UZefaniya 1
1 Ilizwi leNkosi elafika kuZefaniya, indodana kaKushi, indodana kaGedaliya, indodana kaAmariya, indodana kaHezekhiya, ezinsukwini zikaJosiya, indodana kaAmoni, inkosi yakoJuda.
The word of the Lord that came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.
2 Ngizaqeda lokuqeda konke kusuke ebusweni bomhlaba, itsho iNkosi.
While gathering, I will gather together all things from the face of the earth, says the Lord.
3 Ngizaqeda umuntu lenyamazana, ngiqede izinyoni zamazulu, lezinhlanzi zolwandle, lezikhubekiso kanye lababi, ngiqume umuntu asuke ebusweni bomhlaba, itsho iNkosi.
I will gather man and cattle; I will gather the flying things of the air and the fish of the sea. And the impious will be a catastrophe. And I will disperse men before the face of the earth, says the Lord.
4 Futhi ngizakwelulela isandla sami phezu kukaJuda, laphezu kwabo bonke abahlali beJerusalema, ngiqume insali kaBhali isuke kulindawo, ibizo lamaKhemarimi kanye labapristi;
And I will extend my hand over Judah and over all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And I will disperse from this place the remnant of Baal, and the names of the administrators along with the priests,
5 lalabo abakhonza ibutho lamazulu phezu kwezimpahla zezindlu; lalabo abakhonza bafunge ngeNkosi, njalo bafunge ngoMalikamu,
and those who adore the military campaign over the ceiling of the sky, both those who adore and swear by the Lord, and those who swear by Melchom,
6 lababuyela emuva ekuyilandeleni iNkosi, labangayidinganga iNkosi, bengayibuzanga.
both those who turn aside from following after the Lord, and those who have not sought the Lord, nor inquired about him.
7 Thula ebukhoneni beNkosi uJehova; ngoba usuku lweNkosi luseduze; ngoba iNkosi ilungisile umhlatshelo, yangcwelisa abanxusiweyo bayo.
Be silent before the face of the Lord God. For the day of the Lord is near; for the Lord has prepared a victim, he has sanctified those he has called.
8 Kuzakuthi-ke ngosuku lomhlatshelo weNkosi ngijezise iziphathamandla, lamadodana enkosi, labo bonke abagqoke izigqoko zabezizwe.
And this shall be: in the day of the victim of the Lord, I will visit upon the leaders, and upon the sons of the king, and upon all who have been clothed with strange garments.
9 Langalolosuku ngizajezisa bonke abeqa phezu kombundu, abagcwalisa indlu yamakhosi abo ngodlakela langenkohliso.
And I will visit upon all who enter arrogantly over the threshold in that day, those who fill the house of the Lord their God with iniquity and deceit.
10 Langalolosuku, itsho iNkosi, kuzakuba lelizwi lokukhala livela esangweni lenhlanzi, lokuqhinqa isililo kuvela kwelesibili, lokufohloza okukhulu kuvela emaqaqeni.
And this shall be in that day, says the Lord: the voice of an outcry from the fish gate, and a howling from the Second, and a great contrition from the hills.
11 Qhinqani isililo, lina bahlali beMaketeshi, ngoba bonke abantu abathengisayo baqunyelwe phansi; bonke abathwala isiliva baqunyiwe.
Howl, inhabitants of the Pillar. All the people of Canaan have fallen silent. All were ruined who had been wrapped in silver.
12 Kuzakuthi-ke ngalesosikhathi ngihlole iJerusalema ngezibane, ngijezise amadoda ajiyileyo ezinzeceni zawo, athi enhliziyweni yawo: INkosi kayiyikwenza okuhle, futhi kayiyikwenza okubi.
And this shall be in that time: I will scrutinize Jerusalem with lamps, and I will visit upon the men who have become stuck in the dregs, who say in their hearts, “The Lord will not do good, and he will not do evil.”
13 Ngakho inotho yabo izakuba yimpango, lezindlu zabo zibe lunxiwa. Futhi bazakwakha izindlu, kodwa bangahlali kuzo; njalo bazahlanyela izivini, kodwa banganathi iwayini lazo.
And their strength will be in plundering, and their houses in the desert. And they will build houses and not dwell in them, and they will plant vineyards and not drink their wine.
14 Usuku olukhulu lweNkosi luseduze, luseduze, luyaphangisa kakhulu; ilizwi losuku lweNkosi; iqhawe lizakhala khona kabuhlungu.
The great day of the Lord is near; it is near and exceedingly swift. The voice of the day of the Lord is bitter; the strong will be tested there.
15 Lolosuku lusuku lolaka, usuku lokuhlupheka losizi, usuku lwencithakalo lokuchitheka, usuku lomnyama lobumnyama, usuku lwamayezi lobumnyama obunzima,
That day is a day of wrath, a day of tribulation and anguish, a day of calamity and misery, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and whirlwinds,
16 usuku lophondo lolomkhosi omelene lemizi ebiyelwe ngemithangala, lolumelene lezingonsi eziphakemeyo.
a day of the trumpet and the trumpet blast over fortified cities and over exalted ramparts.
17 Njalo ngizabacindezela abantu, ukuze bahambe njengeziphofu, ngoba bonile eNkosini; legazi labo lizathululwa njengothuli, lenyama yabo njengobulongwe.
And I will trouble men, and they will walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the Lord. And their blood will be poured out like soil, and their bodies like manure.
18 Lesiliva sabo legolide labo kakuyikuba lakho ukubakhulula ngosuku lolaka lweNkosi; kodwa ilizwe lonke lizaqedwa ngumlilo wobukhwele bayo; ngoba izaqeda, ngitsho ngesiphangiphangi, ngabo bonke abahlali belizwe.
Neither their silver, nor their gold, will be able to free them in the day of the wrath of the Lord. All the land will be devoured in the fire of his zeal, for with all speed, he will bring to consummation every inhabitant of the land.
