UMikha 3
1 Lapho-ke mina ngathi, “Lalelani lina bakhokheli bakoJakhobe, lina babusi bendlu yako-Israyeli. Ukulunga akumelanga likwazi na,
AND I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel; Is it not for you to know judgment?
2 lina elizonda okuhle lithande okubi; elixebula isikhumba ebantwini bami lenyama emathanjeni abo;
Who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones;
3 lina elibadla inyama abantu bami, lihlubule isikhumba sabo lichoboze lamathambo abo abe yizicucu; elibaqumaquma njengenyama yepani, lanjengenyama yembiza?”
Who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them; and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the caldron.
4 Lapho-ke bazakhala kuThixo, kodwa kayikubaphendula. Ngalesosikhathi uzabafihlela ubuso bakhe ngenxa yobubi ababenzileyo.
Then shall they cry unto the Lord, but he will not hear them: he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings.
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 cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even 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 unto you, that ye shall not have a vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them.
7 Ababonisayo bazayangeka labahlahluli babe lenhloni. Bonke bazamboza ubuso babo ngoba kungelampendulo evela kuNkulunkulu.”
Then shall the seers be ashamed, and the diviners confounded: yea, they shall all cover their lips; for 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 truly I am full of power by the spirit of the Lord, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.
9 Zwanini lokhu lina bakhokheli bendlu kaJakhobe, lani babusi bendlu ka-Israyeli, eleyisa ukulunga lihlanekele konke okuqondileyo;
Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity.
10 elakha iZiyoni ngokuchitha igazi; leJerusalema ngobubi.
They build up Zion 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.”
The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us.
12 Ngakho-ke ngenxa yenu, iZiyoni izalinywa njengensimu, iJerusalema izakuba yinqwaba yemfucuza, intaba yethempeli ibe yindunduma eyande izixukwana.
Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.
