UZekhariya 9
1 Umthwalo welizwi leNkosi elizweni leHadiraki, leDamaseko indawo yakho yokuphumula, lapho ilihlo lomuntu lelazo zonke izizwe zakoIsrayeli lizakuba seNkosini.
A prophecy: A message from the Lord to the land of Hadrach, and Damascus its main objective. For the eyes of human beings together with all the tribes of Israel are on the Lord,
2 LeHamathi layo izakhawula kiyo; iTire leSidoni, lanxa ihlakaniphile kakhulu.
and Hamath too since it is close by. Also Tyre and Sidon for they are very wise.
3 LeTire yazakhela inqaba, yabuthelela isiliva njengothuli, legolide njengodaka lwezitalada.
The people of Tyre built a fortress, and piled up silver like dust and gold like the dirt of the street.
4 Khangela, iNkosi izayixotsha, itshaye amandla ayo elwandle; yona idliwe ngumlilo.
But look at what will happen. The Lord will take away everything they have, and knock down their strong defenses into the sea. The city will be burned down.
5 IAshikeloni izabona, yesabe; leGaza, ibe lusizi kakhulu; leEkhironi; ngoba ebikulindele kuzayangisa; njalo inkosi yeGaza izabhubha, leAshikeloni kayiyikuhlalwa.
The people of Ashkelon will see this and be terrified; those in Gaza will thrash around in agony like a woman giving birth; and the people of Ekron too, because their hopes are shattered. The king of Gaza will be killed, and Ashkelon will be deserted.
6 Njalo ozelwe ngobufebe uzahlala eAshidodi; njalo ngizaquma ukuzigqaja kwamaFilisti.
Mixed-race people will live in Ashdod, and I will wipe out the Philistine's pride.
7 Ngizasusa igazi lakhe emlonyeni wakhe, lezinengiso zakhe phakathi kwamazinyo akhe; kodwa oseleyo, ngitsho yena, uzakuba ngokaNkulunkulu wethu, abe njengenduna koJuda, leEkhironi njengomJebusi.
I will remove the blood-filled meat from their mouths; the unclean food from their jaws. Those who remain will belong to our God—they shall become like a family of Judah—and those from Ekron will become part of my people, just as the Jebusites did.
8 Besengimisa inkamba ngasendlini yami ngenxa yebutho, ngenxa yowedlulayo, langenxa yophendukayo, njalo kakusayikudlula umcindezeli kubo; ngoba khathesi sengibonile ngamehlo ami.
I will make my camp in my Temple to guard it from invaders, and no oppressors will conquer them, for now I myself am keeping watch.
9 Thokoza kakhulu, wena ndodakazi yeZiyoni! Memeza wena ndodakazi yeJerusalema! Khangela, iNkosi yakho iyeza kuwe, ilungile, njalo ilosindiso; ithobekile, igade ubabhemi, lethole, inkonyana kababhemikazi.
Be happy and celebrate, people of Zion! Shout loudly, people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He does what is right and has salvation; he is humble, riding on a donkey—on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
10 Njalo ngizaquma inqola isuke koEfrayimi, lebhiza eJerusalema; ledandili lempi lizaqunywa; njalo izakhuluma ukuthula kwabezizwe; lombuso wayo uzasukela elwandle usiya elwandle, njalo kusukela emfuleni kuze kube semikhawulweni yomhlaba.
(I will remove the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem. I will destroy the bows used in battle.) He will proclaim peace to the nations, and he will rule from sea to sea, from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.
11 Lawe, ngegazi lesivumelwano sakho ngikhuphile izibotshwa zakho emgodini ongelamanzi.
And as for you, because my agreement with you, sealed with blood, I will set you free from the waterless pit.
12 Phendukelani enqabeni, lina zibotshwa ezilethemba; lalamuhla ngiyamemezela ukuthi ngizabuyisela kuwe ngokuphindwe kabili;
Return to the stronghold, you prisoners who have hope! Today I promise I will repay you double what you lost.
13 lapho sengizigobisele uJuda, ngagcwalisa idandili ngoEfrayimi, ngavusa amadodana akho, wena Ziyoni, amelana lamadodana akho, wena Girisi, ngakwenza ube njengenkemba yeqhawe.
I will use Judah as my bow, and I will load it with Ephraim my arrow. I will call up you men of Zion to fight against you men of Greece, wielding you like a warrior's sword.
14 Njalo iNkosi izabonakala phezu kwabo, lomtshoko wayo uzaphuma njengombane; iNkosi uJehova izavuthela uphondo, ihambe lezivunguzane zeningizimu.
Then the Lord will appear over his people and his arrow will flash like lightning! The Lord God will blow the trumpet and march out like a windstorm from the south.
15 INkosi yamabandla izabavikela; njalo bazakudla, behlisele phansi amatshe esavutha; banathe, benze umsindo njengewayini; bagcwale njengomganu, njengamagumbi elathi.
The Lord Almighty will protect them. They will destroy their enemies, conquering them with slingshots. They will drink and shout loudly like people who are drunk. They will be filled like a bowl, soaked liked the corners of an altar.
16 Njalo iNkosi uNkulunkulu wabo izabasindisa ngalolosuku njengomhlambi wabantu bayo; ngoba bazakuba ngamatshe omqhele, bephakanyisiwe phezu kwelizwe lakhe.
On that day the Lord their God will save them—his people that are his flock—for they will glitter as crown jewels in his land.
17 Ngoba kungakanani ukulunga kwakhe, njalo bungakanani ubuhle bakhe! Amabele azathokozisa amajaha, lewayini elitsha izintombi.
How lovely and beautiful they will be! Young men will grow strong on grain, and young women flourish on the new wine.
