< UNahume 2 >

1 Umhlaseli uyasondela kuwe, Nineve. Vikela inqaba, linda umgwaqo, zilungiselele, qoqa wonke amandla akho!
HE that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face: keep the munition, watch the way, make thy loins strong, fortify thy power mightily.
2 UThixo uzabuyisela ubuhle bukaJakhobe njengobuhle buka-Israyeli, lanxa abachithi bebaqothule batshabalalisa lezivini zabo.
For the Lord hath turned away the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel: for the emptiers have emptied them out, and marred their vine branches.
3 Amahawu amabutho akhe abomvu, amabutho agqoke okubomvu gebhu. Insimbi ezinqoleni zempi iyaphazima ngosuku ezilungiselwe ngalo; imikhonto yesihlahla sephayini iyazunguzwa.
The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men are in scarlet: the chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken.
4 Izinqola zempi zihlasela ngesiqubu emigwaqweni, zisiya emuva laphambili ezigcawini. Zinjengezibane ezikhanyisiweyo; ziyaphaziphazima njengombane.
The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings.
5 Ubiza amabutho akhe akhethiweyo kodwa ayakhubeka endleleni yawo. Agijimela emdulini wedolobho; isivikelo silungiswe.
He shall recount his worthies: they shall stumble in their walk; they shall make haste to the wall thereof, and the defence shall be prepared.
6 Amasango omfula ayavulwa, indlu yobukhosi ibhidlike.
The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be dissolved.
7 Kumiswe ukuthi idolobho lizathunjwa, abantu balo basiwe ebugqilini. Izintombi zalo eziyizigqili zikhala njengamajuba zizitshaya amabele azo.
And Huzzab shall be led away captive, she shall be brought up, and her maids shall lead her as with the voice of doves, tabering upon their breasts.
8 INiniva injengesiziba, njalo amanzi aso ageleza ehamba. Bayaklabalala besithi, “Mana! Mana!” Kodwa kakho onyemukulayo.
But Nineveh is of old like a pool of water: yet they shall flee away. Stand, stand, shall they cry; but none shall look back.
9 Phangani isiliva! Phangani igolide! Umthapho kawupheli, inotho evela eziphaleni zayo zonke!
Take ye the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold: for there is none end of the store and glory out of all the pleasant furniture.
10 Ibhuqiwe, iphangiwe, iphundliwe! Inhliziyo ziphela amandla, amadolo ayaxega, imizimba iyaqhaqhazela, ubuso bonke bunyukubele.
She is empty, and void, and waste: and the heart melteth, and the knees smite together, and much pain is in all loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness.
11 Khathesi-ke ungaphi umhome wezilwane, lapho ezinikela khona abantwana bazo ukudla, lapho okwaya khona isilwane lesilwanekazi, kanye lemidlwane, kungekho lutho olwesatshwayo na?
Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the feedingplace of the young lions, where the lion, even the old lion, walked, and the lion’s whelp, and none made them afraid?
12 Isilwane sibulalele imidlwane yaso okwaneleyo sabambela lesilwanekazi saso okwenyama yokudliwa, sagcwalisa isikhundla saso ngesikujimbileyo lomhome waso ngenyama.
The lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with ravin.
13 “Ngimelane lawe,” kutsho uThixo uSomandla. “Ngizazitshisa izinqola zakho zempi zibe yintuthu; lenkemba izakudla izilwane zakho ezisakhulayo. Kangiyikukutshiyela ongakubamba ukudle njengenyama emhlabeni. Amazwi ezithunywa zakho kawasayikuzwakala futhi.”
Behold, I am against thee, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour thy young lions: and I will cut off thy prey from the earth, and the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard.

< UNahume 2 >