U-Amosi 7
1 INkosi uJehova yangibonisa kanje; khangela-ke, yabumba isikhonyane ekuqaleni kokuhluma kotshani bamuva, njalo khangela, kwakubutshani bamuva emva kokusika kwenkosi.
This is what the Lord God showed me. I saw that he was preparing a swarm of locusts just when the spring crops began to grow. (Spring crops begin to grow right after the time when the king's hay is cut.)
2 Kwasekusithi lapho sesiqedile ukudla utshani belizwe, ngathi: Nkosi Jehova, ake uthethelele. UJakobe uzakuma njani? ngoba emncinyane.
And so when the locusts finished eating every green plant in the fields, I pleaded with the Lord God, “Please forgive your people! How can the descendants of Jacob survive? They are so weak.”
3 INkosi yazisola ngalokhu; kakuyikwenzeka, itsho iNkosi.
So the Lord changed his mind. “It won't happen,” said the Lord.
4 INkosi uJehova yangibonisa kanje; khangela-ke, iNkosi uJehova yabiza ukulwa ngomlilo, owaqothula ukujula okukhulu waqothula isabelo.
This is what the Lord God showed me. I saw that the Lord God was calling for a judgment of fire. The fire burned up the depths of the sea and destroyed the farmland.
5 Ngasengisithi: Nkosi Jehova, ake ume. UJakobe uzakuma njani? ngoba emncinyane.
I pleaded with the Lord God, “Please stop! How can the descendants of Jacob survive? They are so weak.”
6 INkosi yazisola ngalokhu. Lalokhu kakuyikwenzeka, itsho iNkosi uJehova.
So the Lord changed his mind. “This too won't happen,” said the Lord.
7 Yangibonisa kanje; khangela-ke, iNkosi yayimi emdulini owenziwa njengokwentambo yokuqondisa; kwakulentambo yokuqondisa esandleni sayo.
This is what he showed me. I saw the Lord was standing beside a wall that had been built with a plumb line. He was holding a plumb line in his hand.
8 INkosi yasisithi kimi: Ubonani, Amosi? Ngathi: Intambo yokuqondisa. INkosi yasisithi: Khangela, ngizabeka intambo yokuqondisa phakathi kwabantu bami uIsrayeli; kangisayikubedlula futhi.
And the Lord asked me, “Amos, what do you see?” I replied, “A plumb line.” And the Lord God said, “I am placing a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel. I won't ignore their sins anymore.
9 Kodwa indawo eziphakemeyo zikaIsaka zizakuba ngamanxiwa, lezindawo ezingcwele zakoIsrayeli zizadilizwa; ngiyivukele indlu kaJerobowamu ngenkemba.
The high places of the descendents of Isaac will be torn down, and the holy places of Israel will be destroyed. Sword in hand, I will rise up against the house of Jeroboam.”
10 UAmaziya umpristi weBhetheli wasethumela kuJerobhowamu inkosi yakoIsrayeli, esithi: UAmosi wenze ugobe emelene lawe phakathi kwendlu kaIsrayeli; ilizwe kalilakuwathwala wonke amazwi akhe.
Then Amaziah, priest of Bethel, sent a message to Jeroboam, king of Israel, saying, “Amos is plotting against you among the people of Israel. What he's saying is unbearable!
11 Ngoba utsho njalo uAmosi: UJerobhowamu uzakufa ngenkemba, loIsrayeli athunjwe lokuthunjwa aphume elizweni lakhe.
For he's saying Jeroboam will be killed by the sword, and the people will be taken away from their land into exile.”
12 UAmaziya wasesithi kuAmosi: Wena mboni, hamba ubalekele elizweni lakoJuda, lapho udle isinkwa khona, lalapho uprofethe.
Amaziah said to Amos, “Go away prophet! Run away to the land of Judah. Go and prophesy there to earn your bread.
13 Kodwa eBhetheli ungabe usaprofetha futhi, ngoba iyindawo engcwele yenkosi njalo iyindlu yombuso.
But don't ever prophesy again at Bethel, for this is where the king worships, the national Temple.”
14 UAmosi wasephendula wathi kuAmaziya: Ngangingasumprofethi mina, futhi ngangingasindodana yomprofethi mina; kodwa ngangingumelusi wenkomo, lomvuni wemikhiwa yesikhamore.
But Amos replied, “I'm not a trained prophet, or the son of a prophet. I was just a shepherd, and also took care of fig trees.
15 Kodwa iNkosi yangithatha ekulandeleni umhlambi, iNkosi yathi kimi: Hamba uyeprofetha ebantwini bami uIsrayeli.
The Lord took me from following my flock, and the Lord told me, ‘Go, and give my message to my people of Israel.’”
16 Ngakho-ke zwana ilizwi leNkosi. Wena uthi: Ungaprofethi umelene loIsrayeli, ungatshumayeli umelene lendlu kaIsaka.
So now hear what the Lord is telling you: You say, “Don't prophesy against Israel, and don't preach against the descendants of Isaac.”
17 Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi: Umkakho uzawula phakathi komuzi, lamadodana akho lamadodakazi akho azakuwa ngenkemba, lelizwe lakini lizakwabiwa ngentambo, wena-ke uzafela elizweni elingcolileyo, loIsrayeli athunjwe lokuthunjwa aphume elizweni lakhe.
But this is what the Lord says: Your wife will become a prostitute in the city; your sons and daughters will be killed by the sword. Your land will be measured and divided up, and you yourself will die in a foreign land. The people of Israel will definitely be taken from the land and go into exile.
