UJoweli 3
1 “Ngalezonsuku langalesosikhathi, lapho sengibuyisela inotho kaJuda leJerusalema,
“For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I restore the fortunes 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 nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will execute judgment on them there for my people, and for my heritage, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations. They have divided my land,
3 Zenza inkatho ngabantu bami, zathenga izifebe ngabafana; zathengisa amankazana ngewayini ukuze zinathe.
and have cast lots for my people, and have given a boy for a prostitute, and sold a girl for wine, that they may 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.
“Yes, and what are you to me, Tyre and Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Will you repay me? And if you repay me, I will swiftly and speedily return your repayment on your own head.
5 Ngoba lathatha isiliva sami legolide lami lathwalela lenotho yami eligugu emathempelini enu.
Because you have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried my finest treasures into your temples,
6 Lathengisa abantu bakoJuda laseJerusalema kumaGrikhi, ukuze libase khatshana lelizwe labo.
and have sold the children of Judah and the children of Jerusalem to the sons of the Greeks, that you may remove them far from their border.
7 Khangelani, ngizabavusa ezindaweni elabathengisa kuzo, njalo ngizabuyisela phezu kwamakhanda enu lokho elakwenzayo.
Behold, I will stir them up out of the place where you have sold them, and will return your repayment 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 children of Judah, and they will sell them to the men of Sheba, to a faraway nation, for the LORD has spoken it.”
9 Memezelani lokhu ezizweni lithi: Lungiselani impi! Vusani amabutho! Wonke amadoda empi kasondele ahlasele.
Proclaim this among the nations: “Prepare for war! Stir up the mighty men. Let all the warriors draw near. Let them come up.
10 Khandani amakhuba enu abe zinkemba lemihedla yenu yokuthena izihlahla ibe yimikhonto. Obuthakathaka kathi, “Ngiqinile!”
Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, ‘I am strong.’
11 Wozani ngokuphangisa, lonke lina zizwe zasezinhlangothini zonke, libuthane khonapho. Yehlisa amabutho akho, Oh Thixo!
Hurry and come, all you surrounding nations, and gather yourselves together.” Cause your mighty ones to come down there, LORD.
12 “Izizwe kazivuswe; kaziye eSigodini sikaJehoshafathi ngoba ngizahlala khona ukwehlulela izizwe zonke zasezinhlangothini zonke.
“Let the nations arouse themselves, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat; for there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations.
13 Hehethani ngesikela ngoba okuvunwayo sekuvuthiwe. Wozani, gxobani amavini, ngoba isikhamelo sewayini sesigcwele lezimbizakazi seziphuphuma, bukhulu kangaka ububi bazo!
Put in the sickle; for the harvest is ripe. Come, tread, for the wine press is full, the vats overflow, for their wickedness is great.”
14 Amaxuku, amaxuku esigodini sesinqumo! Ngoba usuku lukaThixo luseduze esigodini sezinqumo.
Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.
15 Ilanga lenyanga kuzakuba mnyama, lezinkanyezi zingabe zisakhanya.
The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.
16 UThixo uzavungama eseZiyoni aphinde akhwaze eseJerusalema; umhlaba lomkhathi kuzagedezela. Kodwa uThixo uzakuba yisiphephelo sabantu bakhe, inqaba yabantu bako-Israyeli.”
The LORD will roar from Zion, and thunder from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth will shake; but the LORD will be a refuge to his people, and a stronghold to the children of Israel.
17 “Ngakho lizakwazi ukuthi mina, uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu, ngihlala eZiyoni, intaba yami engcwele. IJerusalema izakuba ngcwele; kayiyikuphinda ihlaselwe ngabezizweni futhi.
“So you will know that I am the LORD, your God, dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain. Then Jerusalem will be holy, and no strangers will pass through her any more.
18 Ngalolosuku izintaba zizagobhoza iwayini elitsha, lamaqaqa ageleze uchago; zonke indonga zakoJuda zizageleza amanzi. Umthombo uzantuntuza endlini kaThixo uthambise isigodi saseShithima.
It will happen in that day, that the mountains will drop down sweet wine, the hills will flow with milk, all the brooks of Judah will flow with waters; and a fountain will flow out from the LORD’s house, and will water the valley of Shittim.
19 Kodwa iGibhithe izachithakala, i-Edomi ibe yinkangala elugwadule, ngenxa yodlakela olwenziwa ebantwini bakoJuda lapho bachitha khona igazi elingelacala elizweni labo.
Egypt will be a desolation and Edom will be a desolate wilderness, for the violence done to the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land.
20 KoJuda kuzahlalwa khona kuze kube nininini laseJerusalema kuzahlala izizukulwane zonke.
But Judah will be inhabited forever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.
21 Umlandu wabo wegazi, engingakaxoli ngawo, ngizabaxolela ngawo.”
I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed, for the LORD dwells in Zion.”
