< UMikha 7 >
1 Maye kimi! Ngoba nginjengokuvunwa kwezithelo zasehlobo, njengokukhothozwa kwesivini; kakulahlukuzo lokudliwa; umphefumulo wami uloyisa isithelo sokuqala esivuthiweyo.
Woe is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer-fruits, as the grape-gleanings of the vintage. There is no cluster to eat; there is no early fruit [which] my soul desired.
2 Olungileyo ubhubhile esuka emhlabeni; njalo kakho oqotho phakathi kwabantu; bonke bacathamele igazi, bayazingela ngulowo lalowo umfowabo ngembule.
The godly [man] hath perished out of the land, and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood, they hunt every man his brother with a net.
3 Ukuze benze okubi ngezandla zombili ngokutshiseka, isiphathamandla siyacela, lomahluleli uyacela umvuzo; lomkhulu ukhuluma inkanuko yomphefumulo wakhe, bayakwelukanisa.
Both hands are for evil, to do it well. The prince asketh, and the judge [is there] for a reward; and the great [man] uttereth his soul's greed: and [together] they combine it.
4 Ongcono wabo unjengameva; oqotho kubo mubi kulothango; usuku lwabalindi bakho, ukuhanjelwa kwakho sekufikile; khathesi kuzakuba khona ukudideka kwabo.
The best of them is as a briar; the most upright, [worse] than a thorn-fence. The day of thy watchmen, thy visitation is come; now shall be their perplexity.
5 Lingabeki ithemba kumngane, lingakholwa umhlobo; gcina iminyango yomlomo wakho kuye umfazi olala esifubeni sakho.
Believe ye not in a companion, put not confidence in a familiar friend: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.
6 Ngoba indodana idelela uyise, indodakazi ivukela unina, umalokazana avukele uninazala; izitha zomuntu ngabantu bendlu yakhe.
For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law: a man's enemies are the men of his own household.
7 Ngakho mina ngizakhangela eNkosini, ngilindele uNkulunkulu wosindiso lwami; uNkulunkulu wami uzangizwa.
But as for me, I will look unto Jehovah; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.
8 Ungathokozi ngami, sithakazi sami; lapho ngisiwa, ngizavuka; lapho ngihlezi emnyameni, iNkosi izakuba yikukhanya kimi.
Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: though I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, Jehovah shall be a light unto me.
9 Ngizaluthwala ulaka lweNkosi, ngoba ngonile kuyo, ize imele udaba lwami, ingenzele isahlulelo. Izangikhuphela ekukhanyeni, ngibone ukulunga kwayo.
I will bear the indignation of Jehovah — for I have sinned against him — until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light; I shall behold his righteousness.
10 Ngakho isithakazi sami sizabona, lehlazo limembese yena owathi kimi: Ingaphi iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho? Amehlo ami azambona; khathesi uzanyathelelwa phansi njengodaka lwezitalada.
And mine enemy shall see [it], and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is Jehovah thy God? Mine eyes shall behold her; now shall she be trodden down, as the mire of the streets.
11 Ngosuku imiduli yakho ezakwakhiwa ngalo, ngalolosuku isimiso sizakuba khatshana.
In the day when thy walls shall be built, on that day shall the established limit recede.
12 Ngalolosuku uzafika lakuwe evela eAsiriya, lemizini ebiyelweyo; njalo kusukela ezinqabeni kuze kube semfuleni, kusukela elwandle kusiya elwandle, kusukela entabeni kusiya entabeni.
In that day they shall come to thee from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, and from Egypt to the river, and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain.
13 Lanxa kunjalo ilizwe lizakuba yincithakalo ngenxa yabahlali balo, ngenxa yesithelo sezenzo zabo.
But the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings.
14 Yelusa abantu bakho ngentonga yakho, umhlambi welifa lakho, ohlala wodwaehlathini, phakathi kweKharmeli. Kabadle eBashani leGileyadi, njengensukwini zasendulo.
Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine inheritance, dwelling alone in the forest, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.
15 Njengezinsukwini zokuphuma kwakho elizweni leGibhithe, ngizamtshengisa izimangaliso.
— As in the days of thy coming forth out of the land of Egypt, will I shew them marvellous things.
16 Izizwe zizabona ziyangeke ngamandla azo wonke; zizabeka isandla phezu komlomo; indlebe zazo zibe yizacuthe.
— The nations shall see, and be ashamed for all their might: they shall lay [their] hand upon [their] mouth, their ears shall be deaf.
17 Zizakhotha uthuli njengenyoka, njengezihuquzelayo zomhlaba zizathuthumela ekuvalekeni kwazo, zizamesaba uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu, zesabe ngenxa yakho.
They shall lick dust like the serpent; like crawling things of the earth, they shall come trembling forth from their close places. They shall turn with fear to Jehovah our God, and shall be afraid because of thee.
18 Ngubani onguNkulunkulu njengawe, othethelela isono, adlule esiphambekweni sensali yelifa lakhe? Kagcini ulaka lwakhe kuze kube phakade, ngoba ethokoza emuseni.
Who is a God like unto thee, that forgiveth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in loving-kindness.
19 Uzaphenduka, asihawukele; uzanyathelela phansi iziphambeko zethu; wena uzaphosela zonke izono zabo ezinzikini zolwandle.
He will yet again have compassion on us, he will tread under foot our iniquities: and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
20 Uzanika iqiniso kuJakobe, umusa kuAbrahama, owakufungela obaba bethu kusukela ensukwini zendulo.
Thou wilt perform truth to Jacob, loving-kindness to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers, from the days of old.