< UMikha 5 >
1 Hlomisa amabutho akho, wena dolobho lamabutho, ngoba sesivinjezelwe. Bazatshaya umbusi wako-Israyeli esihlathini ngomqwayi.
Now gather yourself in troops, O daughter of troops: he has laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod on the cheek.
2 “Kodwa wena Bhethilehema Efrathi, lanxa umncinyane phakathi kwezizwana zakoJuda, kuwe kuzavela ozakuba ngumbusi wako-Israyeli, omdabuko wakhe ngowasekadeni, kusukela ezikhathini zendulo.”
But you, Bethlehem Ephratah, though you be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall he come forth to me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
3 Ngakho u-Israyeli uzadelwa kuze kube yisikhathi sokuthi lowo ohelelwayo abelethe, laba abafowabo bonke baphenduke ukuzahlangana labako-Israyeli.
Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travails has brought forth: then the remnant of his brothers shall return to the children of Israel.
4 Uzakuma eluse umhlambi wakhe ngamandla kaThixo, ngobukhosi bebizo likaThixo uNkulunkulu wakhe. Bazahlala ngokuvikeleka, ngoba lapho udumo lwakhe luzafika emikhawulweni yomhlaba.
And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great to the ends of the earth.
5 Uzakuba yikuthula kwabo. Lapho umʼAsiriya ehlasela ilizwe lethu edabula phakathi kwezinqaba zethu, sizamvusela abelusi abayisikhombisa, kanye labakhokheli babantu abayisificaminwembili.
And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men.
6 Bazabusa ilizwe lase-Asiriya ngenkemba, ilizwe likaNimrodi behlome ngenkemba, uzasikhulula kumʼAsiriya lapho ehlasela ilizwe lethu engena phakathi kwemingcele yethu.
And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he comes into our land, and when he treads within our borders.
7 Insalela zabakoJakhobe zizakuba phakathi kwezizwe ezinengi njengamazolo avela kuThixo, lanjengemkhizo phezu kotshani, okungalindeli muntu kumbe kuhlalele abantu.
And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the middle of many people as a dew from the LORD, as the showers on the grass, that tarries not for man, nor waits for the sons of men.
8 Insalela zabakoJakhobe zizakuba phakathi kwezizwe, phakathi kwabantu abanengi, njengesilwane phakathi kwezinyamazana zegusu, lanjengeguqa lesilwane phakathi komhlambi wezimvu, esidlithizayo sidabule ekuhambeni kwaso, kungekho ongahlenga.
And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the middle of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treads down, and tears in pieces, and none can deliver.
9 Isandla sakho sizaphakanyiselwa phezulu ngokunqoba izitha zakho, njalo zonke izitha zakho zizachithwa.
Your hand shall be lifted up on your adversaries, and all your enemies shall be cut off.
10 “Ngalolosuku,” kutsho uThixo, “ngizabhubhisa amabhiza enu phakathi kwenu ngibhidlize lezinqola zenu zempi.
And it shall come to pass in that day, says the LORD, that I will cut off your horses out of the middle of you, and I will destroy your chariots:
11 Ngizachitha amadolobho elizwe lenu ngibhidlize lezinqaba zenu zonke.
And I will cut off the cities of your land, and throw down all your strong holds:
12 Ngizachitha ubuthakathi benu njalo kalisayikukhunkula futhi.
And I will cut off witchcrafts out of your hand; and you shall have no more soothsayers:
13 Ngizachitha izithombe zenu ezabazwayo lamatshe enu okukhonza phakathi kwenu; kalisayi kuwukhothamela futhi umsebenzi wezandla zenu.
Your graven images also will I cut off, and your standing images out of the middle of you; and you shall no more worship the work of your hands.
14 Ngizasiphula phakathi kwenu izinsika zenu zika-Ashera, ngidilize lamadolobho enu.
And I will pluck up your groves out of the middle of you: so will I destroy your cities.
15 Ngizaphindisela ngentukuthelo langolaka ezizweni ezingangilalelanga.”
And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury on the heathen, such as they have not heard.