U-Amosi 4
1 Zwanini lelilizwi, mankomokazi eBashani, elisentabeni yeSamariya, elicindezela abayanga, elichoboza abaswelayo, elithi emakhosini abo: Lethani sinathe.
Listen to this message, you well-fed cows of Bashan who live on Mount Samaria, who oppress the poor and crush the needy, and who order your husbands, “Bring us drinks!”
2 INkosi uJehova ifungile ngobungcwele bayo, ukuthi, khangelani, insuku zizafika phezu kwenu lapho abazalihudula ngezingwegwe, labalilandelayo ngengwegwe zokubamba inhlanzi.
The Lord God has sworn by his holiness: Watch out! For the time is coming when they will drag you away with hooks, each one of you will be like a fish on a hook.
3 Njalo lizaphuma ngezikhala, ngulowo lalowo phambi kwakhe, liziphosele ngasesigodlweni, itsho iNkosi.
You will leave through breaches in the city walls, thrown out in the direction of Mount Hermon.
4 Wozani eBhetheli, liphambeke, eGiligali landise iziphambeko; lilethe imihlatshelo yenu ekuseni, okwetshumi kwenu ngomnyaka wesithathu;
Why don't you go to Bethel and sin? Go to Gilgal and add to your sins even more? Offer your sacrifices in the morning, bring your tithes after three days.
5 litshise umhlatshelo wokubonga ngokuvutshelweyo, limemezele iminikelo yesihle, lizwakalise; ngoba ngokunjalo likuthanda, bantwana bakoIsrayeli, itsho iNkosi uJehova.
Burn a thank offering of bread made with yeast, and announce what you're giving as freewill offerings so everyone will know. This is what you love to do! declares the Lord God.
6 Ngakho mina ngilinikile futhi ukuhlanzeka kwamazinyo emizini yonke yenu, lenswelo yesinkwa endaweni zenu zonke; kanti kaliphendukelanga kimi, itsho iNkosi.
It was I who made sure you had nothing to eat in all your cities, and a lack of food wherever you lived, but still you wouldn't return to me, says the Lord.
7 Futhi-ke mina ngaligodlela izulu, kuseselenyanga ezintathu kusiya ekuvuneni; ngalinisa komunye umuzi, kodwa kalinanga komunye umuzi; esinye isiqinti sanethwa, kodwa isiqinti esinganethwanga satsha.
It was I who kept the rain from falling when there was still three months before harvest. One city would have rain, while another would not. One field would have rain, another would dry up from lack of rain.
8 Kwasekuzula imizi emibili loba emithathu yayanatha amanzi emzini owodwa, kodwa kayikholwanga; kanti kaliphendukelanga kimi, itsho iNkosi.
People wandered from town to town looking for water, yet were still thirsty. But still you did not return to me, declares the Lord.
9 Ngalitshaya ngokuhanguka langengumane; ukwanda kwezivande zenu, lezivini zenu, lezihlahla zenu zemikhiwa, lezihlahla zenu zemihlwathi, kwadliwa zintethe; kanti kaliphendukelanga kimi, itsho iNkosi.
I struck your many farms and vineyards with blight and mildew; locusts devoured your fig trees and olive trees. But still you did not return to me, declares the Lord.
10 Ngathumela phakathi kwenu umatshayabhuqe wesifo, ngokwendlela yeGibhithe, ngabulala amajaha enu ngenkemba, kanye lokuthunjwa kwamabhiza enu; njalo ngenza ivumba lenkamba yenu lenyuka ngitsho emakhaleni enu; kanti kaliphendukelanga kimi, itsho iNkosi.
I sent a plague on you like I did in Egypt. I killed your young men in battle; I took away your horses; I made you smell the stench of dead bodies in your camps. But still you did not return to me, declares the Lord.
11 Ngachitha abanye phakathi kwenu njengalokho uNkulunkulu wachitha iSodoma leGomora, lalinjengesikhuni esophulwe ekutsheni; kanti kaliphendukelanga kimi, itsho iNkosi.
Some of you I destroyed as I destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. You were like a burning stick pulled out of a fire. But still you did not return to me, declares the Lord.
12 Ngakho ngizakwenza ngokunjalo kuwe, Israyeli; ngenxa yokuthi ngizakwenza lokhu kuwe, zilungiselele ukuhlangana loNkulunkulu wakho, Israyeli.
Therefore, this is what I am going to do to you, Israel. Because I am going to do this, Israel, prepare to meet your God!
13 Ngoba khangela, obumba izintaba, lodala umoya, lotshela umuntu ukuthi umcabango wakhe uyini, owenza ukusakube mnyama, onyathela ezindaweni eziphakemeyo zomhlaba, iNkosi, uNkulunkulu wamabandla, libizo lakhe.
Watch! The One who made the mountains, who created the winds, who reveals his thoughts to humankind, who turns the sunlight into darkness, who walks on the high places of the earth—the Lord God of power is his name!
