UJoweli 2
1 Vuthelani uphondo eZiyoni, lihlabe umkhosi entabeni yami engcwele; kabathuthumele bonke abahlali belizwe, ngoba usuku lweNkosi luyeza, ngoba luseduze.
Blow ye the cornet in Zion, and sound an alarm on my holy mount; let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh;
2 Usuku lomnyama lobumnyama, usuku lwamayezi lomnyama onzima, njengemadabukakusa lembese phezu kwezintaba; isizwe esikhulu lesilamandla, kakuzanga kube khona esinjengaso kusukela endulo, futhi kakusayikuba khona emva kwaso kuze kube yiminyaka yezizukulwana lezizukulwana.
It is a day of darkness and of gloom, a day of clouds and of tempestuous obscurity, like the morning-dawn spread out upon the mountains: a people numerous and strong, the like of which hath never been and after it there will be none any more, even to the years of all coming generations.
3 Umlilo uyaqeda phambi kwaso, langemva kwaso kuvutha ilangabi. Phambi kwaso ilizwe lifanana lesivande seEdeni, kodwa ngemva kwaso liyinkangala yencithakalo; yebo kakulakuphunyuka kuso.
Before it devoureth a fire; and behind it singeth a flame: like the garden of 'Eden was the land before it [came], and after it is a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing escapeth from it.
4 Isimo saso sinjengesimo samabhiza, lanjengabagadi bamabhiza ngokunjalo bazagijima.
Like the appearance of horses is its appearance; and like horsemen, so do they run.
5 Bazakweqa njengomsindo wezinqola ezingqongeni zezintaba, njengomsindo welangabi lomlilo oqeda izidindi, njengabantu abalamandla abahlelelwe impi.
Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains do they leap; they are like the noise of a flame of fire consuming the stubble, as a strong people arrayed for a battle.
6 Phambi kobuso babo abantu bazakuba lobuhlungu; bonke ubuso buzanyukumala.
At its presence the people are much pained: all the faces are covered with blackness.
7 Bazagijima njengamaqhawe, bakhwele imiduli njengamadoda empi, bahambe ngulowo lalowo ngezindlela zakhe, kabayikuphambuka emikhondweni yabo.
Like mighty men do they run; like men of war they climb up a wall; and they march every one on his own ways, and they turn not aside on their paths.
8 Kabasunduzani omunye lomunye; bazahamba ngulowo lalowo ngomgwaqo wakhe omkhulu; lapho bewela phezu kwesikhali, kabayikulimala.
And they do not press one another; every one on his beaten track do they go forward: and they pass through between war-like weapons, and change not their purpose.
9 Bazahaluzela bedabula umuzi, bagijime phezu komduli, bakhwele bangene ezindlini, bangene ngamawindi njengesela.
Into the city they hasten forward; on the wall they run; into the houses they climb up; through the windows they make their entrance like a thief.
10 Umhlaba uzanyikinyeka phambi kwabo, amazulu athuthumele; ilanga lenyanga kube mnyama, lezinkanyezi zigodle ukukhanya kwazo.
Before them trembleth the earth; the heavens quake; the sun and the moon are obscured, and the stars withdraw their brightness.
11 Njalo iNkosi izakhupha ilizwi layo phambi kwebutho layo, ngoba inkamba yayo inkulu kakhulu; ngoba ilamandla eyenza ilizwi layo; ngoba usuku lweNkosi lukhulu, luyesabeka kakhulu; ngubani-ke ongalumela?
And the Lord uttereth his voice before his army; for very numerous is his camp; for strong is he that executeth his word; for great is the day of the Lord and very terrible; and who is able to endure it?
12 Ngakho lakhathesi, itsho iNkosi, phendukelani kimi ngenhliziyo yenu yonke, langokuzila ukudla, langokukhala inyembezi, langokulila.
But even now also, saith the Lord, return ye fully to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:
13 Lidabule inhliziyo yenu, hatshi izembatho zenu, liphendukele eNkosini, uNkulunkulu wenu, ngoba ilesisa lesihawu, iphuza ukuthukuthela, njalo inkulu ngomusa, iyazisola ngobubi.
And rend your heart, and not your garments, and return unto the Lord your God; for gracious and merciful is he, long suffering, and of great kindness, and he bethinketh himself of the evil.
14 Ngubani owaziyo, ingaphenduka izisole, itshiye isibusiso ngemva kwayo, umnikelo wokudla lomnikelo wokunathwayo eNkosini, uNkulunkulu wenu.
He that is conscious [of guilt], let him return and repent: when [the plague] may leave behind it a blessing; even a meat-offering and a drink-offering unto the Lord your God.
15 Vuthelani uphondo eZiyoni, yehlukanisani ukuzila ukudla, libize umhlangano onzulu,
Blow the cornet in Zion, sanctify a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly;
16 libuthanise abantu, lingcwelise ibandla, lihlanganise abadala, libuthanise abantwana, labamunya amabele; umyeni kaphume ekamelweni lakhe, lomakoti ekamelweni lakhe.
Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts; let the bridegroom go forth out of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.
17 Kakuthi abapristi, izikhonzi zeNkosi, bakhale inyembezi phakathi kwekhulusi lelathi, bathi: Yekela abantu bakho, Nkosi; unganikeli ilifa lakho ehlazweni, ukuthi abahedeni bababuse. Bazatsholoni phakathi kwezizwe ukuthi: Ungaphi uNkulunkulu wabo?
Between the porch and the altar let the priests weep, the ministers of the Lord, and let them say, Spare, O Lord, thy people, and give not up thy heritage to reproach, for nations to make a by-word of them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?
18 Khona iNkosi izatshisekela ilizwe layo, ihawukele abantu bayo.
And the Lord was zealous for his land, and he had pity for his people.
19 Yebo iNkosi izaphendula ithi ebantwini bayo: Khangelani, ngizalithumela amabele lewayini elitsha lamafutha, ukuthi lisuthe ngakho; kangisayikulenza inhlamba phakathi kwezizwe.
And the Lord answered and said unto his people, “Behold, I will send you the corn, and the young wine, and the oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith; and I will not give you up any more to be a reproach among the nations:
20 Kodwa ngizasusela khatshana lani okuvela enyakatho, ngikuxotshele elizweni elomileyo leliyinkangala, ubuso bakho buqonde ngaselwandle lwempumalanga, lokucina kwakho ngaselwandle olungemuva; njalo kwenyuke ivumba lakho, kwenyuke iphunga lakho elibi, ngoba kwenze izinto ezinkulu.
And the host of the north will I remove far away from you, and I will drive it off into a land barren and desolate, with its advance toward the eastern sea, and its rereward toward the western sea; and its stench shall ascend, and its ill savor shall come up, because it hath done great things.”
21 Ungesabi, lizwe, jabula uthokoze, ngoba iNkosi yenze izinto ezinkulu.
Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice; for the Lord hath done great things.
22 Lingesabi, zinyamazana zeganga, ngoba amadlelo enkangala asehlumile; ngoba isihlahla sithela isithelo saso, umkhiwa levini kunike amandla akho.
Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field; for the pastures of the wilderness have become green; for the tree beareth its fruit, the fig-tree and the vine yield their strength.
23 Lani bantwana beZiyoni, thabani lithokoze eNkosini, uNkulunkulu wenu; ngoba ilinikile izulu lensewula ngokulunga, yalinisela izulu, izulu lensewula lezulu lamuva njengakuqala.
And ye children of Zion, be glad, and rejoice in the Lord your God; for he hath given you the first rain in beneficence, and he hath caused to come down for you the rain, the first rain, and the latter rain in the first [month].
24 Lamabala okubhulela azagcwala amabele, lezikhamelo zewayini ziphuphume ngewayini elitsha lamafutha.
And the threshing-floors are full of corn, and the vats overflow with young wine and oil.
25 Njalo ngizabuyisela kini iminyaka eyadliwa yintothoviyane, yisikhonyane, leqhwagi, lenswabanda, ibutho lami elikhulu engalithumela phakathi kwenu.
And I will repay to you the years [in] which the locust hath eaten [all], with the cankerworm, and the cricket, and the caterpillar, my great army, which I had sent against you.
26 Njalo lizakudla lokudla, lisuthe, lidumise ibizo leNkosi, uNkulunkulu wenu, oliphethe ngokumangalisayo. Njalo abantu bami kabayikuyangiswa lanininini.
And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall not be made ashamed unto eternity.
27 Njalo lizakwazi ukuthi ngiphakathi kukaIsrayeli, lokuthi ngiyiNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu, njalo kakho omunye. Njalo abantu bami kabayikuyangiswa lanininini.
And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God, and none else; and my people shall not be made ashamed unto eternity.
28 Kuzakuthi emva kwalokho ngithele uMoya wami phezu kwayo yonke inyama; njalo amadodana enu lamadodakazi enu azaprofetha; abadala benu baphuphe amaphupho, amajaha enu abone imibono.
And it shall come to pass after this, that I will pour out my spirit over all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy: your old men shall dream dreams: your young men shall see visions:
29 Yebo, laphezu kwenceku laphezu kwencekukazi ngizathela uMoya wami ngalezonsuku.
And also over the men-servants and over the maid-servants in those days will I pour out my spirit.
30 Njalo ngizaveza izimangaliso emazulwini lemhlabeni, igazi, lomlilo, lezinsika zentuthu.
And I will display wonderful tokens in the heavens and on the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
31 Ilanga lizaphenduka libe ngumnyama, lenyanga ibe ligazi, lungakafiki usuku lweNkosi olukhulu lolwesabekayo.
The sun shall be changed into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the day of the Lord, the great and the terrible.
32 Kuzakuthi-ke loba ngubani ozabiza ibizo leNkosi asindiswe; ngoba entabeni yeZiyoni leJerusalema kuzakuba khona ukukhululwa, njengokutsho kweNkosi, laphakathi kwabaseleyo iNkosi ezababiza.
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall escape; for on mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and among the remnant whom the Lord calleth.
