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 the last of the summer fruits, as the grape gleanings of the vintage; there is no cluster to eat; nor first-ripe fig which my soul desireth.
2 Olungileyo ubhubhile esuka emhlabeni; njalo kakho oqotho phakathi kwabantu; bonke bacathamele igazi, bayazingela ngulowo lalowo umfowabo ngembule.
The godly man is perished out of the earth, and the upright among men is no more; 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.
Their hands are upon that which is evil to do it diligently; the prince asketh, and the judge is ready for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth the evil desire of his soul; thus they weave it together.
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 brier; the most upright is worse than a thorn hedge; the day of thy watchmen, even thy visitation, is come; now shall be their perplexity.
5 Lingabeki ithemba kumngane, lingakholwa umhlobo; gcina iminyango yomlomo wakho kuye umfazi olala esifubeni sakho.
Trust ye not in a friend, put ye 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 house.
7 Ngakho mina ngizakhangela eNkosini, ngilindele uNkulunkulu wosindiso lwami; uNkulunkulu wami uzangizwa.
'But as for me, I will look unto the LORD; 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 am fallen, I shall arise; though I sit in darkness, the LORD is 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 the LORD, because I have sinned against Him; until He plead my cause, and execute judgment for me; He will bring me forth to the light, and 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.
Then mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her; who said unto me: Where is the LORD thy God? Mine eyes shall gaze upon her; now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets.'
11 Ngosuku imiduli yakho ezakwakhiwa ngalo, ngalolosuku isimiso sizakuba khatshana.
'The day for building thy walls, even that day, shall be far removed.'
12 Ngalolosuku uzafika lakuwe evela eAsiriya, lemizini ebiyelweyo; njalo kusukela ezinqabeni kuze kube semfuleni, kusukela elwandle kusiya elwandle, kusukela entabeni kusiya entabeni.
There shall be a day when they shall come unto thee, from Assyria even to the cities of Egypt, and from Egypt even 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.
And the land shall be desolate for them that dwell therein, because of the fruit of their doings.
14 Yelusa abantu bakho ngentonga yakho, umhlambi welifa lakho, ohlala wodwaehlathini, phakathi kweKharmeli. Kabadle eBashani leGileyadi, njengensukwini zasendulo.
Tend Thy people with Thy staff, the flock of Thy heritage, that dwell solitarily, as a forest in the midst of the fruitful field; 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 show unto him marvellous things.'
16 Izizwe zizabona ziyangeke ngamandla azo wonke; zizabeka isandla phezu komlomo; indlebe zazo zibe yizacuthe.
The nations shall see and be put to shame 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 the dust like a serpent; like crawling things of the earth they shall come trembling out of their close places; they shall come with fear unto the LORD 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 pardoneth the iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He retaineth not His anger for ever, because He delighteth in mercy.
19 Uzaphenduka, asihawukele; uzanyathelela phansi iziphambeko zethu; wena uzaphosela zonke izono zabo ezinzikini zolwandle.
He will again have compassion upon us; He will subdue 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 show faithfulness to Jacob, mercy to Abraham, as Thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.
