UMikha 6
1 Lalelani okutshiwo nguThixo ukuthi: “Sukumani lilandise indaba yenu phambi kwezintaba; amaqaqa kawezwe lokho elikutshoyo.
Give ear now to the words of the Lord: Up! put forward your cause before the mountains, let your voice be sounding among the hills.
2 Zwanini, lina zintaba, icala elethulwa nguThixo; lalelani lina zisekelo zomhlaba ezingulaphakade. Ngoba kulecala uThixo alibeka ebantwini bakhe, wethesa u-Israyeli icala.
Give ear, O you mountains, to the Lord's cause, and take note, you bases of the earth: for the Lord has a cause against his people, and he will take it up with Israel.
3 Bantu bami, ngenzeni kini na? Ngilihluphe ngani na? Ngiphendulani.
O my people, what have I done to you? how have I been a weariness to you? give answer against me.
4 Ngalikhupha eGibhithe ngalikhulula elizweni lobugqili. Ngathuma uMosi ukuba alikhokhele kanye lo-Aroni loMiriyemu.
For I took you up out of the land of Egypt and made you free from the prison-house; I sent before you 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, keep in mind now what was designed by Balak, king of Moab, and the answer which Balaam, son of Beor, gave him; the events, from Shittim to Gilgal, so that you may be certain of the upright acts of the Lord.
6 Kuyini engizakuza lakho phambi kukaThixo ngikhothame phambi kukaNkulunkulu ophakemeyo na? Ngizakuza phambi kwakhe ngilomnikelo wokutshiswa, ngilamathole alomnyaka owodwa na?
With what am I to come before the Lord and go with bent head before the high God? am I to come before him with burned offerings, with young oxen 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 the Lord be pleased with thousands of sheep or with ten thousand rivers of oil? am I to give my first child for my wrongdoing, 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 has made clear to you, O man, what is good; and what is desired from you by the Lord; only doing what is right, and loving mercy, and walking without pride before your God.
9 Lalelani! UThixo umemezela kulo idolobho, lokwesaba ibizo lakho kuyikuhlakanipha, “Qaphelani umqwayi laLowo owubekileyo.
The voice of the Lord is crying out to the town: Give ear, you tribes and the meeting of the town.
10 Wena ndlu yobubi, kufanele lakhathesi ngiyikhohlwe inotho yakho eyazuzwa ngobubi, lehefa elinganelanga, eliqalekisiweyo na?
Am I to let the stores of the evil-doer go out of my memory, and the short measure, which is cursed?
11 Ngizamkhulula yini ecaleni umuntu olezilinganiso zobuqili, lesaka lezilinganiso zamanga na?
Is it possible for me to let wrong scales and the bag of false weights go without punishment?
12 Abantu bakhona abanothileyo balochuku; abantu bakhona ngabaqambi bamanga, lezilimi zabo zikhuluma inkohliso.
For its men of wealth are cruel, and its people have said what is not true, and their tongue is false in their mouth.
13 Ngakho sengiqalisile ukukuchitha, ukukuqothula ngenxa yezono zakho.
So I have made a start with your punishment; I have made you waste because of your sins.
14 Uzakudla kodwa ungasuthi; isisu sakho sizakuba silokhu singelalutho. Uzabuthelela kodwa ungalondolozi lutho, ngoba lokho okulondolozayo ngizakupha inkemba.
You will have food, but not enough; your shame will be ever with you: you will get your goods moved, but you will not take them away safely; and what you do take away I will give to the sword.
15 Uzalima kodwa ungavuni; uzakhama ama-oliva kodwa amafutha awo ungawagcobi, uzakhama amavini kodwa iwayini lawo ungalinathi.
You will put in seed, but you will not get in the grain; you will be crushing olives, but your bodies will not be rubbed with the oil; and you will get in the grapes, but you will have no 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 you have kept the laws of Omri and all the works of the family of Ahab, and you have been guided by their designs: so that I might make you a cause of wonder and your people a cause of hisses; and the shame of my people will be on you.
