UHabakhukhi 2
1 Ngizakuma endaweni yami yokulinda, ngizimise enqabeni, ngilinde, ukuze ngibone ukuthi izakuthini kimi, lokuthi ngizaphendula ngithini ekusolweni kwami.
I will stand at my watch and set myself on the ramparts, and will look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint.
2 INkosi yasingiphendula yathi: Bhala umbono, uwenze ucace phezu kwezibhebhe, ukuze ogijimayo awufunde.
The LORD answered me, “Write the vision, and make it plain on tablets, that he who runs may read it.
3 Ngoba umbono usezakuba ngowesikhathi esimisiweyo; kodwa uzakhuluma ekucineni, ungaqambi amanga; lanxa uphuza, uwulindele; ngoba isibili uzafika, kawuyikuphuza.
For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it hurries toward the end, and will not prove false. Though it takes time, wait for it, because it will surely come. It will not delay.
4 Khangela, uzikhukhumeza, umphefumulo wakhe kawuqondanga kuye; kodwa olungileyo uzaphila ngokholo lwakhe.
Behold, his soul is puffed up. It is not upright in him, but the righteous will live by his faith.
5 Yebo futhi, ngoba ekhohlisa ngewayini, engumuntu ozikhukhumezayo, engahlali ekhaya, ekhulisa isiloyiso sakhe njengesihogo, futhi unjengokufa, kasuthiseki, kodwa ubuthelela kuye zonke izizwe, aziqoqele bonke abantu. (Sheol h7585)
Yes, moreover, wine is treacherous: an arrogant man who does not stay at home, who enlarges his desire as Sheol (Sheol h7585); he is like death and cannot be satisfied, but gathers to himself all nations and heaps to himself all peoples.
6 Bonke laba kabayikuphakamisa umzekeliso ngaye yini, lesaga esiyinhlekisa ngaye? Njalo bazakuthi: Maye kuye owandisa okungeyisikho okwakhe! Koze kube nini? Lozethwesa ngezibambiso.
Will not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, ‘Woe to him who increases that which is not his, and who enriches himself by extortion! How long?’
7 Kabayikuhle basukume bakulume yini, bavuke abazakuthuthumelisa yini? Njalo uzakuba yizimpango kubo.
Will not your debtors rise up suddenly, and wake up those who make you tremble, and you will be their victim?
8 Ngoba wena uziphangile izizwe ezinengi, yonke insali yabantu izakuphanga; ngenxa yegazi elinengi labantu, lodlakela lwelizwe, umuzi, labo bonke abahlala kiwo.
Because you have plundered many nations, all the remnant of the peoples will plunder you because of men’s blood, and for the violence done to the land, to the city and to all who dwell in it.
9 Maye kozuzela indlu yakhe inzuzo embi, ukuze abeke isidleke sakhe ngaphezulu, ukuze akhululwe esandleni sobubi.
Woe to him who gets an evil gain for his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the hand of evil!
10 Indlu yakho usuyicebele ihlazo, ngokuquma abantu abanengi; wonile umelene lomphefumulo wakho.
You have devised shame to your house by cutting off many peoples, and have sinned against your soul.
11 Ngoba ilitshe lizakhala lisemdulini, lothungo luliphendule lusesigodweni.
For the stone will cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the woodwork will answer it.
12 Maye kowakha umuzi ngegazi elinengi, amise idolobho ngesiphambeko.
Woe to him who builds a town with blood, and establishes a city by iniquity!
13 Khangela, kakuveli eNkosini yamabandla yini ukuthi izizwe zizatshikatshikela umlilo, labantu bazidinise ngeze?
Behold, is not it from the LORD of Armies that the peoples labor for the fire, and the nations weary themselves for vanity?
14 Ngoba umhlaba uzagcwala ngolwazi lwenkazimulo yeNkosi, njengamanzi esibekela ulwandle.
For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD’s glory, as the waters cover the sea.
15 Maye konathisa umakhelwane wakhe, othulula imbodlela yakho, omdakisa laye, ukuze ubukele ubunqunu babo!
“Woe to him who gives his neighbor drink, pouring your inflaming wine until they are drunk, so that you may gaze at their naked bodies!
16 Uzasutha ngehlazo kulodumo; natha lawe, wembule ijwabu laphambili! Inkezo yesandla seNkosi sokunene izaphendukela kuwe, lehlazo libe phezu kodumo lwakho.
You are filled with shame, and not glory. You will also drink and be exposed! The cup of the LORD’s right hand will come around to you, and disgrace will cover your glory.
17 Ngoba udlakela lweLebhanoni luzakusibekela, lokuchitheka kwezinyamazana kubethuse, ngenxa yegazi elinengi labantu, lodlakela lwelizwe, umuzi, labo bonke abahlala kiwo.
For the violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, and the destruction of the animals will terrify you, because of men’s blood and for the violence done to the land, to every city and to those who dwell in them.
18 Sisizani isithombe esibaziweyo lokhu umbumbi waso esibazile? Kumbe isithombe esibunjwe ngokuncibilikisa, lomfundisi wamanga, ukuthi umbumbi athembe kokubunjiweyo kwakhe, ukwenza izithombe eziyizimungulu?
“What value does the engraved image have, that its maker has engraved it; the molten image, even the teacher of lies, that he who fashions its form trusts in it, to make mute idols?
19 Maye kuye otsho kuso isigodo: Phaphama! Lelitsheni eliyisimungulu: Vuka, lona lizafundisa! Khangela, kunanyekwe ngegolide lesiliva, njalo kungekho moya phakathi kwakho.
Woe to him who says to the wood, ‘Awake!’ or to the mute stone, ‘Arise!’ Shall this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all within it.
20 Kodwa iNkosi isethempelini layo elingcwele; thula phambi kwayo, mhlaba wonke.
But the LORD is in his holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before him!”
