U-Amosi 5
1 Zwana ilizwi leli, wena ndlu ka-Israyeli, isililo lesi engisenzayo ngani:
Hear ye this word, which I take up concerning you for a lamentation. The house of Israel is fallen, and it shall rise no more.
2 “Iwile iNtombi u-Israyeli, kayiphindi ivuke futhi, ideliwe elizweni layo, kungekho ongayiphakamisela phezulu.”
The virgin of Israel 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 God: The city, out of which came forth a thousand, there shall be left in it a hundred: and out of which there came a hundred, there shall be left in it ten, in the house of Israel.
4 Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo endlini ka-Israyeli: “Dingani mina, liphile;
For thus saith the Lord to the house of Israel: Seek ye me, and you shall live.
5 lingadingi iBhetheli, lingayi eGiligali, lingayi eBherishebha. Ngoba impela iGiligali izakuya ekuthunjweni, leBhetheli izadliwa iphele nya.”
But seek not Bethel, and go not into Galgal, neither shall you pass over to Bersabee: for Galgal shall go into captivity, and Bethel shall be unprofitable.
6 Dingani uThixo liphile hlezi adabule phakathi kwendlu kaJosefa njengomlilo; uzatshisa uqothule, njalo iBhetheli kayiyikuba lomuntu ozawucitsha.
Seek ye the Lord, and live: lest the house of Joseph be burnt with fire, and it shall devour, and there shall be none to quench Bethel.
7 Lina eliguqula ukulunga kube yibuhlungu, lilahlele ubuqotho emhlabathini.
You that turn judgment into wormwood, and forsake justice in the land,
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 maketh Arcturus, and Orion, and that turneth darkness into morning, and that changeth day into night: that calleth the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The Lord is his name.
9 wehlisela incithakalo phezu kwenqaba atshabalalise idolobho elivikelweyo.
He that with a smile bringeth destruction upon the strong, and waste upon the mighty.
10 Liyamzonda okhuzayo emthethwandaba limeyise lalowo okhuluma iqiniso.
They have hated him that rebuketh in the gate: and have abhorred him that speaketh perfectly.
11 Linyathezela umyanga limncindezele ukuba aliphe amabele. Ngakho-ke, lanxa lakhe izindlu ezinkulukazi zamatshe kaliyikuhlala kuzo; lanxa lihlanyele izivini ezinhle, iwayini lazo kaliyikulinatha.
Therefore because you robbed the poor, and took the choice prey from him: you shall build houses with square stone, and shall not dwell in them: you shall plant most delightful vineyards, and 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.
Because I know your manifold crimes, and your grievous sins: enemies of the just, taking bribes, and oppressing the poor in the gate.
13 Ngakho ezikhathini ezinjalo umuntu ohlakaniphileyo uyazithulela, ngoba izikhathi zimbi.
Therefore the prudent shall keep silence at that 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 ye good, and not evil, that you may live: and the Lord the God of hosts will be with you, as you have said.
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 the Lord the God of hosts may have mercy on 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 the Lord the God of hosts the sovereign Lord: In every street there shall be wailing: and in all places that are without, they shall say: Alas, alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skillful in lamentation to lament.
17 Kuzakuba lokulila ezivinini zonke, ngoba ngizadlula phakathi kwenu,” kutsho uThixo.
And in all vineyards there shall be wailing: because I will pass through in the midst of thee, saith the Lord.
18 Maye kini lina elilangazelela usuku lukaThixo! Kungani lilangazelela lolosuku lukaThixo na? Lolosuku luzakuba ngumnyama, hatshi ukukhanya.
Woe to them that desire the day of the Lord: to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is 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 should flee from the face of a lion, and a bear should meet him: or enter into the house, and lean with his hand upon the wall, and a serpent should bite him.
20 Usuku lukaThixo kaluyikuba ngumnyama na, hatshi ukukhanya, lumnyama bhuqe, kungekho nhlansi yokukhanya?
Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, and not light: and obscurity, and no brightness in it?
21 “Ngiyayizonda, ngiyayeyisa imikhosi yokholo lwenu; angingeke ngiyimele imbuthano yenu.
I hate, and have rejected your festivities: and I will not receive the odour of your assemblies.
22 Lanxa lingangilethela iminikelo yokutshiswa leminikelo yamabele kangiyikuyamukela. Lanxa liletha iminikelo emihle kakhulu yobuzalwane, lokunonisiweyo kangiyikuyinanza.
And if you offer me holocausts, and your gifts, I will not receive them: neither will I regard the vows of your fat beasts.
23 Sukani lomsindo wezingoma zenu! Kangiyikuwulalela umculo wamachacho enu.
Take away from me the tumult of thy songs: and I will not hear the canticles of thy harp.
24 Kodwa ukulunga kakugeleze njengamanzi, lobuqotho njengesifula esingatshiyo!
But judgment shall be revealed as water, and justice as a mighty torrent.
25 Kanje wake wangilethela imihlatshelo leminikelo eminyakeni engamatshumi amane enkangala, wena ndlu ka-Israyeli na?
Did you offer victims and sacrifices to me in the desert for 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.
But you carried a tabernacle for your Moloch, and the image of your idols, the star of your god, which you 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 the Lord, the God of hosts is his name.
