UHabakhukhi 1
1 Umthwalo uHabhakhukhi umprofethi awubonayo.
This is the message that Habakkuk saw in vision.
2 Nkosi, ngizakhala kuze kube nini, wena ungezwa! Ngimemeza kuwe ngodlakela, wena ungasindisi!
Lord, how long do I have to cry out for help and you don't listen? I cry out, “Violence!” but you don't save us from it.
3 Ungitshengiselani isiphambeko, ukhangele inkathazo? Ngoba incithakalo lodlakela kuphambi kwami, njalo kulenkani, kuphakame ingxabano.
Why do you force me to see this wickedness and suffering? Why do you just observe such destruction and violence? Arguments and fighting happen right in front of me!
4 Ngakho-ke umlayo ubuthakathaka, lesahlulelo kasiphumi lakanye; ngoba omubi uhanqa olungileyo; ngakho-ke isahlulelo esigobileyo siyaphuma.
As a result the law is paralyzed, and justice never wins. The wicked crowd out those who do right so that the course of justice is perverted.
5 Bonani phakathi kwabezizwe, likhangele, mangalani limangale, ngoba ngizakwenza umsebenzi ezinsukwini zenu, elingayikuwukholwa, lanxa ulandiswa.
Look around at the nations, watch and be surprised and amazed. Something is going to happen in your time that you wouldn't believe even if you were told.
6 Ngoba, khangelani, ngivusa amaKhaladiya, isizwe esilesihluku lesiphangisayo, esizahamba ebubanzini bomhlaba, ukudla ilifa lendawo zokuhlala ezingeyisizo ezaso.
Watch! I am raising up the Babylonians, a cruel and brutal people who will march across the world to seize other lands.
7 Siyesabeka, siyethusa; isahlulelo saso lokuphakama kwaso kuzaphuma kuso.
They are fearsome and terrifying, and so proud of themselves that they set their own rules.
8 Amabhiza aso lawo alejubane kulezingwe, njalo abukhali kulezimpisi zakusihlwa; labagadi bamabhiza baso bazasabalala, labagadi bamabhiza baso bazavela khatshana; bazandiza njengokhozi oluphangisela ukudla.
Their horses are faster than leopards and fiercer than hungry wolves. Their cavalry charges, racing in from far away. Like eagles, they swoop down to eat their prey.
9 Bonke bazafikela udlakela; ukubuthana kobuso babo kungasempumalanga; babuthe abathunjiweyo njengetshebetshebe.
Here they come, all intent on violence. Their armies advance in frontal assault as rapidly as the desert wind, capturing so many prisoners they are like sand.
10 Bona-ke bazaklolodela amakhosi, lababusi bazakuba yinhlekisa kubo; bona bazahleka usulu ngayo yonke inqaba, ngoba bazabuthelela inhlabathi, bayithumbe.
They mock kings and scoff at rulers. They laugh in scorn at fortresses—they pile up earth ramps and capture them.
11 Besesikhukhula njengomoya, sedlule, siphambeke, sibalela la amandla aso kunkulunkulu waso.
Then they sweep on by like the wind and are gone. They are guilty because their own strength is their god.
12 Kawusukeli ephakadeni yini, Nkosi Nkulunkulu wami, oNgcwele wami? Kasiyikufa. Wena, Nkosi, ubamisele isahlulelo; lawe Dwala, ubamisele isijeziso.
Haven't you existed from eternity past? You are Lord my God, my Holy One, you do not die. Lord, you appointed them to execute judgment; God our Rock, you sent them to punish us.
13 Wena uhlambuluke kakhulu emehlweni kulokuthi ubone okubi, ongelakukhangela inkathazo. Ubakhangelelani abakhohlisayo, uthula lapho omubi eginya olungileyo kulaye?
Your eyes are too pure to look upon evil; you cannot stand the sight of wrong. So why do you put up with untrustworthy people? Why are you silent when the wicked destroy those who do less evil than they do?
14 Usenza abantu babe njengenhlanzi zolwandle, njengezinto ezihahabayo, ezingelambusi phezu kwazo?
You make people become like fish in the sea, or like crawling insects, that have no ruler.
15 Bayabakhupha bonke ngengwegwe, bababambe embuleni labo, bababuthe embuleni labo; ngakho-ke bayathokoza bajabule.
They drag everyone up with hooks, they pull them out with nets, catching them in dragnets. Then they happily celebrate.
16 Ngakho-ke bayalihlabela imbule labo, batshisele imbule labo lokugola impepha; ngoba ngakho isabelo sabo sinonile, lokudla kwabo kulamafutha.
They worship their nets as if they were gods, making sacrifices and burning incense to them, because by their nets they live in luxury, eating rich food.
17 Ngakho-ke bayathulula imbule labo yini, bangayekeli yini ukubulala izizwe njalonjalo?
Will they keep on unsheathing their swords forever, killing nations without mercy?
