UZefaniya 2
1 Zibuthaniseni, lizibuthanise, lina sizwe esingaloyisekiyo,
Be ashamed within yourselves, be ashamed,
2 isimiso singakazali, lalolosuku lwedlule njengamakhoba, intukuthelo yolaka lweNkosi ingakalehleli, usuku lolaka lweNkosi lungakalehleli.
before you become as the drifting chaff, before the anger of the Lord comes upon you, before the day of the Lord’s wrath comes upon you.
3 Dingani iNkosi, lina lonke abamnene bomhlaba, elenze isahlulelo sayo; dingani ukulunga, lidinge ubumnene; mhlawumbe lingafihlwa ngosuku lolaka lweNkosi.
Seek the Lord all you meek of the earth, you who obey his law; Seek righteousness, seek meekness; perhaps you may be hidden in the day of the Lord’s wrath.
4 Ngoba iGaza izadelwa, leAshikeloni ibe lunxiwa; bazaxotsha iAshidodi emini enkulu, leEkhironi isitshunwe.
For Gaza will be forsaken; Ashkelon a desolation; Ashdod – by noon will they rout her and Ekron be torn up!
5 Maye kwabakhileyo belizwe lolwandle, isizwe samaKerethi! Ilizwi leNkosi limelene lani. Wena Khanani, lizwe lamaFilisti, ngizakuchitha, kuze kungabi lomhlali.
Woe to those who live by the sea coast, people of the Cherethites! The word of the Lord is against you, Canaan, land of the Philistines! I will destroy you so that you will be without inhabitants,
6 Lelizwe lolwandle lizakuba ngamadlelo alemigodi yamanzi yabelusi, lezibaya zezimvu.
and you will become shepherds’ cots and folds for flocks.
7 Njalo ilizwe lizakuba ngelensali yendlu kaJuda; bazakudla kulo; kusihlwa bazalala ezindlini zeAshikeloni; ngoba iNkosi uNkulunkulu wabo izabahambela, iphendule ukuthunjwa kwabo.
The sea coast will belong to the survivors of the house of Judah. They will pasture their flocks there. In the house of Ashkelon they will lie down at evening. The Lord their God will be with them and restore their fortunes.
8 Ngiyizwile inhlamba kaMowabi, lokuthuka kwamadodana kaAmoni, abahlambaze ngakho abantu bami, bezikhulisa bemelene lomngcele wabo.
I have heard the taunts of Moab, and the revilings of the Ammonites, how they have taunted my people, and spoken boastfully concerning their border.
9 Ngakho kuphila kwami, itsho iNkosi yamabandla, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, isibili uMowabi uzakuba njengeSodoma, labantwana bakaAmoni njengeGomora, indawo yezimbabazane, lemigodi yetshwayi, lencithakalo kuze kube phakade. Insali yabantu bami izabaphanga, labaseleyo babantu bami badle ilifa labo.
Therefore as I live, says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Moab will be like Sodom, and the Ammonites like Gomorrah, a pile of nettles and saltpits, and a desolation, forever. The residue of my people will plunder them, and the survivors of my nation will inherit them.
10 Lokhu bazakuba lakho endaweni yokuziphakamisa kwabo, ngoba bathuka, bazikhulisa bemelene labantu beNkosi yamabandla.
This will they have for their pride, because they have taunted and spoken boastfully against the people of the Lord of hosts.
11 INkosi izakwesabeka kubo, ngoba izacakisa bonke onkulunkulu bomhlaba; njalo bazakhothama kuyo, ngulowo lalowo esendaweni yakhe, zonke izihlenge zezizwe.
The Lord will terrify them; he will reduce all the gods of the earth; then all the peoples of the nations will worship him, each in their own land.
12 Lani maEthiyophiya, lizakuba ngababuleweyo ngenkemba yami.
You, also, Ethiopians, slain by his sword are you!
13 Njalo izakwelula isandla sayo imelene lenyakatho, ichithe iAsiriya, ibeke iNineve ibe lunxiwa, yome njengenkangala.
And he will stretch out his hand against the north and destroy Assyria; And he will make Nineveh a desolation, dry as the wilderness.
14 Njalo imihlambi izalala phansi phakathi kwayo, zonke izinyamazana zezizwe; lalo iwunkwe kanye lenhloni kulale ezidukwini zayo; ilizwi lizahlabela ewindini, incithakalo ibe sembundwini; ngoba ezakwembula umsebenzi womsedari.
Herds will lie down in it, every beast of the earth, Desert owl and screech owl will lodge in its capitals. The owl will hoot in the window, the raven on the doorstep, all stripped bare of cedar.
15 Lo ngumuzi ojabulayo, obuhlezi ngokuvikeleka, owawusithi enhliziyweni yawo: Yimi, njalo kakho omunye ngaphandle kwami. Yeka ukuba kwawo yincithakalo, indawo yokulala yezinyamazana! Wonke owedlula kiwo uyancifa, anyikinye isandla sakhe.
This is the exultant city which sat secure. The city who said to herself, I am and there is none else! How has she become a desolation! A lair of beasts! Every passerby hisses at her, shakes their hand.
