UMikha 1
1 Ilizwi likaThixo elafika kuMikha waseMoreshethi ensukwini zemibuso kaJothamu, loka-Ahazi loHezekhiya, amakhosi akoJuda, umbono awubonayo mayelana leSamariya leJerusalema.
[I am] Micah. I am from [the town of] Moresheth [in Judah]. Yahweh gave me these [messages in] visions about Samaria and Jerusalem during the time when Jotham, [and then] Ahaz, and [then] Hezekiah, were the kings of Judah.
2 Zwanini lonke lina bantu, lalelani, awu wena mhlaba labo bonke abakuwo, ukuze uThixo Wobukhosi afakaze ngawe ekulahla, uThixo esethempelini lakhe elingcwele.
You people everywhere on the earth, pay attention to this [DOU]! Yahweh our God is accusing you from his holy temple [in heaven].
3 Khangelani! UThixo uyeza evela lapho ahlala khona; wehlela phansi njalo enyathela ezindaweni eziphakemeyo zomhlaba.
He will come down [from heaven] and walk on the tops of the highest mountains.
4 Izintaba ziyancibilika ngaphansi kwakhe, lezigodi ziyaqhekezeka phakathi njengengcino phansi komlilo, lanjengamanzi esehla ngamandla emthezukweni.
[It will be as though] the mountains will melt under his [feet] like [SIM] wax [melts] in front of a fire, and like [SIM] water [disappears] when it rushes/flows down into a valley.
5 Konke lokhu kungenxa yokona kukaJakhobe, ngenxa yezono zendlu ka-Israyeli. Kuyini ukona kukaJakhobe na? AkusiSamariya na? Iyini indawo kaJuda ephakemeyo na? AkusiJerusalema na?
Those things will happen because of the terrible sins [DOU] that the people [MTY] of Israel, [the descendants of] Jacob, have committed. But it was [RHQ] [the people of] Samaria [city who persuaded all the people of] Israel to sin, and it was [RHQ] because the people of Jerusalem [set up altars to worship their gods] that [the other people of] Judah [were persuaded to worship idols on] their hilltops.
6 “Ngakho iSamariya ngizayenza ibe yinqumbi yemfucuza, indawo yokuhlanyela izivini. Amatshe ayo ngizawathela esigodini ngiphendle lezisekelo zayo.
So Yahweh will cause Samaria to become a heap [of rubble/ruins]; [it will be only] a field for planting vineyards. He will cause the stones of its [buildings] to roll down into the valley, and the foundations [of the buildings] will be uncovered.
7 Zonke izithombe zayo zizaphohlozwa; zonke izipho zayo zasethempelini zizatshiswa ngomlilo; ngizaphahlaza zonke izifanekiso zayo. Njengoba yaqoqa izipho zayo ngeholo lezifebe, zizasetshenziswa njengeholo lezifebe futhi.”
All the idols in Samaria will be smashed, and the gifts [given to prostitutes at the temples of their idols] will be destroyed in a fire. And because people paid prostitutes there, [their enemies will take away those idols and sell them] to get money to pay to prostitutes [in other countries].
8 Ngenxa yalokhu ngizakhala ngilile; ngizahamba ngezinyawo phansi njalo nginqunu. Ngizahlaba umkhulungwane njengekhanka, ngikhale njengesikhova.
Because [Samaria will be destroyed], I will weep and wail. I will walk around (barefoot/without any sandals on my feet) and naked. I will howl like a jackal/wolf and screech like an owl,
9 Ngoba inxeba layo kalelapheki; selifikile koJuda. Selifike kulo kanye isango labantu bami, kanye laseJerusalema uqobo.
because Samaria will be completely destroyed [MET]; nothing can save that city. But the same thing will happen to Judah! [It is as though the enemy army] has [already] reached the city gates of Jerusalem, [the main city where] my people [live].
10 Lingakukhulumi eGathi; lingakhali lakancane. Giqikani ethulini eBhethi Ofira.
Do not tell that to [our enemies] in Gath [city in Philistia]! Do not cry, [lest the people there find out what is happening]! [Instead, just] roll in the dirt in Beth-Leaphrah [because the name of that town means ‘house of dust].’
11 Dlulani linqunu njalo lilenhloni lina elihlala eShafiri. Labo abahlala eZawanani kabayikuphuma. IBhethi-Ezeli iphakathi kokulila; ukuvikelwa kwayo kususiwe kini.
You people who live in Shaphir [town, whose name means ‘beautiful],’ naked and ashamed, you will be taken [to another country]. [You people in] Beth-Ezel [town] should mourn, [because] no one from Zaanan [town, whose name means ‘one who goes out],’ will go out to help you.
12 Labo abahlala eMarothi bayazijanqa ngobuhlungu, belindele usizo ngoba umonakalo uvele kuThixo, wafika lasesangweni leJerusalema.
[The name of] Maroth [town sounds like ‘bitterness];’ everyone there is anxiously waiting for good things to happen to them, but good things will not happen to them; instead, terrible things are about to happen to them, and it will soon happen at the gates of Jerusalem.
13 Lina elihlala eLakhishi, bophelani amabhiza agijimayo enqoleni. Yini elaba yisisusa sesono eNdodakazini yeZiyoni, ngoba ukona kuka-Israyeli kwafunyanwa kini.
You people of Lachish [city, whose name sounds like ‘team],’ hitch your horses to pull the chariots [in which you can ride to flee from your enemies]. The Israeli people rebelled against Yahweh, and you (imitated them/did the same evil things that they did), and that caused the people of Jerusalem [IDM] to start sinning, too.
14 Ngakho-ke lizanika iMoreshethi Gathi izipho zokwehlukana. Idolobho lase-Akhizibhi lizabonakalisa inkohliso emakhosini ako-Israyeli.
[You people of Judah], send a farewell gift to [the people] of Moresheth [town], [because their enemies will soon destroy it]. [The name of the town Aczib means ‘deception],’ and the kings of Israel [will soon find out that the people of that town] will deceive them.
15 Ngizalilethela umnqobi lina elihlala eMaresha. Lowo olodumo luka-Israyeli uzakuza e-Adulami.
[The name of your town of] Mareshah [means ‘conqueror],’ and Yahweh will [soon] send someone to conquer your town. [It will be necessary for] the great/glorious leaders of Israel to go [and hide in the cave at] Adullam [city].
16 Phucani amakhanda enu likhalela abantwabenu elibathandayo; ziphuceni libe njengelinqe ngoba bazasuka kini baye ekuthunjweni.
[You people of Judah], shave your heads [while you will be mourning], because your children whom you love will [soon] be (exiled/forced to leave you and go to another country).
