U-Amosi 4

1 Zwanini lelilizwi, mankomokazi eBashani, elisentabeni yeSamariya, elicindezela abayanga, elichoboza abaswelayo, elithi emakhosini abo: Lethani sinathe.

Hear these words, O ye kine of Bashan, That are on the mountain of Samaria; That oppress the poor; that crush the needy; That say to your master, Bring, and let us drink!

2 INkosi uJehova ifungile ngobungcwele bayo, ukuthi, khangelani, insuku zizafika phezu kwenu lapho abazalihudula ngezingwegwe, labalilandelayo ngengwegwe zokubamba inhlanzi.

The Lord Jehovah hath sworn by his holiness; Behold, the days shall come upon you When ye shall be taken away with hooks, And your residue with fishing-hooks.

3 Njalo lizaphuma ngezikhala, ngulowo lalowo phambi kwakhe, liziphosele ngasesigodlweni, itsho iNkosi.

And ye shall go out at the breaches, every one right forward, And ye shall be thrown into a castle, saith Jehovah.

4 Wozani eBhetheli, liphambeke, eGiligali landise iziphambeko; lilethe imihlatshelo yenu ekuseni, okwetshumi kwenu ngomnyaka wesithathu;

Go, now, to Bethel, and transgress; At Gilgal multiply transgression! Bring your sacrifices every morning, And your tithes every three years!

5 litshise umhlatshelo wokubonga ngokuvutshelweyo, limemezele iminikelo yesihle, lizwakalise; ngoba ngokunjalo likuthanda, bantwana bakoIsrayeli, itsho iNkosi uJehova.

Burn a thank-offering from your extortions, And proclaim the free-will offerings; publish them abroad! For this is your delight, ye sons of Israel, Saith the Lord, Jehovah.

6 Ngakho mina ngilinikile futhi ukuhlanzeka kwamazinyo emizini yonke yenu, lenswelo yesinkwa endaweni zenu zonke; kanti kaliphendukelanga kimi, itsho iNkosi.

I also have caused cleanness of teeth in all your cities, And want of bread in all your places; And yet ye have not returned to me, saith Jehovah.

7 Futhi-ke mina ngaligodlela izulu, kuseselenyanga ezintathu kusiya ekuvuneni; ngalinisa komunye umuzi, kodwa kalinanga komunye umuzi; esinye isiqinti sanethwa, kodwa isiqinti esinganethwanga satsha.

I also have withholden from you the rain three months before the harvest; I have caused it to rain upon one city, And upon another city have I not caused it to rain; One piece of ground hath been rained upon, And another, upon which I have not caused it to rain, hath withered.

8 Kwasekuzula imizi emibili loba emithathu yayanatha amanzi emzini owodwa, kodwa kayikholwanga; kanti kaliphendukelanga kimi, itsho iNkosi.

Two or three cities have gone to one city, To drink water, and have not been satisfied; And yet ye have not returned to me, saith Jehovah.

9 Ngalitshaya ngokuhanguka langengumane; ukwanda kwezivande zenu, lezivini zenu, lezihlahla zenu zemikhiwa, lezihlahla zenu zemihlwathi, kwadliwa zintethe; kanti kaliphendukelanga kimi, itsho iNkosi.

I have smitten you with blasting and mildew; The locust hath devoured your many gardens, Your vineyards, your fig-trees, and your olive-trees; Yet have ye not returned to me, saith Jehovah.

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 have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt; I have slain your young men with the sword, And your horses have I led into captivity; I have made the smell of your camps to come up into your nostrils; And yet ye have not returned to me, saith Jehovah.

11 Ngachitha abanye phakathi kwenu njengalokho uNkulunkulu wachitha iSodoma leGomora, lalinjengesikhuni esophulwe ekutsheni; kanti kaliphendukelanga kimi, itsho iNkosi.

I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah; And ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning; And yet ye have not returned to me, saith Jehovah.

12 Ngakho ngizakwenza ngokunjalo kuwe, Israyeli; ngenxa yokuthi ngizakwenza lokhu kuwe, zilungiselele ukuhlangana loNkulunkulu wakho, Israyeli.

Therefore thus will I deal with thee, O Israel! Yet since I will thus deal with thee, Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel!

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.

For behold, he formed the mountains, and created the wind; He declareth to man what is his thought; He maketh the morning darkness, And walketh upon the high places of the earth; Jehovah, God of hosts, is his name.