Isambulo 7
1 Emva kwalezizinto-ke ngabona ingilosi ezine zimi emagumbini womane omhlaba zibambe imimoya emine yomhlaba, ukuze kungavunguzi moya emhlabeni, kumbe olwandle, loba kwesisodwa isihlahla.
Then I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth holding back the earth's four winds to prevent any wind from blowing on the earth, or over the sea, or against any tree.
2 Ngasengibona enye ingilosi isenyuka isuka lapho eliphuma khona ilanga, ilophawu lukaNkulunkulu ophilayo; yasimemeza ngelizwi elikhulu kungilosi ezine, okwakunikwe kuzo ukona umhlaba lolwandle,
I watched another angel rise up from the east, holding the seal of the living God. He shouted in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given the power to damage the earth and the sea,
3 isithi: Lingoni umhlaba, kumbe ulwandle, kumbe izihlahla, size siphawule izinceku zikaNkulunkulu wethu emabunzini azo.
“Don't hurt the earth or the sea or the trees until we have placed a seal on the foreheads of God's true followers!”
4 Ngasengisizwa inani elababephawulwa: Zinkulungwane ezilikhulu lamatshumi amane lane abaphawulwayo ezizweni zonke zabantwana bakoIsrayeli;
I was told the number of those who were sealed: one hundred and forty-four thousand. Those who were sealed came from every tribe of the children of Israel:
5 esizweni sakoJuda kwaphawulwa abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili; esizweni sakoRubeni kwaphawulwa abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili; esizweni sakoGadi kwaphawulwa abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili;
twelve thousand from the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand from the tribe of Reuben, twelve thousand from the tribe of Gad,
6 esizweni sakoAsheri kwaphawulwa abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili; esizweni sakoNafithali kwaphawulwa abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili; esizweni sakoManase kwaphawulwa abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili;
twelve thousand from the tribe of Asher, twelve thousand from the tribe of Naphtali, twelve thousand from the tribe of Manasseh,
7 esizweni sakoSimeyoni kwaphawulwa abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili; esizweni sakoLevi kwaphawulwa abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili; esizweni sakoIsakari kwaphawulwa abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili;
twelve thousand from the tribe of Simeon, twelve thousand from the tribe of Levi, twelve thousand from the tribe of Issachar,
8 esizweni sakoZebuloni kwaphawulwa abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili; esizweni sakoJosefa kwaphawulwa abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili; esizweni sakoBhenjamini kwaphawulwa abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili.
twelve thousand from the tribe of Zebulun, twelve thousand from the tribe of Joseph, twelve thousand from the tribe of Benjamin.
9 Emva kwalezizinto ngabona, khangela-ke, ixuku elikhulu, okungelamuntu ongalibala, elivela kuzo zonke izizwe lemihlobo labantu lezindimi, limi phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi laphambi kweWundlu, lembethe izembatho ezimhlophe, lengatsha zezihlahla zamalala ezandleni zabo;
After this I looked and saw a great crowd that nobody could count, made up of every nation, tribe, people and language. They were standing in front of the throne and the Lamb, dressed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands.
10 njalo limemeza ngelizwi elikhulu, lisithi: Usindiso kuNkulunkulu wethu ohlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi, lakulo iWundlu.
They gave a loud shout, “Salvation is from our God who sits on the throne, and from the Lamb.”
11 Lengilosi zonke zazimi zihanqe isihlalo sobukhosi labadala lezidalwa ezine eziphilayo, zasezisiwa ngobuso bazo phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi, zasezikhonza uNkulunkulu,
All the angels surrounding the throne, and the elders and the four living creatures, fell down on their faces before the throne, worshipping God.
12 zisithi: Ameni. Ukudunyiswa lobukhosi lenhlakanipho lokubonga lodumo lamandla lengalo kakube kuNkulunkulu wethu kuze kube nini lanini. Ameni. (aiōn g165)
“Amen!” they said. “Blessing, glory, wisdom, gratitude, honor, power, and strength, be to God for ever and ever. Amen.” (aiōn g165)
13 Omunye wabadala wasephendula, esithi kimi: Laba abembethe izembatho ezimhlophe, ngobani, futhi bavela ngaphi?
One of the elders spoke to me and asked, “Who are those who are dressed in white robes, and where have they come from?”
14 Ngasengisithi kuye: Nkosi, nguwe owaziyo. Wasesithi kimi: Laba yibo abaphuma ekuhluphekeni okukhulu, basebehlamba izembatho zabo benza izembatho zabo zaba mhlophe egazini leWundlu.
I replied, “My Lord, you know the answer.” He told me, “These are the ones who have passed through great persecution. They washed their robes, making them white through the blood of the Lamb.
15 Ngakho baphambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi sikaNkulunkulu, bamkhonza emini lebusuku ethempelini lakhe; lohleziyo esihlalweni sobukhosi uzabasibekela.
That's why they can stand in front of God's throne, and they serve him day and night in his Temple. The one who sits on the throne will protect them with his presence.
16 Kabasayikulamba, njalo kabasayikoma, lelanga kaliyikuwela phezu kwabo, kumbe lokutshisa;
They will never be hungry ever again, or thirsty; the sun will not beat down on them and they will not suffer scorching heat,
17 ngoba iWundlu elingaphakathi kwesihlalo sobukhosi lizabondla, libakhokhelele emithonjeni ephilayo yamanzi; loNkulunkulu uzakwesula zonke inyembezi emehlweni abo.
because the Lamb who is at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will lead them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
