UMikha 7
1 Maye kimi! Ngoba nginjengokuvunwa kwezithelo zasehlobo, njengokukhothozwa kwesivini; kakulahlukuzo lokudliwa; umphefumulo wami uloyisa isithelo sokuqala esivuthiweyo.
Woe, woe is me, for I have become like a field after harvest, like a vineyard after gathering; not a cluster of grapes to eat, not a fig that anyone desires.
2 Olungileyo ubhubhile esuka emhlabeni; njalo kakho oqotho phakathi kwabantu; bonke bacathamele igazi, bayazingela ngulowo lalowo umfowabo ngembule.
The honest have perished from the land, of the upright among people there is none. All of them lie in wait to shed blood. They hunt one another with the net.
3 Ukuze benze okubi ngezandla zombili ngokutshiseka, isiphathamandla siyacela, lomahluleli uyacela umvuzo; lomkhulu ukhuluma inkanuko yomphefumulo wakhe, bayakwelukanisa.
Their hands know well how to do evil, the officer and judge demands a bribe, the high official decides as he pleases and they conspire to pervert justice.
4 Ongcono wabo unjengameva; oqotho kubo mubi kulothango; usuku lwabalindi bakho, ukuhanjelwa kwakho sekufikile; khathesi kuzakuba khona ukudideka kwabo.
The best of them are like a thorn thicket, their most upright like a prickly hedge. The day of their punishment has come, now will be their confusion!
5 Lingabeki ithemba kumngane, lingakholwa umhlobo; gcina iminyango yomlomo wakho kuye umfazi olala esifubeni sakho.
Do not trust your neighbour, do not rely on a friend. From the wife who lies in your arms guard your tongue.
6 Ngoba indodana idelela uyise, indodakazi ivukela unina, umalokazana avukele uninazala; izitha zomuntu ngabantu bendlu yakhe.
For son insults father, daughter rises up against mother, daughter-in-law against mother-in-law, a man’s enemies are the people of his own household.
7 Ngakho mina ngizakhangela eNkosini, ngilindele uNkulunkulu wosindiso lwami; uNkulunkulu wami uzangizwa.
But I will look to 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.
Do not rejoice over me, my enemy. If I have fallen, I will rise. If I sit in darkness, the Lord is my light.
9 Ngizaluthwala ulaka lweNkosi, ngoba ngonile kuyo, ize imele udaba lwami, ingenzele isahlulelo. Izangikhuphela ekukhanyeni, ngibone ukulunga kwayo.
The anger of the Lord I will bear, for against him have I sinned – until he champions my cause and gives judgment for me. He will bring me into to the light, I will see his justice.
10 Ngakho isithakazi sami sizabona, lehlazo limembese yena owathi kimi: Ingaphi iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho? Amehlo ami azambona; khathesi uzanyathelelwa phansi njengodaka lwezitalada.
So my enemy will see, and shame will cover them, they who said, ‘Where is the Lord your God?’ I will look upon them, they will be trampled on like mud in the street!
11 Ngosuku imiduli yakho ezakwakhiwa ngalo, ngalolosuku isimiso sizakuba khatshana.
It is a day for rebuilding your walls, this day will your boundary will be extended.
12 Ngalolosuku uzafika lakuwe evela eAsiriya, lemizini ebiyelweyo; njalo kusukela ezinqabeni kuze kube semfuleni, kusukela elwandle kusiya elwandle, kusukela entabeni kusiya entabeni.
This day they will come to you, from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, and from Egypt even to the Euphrates River, from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain.
13 Lanxa kunjalo ilizwe lizakuba yincithakalo ngenxa yabahlali balo, ngenxa yesithelo sezenzo zabo.
Though the land has become a desolation because of its inhabitants, because of their deeds.
14 Yelusa abantu bakho ngentonga yakho, umhlambi welifa lakho, ohlala wodwaehlathini, phakathi kweKharmeli. Kabadle eBashani leGileyadi, njengensukwini zasendulo.
Shepherd your flock with your staff, the flock that belong to you, who live alone in the forest, in the midst of meadows; so that they may pasture in Bashon and Gilead as in the days of old,
15 Njengezinsukwini zokuphuma kwakho elizweni leGibhithe, ngizamtshengisa izimangaliso.
as in the days when you came from Egypt, gave us wonders to see.
16 Izizwe zizabona ziyangeke ngamandla azo wonke; zizabeka isandla phezu komlomo; indlebe zazo zibe yizacuthe.
Nations will see and be ashamed of all their might; they will put their hands to their mouth, their ears will become deaf,
17 Zizakhotha uthuli njengenyoka, njengezihuquzelayo zomhlaba zizathuthumela ekuvalekeni kwazo, zizamesaba uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu, zesabe ngenxa yakho.
they will lick the dust like snakes, like creatures that crawl on the earth; they will come trembling and in terror from their hiding places, in dread and fear.
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 you, forgiving iniquity and passing by the rebellion of the remnant of your people? He does not retain his anger forever, but is one who delights in mercy.
19 Uzaphenduka, asihawukele; uzanyathelela phansi iziphambeko zethu; wena uzaphosela zonke izono zabo ezinzikini zolwandle.
He will tread under foot our iniquity; you will cast into the depths of the sea all our iniquities.
20 Uzanika iqiniso kuJakobe, umusa kuAbrahama, owakufungela obaba bethu kusukela ensukwini zendulo.
You will show faithfulness to Jacob, and loving kindness to Abraham, as you have sworn to our ancestors from the days of old.
