< U-Obhadiya 1 >

1 Umbono Ka-Obhadaya. Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi nge-Edomi: Sesizwe ilizwi elivela kuThixo: Kuthunywe isithunywa ezizweni ukuba sithi, “Phakamani, asihambeni silwe laye impi”:
The vision of Obadiah. The Lord Yahweh says this concerning Edom: We have heard a report from Yahweh and an ambassador has been sent among the nations, saying, “Rise up! Let us rise up against her for battle!”
2 “Khangela, ngizakwenza ube mncinyane phakathi kwezizwe; uzakweyiswa kakhulu.
Behold, I will make you small among the nations, you will be greatly despised.
3 Ukuzigqaja kwenhliziyo yakho sekukukhohlisile, wena ohlala ezingoxweni zamadwala wakhe umuzi wakho eziqongweni, wena ozitshela uthi, ‘Ngubani ongangiwisela phansi enhlabathini na?’
The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rock, in your lofty home; who say in your heart, “Who will bring me down to the ground?”
4 Lanxa uqonga njengengqungqulu wakhe isidleke sakho phakathi kwezinkanyezi, ngizakwethula khonale,” kutsho uThixo.
Though you soar high like the eagle and though your nest is set among the stars, I will bring you down from there, says Yahweh.
5 “Nxa amasela efike kuwe, nxa abaphangi ebusuku, Awu, yeka ubukhulu bomonakalo okulindeleyo, kabayikuntshontsha kuphela lokho okwanele abakufunayo na? Nxa abavuni bamavini befike kuwe, kabangeke batshiye amalutshwana na?
If thieves came to you, if robbers came by night—how you will be ruined!—would they not steal only as much as they needed? If grape gatherers came to you, would they not leave the gleanings?
6 Kodwa yeka ukuphangwa okuzakwenziwa u-Esawu, inotho yakhe efihliweyo izathunjwa!
How Esau has been ransacked, his hidden treasures will be searched out!
7 Bonke abamanyane lawe bazakuxotshela emngceleni; abangane bakho bazakukhohlisa bakunqobe; labo abadla ukudla kwakho bazakuthiya ngomjibila, kodwa wena kawuyikuwubona.
All the men of your alliance will send you on your way to the border. The men who were at peace with you have deceived you, and prevailed against you. They who eat your bread have set a trap under you. There is no understanding in him.
8 Ngalolosuku,” kutsho uThixo, “kangiyikuwabhubhisa yini amadoda ahlakaniphileyo ase-Edomi, amadoda aqedisisayo ezintabeni zako-Esawu na?
“Will I not on that day,” says Yahweh, “destroy the wise men from Edom and understanding out of the mountain of Esau?
9 Amabutho akho, wena Themani, azathuthumela, njalo bonke abasezintabeni zako-Esawu bazacakazelwa phansi ekubulaweni kwabanengi.
Your mighty men will be dismayed, Teman, so that every man may be cut off from the mountain of Esau by slaughter.
10 Ngenxa yodlakela kumfowenu uJakhobe, uzakwembeswa lihlazo; uzachithwa nini lanini.
Because of the violence done to your brother Jacob, you will be covered with shame, and you will be cut off forever.
11 Ngosuku owema ngalo khatshana mhla izihambi zithumba inotho yakhe labezizweni bengena emasangweni akhe bephosa inkatho ngeJerusalema, wawunjengomunye wabo.
On the day you stood aloof, on the day strangers carried away his wealth, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them.
12 Akumelanga weyise umfowenu ngosuku lokuhlupheka kwakhe, loba uthokoze ngabantu bakoJuda ngosuku lokubhujiswa kwabo, loba uklamase kangaka ngosuku lokuhlupheka kwabo.
But do not gloat over your brother's day, in the day of his misfortune, and do not rejoice over the people of Judah in the day of their destruction; do not boast in the day of their distress.
13 Akumelanga ungene ngamasango abantu bami ngosuku lomonakalo wabo, loba ubeyise osizini lwabo ngosuku lomonakalo wabo, loba uthumbe inotho yabo ngosuku lomonakalo wabo.
Do not enter my people's gate in the day of their calamity; do not gloat over their affliction in the day of their disaster, do not loot their wealth in the day of their ruin.
14 Akumelanga ume emahlukanandlela ukuba ubulale ababalekayo babo, loba unikele abaphephileyo babo ngosuku lokuhlupheka kwabo.
Do not stand at the crossroads to cut down his fugitives, and do not deliver up his survivors in the day of distress.
15 Usuku lukaThixo selusondele ezizweni zonke. Njengalokho okwenzileyo, yikho okuzakwenziwa kuwe; izenzo zakho zizaphendukela phezu kwekhanda lakho.
For the day of Yahweh is near upon all the nations. As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return on your own head.
16 Njengokunatha elakwenzayo entabeni yami, ngokunjalo izizwe zonke zizanatha njalonjalo; zizanatha, zinathe kuze kube angathi kazizange zivele zibe khona.
For as you have drunk on my holy mountain, so will all the nations drink continually. They will drink and swallow and it will be as though they had never existed.
17 Kodwa phezu kweNtaba iZiyoni kuzakuba lokusindiswa; kuzakuba ngcwele, lendlu kaJakhobe izazuza ilifa layo.
But in Mount Zion there will be those that escape and it will be holy; and the house of Jacob shall possess their own possessions.
18 Indlu kaJakhobe izakuba ngumlilo lendlu kaJosefa ibe lilangabi; indlu ka-Esawu izakuba libibi, njalo bazayithungela ngomlilo ozayiqothula. Akuyikuba khona abasilayo endlini ka-Esawu.” UThixo usekhulumile.
The house of Jacob will be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau will be stubble, and they will burn them, and consume them. There will be no survivors to the house of Esau, for Yahweh has spoken it.”
19 Abantu abavela eNegebi bazathumba izintaba zako-Esawu, labantu abavela emawatheni ezintaba bazathumba ilizwe lamaFilistiya. Bazathumba amasimu ako-Efrayimi lawaseSamariya, loBhenjamini uzathumba iGiliyadi.
Those from the Negev will possess the mount of Esau and those of the Shepelah will possess the land of the Philistines. They will possess the land of Ephraim and the land of Samaria; and Benjamin will possess Gilead.
20 Lelibutho labako-Israyeli abathunjwayo abaseKhenani lizalithatha ilizwe kusiyafika eZarefathi; abathunjwa eJerusalema abaseSefaradi bazathatha amadolobho aseNegebi.
The exiles of this host of the people of Israel will possess the land of Canaan as far as Zarephath. The exiles of Jerusalem, who are in Sepharad, will possess the cities of the Negev.
21 Abakhululi bazakhwela iNtaba iZiyoni ukuba babuse izintaba zako-Esawu. Njalo umbuso uzakuba ngokaThixo.
Deliverers will go up to Mount Zion to rule over the hill country of Esau, and the kingdom will belong to Yahweh.

< U-Obhadiya 1 >