UHabakhukhi 1
1 Umthwalo uHabhakhukhi umprofethi awubonayo.
THE BURDEN which Habakkuk the prophet did see.
2 Nkosi, ngizakhala kuze kube nini, wena ungezwa! Ngimemeza kuwe ngodlakela, wena ungasindisi!
How long, O LORD, shall I cry, and Thou wilt not hear? I cry out unto Thee of violence, and Thou wilt not save.
3 Ungitshengiselani isiphambeko, ukhangele inkathazo? Ngoba incithakalo lodlakela kuphambi kwami, njalo kulenkani, kuphakame ingxabano.
Why dost Thou show me iniquity, and beholdest mischief? And why are spoiling and violence before me? so that there is strife, and contention ariseth.
4 Ngakho-ke umlayo ubuthakathaka, lesahlulelo kasiphumi lakanye; ngoba omubi uhanqa olungileyo; ngakho-ke isahlulelo esigobileyo siyaphuma.
Therefore the law is slacked, and right doth never go forth; for the wicked doth beset the righteous; therefore right goeth forth perverted.
5 Bonani phakathi kwabezizwe, likhangele, mangalani limangale, ngoba ngizakwenza umsebenzi ezinsukwini zenu, elingayikuwukholwa, lanxa ulandiswa.
Look ye among the nations, and behold, and wonder marvellously; for, behold, a work shall be wrought in your days, which ye will not believe though it be told you.
6 Ngoba, khangelani, ngivusa amaKhaladiya, isizwe esilesihluku lesiphangisayo, esizahamba ebubanzini bomhlaba, ukudla ilifa lendawo zokuhlala ezingeyisizo ezaso.
For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and impetuous nation, that march through the breadth of the earth, to possess dwelling-places that are not theirs.
7 Siyesabeka, siyethusa; isahlulelo saso lokuphakama kwaso kuzaphuma kuso.
They are terrible and dreadful; their law and their majesty proceed from themselves.
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 also are swifter than leopards, and are more fierce than the wolves of the desert; and their horsemen spread themselves; yea, their horsemen come from far, they fly as a vulture that hasteth to devour.
9 Bonke bazafikela udlakela; ukubuthana kobuso babo kungasempumalanga; babuthe abathunjiweyo njengetshebetshebe.
They come all of them for violence; their faces are set eagerly as the east wind; and they gather captives as the sand.
10 Bona-ke bazaklolodela amakhosi, lababusi bazakuba yinhlekisa kubo; bona bazahleka usulu ngayo yonke inqaba, ngoba bazabuthelela inhlabathi, bayithumbe.
And they scoff at kings, and princes are a derision unto them; they deride every stronghold, for they heap up earth, and take it.
11 Besesikhukhula njengomoya, sedlule, siphambeke, sibalela la amandla aso kunkulunkulu waso.
Then their spirit doth pass over and transgress, and they become guilty: even they who impute their might unto their god.
12 Kawusukeli ephakadeni yini, Nkosi Nkulunkulu wami, oNgcwele wami? Kasiyikufa. Wena, Nkosi, ubamisele isahlulelo; lawe Dwala, ubamisele isijeziso.
Art not Thou from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O LORD, Thou hast ordained them for judgment, and Thou, O Rock, hast established them for correction.
13 Wena uhlambuluke kakhulu emehlweni kulokuthi ubone okubi, ongelakukhangela inkathazo. Ubakhangelelani abakhohlisayo, uthula lapho omubi eginya olungileyo kulaye?
Thou that art of eyes too pure to behold evil, and that canst not look on mischief, wherefore lookest Thou, when they deal treacherously, and holdest Thy peace, when the wicked swalloweth up the man that is more righteous than he;
14 Usenza abantu babe njengenhlanzi zolwandle, njengezinto ezihahabayo, ezingelambusi phezu kwazo?
And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?
15 Bayabakhupha bonke ngengwegwe, bababambe embuleni labo, bababuthe embuleni labo; ngakho-ke bayathokoza bajabule.
They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag; therefore they rejoice and exult.
16 Ngakho-ke bayalihlabela imbule labo, batshisele imbule labo lokugola impepha; ngoba ngakho isabelo sabo sinonile, lokudla kwabo kulamafutha.
Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and offer unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their food plenteous.
17 Ngakho-ke bayathulula imbule labo yini, bangayekeli yini ukubulala izizwe njalonjalo?
Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare to slay the nations continually?
