< UMikha 4 >
1 Ngezinsuku zokucina intaba yethempeli likaThixo izamiswa njengenhloko phakathi kwezintaba; izaphakanyiselwa phezu kwezintaba njalo izizwe zizabekelela zisiya kuyo.
And it has come to pass, In the latter end of the days, The mountain of the house of YHWH Is established above the top of the mountains, And it has been lifted up above the hills, And flowed to it have peoples.
2 Izizwe ezinengi zizafika zithi, “Wozani siye phezu kwentaba kaThixo, siye ethempelini likaNkulunkulu kaJakhobe. Uzasifundisa izindlela zakhe, ukuze sihambe emikhondweni yakhe.” Umthetho uzavela eZiyoni, ilizwi likaThixo livele eJerusalema.
And gone have many nations and said, “Come and we go up to the mountain of YHWH, And to the house of the God of Jacob, And He teaches us of His ways, And we walk in His paths,” For a law goes forth from Zion, And a word of YHWH from Jerusalem.
3 Uzakwahlulela phakathi kwezizwe ezinengi alamule lezingxabano zezizwe ezilamandla ezindaweni ezikhatshana. Bazakhanda izinkemba zabo zibe yimihlathi yamakhuba, lemikhonto yabo ibe zingqamu zokuthena izihlahla. Isizwe asiyikuhlomela isizwe ngenkemba loba sifundele ukulwa impi futhi.
And He has judged between many peoples, And given a decision to mighty nations far off, They have beaten their swords to plowshares, And their spears to pruning-hooks, Nation does not lift up sword to nation, Nor do they learn war anymore.
4 Umuntu wonke uzahlala ngaphansi kwesihlahla sakhe sevini langaphansi kwesihlahla sakhe somkhiwa, njalo kakho ozabenza besabe, ngoba uThixo uSomandla usekhulumile.
And they have sat each under his vine, And under his fig tree, And there is none troubling, For the mouth of YHWH of Hosts has spoken.
5 Zonke izizwe zingahamba ebizweni labonkulunkulu bazo; thina sizahamba ebizweni likaThixo uNkulunkulu wethu kuze kube laphakade.
For all the peoples walk, Each in the name of its god—and we, We walk in the Name of our God YHWH, For all time and forever.
6 “Ngalolosuku,” kutsho uThixo, “ngizabutha abaqhulayo; ngizaqoqa abathunjwayo lalabo engabehlisela usizi.
“In that day,” a declaration of YHWH, “I gather the halting one, And the driven away one I bring together, And she whom I have afflicted.
7 Ngizakwenza abaqhulayo babe yinsalela, abaxotshwayo babe yisizwe esilamandla. UThixo uzababusa eNtabeni iZiyoni, kusukela ngalolosuku kuze kube nininini.
And I have set the halting for a remnant, And the far-off for a mighty nation, And YHWH has reigned over them in Mount Zion, From now on, and for all time.
8 Wena nqaba yokulinda yomhlambi, wena nqaba yeNdodakazi yeZiyoni, umbuso wakuqala uzabuyiselwa kuwe; ubukhosi buzakuza eNdodakazini yaseJerusalema.”
And you, O Tower of Eder, Fort of the daughter of Zion, to you it comes, Indeed, the former rule has come in, The kingdom to the daughter of Jerusalem.”
9 Kungani khathesi usukhala kakhulu, kawulankosi na? Umeluleki wakho usebhubhile na, ukuba uphathwe yibuhlungu obunjengowesifazane ohelelwayo?
Now why do you shout aloud? Is there no king in you? Has your counselor perished, That pain as of a travailing woman has taken hold of you?
10 Janqula ngobuhlungu, wena Ndodakazi yeZiyoni, njengowesifazane ohelelwayo, ngoba khathesi sekumele usuke kulelidolobho uyehlala egangeni. Uzakuya eBhabhiloni; lapho ozahlengwa khona. Khonale uThixo uzakukhulula ezandleni zezitha zakho.
Be pained, and bring forth, O daughter of Zion, As a travailing woman, For now you go forth from the city, And you have dwelt in the field, And you have gone to Babylon, There you are delivered, There YHWH redeems you from the hand of your enemies.
11 Kodwa khathesi izizwe ezinengi zikujamele. Zithi, “Kangcoliswe, lamehlo ethu kawahawukele iZiyoni!”
And now, many nations have gathered against you, who are saying: “Let her be defiled, and our eyes look on Zion.”
12 Kodwa kabayazi imicabango kaThixo; kabaliqedisisi icebo lakhe, yena obabutha njengezixha zamabele esizeni.
They have not known the thoughts of YHWH, Nor have they understood His counsel, For He has gathered them as a sheaf [into] a threshing-floor.
13 “Sukuma ubhule, wena Ndodakazi yeZiyoni, ngoba ngizakupha impondo zensimbi; ngizakunika amasondo ethusi, njalo uzachoboza izizwe ezinengi.” Uzanikela kuThixo inzuzo yabo eyatholwa ngobuqili inotho yabo kuThixo womhlaba wonke.
Arise, and thresh, O daughter of Zion, For I make your horn iron, And I make your hooves bronze, And you have beaten small many peoples, And I have devoted to YHWH their gain, And their wealth to the Lord of the whole earth!