< Amahubo 50 >

1 USomandla, uNkulunkulu, iNkosi, ukhulumile, ubiza umhlaba kusukela ekuphumeni kwelanga kuze kube sekutshoneni kwalo.
God, the all-powerful one, speaks; he summons all people, from the east to the west.
2 EseZiyoni, ukuphelela kobuhle, uNkulunkulu ukhanyile.
His glory shines from Zion [Hill in Jerusalem], an extremely beautiful city.
3 UNkulunkulu wethu uzakuza, kayikuthula; umlilo phambi kwakhe uzaqothula, enhlangothini zonke zakhe kuzakuba lesiphepho esikhulu.
Our God comes to us, and he is not silent. A great fire is in front of him, and a storm is around him.
4 Uzabiza amazulu ephezulu, lomhlaba, ukwahlulela abantu bakhe.
He comes to judge his people. He shouts to the [angels in] heaven and to [the people on] the earth.
5 Buthelani kimi abangcwele bami, abenza isivumelwano lami ngomhlatshelo.
He says, “Summon those who faithfully [worship] me, those who made an agreement with me by offering sacrifices to me.”
6 Lamazulu azatshumayela ukulunga kwakhe, ngoba uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe ungumahluleli. (Sela)
The [angels in] heaven declare, “God is righteous, and he is the supreme judge.”
7 Zwanini bantu bami, ngizakhuluma; Israyeli, ngizafakaza ngimelene lawe. NginguNkulunkulu, uNkulunkulu wakho.
God says, “My people, listen! You Israeli people, listen, as I, your God, say what you have done that is wrong.
8 Kangikusoli ngenxa yemihlatshelo yakho; leminikelo yakho yokutshiswa ihlala iphambi kwami.
I am not rebuking you for making sacrifices to me, for the offerings that you completely burn [on the altar].
9 Kangiyikuthatha ijongosi elivela emzini wakho, lezimpongo ezivela ezibayeni zakho.
But I do not really need [you to sacrifice] the bulls from your barns and the goats from your pens,
10 Ngoba ngeyami yonke inyamazana yehlathi, izinkomo ezisentabeni eziyizinkulungwane.
because all the animals in the forest belong to me, [and all] the cattle on 1,000 hills also belong to me.
11 Ngiyazazi izinyoni zonke zezintaba, lezilo zommango zikimi.
I [own and] know all the birds and all [the creatures] that move around in the fields.
12 Uba bengilambile, bengingayikukutshela, ngoba umhlaba ngowami lokugcwala kwawo.
[So], if I were hungry, I would not tell you [to bring me some food], because everything in the world belongs to me!
13 Ngizayidla yini inyama yezinkunzi, kumbe nginathe igazi lezimpongo?
I do not eat the flesh of the bulls [that you sacrifice], and I do not drink the blood of the goats [that you offer to me].
14 Nikela kuNkulunkulu umhlatshelo wokubonga, ukhokhe izithembiso zakho koPhezukonke.
The sacrifice [that I really want is that] you thank me and do all that you have promised to do.
15 Ungibize osukwini lokuhlupheka, ngizakukhulula, ubusungidumisa.
And pray to me when you have troubles. [If you do that], I will rescue you, and [then] you will praise me.
16 Kodwa komubi uNkulunkulu uthi: Ulani lokuthi utshumayele izimiso zami, kumbe uthathe isivumelwano sami emlonyeni wakho?
But I say this to the wicked people: (Why do you/It does not benefit you at all to) [RHQ] recite my commandments or talk about the agreement that I made with you,
17 Ngoba wena uzonda ukuqondiswa, ulahla amazwi ami emva kwakho.
because you have refused to allow me to discipline you, and you have rejected what I told you to do.
18 Uba ubona isela, uthokozelana lalo, lesabelo sakho sisezifebeni.
Every time that you see a thief, you become his friend, and you spend [much] time with those who commit adultery.
19 Umlomo wakho uyawunikela ebubini, lolimi lwakho luqambe inkohliso.
You are [always] talking [MTY] about doing wicked things, and you are [always] to deceive people.
20 Uhlala ukhulume umelene lomfowenu, uhlebe indodana kanyoko.
You are always accusing members of your own family [of doing wrong], and slandering them.
21 Lezizinto uzenzile, ngathula; wacabanga ukuthi nginjengawe kanye. Ngizakukhuza, ngikuhlele phambi kwamehlo akho.
You did [all] those things, and I did not say anything to you, [so] you thought that I was [a sinner] just like you. But now I rebuke you and accuse you, right in front of you.
22 Kuqapheleni-ke lokhu, lina elikhohlwa uNkulunkulu, hlezi ngilidabule, kungabi khona okukhululayo.
So, all you who have ignored me, pay attention to this, because if you do not, I will tear you to pieces, and there will be no one to rescue you.
23 Onikela umnikelo wokubonga uyangidumisa; lolungisa indlela yakhe ngizambonisa usindiso lukaNkulunkulu.
The sacrifice that [truly] honors me is to thank me [for what I have done]; and I will save those who always do the things that I want them to.”

< Amahubo 50 >