UHabakhukhi 2
1 Ngizakuma esilindweni sami ngime phezu komthangala; ngizakhangela ukuba ngibone ukuthi uzakuthini kimi, lokuthi yimpendulo bani engizayitsho ngale insolo.
I will stand at my watch and set myself on the ramparts, and will look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint.
2 UThixo waphendula wathi: “Loba phansi isibonakaliso usenze sicace ezicecedwini ukuze isithunywa sigijime laso.
The LORD answered me, “Write the vision, and make it plain on tablets, that he who runs may read it.
3 Ngoba isibonakaliso silindela isikhathi esimisiweyo; sikhuluma ngesiphetho njalo kasiyikuba ngamanga. Lanxa siphuza, silindele; sizafika impela njalo kasiyikuphuza.
For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it hurries toward the end, and won’t prove false. Though it takes time, wait for it, because it will surely come. It won’t delay.
4 Khangela, uyazigqaja; izifiso zakhe kazilunganga, kodwa olungileyo uzaphila ngokholo lwakhe.
Behold, his soul is puffed up. It is not upright in him, but the righteous will live by his faith.
5 Impela iwayini liyamkhohlisa; uyazikhukhumeza njalo kalakho ukuphumula. Ngoba uyisihwaba njengengcwaba, njalo kasuthi njengokufa, ubuthelela izizwe zonke kuye athumbe labantu bonke. (Sheol h7585)
Yes, moreover, wine is treacherous: an arrogant man who doesn’t stay at home, who enlarges his desire as Sheol; he is like death and can’t be satisfied, but gathers to himself all nations and heaps to himself all peoples. (Sheol h7585)
6 Bonke kabayikumchothoza na bamhleke besithi, ‘Maye kulowo obuthelela impahla zokwebiwa azinothise ngobugebenga! Koze kube nini lokhu kusenzakala na?’
Won’t all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, ‘Woe to him who increases that which is not his, and who enriches himself by extortion! How long?’
7 Labo olezikwelede kubo kabayikukujuma na? Kabayikuvuka bakuthuthumelise na? Lapho-ke uzakuba yinto yabo yokuhlutshwa.
Won’t your debtors rise up suddenly, and wake up those who make you tremble, and you will be their victim?
8 Ngoba sewaphanga izizwe ezinengi, abantu abaseleyo bazakuphanga ngoba wachitha igazi labantu; watshabalalisa amazwe lamadolobho labo bonke abakuwo.
Because you have plundered many nations, all the remnant of the peoples will plunder you because of men’s blood, and for the violence done to the land, to the city and to all who dwell in it.
9 Maye kulowo obumba umbuso ngenzuzo embi ukuba akhele isidleke sakhe phezulu ukuba abalekele ukuwelwa yingozi!
Woe to him who gets an evil gain for his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the hand of evil!
10 Ucebe ukubhujiswa kwabantu abanengi, wayangisa indlu yakho, walahlekelwa yikuphila kwakho.
You have devised shame to your house by cutting off many peoples, and have sinned against your soul.
11 Amatshe omduli azakhala imijabo yamapulanka izasabela.
For the stone will cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the woodwork will answer it.
12 Maye kulowo owakha idolobho ngokuchitha igazi akhe umuzi ngobudlwangudlwangu.
Woe to him who builds a town with blood, and establishes a city by iniquity!
13 UThixo uSomandla kakumisanga na ukuthi umsebenzi uzinkuni zomlilo nje kuphela, lokuthi izizwe ziqeda amandla azo ngeze?
Behold, isn’t it from the LORD of Armies that the peoples labor for the fire, and the nations weary themselves for vanity?
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 cover the sea.
15 Maye kulowo onika omakhelwane bakhe okunathwayo ekuthulula esigujini sewayini badakwe, ukuze akhangele imizimba yabo enqunu.
“Woe to him who gives his neighbor drink, pouring your inflaming wine until they are drunk, so that you may gaze at their naked bodies!
16 Uzakuba lehlazo elikhulu endaweni yodumo. Khathesi sekulithuba lakho! Natha uchayeke. Inkezo yesandla sokunene kaThixo iyeza kuwe, ihlazo lizamboza udumo lwakho.
You are filled with shame, and not glory. You will also drink and be exposed! The cup of the LORD’s right hand will come around to you, and disgrace will cover your 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 will overwhelm you, and the destruction of the animals will terrify you, because of men’s blood and for the violence done to the land, to every city and to those who dwell in them.
18 Silosizo bani isithombe njengoba sibazwe ngumuntu? Kumbe isifanekiso esifundisa amanga? Ngoba lowo osenzayo uthemba isidalwa sakhe; wenza izithombe ezingeke zikhulume.
“What value does the engraved image have, that its maker has engraved it; the molten image, even the teacher of lies, that he who fashions its form trusts in it, to make mute idols?
19 Maye kulowo othi esigodweni, ‘Vuka uphile!’ loba athi elitsheni elingaphiliyo, ‘Phaphama!’ Linganika iseluleko na? Lembeswe ngegolide langesiliva, akulamphefumulo phakathi kwalo.”
Woe to him who says to the wood, ‘Awake!’ or to the mute stone, ‘Arise!’ Shall this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all within 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 before him!”
