UMikha 1
1 Ilizwi leNkosi elafika kuMika umMorashethi ensukwini zikaJothamu, uAhazi, loHezekhiya, amakhosi akoJuda, alibona mayelana leSamariya leJerusalema.
[I am] Micah. I am from [the town of] Moresheth [in Judah]. Yahweh gave me these [messages in] visions about Samaria and Jerusalem during the time when Jotham, [and then] Ahaz, and [then] Hezekiah, were the kings of Judah.
2 Zwanini, lina zizwe lonke; ulalele, wena mhlaba, lokugcwala kwawo; kakuthi iNkosi uJehova ibe ngumfakazi omelene lani, iNkosi isethempelini layo elingcwele.
You people everywhere on the earth, pay attention to this [DOU]! Yahweh our God is accusing you from his holy temple [in heaven].
3 Ngoba khangela, iNkosi iyaphuma endaweni yayo, yehle inyathele endaweni eziphakemeyo zomhlaba.
He will come down [from heaven] and walk on the tops of the highest mountains.
4 Lezintaba zizancibilika ngaphansi kwayo, lezihotsha ziqhekezeke, njengengcino phambi komlilo, njengamanzi athululwa emthezukweni.
[It will be as though] the mountains will melt under his [feet] like [SIM] wax [melts] in front of a fire, and like [SIM] water [disappears] when it rushes/flows down into a valley.
5 Konke lokhu kungenxa yesiphambeko sikaJakobe, langenxa yezono zendlu kaIsrayeli. Siyini isiphambeko sikaJakobe? KakusiSamariya yini? Njalo ziyini izindawo eziphakemeyo zikaJuda? KakusiJerusalema yini?
Those things will happen because of the terrible sins [DOU] that the people [MTY] of Israel, [the descendants of] Jacob, have committed. But it was [RHQ] [the people of] Samaria [city who persuaded all the people of] Israel to sin, and it was [RHQ] because the people of Jerusalem [set up altars to worship their gods] that [the other people of] Judah [were persuaded to worship idols on] their hilltops.
6 Ngakho ngizakwenza iSamariya ibe yinqumbi yensimu, ibe zindawo zokuhlanyelwa kwesivini; njalo ngizathululela amatshe ayo esihotsheni, ngembule izisekelo zayo.
So Yahweh will cause Samaria to become a heap [of rubble/ruins]; [it will be only] a field for planting vineyards. He will cause the stones of its [buildings] to roll down into the valley, and the foundations [of the buildings] will be uncovered.
7 Lazo zonke izithombe zayo ezibaziweyo zizaphahlazwa, layo yonke imivuzo yayo yewule izatshiswa ngomlilo, lazo zonke izithombe zayo ngizazenza zibe yincithakalo. Ngoba izibuthelele ngenhlawulo yewule, njalo zizabuyela kunhlawulo yewule.
All the idols in Samaria will be smashed, and the gifts [given to prostitutes at the temples of their idols] will be destroyed in a fire. And because people paid prostitutes there, [their enemies will take away those idols and sell them] to get money to pay to prostitutes [in other countries].
8 Ngenxa yalokhu ngizalila ngiqhinqe isililo, ngizahamba ngihlutshulwe nginqunu; ngenze isililo njengamakhanka, ngikhale njengamadodakazi ezintshe.
Because [Samaria will be destroyed], I will weep and wail. I will walk around (barefoot/without any sandals on my feet) and naked. I will howl like a jackal/wolf and screech like an owl,
9 Ngoba inxeba layo kalelapheki; ngoba sekufikile koJuda; kufinyelele esangweni labantu bami, eJerusalema.
because Samaria will be completely destroyed [MET]; nothing can save that city. But the same thing will happen to Judah! [It is as though the enemy army] has [already] reached the city gates of Jerusalem, [the main city where] my people [live].
10 Lingakukhulumi eGathi, lingalili lokulila; lizibhuquze othulini endlini kaAfera.
Do not tell that to [our enemies] in Gath [city in Philistia]! Do not cry, [lest the people there find out what is happening]! [Instead, just] roll in the dirt in Beth-Leaphrah [because the name of that town means ‘house of dust].’
11 Dlula wena, mhlalikazi weShafiri, ohlazo lakho linqunuliwe; umhlalikazi weZawanani kaphumanga; isililo siseBhethi-Ezeli; uzakwemukela ukuma kwakhe kini.
You people who live in Shaphir [town, whose name means ‘beautiful],’ naked and ashamed, you will be taken [to another country]. [You people in] Beth-Ezel [town] should mourn, [because] no one from Zaanan [town, whose name means ‘one who goes out],’ will go out to help you.
12 Ngoba umhlalikazi weMarothi ulomhelo ngokuhle, ngoba okubi kwehla kuvela eNkosini, kwaze kwaba sesangweni leJerusalema.
[The name of] Maroth [town sounds like ‘bitterness];’ everyone there is anxiously waiting for good things to happen to them, but good things will not happen to them; instead, terrible things are about to happen to them, and it will soon happen at the gates of Jerusalem.
13 Bophela inqola emabhizeni alejubane, wena mhlalikazi weLakishi; yona iyikuqala kwesono kundodakazi yeZiyoni; ngoba iziphambeko zakoIsrayeli zatholakala kuwe.
You people of Lachish [city, whose name sounds like ‘team],’ hitch your horses to pull the chariots [in which you can ride to flee from your enemies]. The Israeli people rebelled against Yahweh, and you (imitated them/did the same evil things that they did), and that caused the people of Jerusalem [IDM] to start sinning, too.
14 Ngakho uzakupha uMorashethi-Gathi izipho zokuvalelisana; izindlu zeAkizibi zizakuba yinkohliso emakhosini akoIsrayeli.
[You people of Judah], send a farewell gift to [the people] of Moresheth [town], [because their enemies will soon destroy it]. [The name of the town Aczib means ‘deception],’ and the kings of Israel [will soon find out that the people of that town] will deceive them.
15 Ngisezakulethela indlalifa, wena mhlalikazi weMaresha; uzakuza eAdulamu udumo lukaIsrayeli.
[The name of your town of] Mareshah [means ‘conqueror],’ and Yahweh will [soon] send someone to conquer your town. [It will be necessary for] the great/glorious leaders of Israel to go [and hide in the cave at] Adullam [city].
16 Zenze ube lempabanga uziphuce, ngenxa yabantwana bothando lwakho; khulisa impabanga yakho njengokhozi, ngoba bathunjiwe besuka kuwe.
[You people of Judah], shave your heads [while you will be mourning], because your children whom you love will [soon] be (exiled/forced to leave you and go to another country).
