UZekhariya 11

1 Vula iminyango yakho, wena Lebhanoni, ukuze umlilo udle imisedari yakho.

Open thy doors, O Libanus, and let the fire devour thy cedars.

2 Qhinqa isililo, wena sihlahla sefiri; ngoba umsedari usuwile, ngoba izihlahla zobukhosi ziyachithwa. Qhinqani isililo lina ma-okhi eBashani, ngoba igusu elingangenekiyo seliwile.

Let the pine howl, because the cedar has fallen; for the mighty men have been greatly afflicted: howl, ye oaks of the land of Basan; for the thickly planted forest has been torn down.

3 Kulelizwi lokuqhinqa isililo kwabelusi, ngoba udumo lwabo luyachithwa; ilizwi lokubhonga kwamabhongo ezilwane, ngoba ukuziqhenya kweJordani kuyachithwa.

[There is] a voice of the shepherds mourning; for their greatness is brought low: a voice of roaring lions; for the pride of Jordan is brought down.

4 Itsho njalo iNkosi uNkulunkulu wami: Yelusa izimvu zokuhlatshwa;

Thus saith the Lord Almighty, Feed the sheep of the slaughter;

5 abathengi bazo bayazibulala, bathi kabalacala; labazithengisayo bathi: Kayibusiswe iNkosi; ngoba nginothile; labelusi bazo kabalasihawu ngazo.

which their possessors have slain, and have not repented: and they that sold them said, Blessed be the Lord; for we have become rich: and their shepherds have suffered no sorrow for them.

6 Ngoba kangisayikuyekela abahlali belizwe, itsho iNkosi; kodwa khangela, ngizanikela abantu, ngulowo lalowo esandleni sikamakhelwane wakhe, lesandleni senkosi yakhe; njalo bazaliphahlaza ilizwe, njalo kangiyikubophula esandleni sabo.

Therefore I will no longer have mercy upon the inhabitants of the land, saith the Lord: but, behold, I will deliver up the men every one into the hand of his neighbour, and into the hand of his king; and they shall destroy the land, and I will not rescue out of their hand.

7 Njalo ngizakwelusa izimvu zokuhlatshwa, isibili, eziyangekileyo zezimvu. Njalo ngazithathela intonga ezimbili; enye ngayibiza ngokuthi nguBuhle, lenye ngayibiza ngokuthi nguZibopho; ngazelusa izimvu.

And I will tend the flock of slaughter in the land of Chanaan: and I will take for myself two rods; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Line; and I will tend the flock.

8 Ngasengiquma abelusi abathathu ngenyanga eyodwa; lomphefumulo wami wadabuka ngabo, lomphefumulo wabo lawo wangenyanya.

And I will cut off three shepherds in one month; and my soul shall grieve over them, for their souls cried out against me.

9 Ngasengisithi: Kangisayikulelusa; ofayo kafe, loqunywayo kaqunywe; kakuthi-ke abaseleyo badle, ngulowo lalowo inyama yomunye.

And I said, I will not tend you: that which dies, let it die; and that which falls off, let it fall off; and let the rest eat every one the flesh of his neighbour.

10 Ngasengithatha intonga yami, uBuhle, ngayiqamula, ukuze ngephule isivumelwano sami engangisenze labantu bonke.

And I will take my beautiful staff, and cast it away, that I may break my covenant which I made with all the people.

11 Sephulwa-ke ngalolosuku; ngakho-ke eziyangekileyo zezimvu ezazilindele kimi zakwazi ukuthi yilizwi leNkosi.

And it shall be broken in that day; and the Chananites, the sheep that are kept for me, shall know that it is the word of the Lord.

12 Ngasengisithi kizo: Uba kulungile emehlweni enu, nikani inkokhelo yami; kodwa uba kungenjalo, yekelani. Basebelinganisela inkokhelo yami, inhlamvu ezingamatshumi amathathu zesiliva.

And I will say to them, If it be good in your eyes, give [me] my price, or refuse it. And they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.

13 INkosi yasisithi kimi: Ziphosele kumbumbi; intengo enkulu ebengiyilinganiselwe yibo! Ngasengithatha inhlamvu ezingamatshumi amathathu zesiliva, ngaziphosela kumbumbi endlini yeNkosi.

And the Lord said to me, Drop them into the furnace, and I will see if it is good [metal], as I was proved for their sakes. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them into the furnace in the house of the Lord.

14 Ngasengiqamula intonga yami yesibili, uZibopho, ukuze ngephule ubuzalwane phakathi kukaJuda loIsrayeli.

And I cast away [my] second rod, [even] Line, that I might break the possession between Juda and Israel.

15 INkosi yasisithi kimi: Zithathele futhi izikhali zomelusi oyisithutha.

And the Lord said to me, Take yet to thee shepherd's implements belonging to an unskillful shepherd.

16 Ngoba khangela, ngizavusa umelusi elizweni; ongayikuhambela eziqunyiweyo, ongayikudinga ezintsha, ongayikwelapha ezephukileyo, ongayikusekela ezizimeleyo; kodwa adle inyama yezinonileyo, adabule iziqa amasondo azo.

For, behold, I [will] raise up a shepherd against the land: he shall not visit that which is perishing, and he shall not seek that which is scattered, and he shall not heal that which is bruised, nor guide that which is whole: but he shall devour the flesh of the choice [ones], and shall dislocate the joints [of their necks].

17 Maye kumelusi ongasizi lutho otshiya izimvu! Inkemba izakuba phezu kwengalo yakhe, laphezu kwelihlo lakhe lokunene. Ingalo yakhe izatshwabhana isibili, lelihlo lakhe lokunene lifiphale ngokupheleleyo.

Alas for the vain shepherds that have forsaken the sheep! the sword [shall be] upon the arms of such a one, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be completely withered, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.