UHabakhukhi 2
1 Ngizakuma esilindweni sami ngime phezu komthangala; ngizakhangela ukuba ngibone ukuthi uzakuthini kimi, lokuthi yimpendulo bani engizayitsho ngale insolo.
Upon my watch-tower, will I stand, and will station myself upon the bulwark, —so will I keep outlook, to see—what he will speak with me, and what I shall reply, when I am reproved.
2 UThixo waphendula wathi: “Loba phansi isibonakaliso usenze sicace ezicecedwini ukuze isithunywa sigijime laso.
Then Yahweh answered me, and said, Write the vision, Yea, make it plain on tablets, that one may swiftly read it;
3 Ngoba isibonakaliso silindela isikhathi esimisiweyo; sikhuluma ngesiphetho njalo kasiyikuba ngamanga. Lanxa siphuza, silindele; sizafika impela njalo kasiyikuphuza.
For yet is the vision for an appointed time, still, it presseth towards an end, and will not deceive, —if it tarry, wait thou for it, for it, surely cometh, —will not be too late.
4 Khangela, uyazigqaja; izifiso zakhe kazilunganga, kodwa olungileyo uzaphila ngokholo lwakhe.
Lo! as for the conceited one, crooked is his soul within him, - but, one who is righteous, by his faithfulness, shall live.
5 Impela iwayini liyamkhohlisa; uyazikhukhumeza njalo kalakho ukuphumula. Ngoba uyisihwaba njengengcwaba, njalo kasuthi njengokufa, ubuthelela izizwe zonke kuye athumbe labantu bonke. (Sheol h7585)
Moreover also, when wine betrayeth, a man, is arrogant, and findeth no rest, —because he hath enlarged, like hades, his desire, yea, he, is like death, and cannot be satisfied, —but hath gathered unto himself, all the nations, and assembled unto himself, all the peoples. (Sheol h7585)
6 Bonke kabayikumchothoza na bamhleke besithi, ‘Maye kulowo obuthelela impahla zokwebiwa azinothise ngobugebenga! Koze kube nini lokhu kusenzakala na?’
Shall not, these, all of them, against him, take up—a taunt, a mocking poem, enigmatical sentences—concerning him? And say—Alas! for him who maketh abundance in what is not his own, How long? that he should be burdening himself with heavy debts?
7 Labo olezikwelede kubo kabayikukujuma na? Kabayikuvuka bakuthuthumelise na? Lapho-ke uzakuba yinto yabo yokuhlutshwa.
Will not thy creditors, suddenly rise up? and they who shall violently shake thee, all at once become active? Then shalt thou serve for booties, unto them!
8 Ngoba sewaphanga izizwe ezinengi, abantu abaseleyo bazakuphanga ngoba wachitha igazi labantu; watshabalalisa amazwe lamadolobho labo bonke abakuwo.
Because, thou, hast plundered many nations, all the residue of the peoples, shall plunder thee, —for shedding Human blood, and doing violence to the earth, to the city, and to all who dwell therein.
9 Maye kulowo obumba umbuso ngenzuzo embi ukuba akhele isidleke sakhe phezulu ukuba abalekele ukuwelwa yingozi!
Alas! for him who extorteth an extortion of wrong for his own house, —that he may set on high his nest, that he may be delivered from the grasp of calamity.
10 Ucebe ukubhujiswa kwabantu abanengi, wayangisa indlu yakho, walahlekelwa yikuphila kwakho.
Thou hast counseled shame to thy house—making an end of many peoples, and endangering thine own life.
11 Amatshe omduli azakhala imijabo yamapulanka izasabela.
Surely, the stone out of the wall, will make outcry, —and, the tie out of the timber, will answer it.
12 Maye kulowo owakha idolobho ngokuchitha igazi akhe umuzi ngobudlwangudlwangu.
Alas! for him who buildeth a city with deeds of blood, —and establisheth a town with perversity.
13 UThixo uSomandla kakumisanga na ukuthi umsebenzi uzinkuni zomlilo nje kuphela, lokuthi izizwe ziqeda amandla azo ngeze?
Lo! is it not from Yahweh of hosts—that peoples labour for fire, and, populations, for emptiness, weary themselves?
14 Ngoba umhlaba uzagcwala ngolwazi lodumo lukaThixo, njengamanzi egcwalisa ulwandle.
For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Yahweh, —as, the waters, cover the sea.
15 Maye kulowo onika omakhelwane bakhe okunathwayo ekuthulula esigujini sewayini badakwe, ukuze akhangele imizimba yabo enqunu.
Alas! for him who causeth his neighbour to drink, from the goblet of thy fury, and also, making him drunk, —to the end thou mayest gloat over their parts of shame.
16 Uzakuba lehlazo elikhulu endaweni yodumo. Khathesi sekulithuba lakho! Natha uchayeke. Inkezo yesandla sokunene kaThixo iyeza kuwe, ihlazo lizamboza udumo lwakho.
Thou art sated with contempt, more than glory, drink, thou too, and expose thy person, —the cup of the right hand of Yahweh, shall come round unto thee, and ignominious filth be upon thy glory;
17 Udlakela olwenze eLebhanoni luzakuqeda amandla, lokubulala kwakho izinyamazana kuzakuthuthumelisa. Ngoba uchithe igazi labantu; uchithe amazwe lamadolobho labo bonke abakuwo.
For, the violence [done] to Lebanon, shall cover thee, and wasting by wild beasts shall cause them terror, —for shedding Human blood, and doing violence to the earth, to the city, and to all who dwell therein.
18 Silosizo bani isithombe njengoba sibazwe ngumuntu? Kumbe isifanekiso esifundisa amanga? Ngoba lowo osenzayo uthemba isidalwa sakhe; wenza izithombe ezingeke zikhulume.
What hath a carved image, profited, though the fashioner thereof, carved it? a molten image, and a teacher of falsehood, —though the fashioner of his fashioned thing trusted therein? that men should make Dumb Nonentities!
19 Maye kulowo othi esigodweni, ‘Vuka uphile!’ loba athi elitsheni elingaphiliyo, ‘Phaphama!’ Linganika iseluleko na? Lembeswe ngegolide langesiliva, akulamphefumulo phakathi kwalo.”
Alas! for him who saith to wood, Awake, bestir thee! to a silent stone, he, shall teach! Though he is overlaid with gold and silver, yet, no spirit whatsoever, is in him!
20 Kodwa uThixo usethempelini lakhe elingcwele; umhlaba wonke kawuthule phambi kwakhe.
Howbeit, Yahweh, is in his holy temple, —Hush before him, all the earth.
