UZefaniya 1
1 Ilizwi leNkosi elafika kuZefaniya, indodana kaKushi, indodana kaGedaliya, indodana kaAmariya, indodana kaHezekhiya, ezinsukwini zikaJosiya, indodana kaAmoni, inkosi yakoJuda.
The Lord’s message, which came to Zephaniah, son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the time of Josiah of Judah who was son of Amon.
2 Ngizaqeda lokuqeda konke kusuke ebusweni bomhlaba, itsho iNkosi.
I will utterly destroy everything from off 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 sweep away human and animal, the birds of the sky and the fish of the sea. I will cause the wicked to stumble, and I will cut off humanity from 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;
I will stretch out my hand over Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and I will cut off from this place the last remnant of Baal and the name of the heathen priests,
5 lalabo abakhonza ibutho lamazulu phezu kwezimpahla zezindlu; lalabo abakhonza bafunge ngeNkosi, njalo bafunge ngoMalikamu,
and those who worship on the housetops to the stars in the sky, and those worshippers of the Lord who also pay homage to Milcom,
6 lababuyela emuva ekuyilandeleni iNkosi, labangayidinganga iNkosi, bengayibuzanga.
and those who turn back from following the Lord, And those who do not seek the Lord nor strive to find him.
7 Thula ebukhoneni beNkosi uJehova; ngoba usuku lweNkosi luseduze; ngoba iNkosi ilungisile umhlatshelo, yangcwelisa abanxusiweyo bayo.
Be silent before the Lord God, for near is the day of the Lord, for the Lord has prepared a sacrifice, he has sanctified his guests.
8 Kuzakuthi-ke ngosuku lomhlatshelo weNkosi ngijezise iziphathamandla, lamadodana enkosi, labo bonke abagqoke izigqoko zabezizwe.
On the day of the Lord’s sacrifice: I will punish the officers and the royal princes, and all those who clothe themselves in foreign apparel.
9 Langalolosuku ngizajezisa bonke abeqa phezu kombundu, abagcwalisa indlu yamakhosi abo ngodlakela langenkohliso.
On that day: I will punish all who leap over the threshold, who fill the house of their lord with violence and deceit.
10 Langalolosuku, itsho iNkosi, kuzakuba lelizwi lokukhala livela esangweni lenhlanzi, lokuqhinqa isililo kuvela kwelesibili, lokufohloza okukhulu kuvela emaqaqeni.
Listen on that day, says the Lord: A cry will be heard from the Fish Gate, and a wailing from the New Quarter, and a great din from the hills.
11 Qhinqani isililo, lina bahlali beMaketeshi, ngoba bonke abantu abathengisayo baqunyelwe phansi; bonke abathwala isiliva baqunyiwe.
Those who live in the Mortar wail, for all the traders are silenced, the money counters wiped out.
12 Kuzakuthi-ke ngalesosikhathi ngihlole iJerusalema ngezibane, ngijezise amadoda ajiyileyo ezinzeceni zawo, athi enhliziyweni yawo: INkosi kayiyikwenza okuhle, futhi kayiyikwenza okubi.
I will search Jerusalem with a lamp, I will punish those who are at ease, who sit comfortably with their wine, who say to themselves, “the Lord brings neither prosperity nor calamity.”
13 Ngakho inotho yabo izakuba yimpango, lezindlu zabo zibe lunxiwa. Futhi bazakwakha izindlu, kodwa bangahlali kuzo; njalo bazahlanyela izivini, kodwa banganathi iwayini lazo.
Their wealth will become a prey and their houses a desolation. Though they build houses, they will not inhabit them; though they plant vineyards, they will not drink wine from them.
14 Usuku olukhulu lweNkosi luseduze, luseduze, luyaphangisa kakhulu; ilizwi losuku lweNkosi; iqhawe lizakhala khona kabuhlungu.
Near is the day of the Lord! Near and rapidly approaching! Near is the bitter day of the Lord, and the scream of the warrior.
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 trouble and distress, a day of destruction and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness,
16 usuku lophondo lolomkhosi omelene lemizi ebiyelwe ngemithangala, lolumelene lezingonsi eziphakemeyo.
a day of the trumpet and battle-cry, against the fortified 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 the people and they will walk as the blind, because they have sinned against the Lord, and their blood will be poured out as dust and their flesh as 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 will be able to save them. For in the day of the wrath of the Lord and in the fire of his fury the whole earth will be consumed. For he will make a speedy end of all the inhabitants of the earth.
