< UNahume 2 >
1 Umhlakazi ukhuphukile phambi kobuso bakho; gcina inqaba, linda indlela, qinisa ukhalo, yenza amandla akho aqine kakhulu.
He that dashes in pieces has come up before your face: keep the stronghold, watch the way, make your loins strong, fortify your power mightily.
2 Ngoba iNkosi ibuyisile ubukhosi bukaJakobe, njengobukhosi bukaIsrayeli. Ngoba abathululayo babathululile, bona izingatsha zevini zabo.
For the LORD has turned away the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel: for the destroyers have emptied them out, and ruined 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 shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken.
4 Izinqola ziyahlanya ezitaladeni, zihaluzela ziye le lale emidangeni; ukubonakala kwazo kunjengezibane, zigijime njengemibane.
The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall clash with one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings.
5 Uzakhumbula izikhulu zakhe; zizakhubeka ekuhambeni kwazo; ziphangise emthangaleni wakhe, sesimisiwe isivikelo.
He shall recount his nobles: they shall stumble in their walk; they shall make haste to the wall thereof, and the defence shall be prepared.
6 Amasango emifula azavulwa, lesigodlo sincibilike.
The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be dissolved.
7 Njalo uHuzabhi uzakhokhelwa engothunjiweyo, uzakhutshulwa, lezincekukazi zakhe zimkhokhele kwangathi ngelizwi lamajuba, zitshaya ezifubeni zazo.
And Huzzab shall be led away captive, she shall be brought up, and her maids shall lead her as with the voice of doves, beating upon their breasts.
8 Loba iNineve injengechibi lamanzi kusukela kwasendulo, kanti bazabaleka. Bathi: Manini! manini! kodwa kakho ozaphenduka.
But Nineveh is of old like a pool of water: yet they shall flee away. Stand, stand, shall they cry; but none shall look back.
9 Phangani isiliva, phangani igolide; ngoba kakulakuphela kokubuthelelweyo, lenkanzimulo kuzo zonke izitsha eziloyisekayo.
Take all of you the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold: for there is none end of the store and glory out of all the pleasant furniture.
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 melts, and the knees strike together, and much pain is in all loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness.
11 Ingaphi indawo yokuhlala yezilwane, lendawo yokudlela yamabhongo esilwane, lapho esasihamba khona isilwane, isilwane esidala, lomdlwane wesilwane, njalo kungekho okuzethusayo?
Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the feeding-place of the young lions, where the lion, even the old lion, walked, and the lion's offspring, and none made them afraid?
12 Isilwane sadabudabula okwenele imidlwane yaso, sakhamela izilwanekazi zaso, sagcwalisa imilindi yaso ngempango, lezindawo zaso zokuhlala ngokudatshuliweyo.
The lion did tear 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 you, says the LORD of hosts, and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions: and I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers shall no more be heard.