< UMikha 1 >

1 Ilizwi likaThixo elafika kuMikha waseMoreshethi ensukwini zemibuso kaJothamu, loka-Ahazi loHezekhiya, amakhosi akoJuda, umbono awubonayo mayelana leSamariya leJerusalema.
A word of Jehovah that hath been unto Micah the Morashite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, kings of Judah, that he hath seen concerning Samaria and Jerusalem:
2 Zwanini lonke lina bantu, lalelani, awu wena mhlaba labo bonke abakuwo, ukuze uThixo Wobukhosi afakaze ngawe ekulahla, uThixo esethempelini lakhe elingcwele.
Hear, O peoples, all of them! Attend, O earth, and its fulness, And the Lord Jehovah is against you for a witness, The Lord from His holy temple.
3 Khangelani! UThixo uyeza evela lapho ahlala khona; wehlela phansi njalo enyathela ezindaweni eziphakemeyo zomhlaba.
For lo, Jehovah is going out from His place, And He hath come down, And hath trodden on high places of earth.
4 Izintaba ziyancibilika ngaphansi kwakhe, lezigodi ziyaqhekezeka phakathi njengengcino phansi komlilo, lanjengamanzi esehla ngamandla emthezukweni.
Melted have been the mountains under Him, And the valleys do rend themselves, As wax from the presence of fire, As waters cast down by a slope.
5 Konke lokhu kungenxa yokona kukaJakhobe, ngenxa yezono zendlu ka-Israyeli. Kuyini ukona kukaJakhobe na? AkusiSamariya na? Iyini indawo kaJuda ephakemeyo na? AkusiJerusalema na?
For the transgression of Jacob [is] all this, And for the sins of the house of Israel. What [is] the transgression of Jacob? Is it not Samaria? And what the high places of Judah? Is it not Jerusalem?
6 “Ngakho iSamariya ngizayenza ibe yinqumbi yemfucuza, indawo yokuhlanyela izivini. Amatshe ayo ngizawathela esigodini ngiphendle lezisekelo zayo.
And I have set Samaria for a heap of the field, For plantations of a vineyard, And poured out into a valley her stones, And her foundations I uncover.
7 Zonke izithombe zayo zizaphohlozwa; zonke izipho zayo zasethempelini zizatshiswa ngomlilo; ngizaphahlaza zonke izifanekiso zayo. Njengoba yaqoqa izipho zayo ngeholo lezifebe, zizasetshenziswa njengeholo lezifebe futhi.”
And all her graven images are beaten down, And all her gifts are burnt with fire, And all her idols I make a desolation, For, from the hire of a harlot she gathered, and unto the hire of a harlot they return.
8 Ngenxa yalokhu ngizakhala ngilile; ngizahamba ngezinyawo phansi njalo nginqunu. Ngizahlaba umkhulungwane njengekhanka, ngikhale njengesikhova.
For this I lament and howl, I go spoiled and naked, I make a lamentation like dragons, And a mourning like daughters of an ostrich.
9 Ngoba inxeba layo kalelapheki; selifikile koJuda. Selifike kulo kanye isango labantu bami, kanye laseJerusalema uqobo.
For mortal [are] her wounds, For it hath come unto Judah, It hath come to a gate of My people — to Jerusalem.
10 Lingakukhulumi eGathi; lingakhali lakancane. Giqikani ethulini eBhethi Ofira.
In Gath tell ye not — in Acco weep not, In Beth-Aphrah, in dust roll thyself.
11 Dlulani linqunu njalo lilenhloni lina elihlala eShafiri. Labo abahlala eZawanani kabayikuphuma. IBhethi-Ezeli iphakathi kokulila; ukuvikelwa kwayo kususiwe kini.
Pass over for thee, O inhabitant of Shaphir, Naked one of shame. Not gone out hath the inhabitant of Zaanan, The lamentation of Beth-Ezel doth take from you its standing.
12 Labo abahlala eMarothi bayazijanqa ngobuhlungu, belindele usizo ngoba umonakalo uvele kuThixo, wafika lasesangweni leJerusalema.
For stayed for good hath the inhabitant of Maroth, For evil hath come down from Jehovah to the gate of Jerusalem.
13 Lina elihlala eLakhishi, bophelani amabhiza agijimayo enqoleni. Yini elaba yisisusa sesono eNdodakazini yeZiyoni, ngoba ukona kuka-Israyeli kwafunyanwa kini.
Bind the chariot to a swift beast, O inhabitant of Lachish, The beginning of sin [is] she to the daughter of Zion, For in thee have been found the transgressions of Israel.
14 Ngakho-ke lizanika iMoreshethi Gathi izipho zokwehlukana. Idolobho lase-Akhizibhi lizabonakalisa inkohliso emakhosini ako-Israyeli.
Therefore thou givest presents to Moresheth-Gath, The houses of Achzib become a lying thing to the kings of Israel.
15 Ngizalilethela umnqobi lina elihlala eMaresha. Lowo olodumo luka-Israyeli uzakuza e-Adulami.
Yet the possessor I do bring in to thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah, To Adullam come in doth the honour of Israel.
16 Phucani amakhanda enu likhalela abantwabenu elibathandayo; ziphuceni libe njengelinqe ngoba bazasuka kini baye ekuthunjweni.
Make bald and shave, for thy delightful sons, Enlarge thy baldness as an eagle, For they have removed from thee!

< UMikha 1 >