UNahume 2
1 Umhlakazi ukhuphukile phambi kobuso bakho; gcina inqaba, linda indlela, qinisa ukhalo, yenza amandla akho aqine kakhulu.
He who dashes in pieces has come up against you. Keep the fortress! Watch the way! Strengthen your waist! Fortify your power mightily!
2 Ngoba iNkosi ibuyisile ubukhosi bukaJakobe, njengobukhosi bukaIsrayeli. Ngoba abathululayo babathululile, bona izingatsha zevini zabo.
For the LORD restores the excellency of Jacob as the excellency of Israel, for the destroyers have destroyed them 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 flash with steel in the day of his preparation, and the pine spears are brandished.
4 Izinqola ziyahlanya ezitaladeni, zihaluzela ziye le lale emidangeni; ukubonakala kwazo kunjengezibane, zigijime njengemibane.
The chariots rage in the streets. They rush back and forth in the wide ways. Their appearance is like torches. They run like the lightnings.
5 Uzakhumbula izikhulu zakhe; zizakhubeka ekuhambeni kwazo; ziphangise emthangaleni wakhe, sesimisiwe isivikelo.
He summons his picked troops. They stumble on their way. They dash to its wall, and the protective shield is put in place.
6 Amasango emifula azavulwa, lesigodlo sincibilike.
The gates of the rivers are opened, and the palace is dissolved.
7 Njalo uHuzabhi uzakhokhelwa engothunjiweyo, uzakhutshulwa, lezincekukazi zakhe zimkhokhele kwangathi ngelizwi lamajuba, zitshaya ezifubeni zazo.
It is decreed: she is uncovered, she is carried away; and her servants moan as with the voice of doves, beating on their breasts.
8 Loba iNineve injengechibi lamanzi kusukela kwasendulo, kanti bazabaleka. Bathi: Manini! manini! kodwa kakho ozaphenduka.
But Nineveh has been from of old like a pool of water, yet they flee away. “Stop! Stop!” they cry, but no one looks back.
9 Phangani isiliva, phangani igolide; ngoba kakulakuphela kokubuthelelweyo, lenkanzimulo kuzo zonke izitsha eziloyisekayo.
Take the plunder of silver. Take the plunder of gold, for there is no end of treasure, an abundance of every precious thing.
10 Iyize, kayiselalutho, ichithekile; inhliziyo iyancibilika, lamadolo ayatshayana, lobuhlungu obukhulu busezinkalweni zonke, lobuso babo bonke bunyukumele.
She is empty, void, and waste. The heart melts, the knees knock together, their bodies and faces have grown pale.
11 Ingaphi indawo yokuhlala yezilwane, lendawo yokudlela yamabhongo esilwane, lapho esasihamba khona isilwane, isilwane esidala, lomdlwane wesilwane, njalo kungekho okuzethusayo?
Where is the den of the lions, and the feeding place of the young lions, where the lion and the lioness walked with the lion’s cubs, and no one 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 cubs, and strangled prey for his lionesses, and filled his caves with the kill and his dens with prey.
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 Armies, “and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword will devour your young lions; and I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers will no longer be heard.”
