UHabakhukhi 2
1 Ngizakuma endaweni yami yokulinda, ngizimise enqabeni, ngilinde, ukuze ngibone ukuthi izakuthini kimi, lokuthi ngizaphendula ngithini ekusolweni kwami.
I will climb my watchtower; I will take my place on the city wall. I will keep watch and see what he will say to me, how he will answer my grievances.
2 INkosi yasingiphendula yathi: Bhala umbono, uwenze ucace phezu kwezibhebhe, ukuze ogijimayo awufunde.
Then the Lord told me, Write down the vision, inscribe it on tablets, so it can be easily read.
3 Ngoba umbono usezakuba ngowesikhathi esimisiweyo; kodwa uzakhuluma ekucineni, ungaqambi amanga; lanxa uphuza, uwulindele; ngoba isibili uzafika, kawuyikuphuza.
For the vision is for a future time, it is about the end and it does not lie. If it seems slow in being fulfilled, wait for it, for it will definitely come—it will not be delayed!
4 Khangela, uzikhukhumeza, umphefumulo wakhe kawuqondanga kuye; kodwa olungileyo uzaphila ngokholo lwakhe.
Look at those who are proud! They do not live right. But those who live right do so through their trust in God.
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)
In addition wealth provides no security. Those who are arrogant never have any peace; their greedy mouths are as wide open as the grave, and like death they are never satisfied. They gather nations like possessions, swallowing up many peoples. (Sheol h7585)
6 Bonke laba kabayikuphakamisa umzekeliso ngaye yini, lesaga esiyinhlekisa ngaye? Njalo bazakuthi: Maye kuye owandisa okungeyisikho okwakhe! Koze kube nini? Lozethwesa ngezibambiso.
Won't all these peoples taunt them? They will ridicule them, saying, “What disaster is coming to you who pile up things that don't belong to you! You make yourselves rich by forcing debtors to pay! How long can you go on doing this?”
7 Kabayikuhle basukume bakulume yini, bavuke abazakuthuthumelisa yini? Njalo uzakuba yizimpango kubo.
Won't your debtors suddenly act? Won't they wake up to the situation and make you tremble? You will be plunder for them!
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, those who are left will plunder you—for the human blood you have shed and the destruction you brought on lands and cities, and those who lived there.
9 Maye kozuzela indlu yakhe inzuzo embi, ukuze abeke isidleke sakhe ngaphezulu, ukuze akhululwe esandleni sobubi.
What disaster is coming to you who build houses through dishonest gain! You think you can place your “nest” so high it will be safe from disaster.
10 Indlu yakho usuyicebele ihlazo, ngokuquma abantu abanengi; wonile umelene lomphefumulo wakho.
Your evil schemes have brought shame upon your families, by destroying many nations you have forfeited your own lives.
11 Ngoba ilitshe lizakhala lisemdulini, lothungo luliphendule lusesigodweni.
Even the stones in the wall cry out in condemnation, and the wooden rafters join in too.
12 Maye kowakha umuzi ngegazi elinengi, amise idolobho ngesiphambeko.
What disaster is coming to you who build cities with bloodshed, who found cities built on wickedness!
13 Khangela, kakuveli eNkosini yamabandla yini ukuthi izizwe zizatshikatshikela umlilo, labantu bazidinise ngeze?
Hasn't the Lord Almighty decided that all such nations work for will be destroyed by fire, that they wear themselves out for nothing?
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 fill the sea.
15 Maye konathisa umakhelwane wakhe, othulula imbodlela yakho, omdakisa laye, ukuze ubukele ubunqunu babo!
What disaster is coming to you who make your neighbors drunk! You force your cup of anger on them and make them drink so you may see them naked.
16 Uzasutha ngehlazo kulodumo; natha lawe, wembule ijwabu laphambili! Inkezo yesandla seNkosi sokunene izaphendukela kuwe, lehlazo libe phezu kodumo lwakho.
In turn you will be filled with shame instead of glory. Drink yourself and expose your nakedness! The cup the Lord holds in his right hand will be passed round to you and your glory will turn to shame.
17 Ngoba udlakela lweLebhanoni luzakusibekela, lokuchitheka kwezinyamazana kubethuse, ngenxa yegazi elinengi labantu, lodlakela lwelizwe, umuzi, labo bonke abahlala kiwo.
As you destroyed the forests of Lebanon you will also be destroyed; you hunted the animals there, and now they will hunt you. For you shed human blood and you destroyed lands and cities, along with those who lived there.
18 Sisizani isithombe esibaziweyo lokhu umbumbi waso esibazile? Kumbe isithombe esibunjwe ngokuncibilikisa, lomfundisi wamanga, ukuthi umbumbi athembe kokubunjiweyo kwakhe, ukwenza izithombe eziyizimungulu?
What use is a wooden idol carved by human hands, or a metal image that teaches lies? What is the point of their makers trusting in their own handiwork, creating idols that can't speak?
19 Maye kuye otsho kuso isigodo: Phaphama! Lelitsheni eliyisimungulu: Vuka, lona lizafundisa! Khangela, kunanyekwe ngegolide lesiliva, njalo kungekho moya phakathi kwakho.
What disaster is coming to you who say to something made of wood, “Wake up!” or to lifeless stone, “Get up!” Can it teach you anything? Look at it! It's covered with gold and silver, but there is no life inside 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 in his presence.
