< UMikha 6 >
1 Lalelani okutshiwo nguThixo ukuthi: “Sukumani lilandise indaba yenu phambi kwezintaba; amaqaqa kawezwe lokho elikutshoyo.
Hear ye now what Jehovah saith: Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.
2 Zwanini, lina zintaba, icala elethulwa nguThixo; lalelani lina zisekelo zomhlaba ezingulaphakade. Ngoba kulecala uThixo alibeka ebantwini bakhe, wethesa u-Israyeli icala.
Hear, O ye mountains, Jehovah’s controversy, and ye enduring foundations of the earth; for Jehovah hath a controversy with his people, and he will contend with Israel.
3 Bantu bami, ngenzeni kini na? Ngilihluphe ngani na? Ngiphendulani.
O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me.
4 Ngalikhupha eGibhithe ngalikhulula elizweni lobugqili. Ngathuma uMosi ukuba alikhokhele kanye lo-Aroni loMiriyemu.
For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of bondage; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
5 Bantu bami, khumbulani izicebiso zikaBhalaki inkosi yaseMowabi lokuthi uBhalamu indodana kaBheyori waphendula wathini. Khumbulani uhambo lwenu kusukela eShithima kusiya eGiligali, ukuze lazi imisebenzi elungileyo kaThixo.”
O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him; [remember] from Shittim unto Gilgal, that ye may know the righteous acts of Jehovah.
6 Kuyini engizakuza lakho phambi kukaThixo ngikhothame phambi kukaNkulunkulu ophakemeyo na? Ngizakuza phambi kwakhe ngilomnikelo wokutshiswa, ngilamathole alomnyaka owodwa na?
Wherewith shall I come before Jehovah, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves a year old?
7 UThixo angathokoziswa zinqama eziyizinkulungwane, izinkulungwane ezilitshumi zemifula yamafutha na? Ngizanikela izibulo lami ngenxa yokona kwami, isithelo somzimba wami ngenxa yesono somphefumulo wami na?
will Jehovah be pleased with thousands of rams, [or] with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8 Ukutshengisile wena muntu okuhle. UThixo ufunani kuwe na? Ukwenza okulungileyo lokuthanda umusa kanye lokuhamba ngokuzithoba loNkulunkulu wakho.
He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth Jehovah require of thee, but to do justly, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with thy God?
9 Lalelani! UThixo umemezela kulo idolobho, lokwesaba ibizo lakho kuyikuhlakanipha, “Qaphelani umqwayi laLowo owubekileyo.
The voice of Jehovah crieth unto the city, and [the man of] wisdom will see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.
10 Wena ndlu yobubi, kufanele lakhathesi ngiyikhohlwe inotho yakho eyazuzwa ngobubi, lehefa elinganelanga, eliqalekisiweyo na?
Are there yet treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and a scant measure that is abominable?
11 Ngizamkhulula yini ecaleni umuntu olezilinganiso zobuqili, lesaka lezilinganiso zamanga na?
Shall I be pure with wicked balances, and with a bag of deceitful weights?
12 Abantu bakhona abanothileyo balochuku; abantu bakhona ngabaqambi bamanga, lezilimi zabo zikhuluma inkohliso.
For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.
13 Ngakho sengiqalisile ukukuchitha, ukukuqothula ngenxa yezono zakho.
Therefore I also have smitten thee with a grievous wound; I have made thee desolate because of thy sins.
14 Uzakudla kodwa ungasuthi; isisu sakho sizakuba silokhu singelalutho. Uzabuthelela kodwa ungalondolozi lutho, ngoba lokho okulondolozayo ngizakupha inkemba.
Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied; and thy humiliation shall be in the midst of thee: and thou shalt put away, but shalt not save; and that which thou savest will I give up to the sword.
15 Uzalima kodwa ungavuni; uzakhama ama-oliva kodwa amafutha awo ungawagcobi, uzakhama amavini kodwa iwayini lawo ungalinathi.
Thou shalt sow, but shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives, but shalt not anoint thee with oil; and the vintage, but shalt not drink the wine.
16 Ugcinile imithetho ka-Omri layo yonke imikhutshana yasendlini ka-Ahabi, walandela lamasiko abo. Ngakho-ke ngizakunikela ekubhujisweni, labantu bakho ekubeni yinhlekisa; uzathwala ihlazo lezizwe.”
For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I may make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof a hissing: and ye shall bear the reproach of my people.