UMikha 7
1 Maye kimi! Ngoba nginjengokuvunwa kwezithelo zasehlobo, njengokukhothozwa kwesivini; kakulahlukuzo lokudliwa; umphefumulo wami uloyisa isithelo sokuqala esivuthiweyo.
Misery is mine! Indeed, I am like one who gathers the summer fruits, as gleanings of the vineyard. There is no cluster of grapes to eat. My soul desires to eat the early fig.
2 Olungileyo ubhubhile esuka emhlabeni; njalo kakho oqotho phakathi kwabantu; bonke bacathamele igazi, bayazingela ngulowo lalowo umfowabo ngembule.
The godly man has perished out of the earth, and there is no one upright amongst men. They all lie in wait for blood; every man hunts 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 on that which is evil to do it diligently. The ruler and judge ask for a bribe. The powerful man dictates the evil desire of his soul. Thus they conspire 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 like a brier. The most upright is worse than a thorn hedge. The day of your watchmen, even your visitation, has come; now is the time of their confusion.
5 Lingabeki ithemba kumngane, lingakholwa umhlobo; gcina iminyango yomlomo wakho kuye umfazi olala esifubeni sakho.
Don’t trust in a neighbour. Don’t put confidence in a friend. With the woman lying in your embrace, be careful of the words of your mouth!
6 Ngoba indodana idelela uyise, indodakazi ivukela unina, umalokazana avukele uninazala; izitha zomuntu ngabantu bendlu yakhe.
For the son dishonours the father, the daughter rises 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 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.
Don’t rejoice against me, my enemy. When I fall, I will arise. When I sit in darkness, the LORD will be a light to 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 pleads my case and executes judgement for me. He will bring me out to the light. I will see 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 my enemy will see it, and shame will cover her who said to me, “Where is the LORD your God?” My eyes will see her. Now she will be trodden down like the mire of the streets.
11 Ngosuku imiduli yakho ezakwakhiwa ngalo, ngalolosuku isimiso sizakuba khatshana.
A day to build your walls! In that day, he will extend your boundary.
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 will come to you from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, and from Egypt even to the River, and from sea to sea, and mountain to mountain.
13 Lanxa kunjalo ilizwe lizakuba yincithakalo ngenxa yabahlali balo, ngenxa yesithelo sezenzo zabo.
Yet the land will be desolate because of those who 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.
Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your heritage, who dwell by themselves in a forest. Let them feed in the middle of fertile pasture land, in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.
15 Njengezinsukwini zokuphuma kwakho elizweni leGibhithe, ngizamtshengisa izimangaliso.
“As in the days of your coming out of the land of Egypt, I will show them marvellous things.”
16 Izizwe zizabona ziyangeke ngamandla azo wonke; zizabeka isandla phezu komlomo; indlebe zazo zibe yizacuthe.
The nations will see and be ashamed of all their might. They will lay their hand on their mouth. Their ears will be deaf.
17 Zizakhotha uthuli njengenyoka, njengezihuquzelayo zomhlaba zizathuthumela ekuvalekeni kwazo, zizamesaba uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu, zesabe ngenxa yakho.
They will lick the dust like a serpent. Like crawling things of the earth, they will come trembling out of their dens. They will come with fear to the LORD our God, and will be afraid because of you.
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, who pardons iniquity, and passes over the disobedience of the remnant of his heritage? He doesn’t retain his anger forever, because he delights in loving kindness.
19 Uzaphenduka, asihawukele; uzanyathelela phansi iziphambeko zethu; wena uzaphosela zonke izono zabo ezinzikini zolwandle.
He will again have compassion on us. He will tread our iniquities under foot. You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
20 Uzanika iqiniso kuJakobe, umusa kuAbrahama, owakufungela obaba bethu kusukela ensukwini zendulo.
You will give truth to Jacob, and mercy to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.
