U-Amosi 1
1 Amazwi kaAmosi owayephakathi kwabelusi beThekhowa, awabona ngoIsrayeli, ensukwini zikaUziya inkosi yakoJuda, lensukwini zikaJerobhowamu indodana kaJowashi inkosi yakoIsrayeli, iminyaka emibili ngaphambi kokuzamazama komhlaba.
The message of Amos, one of the sheep breeders of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the reign of King Uzziah of Judah, and in the reign of Jeroboam the son of King Joash of Israel, two years before the earthquake.
2 Wasesithi: INkosi izabhonga iseZiyoni, ikhuphe ilizwi layo iseJerusalema; lendawo zokuhlala zabelusi zizalila, lengqonga yeKharmeli ibune.
Amos said: Whenever the Lord roars from Zion, and utters his voice from Jerusalem, the pastures of the shepherds dry up, the top of Carmel becomes arid.
3 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Ngenxa yeziphambeko ezintathu zeDamaseko, langenxa yezine, kangiyikuphambula isijeziso sabo, ngoba babhule iGileyadi ngembulo zensimbi.
The Lord says: For Damascus’ three crimes – no, four! – I will not rescind my judgment. They have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron.
4 Ngakho ngizathumela umlilo endlini kaHazayeli, ozaqeda izigodlo zikaBenihadadi.
Therefore I will send fire on Hazael’s house, it will devour the palaces of Ben-hadad.
5 Njalo ngizakwephula umgoqo weDamaseko, ngiqume umhlali wegceke leAveni, lophethe intonga, esuka eBeti-Edeni; njalo abantu beSiriya bazathunjelwa eKiri, itsho iNkosi.
I will break open the gate of Damascus, I will wipe out those who live in the valley of Aven and the sceptred ruler of Beth-Eden. The people of Aram will go into captivity in Kir, says the Lord.
6 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Ngenxa yeziphambeko ezintathu zeGaza, langenxa yezine, kangiyikukuphambula; ngoba babathumba ngokuthunjwa okupheleleyo, ukuthi babanikele e-Edoma.
The Lord says: For Gaza’s three crimes – no, four! – I will not rescind my judgment. They carried away captive a whole nation, sold them as slaves to Edom.
7 Ngakho ngizathumela umlilo emdulini weGaza, ozaqeda izigodlo zayo.
Therefore I will send fire on the wall of Gaza, and it shall devour her palaces.
8 Ngiqume umhlali eAshidodi, lophethe intonga eAshikeloni, ngiphendulele isandla sami ngimelene leEkhironi; njalo insali yamaFilisti izabhubha; itsho iNkosi uJehova.
And I will wipe out those who live in Ashdod, and the sceptred ruler of Askelon. I will turn my hand against Ekron, and the remnant of the Philistines will perish, says the Lord.
9 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Ngenxa yeziphambeko ezintathu zeTire, langenxa yezine, kangiyikuphambula isijeziso sabo, ngoba babathumba ngokuthunjwa okupheleleyo babanikela kuEdoma, kabakhumbulanga isivumelwano sabazalwane.
The Lord says: For Tyre’s three crimes – no, four! – I will not rescind my judgment. They carried away captive a whole people into exile in Edom, and did not remember the brotherly covenant.
10 Ngakho ngizathumela umlilo emdulini weTire ozaqeda izigodlo zayo.
So I will send fire on the walls of Tyre. It will devour her palaces.
11 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Ngenxa yeziphambeko ezintathu zeEdoma, langenxa yezine, kangiyikukuphambula, ngoba yaxotshana labafowabo ngenkemba, yonakalisa izihawu zayo, lolaka lwayo lwadabudabula njalonjalo, yagcina intukuthelo yayo kokuphela.
The Lord says: For Edom’s three crimes – no, four! – I will not rescind my judgment. They pursued their relatives with the sword, stilled their pity, cherished their anger continually, retained their fury forever.
12 Ngakho ngizathumela umlilo eThemani ozaqeda izigodlo zeBhozira.
So I will send a fire into Teman. It will destroy the palaces of Bozrah.
13 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Ngenxa yeziphambeko ezintathu zabantwana bakoAmoni, langenxa yezine, kangiyikuphambula isijeziso sabo, ngoba baqhaqha abesifazana abazithweleyo beGileyadi, ukuze bandise umngcele wabo.
The Lord says: For Ammonites’ three crimes – no, four! – I will not rescind my judgment. They have ripped open pregnant women in Gilead, in their lust for land.
14 Ngakho ngizaphemba umlilo emdulini weRaba, ozaqeda izigodlo zayo, ngokumemeza osukwini lwempi, ngesiphepho osukwini lwesivunguzane;
So I will kindle a fire on the wall of Rabbah. It will destroy her palaces, with a war-cry in the day of battle, with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind.
15 lenkosi yabo izakuya ekuthunjweni, yona kanye leziphathamandla zayo; itsho iNkosi.
Their king will go into exile, he and his nobles together, says the Lord.
