UMikha 7
1 Maye ngosizi lwami! Nginjengomuntu obutha izithelo zehlobo senginjengevini eselivunwe laphela; akuselasixha samavini okudliwa, kayisekho lemikhiwa yakuqala engiyikhanukayo.
I'm totally miserable! I've become like someone trying to glean summer fruit after the grape harvest is over. I can't find any grapes to eat, and there are no early figs that I love.
2 Abathembekileyo babhujisiwe elizweni, kakho lamunye umuntu olungileyo oseleyo. Abantu bonke bacathamela ukuchitha igazi; lowo lalowo uzingela umfowabo ngombule.
All the good people in the country are gone, there's no one who does right left anywhere. Everyone is looking to murder others; they try to trap even their own brothers.
3 Izandla zombili zizingcitshi ekwenzeni okubi; umbusi ufuna izipho ngamandla, umahluleli wamukela isivalamlomo, abalamandla babiza abakufisayo, bonke baceba okubi bendawonye.
They are experts at evil; both officials and judges ask for bribes; the powerful demand their evil desires; and they scheme together to get what they want.
4 Ongcono wabo unjengesihlahla sameva, oqotho kakhulu mubi kulothango lwameva. Usuku uNkulunkulu alethekelela ngalo selufikile, usuku lokukhala kophondo lwabalindi. Manje sekuyisikhathi sokuphumputheka kwabo.
Even the best of them is like a thorny bush, the most honest like a thorn hedge. Your day of judgment that was announced by the prophets, your time of punishment, has arrived. You'rethrown into complete confusion.
5 Ungamethembi umakhelwane; ungagwabi ngomngane wakho. Lalowo olala umgonile, qaphela amazwi akho.
Don't trust a neighbor, don't rely on a friend. Watch what you say even to the one who lies in your arms.
6 Ngoba indodana idumaza uyise, indodakazi ivukela unina, umalukazana avukele uninazala, izitha zomuntu ngamalunga endlu yakhe.
For a son treats his father with contempt; a daughter opposes her mother, and a daughter-in-law her mother-in-law. Your enemies are members of your own family.
7 Kodwa mina ngilindele uThixo ngethemba, ngilindele uNkulunkulu uMsindisi wami; uNkulunkulu wami uzangizwa.
But as for me, I look to the Lord. I will wait for the God who saves me. My God will hear me.
8 Ungaklolodi wena sitha sami! Lanxa ngiwile, ngizavuka. Lanxa ngihlezi emnyameni, uThixo uzakuba yikukhanya kwami.
Don't gloat over me, my enemies! Even though I fall, I will rise again. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord is my light.
9 Ngenxa yokuba ngonile kuye, ngizalumela ulaka lukaThixo, aze angincengele endabeni yami, aveze ukungabi lacala kwami. Uzangikhuphela phandle ekukhanyeni; ngizabona ukulunga kwakhe.
I will endure the Lord's anger because I have sinned against him. But after that he will argue my case and give me justice. He will bring me into the light and I will see his integrity.
10 Lapho-ke isitha sami sizakubona, njalo sibanjwe zinhloni, lowo owathi kimi, “Ungaphi uThixo uNkulunkulu wakho?” Lakhathesi uzagxotshwa ngezinyawo njengodaka emigwaqweni.
Then my enemies will see it and cover their faces in shame for taunting me, asking, “Where is the Lord your God?” With my own eyes I will see what happens to them; they will be trodden down like mud in the streets.
11 Usuku lokwakhiwa kwemiduli yakho luzafika, usuku lokuqhelisa imingcele yakho.
On that day it will be time to build your walls. On that day your boundaries will be extended.
12 Ngalolosuku abantu bazakuza kuwe bevela e-Asiriya lasemadolobheni aseGibhithe, njalo kusukela eGibhithe kusiya kuYufrathe, kusukela olwandle kusiya olwandle, lakusukela entabeni kusiya entabeni.
On that day people will come from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, from Egypt to the Euphrates River, from sea to sea, from mountain to mountain.
13 Umhlaba uzachitheka ngenxa yabahlezi kuwo, ngenxa yezenzo zabo.
But the rest of the earth will become desolate because of what those who live there have done.
14 Beluse abantu bakho ngentonga yakho, umhlambi welifa lakho, ohlala wodwa ehlathini emadlelweni avundileyo. Kawudle eBhashani laseGiliyadi njengasezinsukwini zokuphuma.
Protect your people with your shepherd's rod. Take care of your flock, your special people, who live alone in the wilderness and in cultivated land. Let them feed in Basham and Gilead as they did long ago.
15 “Njengasezinsukwini zokuphuma kwenu eGibhithe, ngizabatshengisa izimangaliso zami.”
Like the time when you left the land of Egypt, I will do miracles for you.
16 Izizwe zizabona ziyangeke, zemukwe wonke amandla azo. Zizabamba imilomo yazo ngezandla, lezindlebe zazo zingabe zisezwa.
The nations will see, and they will be humiliated despite their strength. They will cover their mouths with their hands, and their ears shall become deaf.
17 Zizakhotha uthuli njengenyoka, njengezinanakazana ezihuquzela emhlabathini. Zizakuza ziqhaqhazela ziphuma emihomeni yazo; zizaphendukela kuThixo uNkulunkulu wethu ngokwesaba, njalo lawe zizakwesaba.
They will lick the dust like snakes; they will be like the creepy-crawlies of the earth. They will come trembling from their fortresses to meet the Lord our God, fearful and afraid before him.
18 Ngubani onguNkulunkulu njengawe, oxolela izono athethelele iziphambeko zensalela zelifa lakhe na? Kawuthukutheli kokuphela kodwa uthokoza ngokutshengisa isihawu.
Who is a God like you who forgives sin and passes over the rebellion of those who are left of his special people? You do not remain angry forever because you delight in showing faithful love.
19 Uzakuba lesihawu kithi futhi; uzanyathela izono zethu ngezinyawo uphosele bonke ububi bethu ezinzikini zolwandle.
You will have compassion on us again. You will tread our sins under your feet, and you will throw our sins into the depths of the sea.
20 Uzakuba qotho kuJakhobe, ubonakalise isihawu sakho ku-Abhrahama, njengokuthembisa kwakho ngesifungo kubokhokho bethu ensukwini zasendulo.
You will give your trustworthy truth to the people of Jacob, your faithful love to the people of Abraham, as you promised our forefathers long ago.
