UZefaniya 1
1 Ngeyomqondisi womculo. Ezigincini zami. Ilizwi likaThixo elafika kuZefaniya indodana kaKhushi, indodana kaGedaliya, indodana ka-Amariya, indodana kaHezekhiya, ekubuseni kukaJosiya indodana ka-Amoni inkosi yakoJuda:
The LORD’s word which came to Zephaniah, the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah, the son of Amon, king of Judah.
2 “Ngizakhucula konke ebusweni bomhlaba,” kutsho uThixo.
I will utterly sweep away everything from the surface of the earth, says the LORD.
3 “Ngizakhucula kokubili abantu lezinyamazana; ngizakhucula izinyoni zasemoyeni kanye lenhlanzi zasolwandle, lezithombe ezenza ababi bakhubeke. Lapho ngiqeda abantu ebusweni bomhlaba,” kutsho uThixo.
I will sweep away man and animal. I will sweep away the birds of the sky, the fish of the sea, and the heaps of rubble with the wicked. I will cut off man from the surface of the earth, says the LORD.
4 “Ngizakwelulela isandla sami koJuda lakubo bonke abahlala eJerusalema. Ngizaqeda konke okukaBhali okuseleyo kule indawo, amabizo abahedeni labaphristi abakhonza izithombe
I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place—the name of the idolatrous and pagan priests,
5 labo abakhothama phezu kwezindlu bakhonze ixuku lezinkanyezi, labo abakhothama bafunge ngoThixo, abafunga langoMoleki futhi,
those who worship the army of the sky on the housetops, those who worship and swear by the LORD and also swear by Malcam,
6 labo ababuyela emuva bedela ukulandela uThixo njalo abangamdinganga uThixo loba babuze ngaye.
those who have turned back from following the LORD, and those who haven’t sought the LORD nor enquired after him.
7 Thula phambi kukaThixo Wobukhosi, ngoba usuku lukaThixo seluseduze. UThixo uselungise umhlatshelo; usebangcwelisile labo abanxusileyo.
Be silent at the presence of the Lord GOD, for the day of the LORD is at hand. For the LORD has prepared a sacrifice. He has consecrated his guests.
8 Ngosuku lomhlatshelo kaThixo ngizajezisa izikhulu lamadodana amakhosi labo bonke labo abagqoke izigqoko zezizweni.
It will happen in the day of the LORD’s sacrifice that I will punish the princes, the king’s sons, and all those who are clothed with foreign clothing.
9 Ngalolosuku ngizabajezisa bonke abaxwaya ukunyathela umbundu womnyango, abagcwalisa ithempeli labonkulunkulu babo ngodlakela langenkohliso.”
In that day, I will punish all those who leap over the threshold, who fill their master’s house with violence and deceit.
10 UThixo, uthi, “Ngalolosuku ilizwi lokukhala lizaqonga ngaseSangweni leNhlanzi, ukulila kuvelela esiGabeni eSitsha lomsindo omkhulu wokufohloza uvela emaqaqeni.
In that day, says the LORD, there will be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, a wailing from the second quarter, and a great crashing from the hills.
11 Lilani lina elihlala esigodini sokuthengisela saseMakhithashi, bonke abathengisi benu bazaqedwa, bonke abathengiselana ngesiliva bazabhujiswa.
Wail, you inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the people of Canaan are undone! All those who were loaded with silver are cut off.
12 Ngalesosikhathi ngizaphenya iJerusalema ngezibane ngijezise labo abangakhathaliyo, abanjengewayini elitshiywe phakathi kwensipho zalo, abathi, ‘UThixo kayikwenza lutho, oluhle loba olubi.’
It will happen at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are settled on their dregs, who say in their heart, “The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil.”
13 Inotho yabo izaphangwa, izindlu zabo zidilizwe. Bazakwakha izindlu kodwa bangahlali kuzo; bazahlanyela izivini, kodwa iwayini bangalinathi.”
Their wealth will become a plunder, and their houses a desolation. Yes, they will build houses, but won’t inhabit them. They will plant vineyards, but won’t drink their wine.
14 Usuku olukhulu lukaThixo seluseduze, njalo luza ngokuphangisa. Lalelani! Ukukhala ngosuku lukaThixo kuzakuba buhlungu, lokuklabalala kwebutho khonapho.
The great day of the LORD is near. It is near and hurries greatly, the voice of the day of the LORD. The mighty man cries there bitterly.
15 Lolosuku luzakuba lusuku lolaka, usuku losizi lokudabuka; usuku lokuhlupheka lokuchitheka, usuku lomnyama lokudana, usuku lwamayezi lobumnyama,
That day is a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness,
16 usuku lwecilongo lokuhlaba umkhosi wokulwa impi lamadolobho avikelweyo kanye lezinqaba zasemajikweni.
a day of the trumpet and alarm against the fortified cities and against the high battlements.
17 “Ngizaletha usizi ebantwini njalo bazahamba njengeziphofu, ngoba bonile kuThixo. Igazi labo lizachithwa njengothuli lezibilini zabo njengamanyala.
I will bring such distress on men that they will walk like blind men because they have sinned against the LORD. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their flesh like dung.
18 Isiliva sabo loba igolide labo kakungeke kwenelise ukubasindisa ngosuku lolaka lukaThixo. Umhlaba wonke uzatshiswa emlilweni womona wakhe ngoba uzakwenza isiphetho ngokuphangisa kubo bonke abahlala emhlabeni.”
Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD’s wrath, but the whole land will be devoured by the fire of his jealousy; for he will make an end, yes, a terrible end, of all those who dwell in the land.
