: Seek ye me, and ye shall live.
5 lingadingi iBhetheli, lingayi eGiligali, lingayi eBherishebha. Ngoba impela iGiligali izakuya ekuthunjweni, leBhetheli izadliwa iphele nya.”
And seek not Bethel, neither go to Gilgal, and pass not to Beer-sheba; for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nought.
6 Dingani uThixo liphile hlezi adabule phakathi kwendlu kaJosefa njengomlilo; uzatshisa uqothule, njalo iBhetheli kayiyikuba lomuntu ozawucitsha.
Seek Jehovah, and ye shall live; lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour [it], and there be none to quench [it] in Bethel.
7 Lina eliguqula ukulunga kube yibuhlungu, lilahlele ubuqotho emhlabathini.
Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and cast down righteousness to the earth,
8 Yena owenza iSilimela loMthala, oguqula umnyama ube yikusa enze imini ibe yibusuku obumnyama, yena obiza amanzi olwandle, awathele phezu kobuso belizwe, uThixo yilo ibizo lakhe,
[seek him] that made the Pleiades and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night; that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: Jehovah is his name.
9 wehlisela incithakalo phezu kwenqaba atshabalalise idolobho elivikelweyo.
He causeth destruction to break forth suddenly upon the strong, and bringeth destruction upon the fortress.
10 Liyamzonda okhuzayo emthethwandaba limeyise lalowo okhuluma iqiniso.
They hate him that reproveth in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly.
11 Linyathezela umyanga limncindezele ukuba aliphe amabele. Ngakho-ke, lanxa lakhe izindlu ezinkulukazi zamatshe kaliyikuhlala kuzo; lanxa lihlanyele izivini ezinhle, iwayini lazo kaliyikulinatha.
Forasmuch, therefore, as ye trample upon the poor, and take from him presents of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, and ye shall not drink the wine of them.
12 Ngoba iziphambeko zenu ngiyazazi ukuthi zingaki kanye lokuthi izono zenu zinkulu okunganani. Lincindezela abalungileyo lamukele isivalamlomo, njalo emithethwandaba linqabela abayanga imfanelo.
For I know how manifold are your transgressions and your sins mighty: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside [the right of] the needy in the gate.
13 Ngakho ezikhathini ezinjalo umuntu ohlakaniphileyo uyazithulela, ngoba izikhathi zimbi.
Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in this time; for it is an evil time.
14 Dingani okuhle, hatshi okubi, ukuze liphile. Lapho-ke uThixo uNkulunkulu uSomandla uzakuba lani njengoba lisithi ulani.
Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live; and so Jehovah, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye say.
15 Zondani okubi lithande okuhle; qinisani ukulunga emithethwandaba. Mhlawumbe uThixo uNkulunkulu uSomandla uzakuba lomusa kuzinsalela zakoJosefa.
Hate evil, and love good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that Jehovah, the God of hosts, will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.
16 Ngakho nanku okutshiwo yiNkosi, uThixo, uNkulunkulu uSomandla, “Kuzakuba lokulila emigwaqweni yonke lokukhala kabuhlungu ezinkundleni zonke zikazulu. Abalimi bazabizwa ukuba bakhale, labakhalayo ukuba balile.
Therefore thus saith Jehovah, the God of hosts, the Lord: Wailing shall be in all broadways; and they shall say in all the streets, Alas! alas! And they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skilful of lamentation to wailing.
17 Kuzakuba lokulila ezivinini zonke, ngoba ngizadlula phakathi kwenu,” kutsho uThixo.
And in all vineyards shall be wailing; for I will pass through the midst of thee, saith Jehovah.
18 Maye kini lina elilangazelela usuku lukaThixo! Kungani lilangazelela lolosuku lukaThixo na? Lolosuku luzakuba ngumnyama, hatshi ukukhanya.
Woe unto you that desire the day of Jehovah! To what end is the day of Jehovah for you? It shall be darkness and not light:
19 Kuzafana lokuthi umuntu ubalekele isilwane wahlangana lebhele, njengangathi ungene endlini yakhe wabambelela emdulini ngesandla waselunywa yinyoka.
as if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.
20 Usuku lukaThixo kaluyikuba ngumnyama na, hatshi ukukhanya, lumnyama bhuqe, kungekho nhlansi yokukhanya?
Shall not the day of Jehovah be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?
21 “Ngiyayizonda, ngiyayeyisa imikhosi yokholo lwenu; angingeke ngiyimele imbuthano yenu.
I hate, I despise your feasts, and I will not smell [a sweet odour] in your solemn assemblies.
22 Lanxa lingangilethela iminikelo yokutshiswa leminikelo yamabele kangiyikuyamukela. Lanxa liletha iminikelo emihle kakhulu yobuzalwane, lokunonisiweyo kangiyikuyinanza.
For if ye offer up unto me burnt-offerings and your oblations, I will not accept [them]; neither will I regard the peace-offerings of your fatted beasts.
23 Sukani lomsindo wezingoma zenu! Kangiyikuwulalela umculo wamachacho enu.
Take away from me the noise of thy songs, and I will not hear the melody of thy lutes;
24 Kodwa ukulunga kakugeleze njengamanzi, lobuqotho njengesifula esingatshiyo!
but let judgment roll down as waters, and righteousness as an ever-flowing stream.
25 Kanje wake wangilethela imihlatshelo leminikelo eminyakeni engamatshumi amane enkangala, wena ndlu ka-Israyeli na?
Did ye bring unto me sacrifices and oblations in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?
26 Seliphakamise indawo yokukhonzela izithombe zenu, isenabelo senkosi unkulunkulu wenu uSakhuthi, lenkanyezi kankulunkulu wenu uKhayiwani, elazenzela khona lina ngokwenu.
Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of your Moloch, and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye had made to yourselves;
27 Ngakho ngizalisa ekuthunjweni ngale kweDamaseko,” kutsho uThixo obizo lakhe nguNkulunkulu uSomandla.
and I will cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, saith Jehovah, whose name is the God of hosts.
