UZefaniya 3
1 Maye kowenyanyekayo longcolileyo, umuzi ocindezelayo!
What disaster is coming to corrupted, rebellious Jerusalem, you who oppress people!
2 Kawulalelanga ilizwi; kawemukelanga ukulaywa; kawuthembelanga eNkosini; kawusondelanga kuNkulunkulu wawo.
You don't listen to anybody, you don't accept correction, you don't trust in the Lord, you don't ask for God's help.
3 Iziphathamandla zawo phakathi kwawo ziyizilwane ezibhongayo; abahluleli bawo bazimpisi zokuhlwa; kazikhukhuzi ithambo ekuseni.
Your leaders are as greedy as roaring lions; your judges are ravenous wolves that leave nothing behind by morning.
4 Abaprofethi bawo bangabangakhathaliyo, abantu abakhohlisayo; abapristi bawo sebengcolise indawo engcwele, benze udlakela kumthetho.
Your prophets are arrogant, deceitful men who defile what is sacred and who openly break the law.
5 INkosi elungileyo iphakathi kwawo, kayiyikwenza ububi; ukusa ngokusa ibeka isahlulelo sayo ekukhanyeni, kayiphuthi; kodwa ongalunganga kazi inhloni.
But the Lord who does right is still among you, he does no wrong. Every morning he gives his judgment, every day without fail. But those who act unjustly have no shame.
6 Ngiziqumile izizwe, izingonsi zazo zingamanxiwa, ngenzile izitalada zazo incithakalo, ukuze kungadluli muntu; imizi yazo idiliziwe, kakusekho muntu, kakulamhlali.
I have destroyed nations. Their fortresses are deserted; their streets are empty; their cities are destroyed—there are no survivors, not one.
7 Ngathi: Isibili uzangesaba, wemukele ukulaywa; ukuze indawo yakhe yokuhlala ingaqunywa, konke engimjezisa ngakho; sibili bavuka ngovivi, bazonakalise zonke izenzo zabo.
I told myself, “Surely they will respect me now and accept my correction. Then their homes would not be destroyed to teach them a lesson.” But instead you're just as eager to go on doing evil.
8 Ngakho ngilindelani, itsho iNkosi, kuze kube lusuku engizavukela impango ngalo. Ngoba isahlulelo sami siyikubuthelela izizwe, ukuze ngiqoqe imibuso, ngithululele phezu kwabo intukuthelo yami, konke ukuvutha kolaka lwami; ngoba umhlaba wonke uzaqothulwa ngumlilo wobukhwele bami.
You just wait, declares the Lord. The day is coming when I will rise to give evidence. For I have decided to gather together all the nations and kingdoms and to pour out on them my anger, my fury and my rage. The whole earth will be burned up by the fire of my jealous anger.
9 Ngoba ngalesosikhathi ngizabuyisela ebantwini ulimi oluhlambulukileyo, ukuze bonke babize ibizo leNkosi, ukuze bayikhonze ngahlombe linye.
For then I will give the nations pure speech so they can all pray and worship the Lord together.
10 Kusukela phetsheya kwemifula yeEthiyophiya abancengi bami, indodakazi yabahlakazekileyo bami, bazaletha umnikelo wami.
From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my scattered people, my worshipers, will come to bring their offerings to me.
11 Ngalolosuku kawuyikuyangeka ngenxa yezenzo zakho zonke, ophambuke ngazo kimi, ngoba ngalesosikhathi ngizakhupha phakathi kwakho abathokoza ekuzikhukhumezeni kwakho; futhi kawusayikubuya uziphakamise entabeni yami engcwele.
On that day you won't be ashamed because of what you did in rebelling against me, for I will remove from among you those who are proud and boastful. Never again will you be conceited on my holy mountain.
12 Njalo ngizatshiya phakathi kwakho abantu abahluphekileyo labangabayanga; bona bazathemba ebizweni likaJehova.
I will leave among you those who are meek and humble, those who trust in the name of the Lord.
13 Insali yakoIsrayeli kayiyikwenza ububi, kayiyikukhuluma amanga; njalo kakuyikufunyanwa ulimi olukhohlisayo emlonyeni wayo; ngoba bona bazakudla balale phansi, njalo kungekho obesabisayo.
The people of Israel who remain will not act wickedly nor will they tell lies. They will not deceive one another. They will be able to eat in peace and sleep in safety for there will be nothing to frighten them.
14 Hlabelela, ndodakazi yeZiyoni; memeza, Israyeli; thokoza, ujabule ngenhliziyo yonke, ndodakazi yeJerusalema.
Sing out, Jerusalem! Shout aloud, Israel! Jerusalem, be happy and celebrate with all your heart!
15 INkosi isusile izahlulelo zakho, isixotshile isitha sakho; inkosi yakoIsrayeli, uJehova, iphakathi kwakho; kawusayikubona okubi.
For the Lord has turned aside from punishing you, and he has turned back your enemies. The Lord, the king of Israel, is with you, and you will never again have to fear disaster.
16 Ngalolosuku kuzakuthiwa kuyo iJerusalema: Ungesabi; lawe Ziyoni, kazingadangali izandla zakho.
On that day the message to the people of Jerusalem will be, “Don't be afraid; don't be discouraged!”
17 INkosi uNkulunkulu wakho phakathi kwakho ilamandla, izasindisa; izajabula ngawe ngentokozo; izathula othandweni lwayo, ithabe ngawe ngokuhlabelela.
The Lord your God is among you as a mighty warrior who saves. He will be so happy with you. He will renew his love for you. He will celebrate over you with loud singing.
18 Ngizababutha abadabuka ngenxa yenhlangano emisiweyo, bevela kuwe; ihlazo lingumthwalo kubo.
I will gather those of you who mourn for the religious festivals—you will no longer have to bear the disgrace.
19 Khangela, ngalesosikhathi ngizakuba lokwenza labo bonke abakuhluphayo; ngisindise oqhulayo, ngibuthe oxotshiweyo; ngibabeke babe yindumiso lebizo kulo lonke ilizwe lehlazo labo.
Look at what I am going to do! At that time I am going to deal with all those who have oppressed you. I will save those who are helpless and bring back those who were scattered, and I will turn their shame into praise, and all the world will respect them.
20 Ngalesosikhathi ngizalingenisa, langesikhathi engizalibuthelela ngaso; ngoba ngizalenza libe libizo lendumiso phakathi kwabantu bonke bomhlaba, lapho sengibuyisa abathunjiweyo benu phambi kwamehlo enu, itsho iNkosi.
At that time I will bring you home, gathering you together. I will give you a good reputation, and you will be praised by all the peoples of the earth when I restore your status before your very eyes, says the Lord.
