< UHabakhukhi 2 >
1 Ngizakuma esilindweni sami ngime phezu komthangala; ngizakhangela ukuba ngibone ukuthi uzakuthini kimi, lokuthi yimpendulo bani engizayitsho ngale insolo.
I will climb my watchtower; I will take my place on the city wall. I will keep watch and see what he will say to me, how he will answer my grievances.
2 UThixo waphendula wathi: “Loba phansi isibonakaliso usenze sicace ezicecedwini ukuze isithunywa sigijime laso.
Then the Lord told me, Write down the vision, inscribe it on tablets, so it can be easily read.
3 Ngoba isibonakaliso silindela isikhathi esimisiweyo; sikhuluma ngesiphetho njalo kasiyikuba ngamanga. Lanxa siphuza, silindele; sizafika impela njalo kasiyikuphuza.
For the vision is for a future time, it is about the end and it does not lie. If it seems slow in being fulfilled, wait for it, for it will definitely come—it will not be delayed!
4 Khangela, uyazigqaja; izifiso zakhe kazilunganga, kodwa olungileyo uzaphila ngokholo lwakhe.
Look at those who are proud! They do not live right. But those who live right do so through their trust in God.
5 Impela iwayini liyamkhohlisa; uyazikhukhumeza njalo kalakho ukuphumula. Ngoba uyisihwaba njengengcwaba, njalo kasuthi njengokufa, ubuthelela izizwe zonke kuye athumbe labantu bonke. (Sheol )
In addition wealth provides no security. Those who are arrogant never have any peace; their greedy mouths are as wide open as the grave, and like death they are never satisfied. They gather nations like possessions, swallowing up many peoples. (Sheol )
6 Bonke kabayikumchothoza na bamhleke besithi, ‘Maye kulowo obuthelela impahla zokwebiwa azinothise ngobugebenga! Koze kube nini lokhu kusenzakala na?’
Won't all these peoples taunt them? They will ridicule them, saying, “What disaster is coming to you who pile up things that don't belong to you! You make yourselves rich by forcing debtors to pay! How long can you go on doing this?”
7 Labo olezikwelede kubo kabayikukujuma na? Kabayikuvuka bakuthuthumelise na? Lapho-ke uzakuba yinto yabo yokuhlutshwa.
Won't your debtors suddenly act? Won't they wake up to the situation and make you tremble? You will be plunder for them!
8 Ngoba sewaphanga izizwe ezinengi, abantu abaseleyo bazakuphanga ngoba wachitha igazi labantu; watshabalalisa amazwe lamadolobho labo bonke abakuwo.
Because you have plundered many nations, those who are left will plunder you—for the human blood you have shed and the destruction you brought on lands and cities, and those who lived there.
9 Maye kulowo obumba umbuso ngenzuzo embi ukuba akhele isidleke sakhe phezulu ukuba abalekele ukuwelwa yingozi!
What disaster is coming to you who build houses through dishonest gain! You think you can place your “nest” so high it will be safe from disaster.
10 Ucebe ukubhujiswa kwabantu abanengi, wayangisa indlu yakho, walahlekelwa yikuphila kwakho.
Your evil schemes have brought shame upon your families, by destroying many nations you have forfeited your own lives.
11 Amatshe omduli azakhala imijabo yamapulanka izasabela.
Even the stones in the wall cry out in condemnation, and the wooden rafters join in too.
12 Maye kulowo owakha idolobho ngokuchitha igazi akhe umuzi ngobudlwangudlwangu.
What disaster is coming to you who build cities with bloodshed, who found cities built on wickedness!
13 UThixo uSomandla kakumisanga na ukuthi umsebenzi uzinkuni zomlilo nje kuphela, lokuthi izizwe ziqeda amandla azo ngeze?
Hasn't the Lord Almighty decided that all such nations work for will be destroyed by fire, that they wear themselves out for nothing?
14 Ngoba umhlaba uzagcwala ngolwazi lodumo lukaThixo, njengamanzi egcwalisa ulwandle.
For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord's glory as the waters fill the sea.
15 Maye kulowo onika omakhelwane bakhe okunathwayo ekuthulula esigujini sewayini badakwe, ukuze akhangele imizimba yabo enqunu.
What disaster is coming to you who make your neighbors drunk! You force your cup of anger on them and make them drink so you may see them naked.
16 Uzakuba lehlazo elikhulu endaweni yodumo. Khathesi sekulithuba lakho! Natha uchayeke. Inkezo yesandla sokunene kaThixo iyeza kuwe, ihlazo lizamboza udumo lwakho.
In turn you will be filled with shame instead of glory. Drink yourself and expose your nakedness! The cup the Lord holds in his right hand will be passed round to you and your glory will turn to shame.
17 Udlakela olwenze eLebhanoni luzakuqeda amandla, lokubulala kwakho izinyamazana kuzakuthuthumelisa. Ngoba uchithe igazi labantu; uchithe amazwe lamadolobho labo bonke abakuwo.
As you destroyed the forests of Lebanon you will also be destroyed; you hunted the animals there, and now they will hunt you. For you shed human blood and you destroyed lands and cities, along with those who lived there.
18 Silosizo bani isithombe njengoba sibazwe ngumuntu? Kumbe isifanekiso esifundisa amanga? Ngoba lowo osenzayo uthemba isidalwa sakhe; wenza izithombe ezingeke zikhulume.
What use is a wooden idol carved by human hands, or a metal image that teaches lies? What is the point of their makers trusting in their own handiwork, creating idols that can't speak?
19 Maye kulowo othi esigodweni, ‘Vuka uphile!’ loba athi elitsheni elingaphiliyo, ‘Phaphama!’ Linganika iseluleko na? Lembeswe ngegolide langesiliva, akulamphefumulo phakathi kwalo.”
What disaster is coming to you who say to something made of wood, “Wake up!” or to lifeless stone, “Get up!” Can it teach you anything? Look at it! It's covered with gold and silver, but there is no life inside it.
20 Kodwa uThixo usethempelini lakhe elingcwele; umhlaba wonke kawuthule phambi kwakhe.
But the Lord is in his holy Temple; let all the earth be silent in his presence.