Isambulo 17

1 Kwasekusiza enye yengilosi eziyisikhombisa ezazilemiganu eyisikhombisa, yasikhuluma lami, isithi kimi: Woza lapha, ngizakutshengisa isigwebo sesifebe esikhulu, esihlezi phezu kwamanzi amanengi,

And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come here; I will show unto you the judgment of the great whore that sits upon many waters:

2 afeba laso amakhosi omhlaba, labakhileyo emhlabeni badakwe liwayini lobufebe baso.

With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

3 Yasingithwalela enkangala ngikuMoya; ngasengibona owesifazana ehlezi phezu kwesilo esibomvu, sigcwele amabizo enhlamba, silamakhanda ayisikhombisa lempondo ezilitshumi.

So he carried me away in the spirit (pneuma) into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

4 Njalo owesifazana wayembethe okuyibubende lokubomvu, futhi ececiswe ngegolide langamatshe aligugu langamapharele, elenkezo yegolide esandleni sakhe, igcwele amanyala lokungcola kobufebe bakhe,

And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:

5 njalo ebunzini lakhe kwakulotshiwe ibizo lokuthi: IMFIHLO, IBHABHILONI ELIKHULU, UNINA WEZIFEBE LOWAMANYALA OMHLABA.

And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

6 Ngasengibona owesifazana edakwe ligazi labangcwele, legazi labafakazi bakaJesu. Sengimbonile ngamangala ngokumangala okukhulu.

And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

7 Ingilosi yasisithi kimi: Umangalelani? Mina ngizakutshela imfihlo yowesifazana, leyesilo esimthweleyo, esilamakhanda ayisikhombisa lempondo ezilitshumi.

And the angel said unto me, Wherefore did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and ten horns.

8 Isilo, osibonileyo, sasikhona, njalo kasisekho, futhi sizakwenyuka sivela emgodini ongelamkhawulo, sibe sesisiya ekubhujisweni; labakhileyo emhlabeni bazamangala, abamabizo abo ayengabhalwanga egwalweni lwempilo, kusukela ekusekelweni komhlaba, bebona isilo esasikhona, njalo singasekho, lanxa sikhona. (Abyssos g12)

The beast that you saw was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. (Abyssos g12)

9 Nanku ukuqedisisa okulenhlakanipho. Amakhanda ayisikhombisa azintaba eziyisikhombisa owesifazana ahlezi khona phezu kwazo;

And here is the mind which has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sits.

10 futhi angamakhosi ayisikhombisa, amahlanu asewile, lenye ikhona, lenye kayikafiki, njalo nxa isifikile imele ukuhlala isikhatshana.

And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he comes, he must continue a short space.

11 Lesilo esasikhona, njalo singasekho, yona-ke ingeyesificaminwembili, njalo ivela kwayisikhombisa, ibisisiya ekubhujisweni.

And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goes into perdition.

12 Lempondo ezilitshumi, ozibonileyo, zingamakhosi alitshumi, angakemukeli umbuso, kodwa emukele amandla njengamakhosi ngehola linye kanye lesilo.

And the ten horns which you saw are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.

13 Wona angqondonye, njalo abela isilo awawo amandla lokubusa.

These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.

14 La azakulwa leWundlu, njalo iWundlu lizawanqoba, ngoba liyiNkosi yamakhosi loMbusi wababusi, labakanye lalo ngababiziweyo labakhethiweyo labathembekileyo.

These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

15 Yasisithi kimi: Amanzi owabonileyo, lapho esihlezi khona isifebe, angabantu lamaxuku lezizwe lendimi.

And he says unto me, The waters which you saw, where the whore sits, are races and tribes, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

16 Lempondo ezilitshumi, ozibonileyo esilweni, zona zizasizonda isifebe, besezisichitha zisinqunule, zidle inyama yaso, zisitshise ngomlilo.

And the ten horns which you saw upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.

17 Ngoba uNkulunkulu ufakile enhliziyweni zazo ukuthi zenze ingqondo yakhe, lokwenza ngqondonye, lokunika isilo umbuso wazo, kuze kupheleliswe amazwi kaNkulunkulu.

For God has put in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words (rhema) of God shall be fulfilled.

18 Lowesifazana ombonileyo ungumuzi omkhulu olombuso phezu kwamakhosi omhlaba.

And the woman which you saw is that great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth.