UMikha 5
1 Khathesi buthana ube ngamaviyo, wena ndodakazi yeviyo; yena ubekile ukuvimbezela ngakithi; ngenduku bazatshaya umahluleli wakoIsrayeli esihlathini.
‘Now cut yourself in bitter grief, daughter besieged by soldiers. They have set a wall around you. They strike the ruler of Israel, in the face with a rod.
2 Kodwa wena, Bhethelehema Efratha, lanxa umncinyane phakathi kwezinkulungwane zakoJuda, uzaphuma kuwe eze kimi lowo ozakuba ngumbusi koIsrayeli; okuphuma kwakhe ngokwasendulo, ezinsukwini zaphakade.
‘Bethlehem in Ephrathah, small among the tribes of Judah, from you will come a king who will rule for me over Israel, whose family line goes back to the distant past.’
3 Ngakho uzabanikela, kuze kube yisikhathi sokuthi lowo ohelelwayo azale; khona insali yabafowabo izabuyela ebantwaneni bakoIsrayeli.
So the Lord will only abandon Israel to its enemies until the woman in labour gives birth. Then the survivors will be reunited with their own people.
4 Njalo uzakuma eluse emandleni eNkosi, ekuphakameni kwebizo leNkosi uNkulunkulu wakhe; njalo bazahlala; ngoba khathesi uzakuba mkhulu kuze kube semikhawulweni yomhlaba.
And he will stand and shepherd by the strength of the Lord, In the exalted name of the Lord his God; And they will live in security, for now he will be great, even to the ends of the earth.
5 Njalo lumuntu uzakuba yikuthula; lapho umAsiriya engena elizweni lakithi, lalapho enyathela ezigodlweni zethu, kulapho sizamvusela abelusi abayisikhombisa, leziphathamandla zabantu eziyisificaminwembili.
This will be our peace: when Assyria comes into our land and treads on our soil, we will raise up against him seven shepherds, eight leaders of men.
6 Njalo bazalidla ilizwe leAsiriya ngenkemba, lelizwe likaNimrodi ezintubeni zalo. Ngalokho uzasophula kumAsiriya lapho engena elizweni lakithi, lalapho enyathela phakathi komngcele wethu.
They will shepherd Assyria with a sword, and the land of Nimrod with bared blades. They will deliver us from Assyria, when they come into our land, and tread within our borders.
7 Lensali kaJakobe izakuba phakathi kwezizwe ezinengi njengamazolo avela eNkosini, njengemikhizo phezu kotshani, okungalindeli muntu, lokungameleli bantwana babantu.
And the survivors of Jacob will be disbursed among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like dew from the Lord, like showers on the grass, which don’t wait for people to come or linger for mortals.
8 Lensali kaJakobe izakuba phakathi kwezizwe, phakathi kwabezizwe abanengi, njengesilwane phakathi kwezinyamazana zeganga, njengebhongo lesilwane phakathi kwemihlambi yezimvu; elithi lapho lisedlula, linyathelele phansi lidabudabule, kungekho ongophula.
And the survivors of Jacob will be disbursed among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among the sheep-folds, who, when he passes through, pounces. He savages his prey. There is no rescuer.
9 Isandla sakho sizaphakama phezu kwabamelana lawe, njalo zonke izitha zakho zizaqunywa.
Let your hand triumph over your adversaries, let all your enemies be cut off.
10 Kuzakuthi-ke ngalolosuku, itsho iNkosi, ngiqume amabhiza akho aphume phakathi kwakho, ngichithe izinqola zakho.
On that day, says the Lord: ‘I will slaughter your horses from your midst, and destroy your chariots.
11 Njalo ngizaquma imizi yelizwe lakho, ngidilizele phansi zonke izinqaba zakho.
I will devastate the cities in your land, and tear down your fortresses.
12 Njalo ngizaquma ubuthakathi esandleni sakho; kawusayikuba lezanuse.
I will destroy your magic charms, and you will have no soothsayers.
13 Njalo ngizaquma izithombe zakho ezibaziweyo lezinsika zakho eziyizithombe zisuke phakathi kwakho; kawusayikuphinda ukhothamele umsebenzi wezandla zakho.
I will cut down your idols and sacred pillars, and you will not worship any more the work of your hands.
14 Njalo ngizasiphuna izixuku zakho ziphume phakathi kwakho, ngichithe imizi yakho.
I will uproot your sacred poles, and destroy your idols.
15 Njalo ngizakwenza impindiselo ngentukuthelo langolaka kuzo izizwe ezingalalelanga.
In my wrath and my anger I will seek vengeance on the nations that ignore me.’
