UNahume 3
1 Maye kulo idolobho legazi, ligcwele amanga, ligcwele ukuphanga, kasweleki ohlutshwayo lanini!
Woe to the bloody city! Full of lies and plunder, without end is the spoil.
2 Ukukhala kwezaswebhu, ukugodlozela kwamavili, ukumatha kwamabhiza lokugedlezela kwezinqola zempi!
Hear the crack of the whip, hear the rattle of wheels. Galloping horses, jolting chariots.
3 Ukuhlasela kwabagadi bamabhiza ukuphazima kwezinkemba lokubenyezela kwemikhonto. Zinengi izinkubela, izinqwaba zabafileyo, izidumbu ezingabalwayo, abantu abakhubeka ezidunjini,
Horsemen charging, swords flashing, spears glittering, a multitude of slain, a heap of bodies, no end to the corpses over which people stumble!
4 konke ngenxa yenkanuko embi yesifebe, siyakhanga, siyinkosikazi ephethe ubuthakathi, esifaka izizwe ebugqilini ngobufebe baso labantu ngobuthakathi baso.
“Because you acted like a whore, bewitching the nations, enticing the peoples,
5 “Ngimelana lawe,” kutsho uThixo uSomandla. “Ngizakwembulela izidwaba zakho ebusweni bakho. Ngizatshengisa izizwe ubunqunu bakho, lemibuso ihlazo lakho.
I am against you, Nineveh” the Lord of hosts declares. “I will strip your clothes and show the nations your nakedness, and the kingdoms your shame.
6 Ngizakujikijela ngamanyala, ngizakweyisa, njalo ngikwenze ube ngumbukiso.
“I will fling loathsome filth at you, and make you an object of contempt, a spectacle,
7 Bonke abakubonayo bazakubalekela bathi, ‘iNiniva isichithekile, ngubani ozayililela na?’ Ngingamthola ngaphi ongakududuza na?”
so that everyone who sees you will flee from you and say: ‘Nineveh is laid waste, who will mourn for her?’
8 Wena ungcono na kuleThebesi engaseNayili, ehonqolozelwe ngamanzi? Umfula wawuyisivikelo sayo, amanzi engumduli wayo.
“Are you any better than Thebes, which stood on the banks of the Nile, with waters around as a rampart, whose wall was the sea of waters?
9 IKhushi leGibhithe kwakungamandla ayo angapheliyo. IPhuthi leLibhiya kwakungabanye abancedisi bayo.
Her strength was Ethiopia and Egypt. The Libyans were her helpers, and Put with its countless people.
10 Kodwa yathunjwa yaya ebugqilini. Izingane zayo zapaklazwa zaba yizicucu ekuqaliseni kwemigwaqo yonke. Kwenziwa inkatho ngezikhulu zayo, wonke amadoda aphakemeyo abotshwa ngamaketane.
Yet she was exiled and made captive. On all corners of the streets her infants were dashed to pieces. Lots were cast for her nobles, all her great ones were bound in chains.
11 Lawe futhi uzadakwa; uzakuyacatsha udinge ukuphephela esitheni sakho.
“You too, Nineveh, will be drunk with fear; you too will seek a place of escape from the foe.
12 Zonke izinqola zakho zinjengezihlahla zemikhiwa ezilezithelo zazo zakuqala ezivuthiweyo; lapho zinyikinywa, imikhiwa iwela emlonyeni womudli.
All your fortresses are fig trees with the first ripe figs; if shaken, they fall into the mouth of the eater!
13 Khangela amabutho akho wonke, ngawesifazane! Amasango elizwe lakho avulekele izitha zakho aba banzi; umlilo uyiqedile imigoqo yawo.
Your troops are weak as women before your foes; the gates of your land are wide open; your defenses burned down.
14 Donsa amanzi ulungele ukuvimbezela, qinisa inqaba zakho. Voxa udaka, nyathela ibumba, lungisa okwakhiwe ngezitina.
“Draw water for the siege, strengthen your forts. Go to the clay pits and tread the clay; take up the brick moulds.
15 Khonapho umlilo uzakuqeda; inkemba izakucakazela phansi, ikudle njengesikhongwane. Zandise njengesikhongwane, uzandise njengentethe.
There the fire will consume you, the sword will cut you down. Multiply like the locust or a swarm of grasshoppers.
16 Usulandisile inani labathengisi bakho. Baze bedlula izinkanyezi zasemkhathini, kodwa njengentethe baphundla ilizwe basuke bahambe.
Increase the numbers of your merchants until they are more than the stars of heaven,
17 Abalindi bakho banjengentethe, izikhulu zakho zinjengemitshitshi yentethe ezihlala emidulini mhla kuqanda kodwa ilanga lingaphuma ziyaphapha zihambe, njalo kakho okwaziyo ukuthi ngaphi.
until your watchmen are locusts, and your scribes like grasshoppers, which swarm in the hedges on a cold day; but when the sun rises they fly away, no one knows where.
18 Wena nkosi yase-Asiriya, abelusi bakho bayawozela, izikhulu zakho zilala phansi ziphumule. Abantu bakho bahlakazekile ezintabeni kungekho obaqoqayo.
“King of Assyria: your princes slumber, your nobles sleep! Your people are scattered on the mountains with no one to gather them!
19 Akukho okungapholisa amanxeba akho; ukulimala kwakho ngokokufa. Bonke abezwa izindaba ngawe batshaya izandla ngokuwa kwakho, ngoba ngubani ongafuthelwanga yisihluku sakho esingapheliyo na?
There is no healing for your hurt, your wound is incurable. All who hear of your fate clap their hands in joy, for who has escaped your limitless cruelty?”
