< 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: he was forming a swarm of locusts, when the late spring grass began to come up after the king’s share had been harvested.
2 Kwasekusithi lapho sesiqedile ukudla utshani belizwe, ngathi: Nkosi Jehova, ake uthethelele. UJakobe uzakuma njani? ngoba emncinyane.
And when they had finished devouring all the land’s vegetation, I said: “Lord God, forgive, I beg you! How can Jacob survive, for he is so helpless?”
3 INkosi yazisola ngalokhu; kakuyikwenzeka, itsho iNkosi.
The Lord relented. This will not happen,” said the Lord.
4 INkosi uJehova yangibonisa kanje; khangela-ke, iNkosi uJehova yabiza ukulwa ngomlilo, owaqothula ukujula okukhulu waqothula isabelo.
This is what he showed me: the Lord God was giving command to execute judgment by fire. It burned up the great deep, and had begun to devour the fields, and I said:
5 Ngasengisithi: Nkosi Jehova, ake ume. UJakobe uzakuma njani? ngoba emncinyane.
“Lord God, forgive, I beg you! How can Jacob survive, for he is so helpless?”
6 INkosi yazisola ngalokhu. Lalokhu kakuyikwenzeka, itsho iNkosi uJehova.
The Lord relented. “This will not happen either,” said the Lord.
7 Yangibonisa kanje; khangela-ke, iNkosi yayimi emdulini owenziwa njengokwentambo yokuqondisa; kwakulentambo yokuqondisa esandleni sayo.
This is what the Lord God showed me: the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with 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 said to me, “What do you see, Amos?” And I answered, “A plumb line,” Then the Lord said, “Watch: I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel, I will no longer overlook their crookedness.
9 Kodwa indawo eziphakemeyo zikaIsaka zizakuba ngamanxiwa, lezindawo ezingcwele zakoIsrayeli zizadilizwa; ngiyivukele indlu kaJerobowamu ngenkemba.
And the high places of Isaac will be desolate, the sanctuaries of Israel will be laid waste, and I will rise up against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.”
10 UAmaziya umpristi weBhetheli wasethumela kuJerobhowamu inkosi yakoIsrayeli, esithi: UAmosi wenze ugobe emelene lawe phakathi kwendlu kaIsrayeli; ilizwe kalilakuwathwala wonke amazwi akhe.
Then Amaziah, chief priest of Bethel sent this message to King Jeroboam of Israel: “Amos has conspired against you right in the heart of Israel. The country cannot survive all his words.
11 Ngoba utsho njalo uAmosi: UJerobhowamu uzakufa ngenkemba, loIsrayeli athunjwe lokuthunjwa aphume elizweni lakhe.
Amos has said, ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will be led away captive out of their land.’”
12 UAmaziya wasesithi kuAmosi: Wena mboni, hamba ubalekele elizweni lakoJuda, lapho udle isinkwa khona, lalapho uprofethe.
And Amaziah said to Amos, “Leave, you who see visions, go to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and prophesy there,
13 Kodwa eBhetheli ungabe usaprofetha futhi, ngoba iyindawo engcwele yenkosi njalo iyindlu yombuso.
but don’t prophesy any more at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is the royal residence.”
14 UAmosi wasephendula wathi kuAmaziya: Ngangingasumprofethi mina, futhi ngangingasindodana yomprofethi mina; kodwa ngangingumelusi wenkomo, lomvuni wemikhiwa yesikhamore.
“I am no prophet,” Amos answered Amaziah, “nor trained as one. I am a shepherd and a keeper of sycamores fig trees.
15 Kodwa iNkosi yangithatha ekulandeleni umhlambi, iNkosi yathi kimi: Hamba uyeprofetha ebantwini bami uIsrayeli.
But the Lord took me away from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’
16 Ngakho-ke zwana ilizwi leNkosi. Wena uthi: Ungaprofethi umelene loIsrayeli, ungatshumayeli umelene lendlu kaIsaka.
Now therefore listen to the Lord’s message: ‘You say not to prophesy against Israel, nor to preach against the house 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 the Lord says: Your wife will become a prostitute in the city, your sons and your daughters will fall by the sword, your land will be divided up, you will die on unclean soil, and Israel will be led away captive out of their land.’”

< U-Amosi 7 >