UJoweli 1

1 Ilizwi leNkosi elafika kuJoweli indodana kaPethuweli.

The word of the Lord that came to Joel the son of Pethuel.

2 Zwanini lokhu, badala, libeke indlebe, lonke bahlali belizwe. Kwake kwenzeka lokhu yini ensukwini zenu, kumbe lensukwini zaboyihlo?

Hear this, ye old men, and give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land. Did ever such a thing as this come to pass in your days, or ever in the days of your fathers?

3 Landiselani abantwana benu ngakho, labantwana benu abantwana babo, labantwana babo esinye isizukulwana.

Tell ye of it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to another generation.

4 Okutshiywe zintothoviyane isikhonyane sikudlile; lokutshiywe yisikhonyane iqhwagi likudlile; lokutshiywe liqhwagi inswabanda ikudlile.

What the caterpillar left hath the locust eaten; and what the locust left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm left hath the cricket eaten.

5 Phaphamani, zidakwa, likhale inyembezi, liqhinqe isililo, lonke banathi bewayini, ngenxa yewayini elitsha, ngoba liqunyiwe lasuka emlonyeni wenu.

Wake up, ye drunkards, and weep; and wail, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the sweet new wine, that it is taken away from your mouth.

6 Ngoba isizwe senyukele elizweni lami, esilamandla, esingelanani; amazinyo aso angamazinyo esilwane, silamazinyo emihlathi esilwane esisikazi.

For a nation is come up over my land, strong, and without number; its teeth are the teeth of a lion, and it hath the cutting-teeth of the lioness.

7 Senze ivini lami laba yincithakalo, lesihlahla sami somkhiwa saba zimvava; sakwebula lokukwebula, sakuphosela phansi, ingatsha zakho zaba mhlophe.

It hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig-tree: it hath peeled it clean bare, and cast it down; made white are its light branches.

8 Qhinqani isililo njengentombi emsulwa ebhinciswe isaka ngenxa yomyeni wobutsha bayo.

Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the betrothed of her youth.

9 Umnikelo wokudla lomnikelo wokunathwayo uqunyiwe wasuka endlini yeNkosi. Abapristi, izikhonzi zeNkosi, bayalila.

Cut off are the meat-offering and the drink-offering from the house of the Lord: now mourn the priests, the ministers of the Lord.

10 Insimu ichithiwe, umhlabathi uyalila; ngoba amabele achithiwe, iwayini elitsha lomile, amafutha aphela amandla.

Wasted is the field, the land mourneth; for wasted is the corn: dried up is the new wine, withered is the oil.

11 Banini lenhloni, balimi, qhinqani isililo, baphathizivini, ngenxa yengqoloyi langenxa yebhali; ngoba isivuno sensimu sichithekile.

Be ashamed, O ye husbandmen; wail, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because lost is the harvest of the field.

12 Ivini libunile, lomkhiwa uphele amandla; ipomegranati, lesihlahla selala, lesihlahla se-aphula, zonke izihlahla zeganga zomile, ngoba intokozo ibunile yasuka ebantwaneni babantu.

The vine is made ashamed, and the fig-tree is withered; the pomegranate-tree, the palm-tree also, and the apple-tree, even all the trees of the field, are dried up; because joy hath ceased from the children of men.

13 Bhincani, lilile, bapristi, qhinqani isililo, zikhonzi zelathi. Wozani, lilale ebusuku emasakeni, zikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu wami; ngoba umnikelo wokudla lomnikelo wokunathwayo kugodliwe endlini kaNkulunkulu wenu.

Gird yourselves [with sackcloth], and lament, ye priests; wail, ye ministers of the altar: come, remain all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God; for there are withholden from the house of your God the meat-offering and the drink-offering.

14 Yehlukanisani ukuzila ukudla, libize umhlangano onzulu, libuthanise abadala, labo bonke abahlali belizwe, endlini yeNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu, likhale eNkosini.

Sanctify ye a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly, gather the elders, all the inhabitants of the land, into the house of the Lord your God, and cry aloud unto the Lord.

15 Maye ngalolosuku! Ngoba usuku lweNkosi luseduze, luzafika njengencithakalo evela kuSomandla.

Alas for the day! for the day of the Lord is at hand, and like destruction from the Almighty will it come.

16 Ukudla kakuqunywanga yini phambi kwamehlo ethu, ukuthaba lentokozo kusuka endlini kaNkulunkulu wethu?

Is not before our eyes the food cut off, from the house of our God joy and gladness?

17 Inhlanyelo iyabola ngaphansi kwamagade ayo; izibuya zingamanxiwa, iziphala zidilizelwe phansi, ngoba amabele abunile.

The grains of seed are rotten under their clods, laid desolate are the garners, pulled down are the barns; for the corn is dried up.

18 Yeka ukububula kwezifuyo! Imihlambi yenkomo ididekile, ngoba kayilalo idlelo; lemihlambi yezimvu iyahlupheka.

How do the beasts groan! how do the herds of cattle roam about; because there is no pasture for them: yea, the flocks of sheep are made to perish.

19 Ngiyakhala kuwe, Nkosi, ngoba umlilo uqedile amadlelo enkangala, lelangabi lilumathise zonke izihlahla zeganga.

To thee O Lord, will I cry; for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath singed all the trees of the field.

20 Lenyamazana zeganga ziyakhala kuwe, ngoba izifudlana zamanzi zitshile, lomlilo uqede amadlelo enkangala.

Also the beasts of the field cry unto thee panting; for the brooks of waters are dried up, and a fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness.