U-Amosi 3
1 Zwanini lelilizwi iNkosi elikhulume imelene lani, lina bantwana bakoIsrayeli, imelene losendo lonke engalwenyusa elizweni leGibhithe, isithi:
Hear this word that the LORD has spoken against you, children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up out of the land of Egypt, saying:
2 Yini kuphela engilaziyo kuzo zonke izinsendo zomhlaba; ngakho-ke ngizaphindisela phezu kwenu bonke ububi benu.
“I have only chosen you of all the families of the earth. Therefore I will punish you for all of your sins.”
3 Ababili bangahamba kanyekanye yini ngaphandle kokuthi behlangene?
Do two walk together, unless they have agreed?
4 Kambe isilwane singabhonga ehlathini singelampango? Ibhongo lesilwane lingakhupha ilizwi lalo ebhalwini lwalo lingabambanga lutho yini?
Will a lion roar in the thicket, when he has no prey? Does a young lion cry out of his den, if he has caught nothing?
5 Inyoni ingawela emjibileni emhlabeni lapho okungelasifu sayo khona yini? Umjibila ungathanya yini emhlabathini uba ungabambanga ulutho?
Can a bird fall in a trap on the earth, where no snare is set for him? Does a snare spring up from the ground, when there is nothing to catch?
6 Uphondo lungavuthelwa yini emzini abantu bangethuki? Kulobubi yini emzini iNkosi engabenzanga?
Does the trumpet alarm sound in a city, without the people being afraid? Does evil happen to a city, and the LORD hasn’t done it?
7 Isibili iNkosi uJehova kayenzi lutho ngaphandle kokuthi yembule icebo layo eliyimfihlo encekwini zayo abaprofethi.
Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, unless he reveals his secret to his servants the prophets.
8 Isilwane sesibhongile, ngubani ongayikwesaba? INkosi uJehova isikhulumile, ngubani ongayikuprofetha?
The lion has roared. Who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken. Who can but prophesy?
9 Zwakalisani ezigodlweni zeAshidodi lezigodlweni zelizwe leGibhithe, lithi: Buthanani phezu kwezintaba zeSamariya, libone iziphithiphithi ezinkulu phakathi kwayo labacindezelwayo phakathi kwayo.
Proclaim in the palaces at Ashdod, and in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, “Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria, and see what unrest is in her, and what oppression is among them.”
10 Ngoba kabakwazi ukwenza okuqondileyo, itsho iNkosi, ababuthelela udlakela lencithakalo ezigodlweni zabo.
“Indeed they don’t know to do right,” says the LORD, “Who hoard plunder and loot in their palaces.”
11 Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Isitha, esizazingelezela ilizwe, esizakwehlisa amandla akho kuwe, lezigodlo zakho ziphangwe.
Therefore the Lord GOD says: “An adversary will overrun the land; and he will pull down your strongholds, and your fortresses will be plundered.”
12 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Njengalokho umelusi esophula imilenze emibili emlonyeni wesilwane, loba isiqa sendlebe, ngokunjalo abantwana bakoIsrayeli abahlala eSamariya bazakophulwa egumbini lombheda ledamaseko yethala.
The LORD says: “As the shepherd rescues out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so shall the children of Israel be rescued who sit in Samaria on the corner of a couch, and on the silken cushions of a bed.”
13 Zwanini lifakaze endlini kaJakobe, itsho iNkosi uJehova uNkulunkulu wamabandla,
“Listen, and testify against the house of Jacob,” says the Lord GOD, the God of Armies.
14 ukuthi mhla ngizaphindisela iziphambeko zikaIsrayeli phezu kwakhe, ngizaphindisela futhi phezu kwamalathi eBhetheli, lempondo zelathi zizaqunywa ziwele emhlabathini.
“For in the day that I visit the transgressions of Israel on him, I will also visit the altars of Bethel; and the horns of the altar will be cut off, and fall to the ground.
15 Ngizatshaya indlu yebusika kanye lendlu yehlobo, lezindlu zempondo zendlovu zizabhubha, lezindlu ezinkulu ziphele; itsho iNkosi.
I will strike the winter house with the summer house; and the houses of ivory will perish, and the great houses will have an end,” says the LORD.
