UJoweli 2
1 Vuthelani icilongo eZiyoni; hlabani umkhosi entabeni yami engcwele. Bonke abahlala elizweni kabathuthumele, ngoba usuku lukaThixo luyeza. Selusondele, selufikile,
Blow ye the trumpet in Zion; Sound an alarm in my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble! For the day of Jehovah cometh, for it 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.
A day of darkness, and gloominess, A day of clouds, and thick darkness. As the morning light spreadeth itself upon the mountains, There cometh a numerous people and a strong; Like them there have been none of old time, And after them there shall not be, 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.
A fire devoureth before them, And behind them a flame burneth; The land is as the garden of Eden before them. And behind them a desolate wilderness! Yea, nothing escapeth them.
4 Bakhangeleka benjengamabhiza; bamatha njengamabhiza empi.
Their appearance is like the appearance of horses, And like horsemen do they run;
5 Ngomsindo onjengowezinqola zempi, beqa phezu kwezingqongo zezintaba, njengamabibi omlilo etshisa inhlanga, njengebutho elilamandla selilungele impi.
Like rattling chariots they leap on the tops of the mountains; Like the crackling flame of fire, which devoureth stubble; Like a mighty host set in battle array.
6 Ekubaboneni nje, izizwe zizwa ubuhlungu; ubuso bonke buyadana.
Before them the people tremble, And all faces gather blackness.
7 Bahlasela njengamaqhawe; bakhwele imiduli njengamabutho. Bonke bahamba beludwendwe bengaphambuki endleleni yabo.
They run like mighty men; They climb the wall like warriors; They march every one on his way; They change not their paths.
8 Kabasunduzani; lowo lalowo uhamba eqonde phambili. Badabula phakathi kwezivikelo kungekho kwehlukana kubo.
One doth not thrust another; They march every one in his path, And though they rush among weapons, they are not wounded.
9 Baya ngesiqubu edolobheni; bagijima besekele umduli. Bayakhwela bangene ezindlini; bangena ngamawindi njengamasela.
They run through the city; They run upon the wall; They go up into the houses; They enter in at the windows, like a thief.
10 Umhlaba uyanyikinyeka phambi kwabo; umkhathi uyaqhaqhazela, ilanga lenyanga kube mnyama, lezinkanyezi kazisakhanyisi.
The earth quaketh before them, And the heavens tremble; The sun and the moon are darkened, And the stars withdraw their shining.
11 UThixo uyakhwaza phambi kwebutho lakhe; amabutho akhe angeke abalwe, njalo balamandla labo abalalela ukulaya kwakhe. Usuku lukaThixo lukhulu; luyesabeka. Ngubani ongalumela na?
Jehovah uttereth his voice before his army; For very great is his host; Yea, it is mighty, executing his word; The day of Jehovah is great, and very terrible; Who shall be able to bear it?
12 “Lakhathesi,” kutsho uThixo, “phendukelani kimi ngenhliziyo zenu zonke, ngokuzila langokukhala lokulila.”
Yet even now, saith Jehovah, Turn ye to me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning!
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 Jehovah your God, For he is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness, And repenteth of a threatened evil.
14 Ngubani owaziyo? Engxenye angaphenduka abe lesihawu atshiye isibusiso, iminikelo yamabele leminikelo yokunathwayo kaThixo uNkulunkulu wenu.
Who knoweth but he will turn and repent, And leave a blessing behind him, Even a flour-offering and a drink-offering for Jehovah your God.
15 Vuthelani icilongo eZiyoni, memezelani ukuzila okungcwele, bizani ibandla elingcwele.
Blow ye the trumpet in Zion; Appoint yea fast; proclaim a solemn assembly!
16 Buthanisani abantu, ngcwelisani ibandla; hlanganisani abadala, buthanisani abantwana labo abamunyayo. Umyeni katshiye indlu yakhe lomlobokazi atshiye ikamelo lakhe.
Gather the people; appoint a congregation; Assemble the elders; Gather the children and the sucklings! Let the bridegroom come forth from his chamber, And the bride from her nuptial bed!
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?’”
Let the priests, the servants of Jehovah, Weep between the porch and the altar, And say, Spare thy people, O Jehovah, And give not thine inheritance to reproach, And to be a by-word to the nations! Why should they say among the nations, Where is their God?
18 Lapho-ke uThixo uzakuba lobukhwele ngelizwe lakhe abe lesihawu ebantwini bakhe.
Then will Jehovah be zealous for his land, And have compassion on his people,
19 UThixo uzabaphendula athi: “Ngiyalithumela amabele lewayini elitsha lamafutha, okwaneleyo ukulisuthisa ngokugcweleyo; angiyikuphinda futhi ukulenza into yokuhlekisa ezizweni.
Yea, Jehovah will answer, and say to his people, Behold, I will send you corn, And new wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith; And I will no more make you a reproach among the nations.
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.
I will remove far from you the northern host, And I will drive it into a dry and desolate land; Its van toward the Eastern sea, And its rear toward the Western sea. And its scent shall come up, And its ill savor shall come up, Because it hath done great things.
21 Ungesabi, wena lizwe; thaba uthokoze. Impela uThixo wenze izinto ezinkulu.
Fear not, O land, exult and rejoice, For Jehovah hath done great things!
22 Lingesabi, lina zinyamazana zeganga, ngoba amadlelo asesiba luhlaza. Izihlahla sezithela izithelo zazo; imikhiwa lemivini kuthela kakhulu.
Fear not, O ye beasts of the field, For the pastures of the desert spring up, For the tree beareth its fruit; The fig-tree and the vine yield their strength!
23 Thabani, lina bantu baseZiyoni, thokozani kuThixo uNkulunkulu wenu ngoba ulinike izulu lekwindla ngokulunga. Ulilethela izulu elinengi kanye lezulu lekwindla lelentwasa, njengakuqala.
And, O ye sons of Zion, exult, And rejoice in Jehovah your God! For he giveth you the former rain in just measure, And causeth showers to come down upon you, Even the former rain, and the latter rain, as aforetime.
24 Iziza zizagcwala amabele; izikhamelo zizaphuphuma iwayini lamafutha.
And the threshing-floors shall be full of wheat, And the vats shall overflow with new 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 restore to you the years Which the swarming-locust hath eaten, The licking-locust, the consuming-locust, and the gnawing-locusts, My great army, which I sent among you.
26 Lizakuba lokudla okunengi lize lisuthe, njalo lizadumisa ibizo likaThixo uNkulunkulu wenu, olenzele izimangaliso; abantu bami kabayikuphinda bayangeke futhi.
Ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, And praise the name of Jehovah your God, Who hath dealt wondrously with you; And my people shall never be put to shame.
27 Ngakho lizakwazi ukuthi ngiko-Israyeli, lokuthi mina nginguThixo uNkulunkulu wenu, kanye lokuthi kakho omunye; abantu bami kabayikuphinda bayangeke futhi.”
Ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, And that I am Jehovah, your God, and none else; And my people shall never be put to shame.
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 my spirit upon all flesh; And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy; Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions.
29 Lasezincekwini zami, ezesilisa lezesifazane, ngizawuthulula uMoya wami ngalezonsuku.
Upon the men-servants also, and upon the handmaids, Will I pour out my spirit in those days.
30 Ngizabonakalisa izimangaliso emazulwini lasemhlabeni, igazi lomlilo lezikhatha zentuthu.
And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth; Blood and fire, and pillars 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 day of Jehovah cometh, The great and the terrible day. Then whoever calleth on the name of Jehovah shall be delivered;
32 Njalo wonke obiza ibizo likaThixo uzasindiswa; ngoba eNtabeni iZiyoni laseJerusalema kuzakuba lokukhululwa, njengoba uThixo etshilo, iloba phakathi kwabasindileyo labo ababizwa nguThixo.”
For upon mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, shall be deliverance, As Jehovah hath spoken; And among the remnant, whom Jehovah shall call.
