UJoweli 3

1 Ngoba khangela, ngalezonsuku langalesosikhathi lapho ngibuyisa ukuthunjwa kukaJuda leJerusalema,

For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring back the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem,

2 ngizabutha zonke izizwe, ngizehlisele esigodini sikaJehoshafathi, ngizigwebe khona ngenxa yabantu bami lelifa lami uIsrayeli, ezibahlakaze phakathi kwezizwe, zalaba ilizwe lami,

I will gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will execute judgment upon them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations. And they have parted my land,

3 zenza inkatho yokuphosa ngabantu bami, zanika umfana ngewule, zathengisa inkazana ngewayini, ukuze zinathe.

and have cast lots for my people, and have given a boy for a harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they may drink.

4 Yebo-ke, lilani kimi, Tire leSidoni, lani lonke mingcele yeFilisti? Lizangibuyisela umvuzo yini? Uba-ke lingibuyisela, masinyane ngokuphangisa ngizabuyisela umvuzo wenu ekhanda lenu.

Yea, and what are ye to me, O Tyre, and Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Will ye render me a recompense? And if ye recompense me, I will return your recompense swiftly and speedily upon your own head.

5 Ngoba lithethe isiliva sami legolide lami, laletha izinto zami eziloyisekayo ezinhle emathempelini enu.

Inasmuch as ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly precious things,

6 Lathengisa abantwana bakoJuda labantwana beJerusalema ebantwaneni bamaGriki, ukuze libasusele khatshana lomngcele wabo.

and have sold the sons of Judah and the sons of Jerusalem to the sons of the Grecians, that ye may remove them far from their border,

7 Khangelani, ngizabavusa endaweni elabathengisa kiyo, ngibuyisele umvuzo wenu ekhanda lenu.

behold, I will stir them up out of the place where ye have sold them, and will return your recompense upon your own head.

8 Njalo ngizathengisa amadodana enu lamadodakazi enu esandleni sabantwana bakoJuda, abazabathengisa kumaSabeya esizweni esikhatshana; ngoba iNkosi ikhulumile.

And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the sons of Judah, and they shall sell them to the men of Sheba, to a nation far off. For Jehovah has spoken it.

9 Memezelani lokhu phakathi kwezizwe; lingcwelise impi; livuse amaqhawe; kawasondele enyuke wonke amadoda empi.

Proclaim ye this among the nations: Prepare war. Stir up the mighty men. Let all the men of war draw near. Let them come up.

10 Khandani amakhuba enu abe yizinkemba, lengqamu zenu zokuthena zibe yimikhonto; obuthakathaka athi: Ngiliqhawe.

Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning-hooks into spears. Let the weak say, I am strong.

11 Phangisani lize, lina zizwe zonke ezizingelezeleyo, libuthane; Nkosi, yehlisa amaqhawe akho kuleyondawo.

Hasten ye, and come, all ye nations round about, and gather yourselves together. Cause thy mighty ones to come down there, O Jehovah.

12 Kazizivuse izizwe zenyukele esihotsheni sikaJehoshafathi; ngoba kulapho engizahlala khona ukugweba zonke izizwe inhlangothi zonke.

Let the nations bestir themselves, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge all the nations round about.

13 Fakani isikela, ngoba isivuno sivuthiwe; wozani lehlele phansi, ngoba isikhamelo sewayini sigcwele, amafatshi ewayini ayaphuphuma, ngoba ububi babo bukhulu.

Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, tread ye, for the winepress is full, the vats overflow. For their wickedness is great.

14 Amaxuku, amaxuku esihotsheni sesinqumo; ngoba usuku lweNkosi luseduze esihotsheni sesinqumo.

Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of Jehovah is near in the valley of decision.

15 Ilanga lenyanga kuzakuba mnyama, lezinkanyezi zigodle ukukhanya kwazo.

The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.

16 INkosi izabhonga-ke iseZiyoni, ikhuphe ilizwi layo iseJerusalema, kunyikinyeke amazulu lomhlaba. Kodwa iNkosi ibe yisiphephelo sabantu bayo, lamandla abantwana bakoIsrayeli.

And Jehovah will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth shall shake. But Jehovah will be a refuge to his people, and a stronghold to the sons of Israel.

17 Ngalokho lizakwazi ukuthi ngiyiNkosi, uNkulunkulu wenu, ohlala eZiyoni, intaba yobungcwele bami. Njalo iJerusalema izakuba yibungcwele, labezizwe kabasayikudlula phakathi kwayo.

So ye shall know that I am Jehovah your God, dwelling in Zion my holy mountain. Then Jerusalem shall be holy, and no strangers shall pass through her any more.

18 Kuzakuthi-ke ngalolosuku izintaba zithontise iwayini elimnandi, lamaqaqa ageleze uchago, lazo zonke izifula zakoJuda zigeleze amanzi, lomthombo uphume endlini yeNkosi, uthelele isihotsha seShithimi.

And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down sweet wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the brooks of Judah shall flow with waters. And a fountain shall come forth from the house of Jehovah, and shall water the valley of Shittim.

19 IGibhithe izakuba lunxiwa, leEdoma ibe yinkangala elunxiwa, ngenxa yodlakela olumelene labantwana bakoJuda, ngoba bachithe igazi elingelacala elizweni labo.

Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence done to the sons of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land.

20 Kodwa uJuda uzahlala kuze kube nininini, leJerusalema kuze kube yisizukulwana lesizukulwana.

But Judah shall abide forever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.

21 Ngoba ngizahlanza igazi labo, engangingalihlanzanga; ngoba iNkosi ihlala eZiyoni.

And I will cleanse their blood, that I have not cleansed. For Jehovah dwells in Zion.