UHabakhukhi 1
1 Umthwalo uHabhakhukhi umprofethi awubonayo.
The burden that Habakkuk the prophet has seen:
2 Nkosi, ngizakhala kuze kube nini, wena ungezwa! Ngimemeza kuwe ngodlakela, wena ungasindisi!
Until when, O YHWH, have I cried, And You do not hear? I cry to You, “Violence!” And You do not save.
3 Ungitshengiselani isiphambeko, ukhangele inkathazo? Ngoba incithakalo lodlakela kuphambi kwami, njalo kulenkani, kuphakame ingxabano.
Why do You show me iniquity, And cause [me] to behold perversity? And spoiling and violence [are] before me, And there is strife, and contention lifts [itself] up,
4 Ngakho-ke umlayo ubuthakathaka, lesahlulelo kasiphumi lakanye; ngoba omubi uhanqa olungileyo; ngakho-ke isahlulelo esigobileyo siyaphuma.
Therefore law ceases, And judgment does not go forth forever, For the wicked is surrounding the righteous, Therefore wrong judgment goes forth.
5 Bonani phakathi kwabezizwe, likhangele, mangalani limangale, ngoba ngizakwenza umsebenzi ezinsukwini zenu, elingayikuwukholwa, lanxa ulandiswa.
“Look on nations, and behold and marvel greatly. For a work He is working in your days, You do not believe though it is declared.
6 Ngoba, khangelani, ngivusa amaKhaladiya, isizwe esilesihluku lesiphangisayo, esizahamba ebubanzini bomhlaba, ukudla ilifa lendawo zokuhlala ezingeyisizo ezaso.
For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, The bitter and hasty nation, That is going to the broad places of earth, To occupy dwelling places not his own.
7 Siyesabeka, siyethusa; isahlulelo saso lokuphakama kwaso kuzaphuma kuso.
He [is] terrible and fearful, His judgment and his excellence go forth from him.
8 Amabhiza aso lawo alejubane kulezingwe, njalo abukhali kulezimpisi zakusihlwa; labagadi bamabhiza baso bazasabalala, labagadi bamabhiza baso bazavela khatshana; bazandiza njengokhozi oluphangisela ukudla.
His horses have been swifter than leopards, And sharper than evening wolves, And his horsemen have increased, Even his horsemen from afar come in, They fly as an eagle, hastening to consume.
9 Bonke bazafikela udlakela; ukubuthana kobuso babo kungasempumalanga; babuthe abathunjiweyo njengetshebetshebe.
All for violence—he comes in, Their faces swallowing up the east wind, And he gathers a captivity as the sand.
10 Bona-ke bazaklolodela amakhosi, lababusi bazakuba yinhlekisa kubo; bona bazahleka usulu ngayo yonke inqaba, ngoba bazabuthelela inhlabathi, bayithumbe.
And he scoffs at kings, And princes [are] a laughter to him, He laughs at every fortification, And he heaps up dust, and captures it.
11 Besesikhukhula njengomoya, sedlule, siphambeke, sibalela la amandla aso kunkulunkulu waso.
Then the spirit has passed on, Indeed, he transgresses, And [ascribes] this—his power—to his god.”
12 Kawusukeli ephakadeni yini, Nkosi Nkulunkulu wami, oNgcwele wami? Kasiyikufa. Wena, Nkosi, ubamisele isahlulelo; lawe Dwala, ubamisele isijeziso.
Are You not of old, O YHWH, my God, my Holy One? We do not die, O YHWH, You have appointed him for judgment, And, O Rock, You have founded him for reproof.
13 Wena uhlambuluke kakhulu emehlweni kulokuthi ubone okubi, ongelakukhangela inkathazo. Ubakhangelelani abakhohlisayo, uthula lapho omubi eginya olungileyo kulaye?
Purer of eyes than to behold evil, You are not able to look on perverseness, Why do You behold the treacherous? You keep silent when the wicked Swallow the more righteous than he,
14 Usenza abantu babe njengenhlanzi zolwandle, njengezinto ezihahabayo, ezingelambusi phezu kwazo?
And You make man as fishes of the sea, As a creeping thing [with] none ruling over him.
15 Bayabakhupha bonke ngengwegwe, bababambe embuleni labo, bababuthe embuleni labo; ngakho-ke bayathokoza bajabule.
He has brought up each of them with a hook, He catches it in his net, and gathers it in his dragnet, Therefore he delights and rejoices.
16 Ngakho-ke bayalihlabela imbule labo, batshisele imbule labo lokugola impepha; ngoba ngakho isabelo sabo sinonile, lokudla kwabo kulamafutha.
Therefore he sacrifices to his net, And makes incense to his dragnet, For by them [is] his portion fertile, and his food fat.
17 Ngakho-ke bayathulula imbule labo yini, bangayekeli yini ukubulala izizwe njalonjalo?
Does he therefore empty his net, And continually not spare to slay nations?
