< Nahum 2 >

1 He who dashes in pieces has come up against you. Keep the fortress! Watch the way! Strengthen your waist! Fortify your power mightily!
Umhlaseli uyasondela kuwe, Nineve. Vikela inqaba, linda umgwaqo, zilungiselele, qoqa wonke amandla akho!
2 For Yahweh restores the excellency of Jacob as the excellency of Israel, for the destroyers have destroyed them and ruined their vine branches.
UThixo uzabuyisela ubuhle bukaJakhobe njengobuhle buka-Israyeli, lanxa abachithi bebaqothule batshabalalisa lezivini zabo.
3 The shield of his mighty men is made red. The valiant men are in scarlet. The chariots flash with steel in the day of his preparation, and the pine spears are brandished.
Amahawu amabutho akhe abomvu, amabutho agqoke okubomvu gebhu. Insimbi ezinqoleni zempi iyaphazima ngosuku ezilungiselwe ngalo; imikhonto yesihlahla sephayini iyazunguzwa.
4 The chariots rage in the streets. They rush back and forth in the wide ways. Their appearance is like torches. They run like the lightnings.
Izinqola zempi zihlasela ngesiqubu emigwaqweni, zisiya emuva laphambili ezigcawini. Zinjengezibane ezikhanyisiweyo; ziyaphaziphazima njengombane.
5 He summons his picked troops. They stumble on their way. They dash to its wall, and the protective shield is put in place.
Ubiza amabutho akhe akhethiweyo kodwa ayakhubeka endleleni yawo. Agijimela emdulini wedolobho; isivikelo silungiswe.
6 The gates of the rivers are opened, and the palace is dissolved.
Amasango omfula ayavulwa, indlu yobukhosi ibhidlike.
7 It is decreed: she is uncovered, she is carried away; and her servants moan as with the voice of doves, beating on their breasts.
Kumiswe ukuthi idolobho lizathunjwa, abantu balo basiwe ebugqilini. Izintombi zalo eziyizigqili zikhala njengamajuba zizitshaya amabele azo.
8 But Nineveh has been from of old like a pool of water, yet they flee away. “Stop! Stop!” they cry, but no one looks back.
INiniva injengesiziba, njalo amanzi aso ageleza ehamba. Bayaklabalala besithi, “Mana! Mana!” Kodwa kakho onyemukulayo.
9 Take the plunder of silver. Take the plunder of gold, for there is no end of treasure, an abundance of every precious thing.
Phangani isiliva! Phangani igolide! Umthapho kawupheli, inotho evela eziphaleni zayo zonke!
10 She is empty, void, and waste. The heart melts, the knees knock together, their bodies and faces have grown pale.
Ibhuqiwe, iphangiwe, iphundliwe! Inhliziyo ziphela amandla, amadolo ayaxega, imizimba iyaqhaqhazela, ubuso bonke bunyukubele.
11 Where is the den of the lions, and the feeding place of the young lions, where the lion and the lioness walked with the lion’s cubs, and no one made them afraid?
Khathesi-ke ungaphi umhome wezilwane, lapho ezinikela khona abantwana bazo ukudla, lapho okwaya khona isilwane lesilwanekazi, kanye lemidlwane, kungekho lutho olwesatshwayo na?
12 The lion tore in pieces enough for his cubs, and strangled prey for his lionesses, and filled his caves with the kill and his dens with prey.
Isilwane sibulalele imidlwane yaso okwaneleyo sabambela lesilwanekazi saso okwenyama yokudliwa, sagcwalisa isikhundla saso ngesikujimbileyo lomhome waso ngenyama.
13 “Behold, I am against you,” says Yahweh of Armies, “and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword will devour your young lions; and I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers will no longer be heard.”
“Ngimelane lawe,” kutsho uThixo uSomandla. “Ngizazitshisa izinqola zakho zempi zibe yintuthu; lenkemba izakudla izilwane zakho ezisakhulayo. Kangiyikukutshiyela ongakubamba ukudle njengenyama emhlabeni. Amazwi ezithunywa zakho kawasayikuzwakala futhi.”

< Nahum 2 >