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 guard post and station myself on the watchtower, and I will watch carefully to see what he will say to me and how I should turn from my complaint.
2 INkosi yasingiphendula yathi: Bhala umbono, uwenze ucace phezu kwezibhebhe, ukuze ogijimayo awufunde.
Yahweh answered me and said, “Record this vision, and write plainly on the tablets so that the one reading them might run.
3 Ngoba umbono usezakuba ngowesikhathi esimisiweyo; kodwa uzakhuluma ekucineni, ungaqambi amanga; lanxa uphuza, uwulindele; ngoba isibili uzafika, kawuyikuphuza.
For the vision is yet for a future time and will finally speak and not fail. Though it delays, wait for it. For it will surely come and will not tarry.
4 Khangela, uzikhukhumeza, umphefumulo wakhe kawuqondanga kuye; kodwa olungileyo uzaphila ngokholo lwakhe.
Look! The one whose desires are not right within him is puffed up. 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)
For wine is a betrayer of the arrogant young man so that he will not abide, but enlarges his desire like the grave and, like death, is never satisfied. He gathers to himself every nation and gathers up for himself all of the 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.
Will not all these create a saying to ridicule him and a taunting song about him, saying, 'Woe to the one increasing what is not his! For how long will you increase the weight of the pledges you have taken?'
7 Kabayikuhle basukume bakulume yini, bavuke abazakuthuthumelisa yini? Njalo uzakuba yizimpango kubo.
Will the ones biting at you not rise up suddenly, and the ones terrifying you awaken? You will become a victim 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 peoples, all the remnant of the peoples will plunder you. For you have shed human blood and acted with violence against the land, the cities, and all who live in them.
9 Maye kozuzela indlu yakhe inzuzo embi, ukuze abeke isidleke sakhe ngaphezulu, ukuze akhululwe esandleni sobubi.
'Woe to the one who carves out evil gains for his house, so he can set his nest on high to keep himself safe from the hand of evil.'
10 Indlu yakho usuyicebele ihlazo, ngokuquma abantu abanengi; wonile umelene lomphefumulo wakho.
You have devised shame for your house by cutting off many people, and have sinned against yourself.
11 Ngoba ilitshe lizakhala lisemdulini, lothungo luliphendule lusesigodweni.
For the stones will cry out from the wall, and the rafters of timber will answer them,
12 Maye kowakha umuzi ngegazi elinengi, amise idolobho ngesiphambeko.
'Woe to the one who builds a city with blood, and who establishes a town in iniquity.'
13 Khangela, kakuveli eNkosini yamabandla yini ukuthi izizwe zizatshikatshikela umlilo, labantu bazidinise ngeze?
Is it not from Yahweh of hosts that peoples labor for fire and all the other nations weary themselves for nothing?
14 Ngoba umhlaba uzagcwala ngolwazi lwenkazimulo yeNkosi, njengamanzi esibekela ulwandle.
Yet the land will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Yahweh as the waters cover the sea.
15 Maye konathisa umakhelwane wakhe, othulula imbodlela yakho, omdakisa laye, ukuze ubukele ubunqunu babo!
'Woe to the one who forces his neighbors to drink— you express your anger over and you make them drunk in order to look at their nakedness.'
16 Uzasutha ngehlazo kulodumo; natha lawe, wembule ijwabu laphambili! Inkezo yesandla seNkosi sokunene izaphendukela kuwe, lehlazo libe phezu kodumo lwakho.
You will be filled with shame instead of glory. Now it is your turn! Drink, and you will expose your uncircumcised foreskin! The cup in Yahweh's right hand is coming 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.
The violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you and the destruction of animals will terrify you. For you have shed human blood and you have acted with violence against the land, the cities, and all who live 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 does the carved figure profit you? For the one who has carved it, or who casts a figure from molten metal, is a teacher of lies; for he trusts his own handiwork when he makes these mute gods.
19 Maye kuye otsho kuso isigodo: Phaphama! Lelitsheni eliyisimungulu: Vuka, lona lizafundisa! Khangela, kunanyekwe ngegolide lesiliva, njalo kungekho moya phakathi kwakho.
'Woe to the one saying to the wood, Wake up! Or to the silent stone, Arise!' Do these things teach? See, it is overlaid with gold and silver, but there is no breath at all within it.
20 Kodwa iNkosi isethempelini layo elingcwele; thula phambi kwayo, mhlaba wonke.
But Yahweh is in his holy temple! Be silent before him, all the land.”
