UMikha 4
1 Ngezinsuku zokucina intaba yethempeli likaThixo izamiswa njengenhloko phakathi kwezintaba; izaphakanyiselwa phezu kwezintaba njalo izizwe zizabekelela zisiya kuyo.
Yahweh [says that] some day his temple will be on top of a mountain, and that mountain will be the most important [MET] one on the earth; it will be [as though it is] higher than all the hills, and huge groups of people from all over the world will come there [to worship].
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.
[People from] many nations will say [to each other], “Let’s go to the mountain where Yahweh is, to the temple where we can worship the God whom Jacob [worshiped]. There God will teach us how he wants us to conduct our lives, and we will do what he wants us to do.” Zion [Hill] is the place where he will teach [people]; and [people will go] out from Jerusalem [to tell others] his messages.
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.
Yahweh will settle disputes between many people, and he will [also] settle disputes between powerful nations that are far away. Then people will hammer their swords to cause them to become plow blades, and [hammer] their spears to cause them to become pruning knives. [Armies of] nations will no [longer] fight against [armies of other] nations, and they will no longer train [men how to fight] in wars.
4 Umuntu wonke uzahlala ngaphansi kwesihlahla sakhe sevini langaphansi kwesihlahla sakhe somkhiwa, njalo kakho ozabenza besabe, ngoba uThixo uSomandla usekhulumile.
Everyone will sit [peacefully] under his own grapevines, and under his own fig trees; no one will cause them to be afraid. [That is what will surely happen] because the Commander of the armies of angels has said it.
5 Zonke izizwe zingahamba ebizweni labonkulunkulu bazo; thina sizahamba ebizweni likaThixo uNkulunkulu wethu kuze kube laphakade.
Many [HYP] [of the people of other] nations will worship [IDM] their own gods, but we will worship Yahweh our God always, forever.
6 “Ngalolosuku,” kutsho uThixo, “ngizabutha abaqhulayo; ngizaqoqa abathunjwayo lalabo engabehlisela usizi.
Yahweh says, “There will soon be a time when I will gather the people whom I have punished, who have been (exiled/forced to go to other countries), all those whom [I have caused to] suffer much.
7 Ngizakwenza abaqhulayo babe yinsalela, abaxotshwayo babe yisizwe esilamandla. UThixo uzababusa eNtabeni iZiyoni, kusukela ngalolosuku kuze kube nininini.
My people who did not die while they were exiled will become a strong nation [again]. Then [I], Yahweh, will be their king, and I will rule from Jerusalem forever.
8 Wena nqaba yokulinda yomhlambi, wena nqaba yeNdodakazi yeZiyoni, umbuso wakuqala uzabuyiselwa kuwe; ubukhosi buzakuza eNdodakazini yaseJerusalema.”
As for you people of Jerusalem [MET], you who [guard all of my people] like [MET] [a shepherd guards his sheep] from a tower, you [who live on] Zion [Hill], will have great power again. You people who live in Jerusalem will again rule like you did previously.
9 Kungani khathesi usukhala kakhulu, kawulankosi na? Umeluleki wakho usebhubhile na, ukuba uphathwe yibuhlungu obunjengowesifazane ohelelwayo?
[So] why [RHQ] are you wailing now? Is it because you have no king? Have all your wise people died? You are groaning loudly like [SIM] a woman who is giving birth to a baby.
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.
[Well], you people of Jerusalem should writhe and groan like [SIM] a woman who is having birth pains, because now you must leave this city, and [while you are traveling], you will set up tents in open fields [at night]; you will go to [live in] Babylon. [But while you are] there, [I], Yahweh, will rescue you; I will free you from the power/control [MTY] of your enemies.
11 Kodwa khathesi izizwe ezinengi zikujamele. Zithi, “Kangcoliswe, lamehlo ethu kawahawukele iZiyoni!”
Now [the armies of] many nations have gathered to attack you. They are saying, ‘Jerusalem must be destroyed! We want to see this city [when it becomes ruins]!’
12 Kodwa kabayazi imicabango kaThixo; kabaliqedisisi icebo lakhe, yena obabutha njengezixha zamabele esizeni.
But they do not know what [I], Yahweh, think, and they do not understand what I plan: I will gather them [and punish them] like [SIM] [farmers] thresh grain on the ground.
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.
So, you people of Jerusalem, rise up and punish [MET] [the nations who oppose you]. I will cause you [to be very strong], [as if] [MET] you had horns made of iron, [as if] [MET] you had hoofs made of bronze; and you will crush many nations. And [then you will take] from your enemies the valuable things that they have taken [from other countries], and you will dedicate those things to [me, the one who is] the Lord of all [the people on] the earth.”
