< UMikha 5 >
1 Hlomisa amabutho akho, wena dolobho lamabutho, ngoba sesivinjezelwe. Bazatshaya umbusi wako-Israyeli esihlathini ngomqwayi.
Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon 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 thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, [though] thou art little among the thousands of Judah, [yet] out of thee 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 who travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren 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 will 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 will 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] will 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 its entrances: thus will he deliver [us] from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth 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 midst of many people as a dew from the LORD, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth 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 midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he goeth through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.
9 Isandla sakho sizaphakanyiselwa phezulu ngokunqoba izitha zakho, njalo zonke izitha zakho zizachithwa.
Thy hand shall be lifted up upon thy adversaries, and all thy 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, saith the LORD, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots:
11 Ngizachitha amadolobho elizwe lenu ngibhidlize lezinqaba zenu zonke.
And I will cut off the cities of thy land, and throw down all thy strong holds:
12 Ngizachitha ubuthakathi benu njalo kalisayikukhunkula futhi.
And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thy hand; and thou shalt have no [more] sooth-sayers:
13 Ngizachitha izithombe zenu ezabazwayo lamatshe enu okukhonza phakathi kwenu; kalisayi kuwukhothamela futhi umsebenzi wezandla zenu.
Thy graven images also will I cut off, and thy standing images out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thy hands.
14 Ngizasiphula phakathi kwenu izinsika zenu zika-Ashera, ngidilize lamadolobho enu.
And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee: so will I destroy thy cities.
15 Ngizaphindisela ngentukuthelo langolaka ezizweni ezingangilalelanga.”
And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard.