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.
After this, I saw four angels standing ‘upon the four corners of the earth,’ restraining the four winds of the earth, that no wind should blow over 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,
And, in the east, I saw another angel, ascending, holding the seal of the Living God; and he cried in a loud voice to the four angels, to whom there had been given power to harm the earth and the sea —
3 isithi: Lingoni umhlaba, kumbe ulwandle, kumbe izihlahla, size siphawule izinceku zikaNkulunkulu wethu emabunzini azo.
‘Do not harm the earth, or the sea, or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God upon their foreheads.’
4 Ngasengisizwa inani elababephawulwa: Zinkulungwane ezilikhulu lamatshumi amane lane abaphawulwayo ezizweni zonke zabantwana bakoIsrayeli;
I heard, too, the number of those who had been sealed. It was one hundred and forty-four thousand; and they were from every tribe of the Israelites.
5 esizweni sakoJuda kwaphawulwa abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili; esizweni sakoRubeni kwaphawulwa abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili; esizweni sakoGadi kwaphawulwa abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili;
From the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand, from the tribe of Gad twelve thousand,
6 esizweni sakoAsheri kwaphawulwa abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili; esizweni sakoNafithali kwaphawulwa abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili; esizweni sakoManase kwaphawulwa abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili;
from the tribe of Asher twelve thousand, from the tribe of Napthali twelve thousand, from the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand,
7 esizweni sakoSimeyoni kwaphawulwa abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili; esizweni sakoLevi kwaphawulwa abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili; esizweni sakoIsakari kwaphawulwa abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili;
from the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand, from the tribe of Levi twelve thousand, from the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand,
8 esizweni sakoZebuloni kwaphawulwa abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili; esizweni sakoJosefa kwaphawulwa abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili; esizweni sakoBhenjamini kwaphawulwa abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili.
from the tribe of Zebulon twelve thousand, from the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand, from the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand were sealed.
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, in my vision, I saw a vast throng which no man could number, of men from every nation and of all tribes, and peoples, and languages. They stood in front of the throne and in front of the Lamb, robed in white, holding palm branches in their hands.
10 njalo limemeza ngelizwi elikhulu, lisithi: Usindiso kuNkulunkulu wethu ohlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi, lakulo iWundlu.
And they are crying in a loud voice — ‘Salvation be ascribed to our God who is seated on his throne and to the Lamb.’
11 Lengilosi zonke zazimi zihanqe isihlalo sobukhosi labadala lezidalwa ezine eziphilayo, zasezisiwa ngobuso bazo phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi, zasezikhonza uNkulunkulu,
And all the angels were standing round the throne and the Councillors and the four Creatures, and they prostrated themselves on their faces in front of the throne and worshiped God,
12 zisithi: Ameni. Ukudunyiswa lobukhosi lenhlakanipho lokubonga lodumo lamandla lengalo kakube kuNkulunkulu wethu kuze kube nini lanini. Ameni. (aiōn g165)
saying — ‘Amen. Blessing and praise, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might be ascribed to our God for ever and ever. Amen.’ (aiōn g165)
13 Omunye wabadala wasephendula, esithi kimi: Laba abembethe izembatho ezimhlophe, ngobani, futhi bavela ngaphi?
Then one of the Councillors turned to me and said ‘Who are these who are robed in white? and whence did they come?’
14 Ngasengisithi kuye: Nkosi, nguwe owaziyo. Wasesithi kimi: Laba yibo abaphuma ekuhluphekeni okukhulu, basebehlamba izembatho zabo benza izembatho zabo zaba mhlophe egazini leWundlu.
‘My Lord,’ I answered, ‘it is you who know.’ ‘These,’ he said, ‘are they who come through the Great Persecution; they washed their robes white in the blood of the Lamb.
15 Ngakho baphambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi sikaNkulunkulu, bamkhonza emini lebusuku ethempelini lakhe; lohleziyo esihlalweni sobukhosi uzabasibekela.
And therefore it is that they are before the throne of God, and are serving him day and night in his Temple; and he who is seated on the throne will shelter them.
16 Kabasayikulamba, njalo kabasayikoma, lelanga kaliyikuwela phezu kwabo, kumbe lokutshisa;
Never again shall they be hungry, never again shall they be thirsty, nor shall the sun smite upon them, nor any scorching heat;
17 ngoba iWundlu elingaphakathi kwesihlalo sobukhosi lizabondla, libakhokhelele emithonjeni ephilayo yamanzi; loNkulunkulu uzakwesula zonke inyembezi emehlweni abo.
for the Lamb that stands in the space before the throne will be their shepherd, and will lead them to life-giving springs of water; and God will wipe away all tears from their eyes.’
