UMikha 6
1 Lalelani okutshiwo nguThixo ukuthi: “Sukumani lilandise indaba yenu phambi kwezintaba; amaqaqa kawezwe lokho elikutshoyo.
Hear ye 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, the controversy of Jehovah! Hear, ye strong foundations of the earth! For Jehovah hath a controversy with his people; He contendeth with Israel.
3 Bantu bami, ngenzeni kini na? Ngilihluphe ngani na? Ngiphendulani.
“O my people, what have I done to thee, And wherein have I offended thee? Testify against me!
4 Ngalikhupha eGibhithe ngalikhulula elizweni lobugqili. Ngathuma uMosi ukuba alikhokhele kanye lo-Aroni loMiriyemu.
I brought thee up from the land of Egypt, And from the house of bondage I redeemed thee; I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, to go before thee.
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 what Balak the king of Moab devised. And what Balaam, the son of Beor, answered him, What happened from Shittim to Gilgal, That ye may know the mercies 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 most high God? Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, With calves of 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 the sin of my soul, The fruit of my body for my transgression?
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; What doth Jehovah require of thee, But to do justly, and to love mercy, And to walk humbly before thy God?
9 Lalelani! UThixo umemezela kulo idolobho, lokwesaba ibizo lakho kuyikuhlakanipha, “Qaphelani umqwayi laLowo owubekileyo.
The voice of Jehovah crieth to the city, And the man of wisdom will discern thee; Hear ye the rod, and who hath threatened it!
10 Wena ndlu yobubi, kufanele lakhathesi ngiyikhohlwe inotho yakho eyazuzwa ngobubi, lehefa elinganelanga, eliqalekisiweyo na?
Are there not yet in the houses of the unrighteous the treasures of iniquity, And the scanty measure, which is abominable?
11 Ngizamkhulula yini ecaleni umuntu olezilinganiso zobuqili, lesaka lezilinganiso zamanga na?
Shall I count her pure with the wicked balances, And with the bag of deceitful weights?
12 Abantu bakhona abanothileyo balochuku; abantu bakhona ngabaqambi bamanga, lezilimi zabo zikhuluma inkohliso.
For her rich men are full of violence, And her inhabitants speak lies, And their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.
13 Ngakho sengiqalisile ukukuchitha, ukukuqothula ngenxa yezono zakho.
Therefore will I sorely smite thee, And make thee desolate on account of thy sins.
14 Uzakudla kodwa ungasuthi; isisu sakho sizakuba silokhu singelalutho. Uzabuthelela kodwa ungalondolozi lutho, ngoba lokho okulondolozayo ngizakupha inkemba.
Thou shalt eat and not be satisfied, And hunger shall be within thee. Thou shalt remove, but shalt not save, And what 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 grapes, 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 ye keep the statutes of Omri, And all the works of the house of Ahab, And walk in their devices; Therefore will I make thee a desolation, And thine inhabitants a derision; And ye shall bear the reproach of my people.
