UJoweli 3
1 Ngoba khangela, ngalezonsuku langalesosikhathi lapho ngibuyisa ukuthunjwa kukaJuda leJerusalema,
“For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I restore the fortunes 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 judgement on them there for my people, and for my heritage, Israel, whom they have scattered amongst the nations. They have divided 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 prostitute, 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.
“Yes, and what are you to me, Tyre and Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Will you repay me? And if you repay me, I will swiftly and speedily return your repayment on your own head.
5 Ngoba lithethe isiliva sami legolide lami, laletha izinto zami eziloyisekayo ezinhle emathempelini enu.
Because you have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried my finest treasures into your temples,
6 Lathengisa abantwana bakoJuda labantwana beJerusalema ebantwaneni bamaGriki, ukuze libasusele khatshana lomngcele wabo.
and have sold the children of Judah and the children of Jerusalem to the sons of the Greeks, that you 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 you have sold them, and will return your repayment on 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 hands of the children of Judah, and they will sell them to the men of Sheba, to a faraway nation, for the LORD has spoken it.”
9 Memezelani lokhu phakathi kwezizwe; lingcwelise impi; livuse amaqhawe; kawasondele enyuke wonke amadoda empi.
Proclaim this amongst the nations: “Prepare for war! Stir up the mighty men. Let all the warriors draw near. Let them come up.
10 Khandani amakhuba enu abe yizinkemba, lengqamu zenu zokuthena zibe yimikhonto; obuthakathaka athi: Ngiliqhawe.
Beat your ploughshares 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.
Hurry and come, all you surrounding nations, and gather yourselves together.” Cause your mighty ones to come down there, LORD.
12 Kazizivuse izizwe zenyukele esihotsheni sikaJehoshafathi; ngoba kulapho engizahlala khona ukugweba zonke izizwe inhlangothi zonke.
“Let the nations arouse themselves, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat; for there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations.
13 Fakani isikela, ngoba isivuno sivuthiwe; wozani lehlele phansi, ngoba isikhamelo sewayini sigcwele, amafatshi ewayini ayaphuphuma, ngoba ububi babo bukhulu.
Put in the sickle; for the harvest is ripe. Come, tread, for the wine press 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 the LORD 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.
The LORD will roar from Zion, and thunder from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth will shake; but the LORD will be a refuge to his people, and a stronghold to the children of Israel.
17 Ngalokho lizakwazi ukuthi ngiyiNkosi, uNkulunkulu wenu, ohlala eZiyoni, intaba yobungcwele bami. Njalo iJerusalema izakuba yibungcwele, labezizwe kabasayikudlula phakathi kwayo.
“So you will know that I am the LORD, your God, dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain. Then Jerusalem will be holy, and no strangers will 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.
It will happen in that day, that the mountains will drop down sweet wine, the hills will flow with milk, all the brooks of Judah will flow with waters; and a fountain will flow out from the LORD’s house, and will 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 will be a desolation and Edom will be a desolate wilderness, for the violence done to the children 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 will be inhabited forever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.
21 Ngoba ngizahlanza igazi labo, engangingalihlanzanga; ngoba iNkosi ihlala eZiyoni.
I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed, for the LORD dwells in Zion.”
