UMikha 5
1 Hlomisa amabutho akho, wena dolobho lamabutho, ngoba sesivinjezelwe. Bazatshaya umbusi wako-Israyeli esihlathini ngomqwayi.
Now you shall gather yourself in troops, daughter of troops. He has laid siege against us. They will strike 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 Ephrathah, being small amongst the clans of Judah, out of you one will come out to me who is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings out are from of old, from ancient times.
3 Ngakho u-Israyeli uzadelwa kuze kube yisikhathi sokuthi lowo ohelelwayo abelethe, laba abafowabo bonke baphenduke ukuzahlangana labako-Israyeli.
Therefore he will abandon them until the time that she who is in labour gives birth. Then the rest of his brothers will 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.
He shall stand, and shall shepherd in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. They will live, for then he will 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.
He will be our peace when Assyria invades our land and when he marches through our fortresses, then we will raise against him seven shepherds, and eight leaders of men.
6 Bazabusa ilizwe lase-Asiriya ngenkemba, ilizwe likaNimrodi behlome ngenkemba, uzasikhulula kumʼAsiriya lapho ehlasela ilizwe lethu engena phakathi kwemingcele yethu.
They will rule the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in its gates. He will deliver us from the Assyrian, when he invades our land, and when he marches within our border.
7 Insalela zabakoJakhobe zizakuba phakathi kwezizwe ezinengi njengamazolo avela kuThixo, lanjengemkhizo phezu kotshani, okungalindeli muntu kumbe kuhlalele abantu.
The remnant of Jacob will be amongst many peoples like dew from the LORD, like showers on the grass, that don’t wait for man nor wait 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.
The remnant of Jacob will be amongst the nations, amongst many peoples, like a lion amongst the animals of the forest, like a young lion amongst the flocks of sheep; who, if he goes through, treads down and tears in pieces, and there is no one to deliver.
9 Isandla sakho sizaphakanyiselwa phezulu ngokunqoba izitha zakho, njalo zonke izitha zakho zizachithwa.
Let your hand be lifted up above your adversaries, and let all of your enemies be cut off.
10 “Ngalolosuku,” kutsho uThixo, “ngizabhubhisa amabhiza enu phakathi kwenu ngibhidlize lezinqola zenu zempi.
“It will happen in that day”, says the LORD, “that I will cut off your horses from amongst you and will destroy your chariots.
11 Ngizachitha amadolobho elizwe lenu ngibhidlize lezinqaba zenu zonke.
I will cut off the cities of your land and will tear down all your strongholds.
12 Ngizachitha ubuthakathi benu njalo kalisayikukhunkula futhi.
I will destroy witchcraft from your hand. You shall have no soothsayers.
13 Ngizachitha izithombe zenu ezabazwayo lamatshe enu okukhonza phakathi kwenu; kalisayi kuwukhothamela futhi umsebenzi wezandla zenu.
I will cut off your engraved images and your pillars from amongst you; and you shall no more worship the work of your hands.
14 Ngizasiphula phakathi kwenu izinsika zenu zika-Ashera, ngidilize lamadolobho enu.
I will uproot your Asherah poles from amongst you; and I will destroy your cities.
15 Ngizaphindisela ngentukuthelo langolaka ezizweni ezingangilalelanga.”
I will execute vengeance in anger and wrath on the nations that didn’t listen.”
