UMikha 5
1 Khathesi buthana ube ngamaviyo, wena ndodakazi yeviyo; yena ubekile ukuvimbezela ngakithi; ngenduku bazatshaya umahluleli wakoIsrayeli esihlathini.
Now you shall gather yourself in troops, daughter of troops. He has laid siege against us. They will strike the judge of Israel with a rod on the cheek.
2 Kodwa wena, Bhethelehema Efratha, lanxa umncinyane phakathi kwezinkulungwane zakoJuda, uzaphuma kuwe eze kimi lowo ozakuba ngumbusi koIsrayeli; okuphuma kwakhe ngokwasendulo, ezinsukwini zaphakade.
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, being small amongst the clans of Judah, out of you one will come out to me who is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings out are from of old, from ancient times.
3 Ngakho uzabanikela, kuze kube yisikhathi sokuthi lowo ohelelwayo azale; khona insali yabafowabo izabuyela ebantwaneni bakoIsrayeli.
Therefore he will abandon them until the time that she who is in labour gives birth. Then the rest of his brothers will return to the children of Israel.
4 Njalo uzakuma eluse emandleni eNkosi, ekuphakameni kwebizo leNkosi uNkulunkulu wakhe; njalo bazahlala; ngoba khathesi uzakuba mkhulu kuze kube semikhawulweni yomhlaba.
He shall stand, and shall shepherd in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. They will live, for then he will be great to the ends of the earth.
5 Njalo lumuntu uzakuba yikuthula; lapho umAsiriya engena elizweni lakithi, lalapho enyathela ezigodlweni zethu, kulapho sizamvusela abelusi abayisikhombisa, leziphathamandla zabantu eziyisificaminwembili.
He will be our peace when Assyria invades our land and when he marches through our fortresses, then we will raise against him seven shepherds, and eight leaders of men.
6 Njalo bazalidla ilizwe leAsiriya ngenkemba, lelizwe likaNimrodi ezintubeni zalo. Ngalokho uzasophula kumAsiriya lapho engena elizweni lakithi, lalapho enyathela phakathi komngcele wethu.
They will rule the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in its gates. He will deliver us from the Assyrian, when he invades our land, and when he marches within our border.
7 Lensali kaJakobe izakuba phakathi kwezizwe ezinengi njengamazolo avela eNkosini, njengemikhizo phezu kotshani, okungalindeli muntu, lokungameleli bantwana babantu.
The remnant of Jacob will be amongst many peoples like dew from the LORD, like showers on the grass, that don’t wait for man nor wait for the sons of men.
8 Lensali kaJakobe izakuba phakathi kwezizwe, phakathi kwabezizwe abanengi, njengesilwane phakathi kwezinyamazana zeganga, njengebhongo lesilwane phakathi kwemihlambi yezimvu; elithi lapho lisedlula, linyathelele phansi lidabudabule, kungekho ongophula.
The remnant of Jacob will be amongst the nations, amongst many peoples, like a lion amongst the animals of the forest, like a young lion amongst the flocks of sheep; who, if he goes through, treads down and tears in pieces, and there is no one to deliver.
9 Isandla sakho sizaphakama phezu kwabamelana lawe, njalo zonke izitha zakho zizaqunywa.
Let your hand be lifted up above your adversaries, and let all of your enemies be cut off.
10 Kuzakuthi-ke ngalolosuku, itsho iNkosi, ngiqume amabhiza akho aphume phakathi kwakho, ngichithe izinqola zakho.
“It will happen in that day”, says the LORD, “that I will cut off your horses from amongst you and will destroy your chariots.
11 Njalo ngizaquma imizi yelizwe lakho, ngidilizele phansi zonke izinqaba zakho.
I will cut off the cities of your land and will tear down all your strongholds.
12 Njalo ngizaquma ubuthakathi esandleni sakho; kawusayikuba lezanuse.
I will destroy witchcraft from your hand. You shall have no soothsayers.
13 Njalo ngizaquma izithombe zakho ezibaziweyo lezinsika zakho eziyizithombe zisuke phakathi kwakho; kawusayikuphinda ukhothamele umsebenzi wezandla zakho.
I will cut off your engraved images and your pillars from amongst you; and you shall no more worship the work of your hands.
14 Njalo ngizasiphuna izixuku zakho ziphume phakathi kwakho, ngichithe imizi yakho.
I will uproot your Asherah poles from amongst you; and I will destroy your cities.
15 Njalo ngizakwenza impindiselo ngentukuthelo langolaka kuzo izizwe ezingalalelanga.
I will execute vengeance in anger and wrath on the nations that didn’t listen.”
