UNahume 2
1 Umhlakazi ukhuphukile phambi kobuso bakho; gcina inqaba, linda indlela, qinisa ukhalo, yenza amandla akho aqine kakhulu.
He that dasheth in pieces is come up against thy face: keep the fortress, watch the way, make [thy] loins strong, fortify [thy] power mightily.
2 Ngoba iNkosi ibuyisile ubukhosi bukaJakobe, njengobukhosi bukaIsrayeli. Ngoba abathululayo babathululile, bona izingatsha zevini zabo.
For Jehovah hath brought again the glory of Jacob, as the glory of Israel; for the wasters have wasted them, and marred their vine-branches.
3 Isihlangu samaqhawe akhe senziwe saba bomvu, amadoda alesibindi agqoke okubomvu; izinqola ziphakathi lomlilo wensimbi ngosuku lokuzilungiselela kwakhe; lezihlahla zamafiri zizazanyazanyiswa.
The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men are in scarlet: the chariots [glitter] with the sheen of steel, in the day of his preparation, and the spears are brandished.
4 Izinqola ziyahlanya ezitaladeni, zihaluzela ziye le lale emidangeni; ukubonakala kwazo kunjengezibane, zigijime njengemibane.
The chariots rush madly in the streets, they justle one against another in the broad ways: the appearance of them is like torches, they run like lightnings.
5 Uzakhumbula izikhulu zakhe; zizakhubeka ekuhambeni kwazo; ziphangise emthangaleni wakhe, sesimisiwe isivikelo.
He bethinketh him of his nobles: they stumble in their march; they make haste to the wall thereof, and the shelter is prepared.
6 Amasango emifula azavulwa, lesigodlo sincibilike.
The gates of the rivers are opened, and the palace melteth away.
7 Njalo uHuzabhi uzakhokhelwa engothunjiweyo, uzakhutshulwa, lezincekukazi zakhe zimkhokhele kwangathi ngelizwi lamajuba, zitshaya ezifubeni zazo.
And it is decreed: she shall be uncovered, she shall be led away, and her maids shall moan as with the voice of doves, drumming upon their breasts.
8 Loba iNineve injengechibi lamanzi kusukela kwasendulo, kanti bazabaleka. Bathi: Manini! manini! kodwa kakho ozaphenduka.
Nineveh hath been like a pool of water, since the day she existed, yet they flee away. ...Stand! Stand! But none looketh back.
9 Phangani isiliva, phangani igolide; ngoba kakulakuphela kokubuthelelweyo, lenkanzimulo kuzo zonke izitsha eziloyisekayo.
Plunder the silver, plunder the gold; for there is no end of the splendid store of all precious vessels.
10 Iyize, kayiselalutho, ichithekile; inhliziyo iyancibilika, lamadolo ayatshayana, lobuhlungu obukhulu busezinkalweni zonke, lobuso babo bonke bunyukumele.
She is empty, and void, and waste; and the heart melteth, and the knees smite together, and writhing pain is in all loins, and all their faces grow pale.
11 Ingaphi indawo yokuhlala yezilwane, lendawo yokudlela yamabhongo esilwane, lapho esasihamba khona isilwane, isilwane esidala, lomdlwane wesilwane, njalo kungekho okuzethusayo?
Where is [now] the den of the lions, and the feeding-place of the young lions, where the lion, the lioness, [and] the lion's whelp walked, and none made them afraid?
12 Isilwane sadabudabula okwenele imidlwane yaso, sakhamela izilwanekazi zaso, sagcwalisa imilindi yaso ngempango, lezindawo zaso zokuhlala ngokudatshuliweyo.
The lion tore in pieces enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with ravin.
13 Khangela, ngimelene lawe, itsho iNkosi yamabandla, ngizazitshisa inqola zakhe entuthwini, lenkemba izaqeda amabhongo ezilwane akho; njalo ngizaquma impango yakho kusuke emhlabeni, lelizwi lezithunywa zakho kalisayikuzwakala.
Behold, I am against thee, saith Jehovah of hosts: and I will burn her chariots into smoke; and the sword shall devour thy young lions, and I will cut off thy prey from the earth; and the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard.
