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 which came unto Zephanyah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedalyah, the son of Amaryah, the son of Chizkiyah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon the king of Judah.

2 Ngizaqeda lokuqeda konke kusuke ebusweni bomhlaba, itsho iNkosi.

I will remove, utterly remove all things from off the face of the earth, saith the Lord.

3 Ngizaqeda umuntu lenyamazana, ngiqede izinyoni zamazulu, lezinhlanzi zolwandle, lezikhubekiso kanye lababi, ngiqume umuntu asuke ebusweni bomhlaba, itsho iNkosi.

I will remove man and beast; I will remove the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling blocks together with the wicked; and I will cut off man from off the face of the earth, saith 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 stretch out my hand over Judah, and over all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Ba'al from this place, the name of his ministers with his priests;

5 lalabo abakhonza ibutho lamazulu phezu kwezimpahla zezindlu; lalabo abakhonza bafunge ngeNkosi, njalo bafunge ngoMalikamu,

And those that bow themselves down on the roofs of houses to the host of heaven; and those that bow themselves down that are sworn [to be true] to the Lord and still swear by Malkom;

6 lababuyela emuva ekuyilandeleni iNkosi, labangayidinganga iNkosi, bengayibuzanga.

And those that are turned away from following the Lord; and those that have not sought for the Lord, and have not inquired of him.

7 Thula ebukhoneni beNkosi uJehova; ngoba usuku lweNkosi luseduze; ngoba iNkosi ilungisile umhlatshelo, yangcwelisa abanxusiweyo bayo.

Be silent in the presence of the Lord Eternal; for nigh is the day of the Lord; for the Lord hath prepared a slaughter, he hath bidden his invited guests.

8 Kuzakuthi-ke ngosuku lomhlatshelo weNkosi ngijezise iziphathamandla, lamadodana enkosi, labo bonke abagqoke izigqoko zabezizwe.

And it shall come to pass on the day of the Lord's slaughter, that I will inflict punishment on the princes, and on the king's sons, and on all such as are clothed in garments of a foreign land.

9 Langalolosuku ngizajezisa bonke abeqa phezu kombundu, abagcwalisa indlu yamakhosi abo ngodlakela langenkohliso.

And I will inflict punishment on all those that leap over the threshold on that day, who fill the house of their master with violence and deceit.

10 Langalolosuku, itsho iNkosi, kuzakuba lelizwi lokukhala livela esangweni lenhlanzi, lokuqhinqa isililo kuvela kwelesibili, lokufohloza okukhulu kuvela emaqaqeni.

And it shall come to pass on that day, saith the Lord, that there shall be a loud cry of lamentation from the fish-gate, and a wailing from the second, and [that of] a great breach from the hills.

11 Qhinqani isililo, lina bahlali beMaketeshi, ngoba bonke abantu abathengisayo baqunyelwe phansi; bonke abathwala isiliva baqunyiwe.

Wail, ye inhabitants of the mortar-street, for destroyed are all the trading people; cut off are all that were laden with silver.

12 Kuzakuthi-ke ngalesosikhathi ngihlole iJerusalema ngezibane, ngijezise amadoda ajiyileyo ezinzeceni zawo, athi enhliziyweni yawo: INkosi kayiyikwenza okuhle, futhi kayiyikwenza okubi.

And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem through with lights; and I will inflict punishment on the men that are at rest on their lees, that say in their heart, The Lord will not do good, nor will he 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 wealth shall become a booty, and their houses shall be made desolate; and they will build houses, but they shall not inhabit them; and they will plant vineyards, but they shall not drink their wine.

14 Usuku olukhulu lweNkosi luseduze, luseduze, luyaphangisa kakhulu; ilizwi losuku lweNkosi; iqhawe lizakhala khona kabuhlungu.

Nigh is the great day of the Lord, it is nigh, and hasteneth greatly, [there is] the noise of the day of the Lord: bitterly crieth there the mighty man.

15 Lolosuku lusuku lolaka, usuku lokuhlupheka losizi, usuku lwencithakalo lokuchitheka, usuku lomnyama lobumnyama, usuku lwamayezi lobumnyama obunzima,

A day of wrath is that day, a day of distress and anxiety, a day of wasting and desolation, a day of darkness and obscurity, a day of clouds and tempestuous gloom,

16 usuku lophondo lolomkhosi omelene lemizi ebiyelwe ngemithangala, lolumelene lezingonsi eziphakemeyo.

A day of the cornet and alarm, against the fenced cities, and against the high battlements.

17 Njalo ngizabacindezela abantu, ukuze bahambe njengeziphofu, ngoba bonile eNkosini; legazi labo lizathululwa njengothuli, lenyama yabo njengobulongwe.

And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk about like the blind, because against the Lord have they sinned: and their blood shall be poured out like the dust, and their flesh like the dung.

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 shall be able to deliver them on the day of the Lord's wrath; through the fire of whose zeal the whole land shall be devoured; for destruction, yea, quite sudden, will he prepare for all the inhabitants of the land.