UJoweli 2
1 Vuthelani icilongo eZiyoni; hlabani umkhosi entabeni yami engcwele. Bonke abahlala elizweni kabathuthumele, ngoba usuku lukaThixo luyeza. Selusondele, selufikile,
Blow the shofar in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD comes, for it is close at hand:
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 dawn spreading on the mountains, a great and strong people; there has never been the like, neither will there be any more after them, 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 devours before them, and behind them, a flame burns. The land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them, a desolate wilderness. Yes, and no one has escaped them.
4 Bakhangeleka benjengamabhiza; bamatha njengamabhiza empi.
Their appearance is as the appearance of horses, and they run as horsemen.
5 Ngomsindo onjengowezinqola zempi, beqa phezu kwezingqongo zezintaba, njengamabibi omlilo etshisa inhlanga, njengebutho elilamandla selilungele impi.
Like the noise of chariots on the tops of the mountains, they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devours the stubble, like a strong people set in battle array.
6 Ekubaboneni nje, izizwe zizwa ubuhlungu; ubuso bonke buyadana.
At their presence the peoples are in anguish. All faces have grown pale.
7 Bahlasela njengamaqhawe; bakhwele imiduli njengamabutho. Bonke bahamba beludwendwe bengaphambuki endleleni yabo.
They run like mighty men. They climb the wall like warriors. They each march in his line, and they don’t swerve off course.
8 Kabasunduzani; lowo lalowo uhamba eqonde phambili. Badabula phakathi kwezivikelo kungekho kwehlukana kubo.
One doesn’t jostle another. They each march in their own path. They burst through the defences and don’t break ranks.
9 Baya ngesiqubu edolobheni; bagijima besekele umduli. Bayakhwela bangene ezindlini; bangena ngamawindi njengamasela.
They rush on the city. They run on the wall. They climb up into the houses. They enter in at the windows like thieves.
10 Umhlaba uyanyikinyeka phambi kwabo; umkhathi uyaqhaqhazela, ilanga lenyanga kube mnyama, lezinkanyezi kazisakhanyisi.
The earth quakes before them. 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?
The LORD thunders his voice before his army, for his forces are very great; for he is strong who obeys his command; for the day of the LORD is great and very awesome, and who can endure it?
12 “Lakhathesi,” kutsho uThixo, “phendukelani kimi ngenhliziyo zenu zonke, ngokuzila langokukhala lokulila.”
“Yet even now,” says the LORD, “turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and 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.
Tear your heart and not your garments, and turn to the LORD, your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and relents from sending calamity.
14 Ngubani owaziyo? Engxenye angaphenduka abe lesihawu atshiye isibusiso, iminikelo yamabele leminikelo yokunathwayo kaThixo uNkulunkulu wenu.
Who knows? He may turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, even a meal offering and a drink offering to the LORD, your God.
15 Vuthelani icilongo eZiyoni, memezelani ukuzila okungcwele, bizani ibandla elingcwele.
Blow the shofar in Zion! Sanctify a fast. Call 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. Sanctify the assembly. Assemble the elders. Gather the children, and those who nurse from breasts. Let the bridegroom go out of his room, and the bride out of her chamber.
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 ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, “Spare your people, LORD, and don’t give your heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them. Why should they say amongst the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”
18 Lapho-ke uThixo uzakuba lobukhwele ngelizwe lakhe abe lesihawu ebantwini bakhe.
Then the LORD was jealous for his land, and had pity on his people.
19 UThixo uzabaphendula athi: “Ngiyalithumela amabele lewayini elitsha lamafutha, okwaneleyo ukulisuthisa ngokugcweleyo; angiyikuphinda futhi ukulenza into yokuhlekisa ezizweni.
The LORD answered his people, “Behold, I will send you grain, new wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied with them; and I will no more make you a reproach amongst 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.
But I will remove the northern army far away from you, and will drive it into a barren and desolate land, its front into the eastern sea, and its back into the western sea; and its stench will come up, and its bad smell will rise.” Surely he has done great things.
21 Ungesabi, wena lizwe; thaba uthokoze. Impela uThixo wenze izinto ezinkulu.
Land, don’t be afraid. Be glad and rejoice, for the LORD has done great things.
22 Lingesabi, lina zinyamazana zeganga, ngoba amadlelo asesiba luhlaza. Izihlahla sezithela izithelo zazo; imikhiwa lemivini kuthela kakhulu.
Don’t be afraid, you animals of the field; for the pastures of the wilderness spring up, for the tree bears 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.
“Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD, your God; for he gives you the early rain in just measure, and he causes the rain to come down for you, the early rain and the latter rain, as before.
24 Iziza zizagcwala amabele; izikhamelo zizaphuphuma iwayini lamafutha.
The threshing floors will be full of wheat, and the vats will 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.
I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the great locust, the grasshopper, and the caterpillar, my great army, which I sent amongst you.
26 Lizakuba lokudla okunengi lize lisuthe, njalo lizadumisa ibizo likaThixo uNkulunkulu wenu, olenzele izimangaliso; abantu bami kabayikuphinda bayangeke futhi.
You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied, and will praise the name of the LORD, your God, who has dealt wondrously with you; and my people will never again be disappointed.
27 Ngakho lizakwazi ukuthi ngiko-Israyeli, lokuthi mina nginguThixo uNkulunkulu wenu, kanye lokuthi kakho omunye; abantu bami kabayikuphinda bayangeke futhi.”
You will know that I am amongst Israel, and that I am the LORD, your God, and there is no one else; and my people will never again be disappointed.
28 “Emva kwalokho, ngizathululela uMoya wami kubo bonke abantu. Amadodana lamadodakazi enu azaphrofitha, izinsizwa zenu zizabona imibono, lamaxhegu enu azaphupha amaphupho.
“It will happen afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions.
29 Lasezincekwini zami, ezesilisa lezesifazane, ngizawuthulula uMoya wami ngalezonsuku.
And also on the servants and on the handmaids in those days, I will pour out my Spirit.
30 Ngizabonakalisa izimangaliso emazulwini lasemhlabeni, igazi lomlilo lezikhatha zentuthu.
I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood, fire, and pillars of smoke.
31 Ilanga lizaphendulwa libe yibumnyama lenyanga ibeligazi phambi kokuba kufike usuku olukhulu lukaThixo, olwesabekayo.
The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes.
32 Njalo wonke obiza ibizo likaThixo uzasindiswa; ngoba eNtabeni iZiyoni laseJerusalema kuzakuba lokukhululwa, njengoba uThixo etshilo, iloba phakathi kwabasindileyo labo ababizwa nguThixo.”
It will happen that whoever will call on the LORD’s name shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, as the LORD has said, and amongst the remnant, those whom the LORD calls.
