< UJoweli 2 >
1 Vuthelani uphondo eZiyoni, lihlabe umkhosi entabeni yami engcwele; kabathuthumele bonke abahlali belizwe, ngoba usuku lweNkosi luyeza, ngoba luseduze.
Blow ye a trumpet in Zion, And shout ye in My holy hill, Tremble do all inhabitants of the earth, For coming is the day of Jehovah, for [it is] near!
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.
A day of darkness and thick darkness, A day of cloud and thick darkness, As darkness spread on the mountains, A people numerous and mighty, Like it there hath not been from of old, And after it there is not again — till the years of generation and generation.
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 consumed hath fire, And after it burn doth a flame, As the garden of Eden [is] the land before it, And after it a wilderness — a desolation! And also an escape there hath not been to it,
4 Isimo saso sinjengesimo samabhiza, lanjengabagadi bamabhiza ngokunjalo bazagijima.
As the appearance of horses [is] its appearance, And as horsemen, so they run.
5 Bazakweqa njengomsindo wezinqola ezingqongeni zezintaba, njengomsindo welangabi lomlilo oqeda izidindi, njengabantu abalamandla abahlelelwe impi.
As the noise of chariots, on the tops of the mountains they skip, As the noise of a flame of fire devouring stubble, As a mighty people set in array for battle.
6 Phambi kobuso babo abantu bazakuba lobuhlungu; bonke ubuso buzanyukumala.
From its face pained are peoples, All faces have gathered paleness.
7 Bazagijima njengamaqhawe, bakhwele imiduli njengamadoda empi, bahambe ngulowo lalowo ngezindlela zakhe, kabayikuphambuka emikhondweni yabo.
As mighty ones they run, As men of war they go up a wall, And each in his own ways they do go, And they embarrass not their paths.
8 Kabasunduzani omunye lomunye; bazahamba ngulowo lalowo ngomgwaqo wakhe omkhulu; lapho bewela phezu kwesikhali, kabayikulimala.
And each his brother they press not, Each in his way they go on, If by the missile they fall, they are not cut off.
9 Bazahaluzela bedabula umuzi, bagijime phezu komduli, bakhwele bangene ezindlini, bangene ngamawindi njengesela.
In the city they run to and fro, On the wall they run, Into houses they go up by the windows, They go in as a thief.
10 Umhlaba uzanyikinyeka phambi kwabo, amazulu athuthumele; ilanga lenyanga kube mnyama, lezinkanyezi zigodle ukukhanya kwazo.
At their face trembled hath the earth, Shaken have the heavens, Sun and moon have been black, And stars have gathered up their shining.
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 Jehovah hath given forth His voice before His force, For very great [is] His camp, For mighty [is] the doer of His word, For great [is] the day of Jehovah — very fearful, And who doth bear it?
12 Ngakho lakhathesi, itsho iNkosi, phendukelani kimi ngenhliziyo yenu yonke, langokuzila ukudla, langokukhala inyembezi, langokulila.
And also now — an affirmation of Jehovah, Turn ye back unto Me with all your heart, And with fasting, and with weeping, And with lamentation.
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 turn back unto Jehovah your God, For gracious and merciful [is] He, Slow to anger, and abundant in kindness, And He hath repented concerning the evil.
14 Ngubani owaziyo, ingaphenduka izisole, itshiye isibusiso ngemva kwayo, umnikelo wokudla lomnikelo wokunathwayo eNkosini, uNkulunkulu wenu.
Who knoweth — He doth turn back, Yea — He hath repented, And He hath left behind Him a blessing, A present and libation of Jehovah your God?
15 Vuthelani uphondo eZiyoni, yehlukanisani ukuzila ukudla, libize umhlangano onzulu,
Blow ye a trumpet in Zion, Sanctify a fast — proclaim a restraint.
16 libuthanise abantu, lingcwelise ibandla, lihlanganise abadala, libuthanise abantwana, labamunya amabele; umyeni kaphume ekamelweni lakhe, lomakoti ekamelweni lakhe.
Gather the people, sanctify an assembly, Assemble the aged, Gather infants and sucklings of the breasts, Go out let a bridegroom from his inner chamber, And a 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 weep let the priests, ministrants of Jehovah, And let them say: 'Have pity, O Jehovah, on Thy people, And give not Thy inheritance to reproach, To the ruling over them of nations, Why do they say among peoples, Where [is] their God?'
18 Khona iNkosi izatshisekela ilizwe layo, ihawukele abantu bayo.
And let Jehovah be zealous for His land, And have pity on His people.
19 Yebo iNkosi izaphendula ithi ebantwini bayo: Khangelani, ngizalithumela amabele lewayini elitsha lamafutha, ukuthi lisuthe ngakho; kangisayikulenza inhlamba phakathi kwezizwe.
Let Jehovah answer and say to His people, 'Lo, I am sending to you the corn, And the new wine, and the oil, And ye have been satisfied with it, And I make you no more a reproach among 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 northern I put far off from you, And have driven him unto a land dry and desolate, With his face unto the eastern sea, And his rear unto the western sea, And come up hath his stink, And come up doth his stench, For he hath exerted himself to work.
21 Ungesabi, lizwe, jabula uthokoze, ngoba iNkosi yenze izinto ezinkulu.
Do not fear, O land! joy and rejoice, For Jehovah hath exerted Himself to work.
22 Lingesabi, zinyamazana zeganga, ngoba amadlelo enkangala asehlumile; ngoba isihlahla sithela isithelo saso, umkhiwa levini kunike amandla akho.
Do not fear, O cattle of the field! For sprung forth have pastures of a wilderness, For the tree hath borne its fruit, Fig-tree and vine have given 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 sons of Zion, joy and rejoice, In Jehovah your God, For He hath given to you the Teacher for righteousness, And causeth to come down to you a shower, Sprinkling and gathered — in the beginning.
24 Lamabala okubhulela azagcwala amabele, lezikhamelo zewayini ziphuphume ngewayini elitsha lamafutha.
And full have been the floors [with] pure corn, And overflown have the presses [with] new wine and oil.
25 Njalo ngizabuyisela kini iminyaka eyadliwa yintothoviyane, yisikhonyane, leqhwagi, lenswabanda, ibutho lami elikhulu engalithumela phakathi kwenu.
And I have recompensed to you the years That consume did the locust, the cankerworm, And the caterpillar, and the palmer-worm, My great force that I did send against you.
26 Njalo lizakudla lokudla, lisuthe, lidumise ibizo leNkosi, uNkulunkulu wenu, oliphethe ngokumangalisayo. Njalo abantu bami kabayikuyangiswa lanininini.
And ye have eaten, eating and being satisfied, And have praised the name of Jehovah your God, Who hath dealt with you wonderfully, And not ashamed are My people to the age.
27 Njalo lizakwazi ukuthi ngiphakathi kukaIsrayeli, lokuthi ngiyiNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu, njalo kakho omunye. Njalo abantu bami kabayikuyangiswa lanininini.
And ye have known that in the midst of Israel [am] I, And I [am] Jehovah your God, and there is none else, And not ashamed are My people to the age.
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 hath come to pass afterwards, I do pour out My Spirit on all flesh, And prophesied have your sons and your daughters, Your old men do dream dreams, Your young men do see visions.
29 Yebo, laphezu kwenceku laphezu kwencekukazi ngizathela uMoya wami ngalezonsuku.
And also on the men-servants, and on the maid-servants, In those days I do pour out My Spirit.
30 Njalo ngizaveza izimangaliso emazulwini lemhlabeni, igazi, lomlilo, lezinsika zentuthu.
And I have given wonders in the heavens, and in the earth, Blood and fire, and columns of smoke.
31 Ilanga lizaphenduka libe ngumnyama, lenyanga ibe ligazi, lungakafiki usuku lweNkosi olukhulu lolwesabekayo.
The sun is turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, Before the coming of the day of Jehovah, The great and the fearful.
32 Kuzakuthi-ke loba ngubani ozabiza ibizo leNkosi asindiswe; ngoba entabeni yeZiyoni leJerusalema kuzakuba khona ukukhululwa, njengokutsho kweNkosi, laphakathi kwabaseleyo iNkosi ezababiza.
And it hath come to pass, Every one who calleth in the name of Jehovah is delivered, For in mount Zion and in Jerusalem there is an escape, As Jehovah hath said, And among the remnants whom Jehovah is calling!