UZefaniya 3
1 Maye kulo idolobho labancindezeli, elihlamukayo lelingcolileyo!
Woe [to] the rebelling and defiling, The oppressing city!
2 Kalilaleli muntu, kalivumi kukhuzwa. Kalithembeli kuThixo, kalisondeli kuNkulunkulu walo.
She has not listened to the voice, She has not accepted instruction, In YHWH she has not trusted, She has not drawn near to her God.
3 Izikhulu zalo ziyizilwane ezibhongayo, ababusi balo bazimpisi zakusihlwa, ezingatshiyi lutho lwekuseni.
Her heads in her midst [are] roaring lions, Her judges [are] wolves [as in] evening, They have not gnawn the bone in the morning.
4 Abaphrofethi balo bayazazisa; bangabantu bamacebo amabi. Abaphristi balo bangcolisa indawo engcwele bephule lomthetho.
Her prophets unstable—men of treachery, Her priests have defiled the sanctuary, They have violated the Law.
5 UThixo phakathi kwalo ulungile; kenzi okubi, nsuku zonke ekuseni wenza ukulunga kwakhe njalo kaphambanisi ukusa kwamalanga wonke, ikanti abangalunganga kabalanhloni.
YHWH [is] righteous in her midst, He does not do perverseness, Morning by morning His judgment He gives to the light, It has not been lacking, And the perverse do not know shame.
6 “Ngizichithile izizwe; izinqaba zazo zidiliziwe. Ngitshiye imigwaqo yazo ideliwe kungekho odlula khona. Amadolobho azo adiliziwe; kakho ozasala kakho lamunye.
“I have cut off nations, Desolated have been their chief ones, I have laid waste their out-places without any passing by, Destroyed have been their cities, Without man, without inhabitant.
7 Ngathi kulo idolobho, ‘Impela uzangesaba uvume ukukhuzwa!’ Lapho-ke indlu yalo yokuhlala yayingayikudilizwa loba isijeziso sami sehlele phezu kwalo. Kodwa babelokhu betshisekela izenzo zokuxhwala kukho konke abakwenzayo.
I have said: Only, you fear Me, You accept instruction, And her habitation is not cut off, All that I have appointed for her, But they have risen early, They have corrupted all their doings.
8 Ngakho ngilindela,” kutsho uThixo, “lolusuku engizasukuma ngalo ngifakaze. Sengimise ukubuthanisa izizwe, ngiqoqe imibuso, ngehlisele ulaka lwami phezu kwabo konke ukuthukuthela kwami okukhulu. Umhlaba wonke uzaqothulwa ngomlilo womona wentukuthelo yami.”
Therefore, wait for Me,” A declaration of YHWH, “For the day of My rising for prey, For My judgment [is] to gather nations, To assemble kingdoms, To pour out on them My indignation, All the heat of My anger, For by the fire of My jealousy all the earth is consumed.
9 “Lapho-ke ngizahlambulula izindebe zezizwe, ukuze zonke zikhuleke ebizweni likaThixo zimkhonze zimanyane.
For then I turn a pure lip to peoples, To call all of them by the Name of YHWH, To serve Him [with] one shoulder.
10 Kusukela ngaphetsheya kwemifula yaseKhushi abakhonzi bami, abantu bami abahlakazekileyo, bazangilethela iminikelo.
From beyond the rivers of Cush, My supplicants, The daughter of My scattered ones, Bring My present.
11 Ngalolosuku kaliyikuyangiswa ngobubi bonke elabenza kimi, ngoba ngizabasusa kulelidolobho abathokoziswa yikuzigqaja kwabo. Kaliyikuzikhukhumeza futhi entabeni yami engcwele.
In that day you are not ashamed because of any of your actions, With which you have transgressed against Me, For then I turn aside from your midst The exulting ones of your excellence, And you are to be haughty no longer, In My holy mountain.
12 Kodwa ngizatshiya phakathi kwenu abathambileyo labathobekileyo, abathembele ebizweni likaThixo.
And I have left in your midst a people humble and poor, And they have trusted in the Name of YHWH.
13 Kabayikwenza okubi; kabayikuqamba amanga, loba kube lenkohliso emilonyeni yabo. Bazakudla balale phansi, kakho ozabenza besabe.”
The remnant of Israel does no perversity, nor speaks lies, Nor is a deceitful tongue found in their mouth, For they have delight, and have lain down, And there is none troubling.”
14 Hlabela wena Ndodakazi yeZiyoni, klabalala kakhulu, wena Israyeli! Thaba uthokoze ngenhliziyo yakho yonke wena ndodakazi yaseJerusalema!
Cry aloud, O daughter of Zion, shout, O Israel, Rejoice and exult with the whole heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.
15 UThixo usesisusile isijeziso sakho, usesixotshile isitha sakho. UThixo, iNkosi ka-Israyeli, ulawe; akulangozi ozaphinda uyesabe futhi.
YHWH has turned aside your judgments, He has faced your enemy, The King of Israel, YHWH, [is] in your midst, You see evil no more.
16 Ngalolosuku bazakuthi kulo iJerusalema, “Ungesabi, wena Ziyoni; ungavumeli ukuba izandla zakho zibe buthakathaka.
In that day it is said to Jerusalem, “Do not fear, O Zion, Do not let your hands be feeble.
17 UThixo uNkulunkulu wakho ulawe, ulamandla okusindisa. Uzathokoza kakhulu ngawe, uzakududuza ngothando lwakhe, uzakuthokozela ngokuhlabelela.”
Your God YHWH [is] in your midst, A mighty one [to] save, He rejoices over you with joy, He works in His love, He delights over you with singing.”
18 “Insizi zemikhosi emisiweyo ngizazisusa kuwe; zingumthwalo lehlazo kuwe.
“I have gathered My afflicted from the appointed place, They have been bearing reproach from you for her sake.
19 Ngalesosikhathi ngizababona bonke abalincindezelayo; ngizahlenga abaqhulayo ngibuthe lalabo abahlakazwayo, ngizabapha udumo lenhlonipho kuwo wonke amazwe lapho abahlaziswa khona.
Behold, I am dealing with all afflicting you at that time, And I have saved the halting one, And I gather the ones driven out, And have set them for a praise and for a name, In all the land of their shame.
20 Ngalesosikhathi ngizalibutha; ngalesosikhathi ngizalisa ekhaya. Ngizalipha inhlonipho lodumo phakathi kwezizwe zonke zasemhlabeni lapho sengiliphumelelisa futhi phambi kwamehlo enu uqobo,” kutsho uThixo.
At that time I bring you in, Even at the time of My assembling you, For I give you for a name, and for a praise, Among all peoples of the land, In My turning back [to] your captivity before your eyes,” said YHWH!
