U-Amosi 7
1 Nanku engakutshengiswa nguThixo Wobukhosi: Wayelungisa imitshitshi yezintethe emva kokuvunwa kwesabelo senkosi khonapho amabele esibili esakhula.
Thus the Lord GOD showed me: behold, he formed locusts in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and behold, it was the latter growth after the king’s harvest.
2 Kwathi lapho ilizwe seziliphundlile, ngamemeza ngathi, “Thixo Wobukhosi, thethelela! UJakhobe angaphepha kanjani? Mncinyane kakhulu!”
When they finished eating the grass of the land, then I said, “Lord GOD, forgive, I beg you! How could Jacob stand? For he is small.”
3 Ngakho uthixo waxola. “Akusoze kwenzakale” watsho uthixo.
The LORD relented concerning this. “It shall not be,” says the LORD.
4 Nanku engakutshengiswa nguThixo Wobukhosi: uThixo Wobukhosi wayememezela ukwehlulela ngomlilo; womisa ulwandle waqothula lelizwe.
Thus the Lord GOD showed me: behold, the Lord GOD called for judgement by fire; and it dried up the great deep, and would have devoured the land.
5 Ngakho ngamemeza ngathi “Thixo Wobukhosi, ngiyakuncenga, ake ume! UJakhobe angaphepha kanjani na? Mncinyane kakhulu!”
Then I said, “Lord GOD, stop, I beg you! How could Jacob stand? For he is small.”
6 Ngakho uThixo waxola. “Lokhu lakho akuyikwenzakala,” kwatsho uThixo Wobukhosi.
The LORD relented concerning this. “This also shall not be,” says the Lord GOD.
7 Nanku angitshengisa khona: uThixo wayemi phansi komduli owawakhiwe waqonda nta ephethe intambo yokuqondisa ngesandla sakhe
Thus he showed me: behold, the Lord stood beside a wall made by a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand.
8 UThixo wasengibuza esithi, “Kuyini okubonayo, Amosi?” Ngaphendula ngathi, “Yintambo yokuqondisa.” UThixo wasesithi, “Khangela, ngibeka intambo yokuqondisa phakathi kwabantu bami bako-Israyeli; kangisayikubaxolela futhi.
The LORD said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said, “Behold, I will set a plumb line in the middle of my people Israel. I will not again pass by them any more.
9 Izindawo eziphakemeyo zika-Isaka zizadilizwa lezindawo ezingcwele zako-Israyeli zizachithwa; indlu kaJerobhowamu ngizayihlasela ngenkemba yami.”
The high places of Isaac will be desolate, the sanctuaries of Israel will be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.”
10 U-Amaziya umphristi waseBhetheli wathumela ilizwi kuJerobhowamu inkosi yako-Israyeli, wathi, “U-Amosi uceba okubi ngawe khona kanye phakathi kwako-Israyeli. Ilizwe lingeke limelane lawo wonke amazwi akhe.
Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the middle of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words.
11 Ngoba u-Amosi uthi: ‘UJerobhowamu uzakufa ngenkemba, njalo impela u-Israyeli uzathunjwa, asiwe khatshana kwelizwe lakibo.’”
For Amos says, ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land.’”
12 U-Amaziya wasesithi ku-Amosi, “Phuma, wena mboni! Buyela elizweni lakoJuda, usebenzele ukudla kwakho khonale wenze lokuphrofetha kwakho khonale.
Amaziah also said to Amos, “You seer, go, flee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there,
13 Ungaphrofithi futhi eBhetheli, ngoba le yindawo yenkosi kanye lethempeli lombuso.”
but don’t prophesy again any more at Bethel; for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is a royal house!”
14 U-Amosi waphendula u-Amaziya wathi, “Mina ngangingasuye mphrofethi kumbe indodana yomphrofethi, kodwa ngangingumelusi, njalo ngigcina izihlahla zomkhiwa wesikhamore.
Then Amos answered Amaziah, “I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son, but I was a herdsman, and a farmer of sycamore figs;
15 Kodwa uThixo wangithatha ekweluseni imihlambi yezimvu wathi kimi, ‘Hamba uyephrofetha ebantwini bami bako-Israyeli.’
and the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’
16 Ngakho-ke khathesi zwana ilizwi likaThixo. Wena uthi: ‘Ungaphrofethi kubi ngo-Israyeli, njalo yekela ukutshumayela kubi ngendlela ka-Isaka.’
Now therefore listen to the LORD’s word: ‘You say, Don’t prophesy against Israel, and don’t preach against the house of Isaac.’
17 Ngakho-ke nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: ‘Umkakho uzakuba yisifebe edolobheni, amadoda lamadodakazi akho azakufa ngenkemba. Ilizwe lakho lizalinganiswa labiwe, njalo wena ngokwakho uzafela elizweni lamaqaba. Njalo impela u-Israyeli uzathunjwa asiwe khatshana kwelizwe lakhe.’”
Therefore the LORD says: ‘Your wife shall be a prostitute in the city, and your sons and your daughters shall fall by the sword, and your land shall be divided by line; and you yourself shall die in a land that is unclean, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land.’”
