UJoweli 2

1 Vuthelani icilongo eZiyoni; hlabani umkhosi entabeni yami engcwele. Bonke abahlala elizweni kabathuthumele, ngoba usuku lukaThixo luyeza. Selusondele, selufikile,

Sound the trumpet in Sion, make a proclamation in my holy mountain, and let all the inhabitants of the land be confounded: for the day of the Lord is near;

2 usuku lomnyama lokudana, usuku lwamayezi lobumnyama. Njengokusa kusendlaleka phezu kwezintaba, liyeza ibutho elikhulu elilamandla elingazange libe khona endulo kumbe libe khona eminyakeni ezayo.

for a day of darkness and gloominess is near, a day of cloud and mist: a numerous and strong people shall be spread upon the mountains as the morning; there has not been from the beginning one like it, and after it there shall not be again even to the years of many generations.

3 Phambi kwabo umlilo uyatshisa, ngemva kwabo amalangabi ayavutha. Phambi kwabo ilizwe linjengensimu yase-Edeni ngemva kwabo yinkangala elugwadule, akukho okubaphunyukayo.

Before them is a consuming fire, and behind them is a flame kindled: the land before them is as a paradise of delight, and behind them a desolate plain: and there shall none of them escape.

4 Bakhangeleka benjengamabhiza; bamatha njengamabhiza empi.

Their appearance is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they pursue.

5 Ngomsindo onjengowezinqola zempi, beqa phezu kwezingqongo zezintaba, njengamabibi omlilo etshisa inhlanga, njengebutho elilamandla selilungele impi.

As the sound of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, and as the sound of a flame of fire devouring stubble, and as a numerous and strong people setting themselves in array for battle.

6 Ekubaboneni nje, izizwe zizwa ubuhlungu; ubuso bonke buyadana.

Before them shall the people be crushed: every face [shall be] as the blackness of a caldron.

7 Bahlasela njengamaqhawe; bakhwele imiduli njengamabutho. Bonke bahamba beludwendwe bengaphambuki endleleni yabo.

As warriors shall they run, and as men of war shall they mount on the walls; and each shall move in his [right] path, and they shall not turn aside from their tracks:

8 Kabasunduzani; lowo lalowo uhamba eqonde phambili. Badabula phakathi kwezivikelo kungekho kwehlukana kubo.

and not one shall stand aloof from his brother: they shall go on weighed down with their arms, and they fall upon their weapons, yet shall they in no wise be destroyed.

9 Baya ngesiqubu edolobheni; bagijima besekele umduli. Bayakhwela bangene ezindlini; bangena ngamawindi njengamasela.

They shall seize upon the city, and run upon the walls, and go up upon the houses, and enter in through the windows as thieves.

10 Umhlaba uyanyikinyeka phambi kwabo; umkhathi uyaqhaqhazela, ilanga lenyanga kube mnyama, lezinkanyezi kazisakhanyisi.

Before them the earth shall be confounded, and the sky shall be shaken: the sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their light.

11 UThixo uyakhwaza phambi kwebutho lakhe; amabutho akhe angeke abalwe, njalo balamandla labo abalalela ukulaya kwakhe. Usuku lukaThixo lukhulu; luyesabeka. Ngubani ongalumela na?

And the Lord shall utter his voice before his host: for his camp is very great: for the execution of his words is mighty: for the day of the Lord is great, very glorious, and who shall be able to [resist] it?

12 “Lakhathesi,” kutsho uThixo, “phendukelani kimi ngenhliziyo zenu zonke, ngokuzila langokukhala lokulila.”

Now therefore, says the Lord your God, turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with lamentation:

13 Dabulani inhliziyo zenu hatshi izigqoko zenu. Buyelani kuThixo uNkulunkulu wenu, ngoba ulomusa lesihawu, uyaphuza ukuthukuthela, ulothando olukhulu, njalo uyaxola ukuthumela umonakalo.

and rend your hearts, and not your garments, and turn to the Lord your God: for he is merciful and compassionate, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy, and repents of evils.

14 Ngubani owaziyo? Engxenye angaphenduka abe lesihawu atshiye isibusiso, iminikelo yamabele leminikelo yokunathwayo kaThixo uNkulunkulu wenu.

Who knows if he will return, and repent, and leave a blessing behind him, even a meat-offering and a drink-offering to the Lord your God?

15 Vuthelani icilongo eZiyoni, memezelani ukuzila okungcwele, bizani ibandla elingcwele.

Sound the trumpet in Sion, sanctify a fast, proclaim a [solemn] service:

16 Buthanisani abantu, ngcwelisani ibandla; hlanganisani abadala, buthanisani abantwana labo abamunyayo. Umyeni katshiye indlu yakhe lomlobokazi atshiye ikamelo lakhe.

gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the infants at the breast: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.

17 Abaphristi abakhonzayo phambi kukaThixo, kabakhale bephakathi laphakathi kwentuba le-alithari. Kabathi, “Awu Thixo, zwela abantu bakho. Ungenzi ilifa lakho libe yinto yokuhlekwa, isiga phakathi kwezizwe. Kungani phakathi kwezizwe kumele bathi, ‘Ungaphi uNkulunkulu wabo?’”

Between the porch and the altar let the priests that minister to the Lord weep, and say, Spare your people, O Lord, and give not your heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them, lest they should say among the heathen, Where is their God?

18 Lapho-ke uThixo uzakuba lobukhwele ngelizwe lakhe abe lesihawu ebantwini bakhe.

But the Lord was jealous of his land, and spared his people.

19 UThixo uzabaphendula athi: “Ngiyalithumela amabele lewayini elitsha lamafutha, okwaneleyo ukulisuthisa ngokugcweleyo; angiyikuphinda futhi ukulenza into yokuhlekisa ezizweni.

And the Lord answered and said to his people, Behold, I [will] send you corn, and wine, and oil, and you shall be satisfied with them: and I will no longer make you a reproach among the Gentiles.

20 Ibutho lasenyakatho ngizalixotshela khatshana lani, ngilifuqele elizweni elomileyo elilugwadule, amaviyo alo aphambili esiya olwandle lwasempumalanga lawo angemuva esiya olwandle lwasentshonalanga. Iphunga lalo elibi lizakuya phezulu, umnuko walo uzaphakama.” Ngempela wenze izinto ezinkulu ezimangalisayo.

And I will chase away from you the northern [adversary], and will drive him away into a dry land, and I will sink his face in the former sea, and his back parts in the latter sea, and his ill savor shall come up, and his stink come up, because he has wrought great things.

21 Ungesabi, wena lizwe; thaba uthokoze. Impela uThixo wenze izinto ezinkulu.

Be of good courage, O land; rejoice and be glad: for the Lord has done great things.

22 Lingesabi, lina zinyamazana zeganga, ngoba amadlelo asesiba luhlaza. Izihlahla sezithela izithelo zazo; imikhiwa lemivini kuthela kakhulu.

Be of good courage, you beasts of the plain, for the plains of the wilderness have budded, for the trees have borne their fruit, the fig tree and the vine have yielded their strength.

23 Thabani, lina bantu baseZiyoni, thokozani kuThixo uNkulunkulu wenu ngoba ulinike izulu lekwindla ngokulunga. Ulilethela izulu elinengi kanye lezulu lekwindla lelentwasa, njengakuqala.

Rejoice then and be glad, you children of Sion, in the Lord your God: for he has given you food fully, and he will rain on you the early and the latter rain, as before.

24 Iziza zizagcwala amabele; izikhamelo zizaphuphuma iwayini lamafutha.

And the floors shall be filled with corn, and the presses shall overflow with wine and oil.

25 “Ngizalihlawula okwaleyo minyaka lokho okwadliwa zintethe, lesikhonyane lobuyane, ezinye izintethe kanye lemitshitshi yezintethe, ibutho lami elikhulu engalithumela kini.

And I will recompense you for the years which the locust, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, and the cankerworm have eaten, [even] my great army, which I sent against you.

26 Lizakuba lokudla okunengi lize lisuthe, njalo lizadumisa ibizo likaThixo uNkulunkulu wenu, olenzele izimangaliso; abantu bami kabayikuphinda bayangeke futhi.

And you shall eat abundantly, and be satisfied, and shall praise the name of the Lord your God [for the things] which he has wrought wonderfully with you: and my people shall not be ashamed for ever.

27 Ngakho lizakwazi ukuthi ngiko-Israyeli, lokuthi mina nginguThixo uNkulunkulu wenu, kanye lokuthi kakho omunye; abantu bami kabayikuphinda bayangeke futhi.”

And you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and [that] I am the Lord your God, and [that] there is none else beside me; and my people shall no more be ashamed for ever.

28 “Emva kwalokho, ngizathululela uMoya wami kubo bonke abantu. Amadodana lamadodakazi enu azaphrofitha, izinsizwa zenu zizabona imibono, lamaxhegu enu azaphupha amaphupho.

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.

29 Lasezincekwini zami, ezesilisa lezesifazane, ngizawuthulula uMoya wami ngalezonsuku.

And on my servants and on [my] handmaids in those days will I pour out of my Spirit.

30 Ngizabonakalisa izimangaliso emazulwini lasemhlabeni, igazi lomlilo lezikhatha zentuthu.

And I will show wonders in heaven, and upon the earth, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke.

31 Ilanga lizaphendulwa libe yibumnyama lenyanga ibeligazi phambi kokuba kufike usuku olukhulu lukaThixo, olwesabekayo.

The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord come.

32 Njalo wonke obiza ibizo likaThixo uzasindiswa; ngoba eNtabeni iZiyoni laseJerusalema kuzakuba lokukhululwa, njengoba uThixo etshilo, iloba phakathi kwabasindileyo labo ababizwa nguThixo.”

And it shall come to pass [that] whoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved: for in mount Sion and in Jerusalem shall the saved one be as the Lord has said, and they that have glad tidings preached to them, whom the Lord has called.