U-Amosi 7
1 INkosi uJehova yangibonisa kanje; khangela-ke, yabumba isikhonyane ekuqaleni kokuhluma kotshani bamuva, njalo khangela, kwakubutshani bamuva emva kokusika kwenkosi.
Thus the Lord GOD showed me: behold, he formed locusts in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and behold, it was the latter growth after the king’s harvest.
2 Kwasekusithi lapho sesiqedile ukudla utshani belizwe, ngathi: Nkosi Jehova, ake uthethelele. UJakobe uzakuma njani? ngoba emncinyane.
When they finished eating the grass of the land, then I said, “Lord GOD, forgive, I beg you! How could Jacob stand? For he is small.”
3 INkosi yazisola ngalokhu; kakuyikwenzeka, itsho iNkosi.
The LORD relented concerning this. “It shall not be,” says the LORD.
4 INkosi uJehova yangibonisa kanje; khangela-ke, iNkosi uJehova yabiza ukulwa ngomlilo, owaqothula ukujula okukhulu waqothula isabelo.
Thus the Lord GOD showed me: behold, the Lord GOD called for judgment by fire; and it dried up the great deep, and would have devoured the land.
5 Ngasengisithi: Nkosi Jehova, ake ume. UJakobe uzakuma njani? ngoba emncinyane.
Then I said, “Lord GOD, stop, I beg you! How could Jacob stand? For he is small.”
6 INkosi yazisola ngalokhu. Lalokhu kakuyikwenzeka, itsho iNkosi uJehova.
The LORD relented concerning this. “This also shall not be,” says the Lord GOD.
7 Yangibonisa kanje; khangela-ke, iNkosi yayimi emdulini owenziwa njengokwentambo yokuqondisa; kwakulentambo yokuqondisa esandleni sayo.
Thus he showed me: behold, the Lord stood beside a wall made by 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.
The LORD said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said, “Behold, I will set a plumb line in the middle of my people Israel. I will not again pass by them any more.
9 Kodwa indawo eziphakemeyo zikaIsaka zizakuba ngamanxiwa, lezindawo ezingcwele zakoIsrayeli zizadilizwa; ngiyivukele indlu kaJerobowamu ngenkemba.
The high places of Isaac will be desolate, the sanctuaries of Israel will be laid waste; and I will rise 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 the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the middle of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words.
11 Ngoba utsho njalo uAmosi: UJerobhowamu uzakufa ngenkemba, loIsrayeli athunjwe lokuthunjwa aphume elizweni lakhe.
For Amos says, ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land.’”
12 UAmaziya wasesithi kuAmosi: Wena mboni, hamba ubalekele elizweni lakoJuda, lapho udle isinkwa khona, lalapho uprofethe.
Amaziah also said to Amos, “You seer, go, flee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there,
13 Kodwa eBhetheli ungabe usaprofetha futhi, ngoba iyindawo engcwele yenkosi njalo iyindlu yombuso.
but don’t prophesy again any more at Bethel; for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is a royal house!”
14 UAmosi wasephendula wathi kuAmaziya: Ngangingasumprofethi mina, futhi ngangingasindodana yomprofethi mina; kodwa ngangingumelusi wenkomo, lomvuni wemikhiwa yesikhamore.
Then Amos answered Amaziah, “I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son, but I was a herdsman, and a farmer of sycamore figs;
15 Kodwa iNkosi yangithatha ekulandeleni umhlambi, iNkosi yathi kimi: Hamba uyeprofetha ebantwini bami uIsrayeli.
and the LORD took me 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 word: ‘You say, Don’t prophesy against Israel, and don’t proclaim 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.
Therefore the LORD says: ‘Your wife shall be a prostitute in the city, and your sons and your daughters shall fall by the sword, and your land shall be divided by line; and you yourself shall die in a land that is unclean, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land.’”
