UMikha 3
1 Lapho-ke mina ngathi, “Lalelani lina bakhokheli bakoJakhobe, lina babusi bendlu yako-Israyeli. Ukulunga akumelanga likwazi na,
And I said: Hear, O ye princes of Jacob, and ye chiefs of the house of Israel: Is it not your part to know judgment,
2 lina elizonda okuhle lithande okubi; elixebula isikhumba ebantwini bami lenyama emathanjeni abo;
You that hate good, and love evil: that violently pluck off their skins from them, and their flesh from their bones?
3 lina elibadla inyama abantu bami, lihlubule isikhumba sabo lichoboze lamathambo abo abe yizicucu; elibaqumaquma njengenyama yepani, lanjengenyama yembiza?”
Who have eaten the flesh of my people, and have flayed their skin from off them: and have broken, and chopped their bones as for the kettle, and as flesh in the midst of the pot.
4 Lapho-ke bazakhala kuThixo, kodwa kayikubaphendula. Ngalesosikhathi uzabafihlela ubuso bakhe ngenxa yobubi ababenzileyo.
Then shall they cry to the Lord, and he will not hear them: and he will hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved wickedly in their devices.
5 Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: “Okunjengabaphrofethi, abedukisa abantu bami, umuntu angabapha ukudla, bamemezela ‘ukuthula’ nxa engabaphi balungisela ukumhlasela ngempi.
Thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets that make my people err: that bite with their teeth, and preach peace: and if a man give not something into their mouth, they prepare war against him.
6 Ngakho ubusuku buzakwehlela phezu kwenu, kungekho mibono, kanye lomnyama, kungekho kuhlahlula. Ilanga lizabatshonela abaphrofethi, losuku luzakuba mnyama kubo.
Therefore night shall be to you instead of vision, and darkness to you instead of divination; and the sun shall go down upon the prophets, and the day shall be darkened over them.
7 Ababonisayo bazayangeka labahlahluli babe lenhloni. Bonke bazamboza ubuso babo ngoba kungelampendulo evela kuNkulunkulu.”
And they shall be confounded that see visions, and the diviners shall be confounded: and they shall all cover their faces, because there is no answer of God.
8 Kodwa mina ngiphiwe amandla, loMoya kaThixo, lokulunga kanye lesibindi, ukuba ngitshele uJakhobe ukona kwakhe lo-Israyeli isono sakhe.
But yet I am filled with the strength of the spirit of the Lord, with judgment, and power: to declare unto Jacob his wickedness, and to Israel his sin.
9 Zwanini lokhu lina bakhokheli bendlu kaJakhobe, lani babusi bendlu ka-Israyeli, eleyisa ukulunga lihlanekele konke okuqondileyo;
Hear this, ye princes of the house of Jacob, and ye judges of the house of Israel: you that abhor judgment, and pervert all that is right.
10 elakha iZiyoni ngokuchitha igazi; leJerusalema ngobubi.
You that build up Sion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity.
11 Abakhokheli bayo bahlulela ngokufunjathiswa, abaphristi bayo bafundisela inhlawulo, labaphrofethi bayo baphrofithela imali; ikanti bathembele kuThixo njalo bathi, “Kanti uThixo kakho phakathi kwethu na? Akulancithakalo engasehlela.”
Her princes have judged for bribes, and her priests have taught for hire, and her prophets divined for money: and they leaned upon the Lord, saying: Is not the Lord in the midst of us? no evil shall come upon us.
12 Ngakho-ke ngenxa yenu, iZiyoni izalinywa njengensimu, iJerusalema izakuba yinqwaba yemfucuza, intaba yethempeli ibe yindunduma eyande izixukwana.
Therefore, because of you, Sion shall be ploughed as a field, and Jerusalem shall be as a heap of stones, and the mountain of the temple as the high places of the forests.
