UJoweli 3
1 “Ngalezonsuku langalesosikhathi, lapho sengibuyisela inotho kaJuda leJerusalema,
For, behold, in those days and in that time, when I will have converted the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem,
2 ngizaqoqa izizwe zonke ngizehlisele eSigodini sikaJehoshafathi. Lapho-ke ngizazahlulela mayelana lelifa lami, abantu bami u-Israyeli ngoba zahlakazela abantu bami phakathi kwezizwe, zabelana ilizwe lami.
I will gather all the Gentiles, and will lead them into the valley of Jehoshaphat. And there I will dispute with them over my people, and over Israel, my inheritance, for they have scattered them among the nations and have divided my land.
3 Zenza inkatho ngabantu bami, zathenga izifebe ngabafana; zathengisa amankazana ngewayini ukuze zinathe.
And they have cast lots over my people; and the boy they have placed in the brothel, and the girl they have sold for wine, so that they might drink.
4 Manje-ke lisolani ngami, wena Thire loSidoni lani lonke zifunda zaseFilistiya? Liyangiphindisela ngolutho engilwenzileyo na? Nxa lingiphindisela, ngizaphanga ngibuyisele elakwenzayo phezu kwamakhanda enu ngokuphangisa.
Truly, what is there between you and me, Tyre and Sidon and all the distant places of the Philistines? How will you take vengeance on me? And if you were to revenge yourselves against me, I would deliver a repayment to you, quickly and soon, upon your head.
5 Ngoba lathatha isiliva sami legolide lami lathwalela lenotho yami eligugu emathempelini enu.
For you have carried away my silver and gold. And my desirable and most beautiful, you have taken into your shrines.
6 Lathengisa abantu bakoJuda laseJerusalema kumaGrikhi, ukuze libase khatshana lelizwe labo.
And you, sons of Judah and sons of Jerusalem, you have sold the sons of the Greeks, so that you might drive them far from their own territory.
7 Khangelani, ngizabavusa ezindaweni elabathengisa kuzo, njalo ngizabuyisela phezu kwamakhanda enu lokho elakwenzayo.
Behold, I will raise them up from the place into which you have sold them, and I will turn back your retribution on your own head.
8 Ngizathengisa amadodana enu lamadodakazi enu ebantwini bakoJuda, njalo labo bazawathengisa kumaSabhini, isizwe esikhatshana.” UThixo usekhulumile.
And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hands of the sons of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans, a distant nation, for the Lord has spoken.
9 Memezelani lokhu ezizweni lithi: Lungiselani impi! Vusani amabutho! Wonke amadoda empi kasondele ahlasele.
Proclaim this among the Gentiles: “Sanctify a war, raise up the strong. Approach, ascend, all men of war.
10 Khandani amakhuba enu abe zinkemba lemihedla yenu yokuthena izihlahla ibe yimikhonto. Obuthakathaka kathi, “Ngiqinile!”
Cut your ploughs into swords and your hoes into spears. Let the weak say, ‘For I am strong.’
11 Wozani ngokuphangisa, lonke lina zizwe zasezinhlangothini zonke, libuthane khonapho. Yehlisa amabutho akho, Oh Thixo!
Break out and advance, all nations of the world, and gather together. There the Lord will cause all your strong ones to meet death.”
12 “Izizwe kazivuswe; kaziye eSigodini sikaJehoshafathi ngoba ngizahlala khona ukwehlulela izizwe zonke zasezinhlangothini zonke.
Let them arise and ascend to the valley of Jehoshaphat. For there I will sit, so as to judge all the nations of the world.
13 Hehethani ngesikela ngoba okuvunwayo sekuvuthiwe. Wozani, gxobani amavini, ngoba isikhamelo sewayini sesigcwele lezimbizakazi seziphuphuma, bukhulu kangaka ububi bazo!
Send forth the sickles, because the harvest has matured. Advance and descend, for the press is full, the pressing room is overflowing. For their malice has been increasing.
14 Amaxuku, amaxuku esigodini sesinqumo! Ngoba usuku lukaThixo luseduze esigodini sezinqumo.
Nations, nations in the valley of being cut to pieces: for the day of the Lord fittingly takes place in the valley of being cut to pieces.
15 Ilanga lenyanga kuzakuba mnyama, lezinkanyezi zingabe zisakhanya.
The sun and the moon have been darkened, and the stars have withdrawn their splendor.
16 UThixo uzavungama eseZiyoni aphinde akhwaze eseJerusalema; umhlaba lomkhathi kuzagedezela. Kodwa uThixo uzakuba yisiphephelo sabantu bakhe, inqaba yabantu bako-Israyeli.”
And the Lord will roar from Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem. And the heavens and the earth will be moved. And the Lord will be the hope of his people and the strength of the sons of Israel.
17 “Ngakho lizakwazi ukuthi mina, uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu, ngihlala eZiyoni, intaba yami engcwele. IJerusalema izakuba ngcwele; kayiyikuphinda ihlaselwe ngabezizweni futhi.
And you will know that I am the Lord your God, dwelling on Zion, my holy mountain. And Jerusalem will be holy, and strangers will not cross through it anymore.
18 Ngalolosuku izintaba zizagobhoza iwayini elitsha, lamaqaqa ageleze uchago; zonke indonga zakoJuda zizageleza amanzi. Umthombo uzantuntuza endlini kaThixo uthambise isigodi saseShithima.
And it will happen, in that day, that the mountains will drip sweetness, and the hills will flow with milk. And the waters will pass through all the rivers of Judah. And a fountain will go forth from the house of the Lord, and it will irrigate the desert of thorns.
19 Kodwa iGibhithe izachithakala, i-Edomi ibe yinkangala elugwadule, ngenxa yodlakela olwenziwa ebantwini bakoJuda lapho bachitha khona igazi elingelacala elizweni labo.
Egypt will be in desolation, and Edom will be a wilderness destroyed, because of what they have unfairly done to the sons of Judah, and because they have shed innocent blood in their land.
20 KoJuda kuzahlalwa khona kuze kube nininini laseJerusalema kuzahlala izizukulwane zonke.
And Judea will be inhabited forever, and Jerusalem for generation upon generation.
21 Umlandu wabo wegazi, engingakaxoli ngawo, ngizabaxolela ngawo.”
And I will cleanse their blood, which I had not cleansed. And the Lord will remain in Zion.
