UZefaniya 1
1 Ilizwi leNkosi elafika kuZefaniya, indodana kaKushi, indodana kaGedaliya, indodana kaAmariya, indodana kaHezekhiya, ezinsukwini zikaJosiya, indodana kaAmoni, inkosi yakoJuda.
[I am] Zephaniah, the son of Cushi, the grandson of Gedaliah, and the great-grandson of Amariah, whose father was [King] Hezekiah. Yahweh gave this message to me during the time when [King] Amon’s son Josiah was the King of Judah.
2 Ngizaqeda lokuqeda konke kusuke ebusweni bomhlaba, itsho iNkosi.
Yahweh says, “I will (sweep away/destroy) everything [HYP] that is on the earth.
3 Ngizaqeda umuntu lenyamazana, ngiqede izinyoni zamazulu, lezinhlanzi zolwandle, lezikhubekiso kanye lababi, ngiqume umuntu asuke ebusweni bomhlaba, itsho iNkosi.
I will sweep away people and animals. I will sweep away birds and fish. I will get rid of wicked people; there will be no more [wicked] [HYP] people on the earth.”
4 Futhi ngizakwelulela isandla sami phezu kukaJuda, laphezu kwabo bonke abahlali beJerusalema, ngiqume insali kaBhali isuke kulindawo, ibizo lamaKhemarimi kanye labapristi;
“[These are some of the things that I will do]: I will punish the people who live in Jerusalem and [other places in] Judah. I will destroy everything that has been used in the worship of Baal. I will cause [people] to no longer remember the names of the pagan priests or the [other] priests [who have turned away from me].
5 lalabo abakhonza ibutho lamazulu phezu kwezimpahla zezindlu; lalabo abakhonza bafunge ngeNkosi, njalo bafunge ngoMalikamu,
[I will get rid of] those who go up on the roofs [of their houses] and worship the sun and moon and stars, those who claim that they worship me but [also] worship [their god] Molech.
6 lababuyela emuva ekuyilandeleni iNkosi, labangayidinganga iNkosi, bengayibuzanga.
I will get rid of all those who previously worshiped me but no longer do, those who no [longer] seek my [help or ask me to tell them what they should do.”]
7 Thula ebukhoneni beNkosi uJehova; ngoba usuku lweNkosi luseduze; ngoba iNkosi ilungisile umhlatshelo, yangcwelisa abanxusiweyo bayo.
Be silent in front of Yahweh the Lord, because it will soon be the time/day when Yahweh [will judge and punish people]. Yahweh has prepared to get rid of [the people of Judah]; they will be like [MET] animals that are slaughtered for sacrifices, and he has chosen [their enemies] to be the ones who will get rid of them.
8 Kuzakuthi-ke ngosuku lomhlatshelo weNkosi ngijezise iziphathamandla, lamadodana enkosi, labo bonke abagqoke izigqoko zabezizwe.
Yahweh says, “On that day when I will get rid of [the people of Judah], [I will punish] their officials and the king’s sons, and [I will punish] all those who worship foreign gods [MTY].
9 Langalolosuku ngizajezisa bonke abeqa phezu kombundu, abagcwalisa indlu yamakhosi abo ngodlakela langenkohliso.
I will punish those who [show that they revere their god Dagan] by avoiding stepping on the threshold [of his temple], and those who do violent things and tell lies in the temples of their gods.”
10 Langalolosuku, itsho iNkosi, kuzakuba lelizwi lokukhala livela esangweni lenhlanzi, lokuqhinqa isililo kuvela kwelesibili, lokufohloza okukhulu kuvela emaqaqeni.
Yahweh [also] says, “On that day, people will cry [out] at the Fish Gate [of Jerusalem]. People will wail in the newer part of the city, and [people will hear] a loud crash [of buildings collapsing] in the hills.
11 Qhinqani isililo, lina bahlali beMaketeshi, ngoba bonke abantu abathengisayo baqunyelwe phansi; bonke abathwala isiliva baqunyiwe.
[So, all you] people who live in the market area [of Jerusalem] should wail, because all those who sell goods and weigh out silver will be slaughtered.
12 Kuzakuthi-ke ngalesosikhathi ngihlole iJerusalema ngezibane, ngijezise amadoda ajiyileyo ezinzeceni zawo, athi enhliziyweni yawo: INkosi kayiyikwenza okuhle, futhi kayiyikwenza okubi.
[It will be as though] I will light lanterns to search in [dark places in] Jerusalem for those who have become very satisfied with their behavior and complacent [about their sins]. They think that [I], Yahweh, will do nothing to them, neither good things nor bad things.
13 Ngakho inotho yabo izakuba yimpango, lezindlu zabo zibe lunxiwa. Futhi bazakwakha izindlu, kodwa bangahlali kuzo; njalo bazahlanyela izivini, kodwa banganathi iwayini lazo.
[But I say that] their valuable possessions will be plundered/stolen [by their enemies], and their houses will be destroyed. They will build [new] homes, but they will not live in them; they will plant vineyards, but they will never drink [any] wine [made from grapes that grow there].”
14 Usuku olukhulu lweNkosi luseduze, luseduze, luyaphangisa kakhulu; ilizwi losuku lweNkosi; iqhawe lizakhala khona kabuhlungu.
It will soon be the day/time when Yahweh [will punish people]. It will be here quickly. It will be a time [when people cry] bitterly, a time when [even] brave soldiers will cry loudly.
15 Lolosuku lusuku lolaka, usuku lokuhlupheka losizi, usuku lwencithakalo lokuchitheka, usuku lomnyama lobumnyama, usuku lwamayezi lobumnyama obunzima,
It will be a time when [God shows that he is] very angry, a time when [people experience much] distress/suffering and trouble. [It will be] a time [when many things are] ruined and destroyed [DOU]. It will be a time when it is very gloomy and dark [DOU], when the clouds are very black.
16 usuku lophondo lolomkhosi omelene lemizi ebiyelwe ngemithangala, lolumelene lezingonsi eziphakemeyo.
It will be a time when [soldiers] will blow trumpets [to call other soldiers] to battle. [Your enemies] will tear down the walls around your cities and the high towers [at the corners of those walls].
17 Njalo ngizabacindezela abantu, ukuze bahambe njengeziphofu, ngoba bonile eNkosini; legazi labo lizathululwa njengothuli, lenyama yabo njengobulongwe.
Because you sinned against Yahweh, he will cause you to experience great distress; you will walk [around groping] like [SIM] blind people do. Your blood will flow [from your bodies] like [SIM] water, and your corpses will lie on the ground and rot [SIM].
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.
At the time that [Yahweh shows that he] is very angry [with you], you will not be able to save yourselves by [giving] silver or gold [to your enemies]. Because Yahweh (is very jealous/does not want people to worship any other god), he will send a fire to burn up the entire world, and he will suddenly get rid of all the [wicked] people who live on the earth.
