Joel 2
1 Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD comes, for it is close at hand:
Vuthelani uphondo eZiyoni, lihlabe umkhosi entabeni yami engcwele; kabathuthumele bonke abahlali belizwe, ngoba usuku lweNkosi luyeza, ngoba luseduze.
2 A day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness. As the dawn spreading on the mountains, a great and strong people; there has never been the like, neither will there be any more after them, even to the years of many generations.
Usuku lomnyama lobumnyama, usuku lwamayezi lomnyama onzima, njengemadabukakusa lembese phezu kwezintaba; isizwe esikhulu lesilamandla, kakuzanga kube khona esinjengaso kusukela endulo, futhi kakusayikuba khona emva kwaso kuze kube yiminyaka yezizukulwana lezizukulwana.
3 A fire devours before them, and behind them, a flame burns. The land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them, a desolate wilderness. Yes, and no one has escaped them.
Umlilo uyaqeda phambi kwaso, langemva kwaso kuvutha ilangabi. Phambi kwaso ilizwe lifanana lesivande seEdeni, kodwa ngemva kwaso liyinkangala yencithakalo; yebo kakulakuphunyuka kuso.
4 Their appearance is as the appearance of horses, and they run as horsemen.
Isimo saso sinjengesimo samabhiza, lanjengabagadi bamabhiza ngokunjalo bazagijima.
5 Like the noise of chariots on the tops of the mountains, they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devours the stubble, like a strong people set in battle array.
Bazakweqa njengomsindo wezinqola ezingqongeni zezintaba, njengomsindo welangabi lomlilo oqeda izidindi, njengabantu abalamandla abahlelelwe impi.
6 At their presence the peoples are in anguish. All faces have grown pale.
Phambi kobuso babo abantu bazakuba lobuhlungu; bonke ubuso buzanyukumala.
7 They run like mighty men. They climb the wall like warriors. They each march in his line, and they do not swerve off course.
Bazagijima njengamaqhawe, bakhwele imiduli njengamadoda empi, bahambe ngulowo lalowo ngezindlela zakhe, kabayikuphambuka emikhondweni yabo.
8 One does not jostle another. They each march in their own path. They burst through the defenses and do not break ranks.
Kabasunduzani omunye lomunye; bazahamba ngulowo lalowo ngomgwaqo wakhe omkhulu; lapho bewela phezu kwesikhali, kabayikulimala.
9 They rush on the city. They run on the wall. They climb up into the houses. They enter in at the windows like thieves.
Bazahaluzela bedabula umuzi, bagijime phezu komduli, bakhwele bangene ezindlini, bangene ngamawindi njengesela.
10 The earth quakes before them. The heavens tremble. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.
Umhlaba uzanyikinyeka phambi kwabo, amazulu athuthumele; ilanga lenyanga kube mnyama, lezinkanyezi zigodle ukukhanya kwazo.
11 The LORD thunders his voice before his army, for his forces are very great; for he is strong who obeys his command; for the day of the LORD is great and very awesome, and who can endure it?
Njalo iNkosi izakhupha ilizwi layo phambi kwebutho layo, ngoba inkamba yayo inkulu kakhulu; ngoba ilamandla eyenza ilizwi layo; ngoba usuku lweNkosi lukhulu, luyesabeka kakhulu; ngubani-ke ongalumela?
12 “Yet even now,” says the LORD, “turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.”
Ngakho lakhathesi, itsho iNkosi, phendukelani kimi ngenhliziyo yenu yonke, langokuzila ukudla, langokukhala inyembezi, langokulila.
13 Tear your heart and not your garments, and turn to the LORD, your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and relents from sending calamity.
Lidabule inhliziyo yenu, hatshi izembatho zenu, liphendukele eNkosini, uNkulunkulu wenu, ngoba ilesisa lesihawu, iphuza ukuthukuthela, njalo inkulu ngomusa, iyazisola ngobubi.
14 Who knows? He may turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, even a meal offering and a drink offering to the LORD, your God.
Ngubani owaziyo, ingaphenduka izisole, itshiye isibusiso ngemva kwayo, umnikelo wokudla lomnikelo wokunathwayo eNkosini, uNkulunkulu wenu.
15 Blow the trumpet in Zion! Sanctify a fast. Call a solemn assembly.
Vuthelani uphondo eZiyoni, yehlukanisani ukuzila ukudla, libize umhlangano onzulu,
16 Gather the people. Sanctify the assembly. Assemble the elders. Gather the children, and those who nurse from breasts. Let the bridegroom go out of his room, and the bride out of her chamber.
libuthanise abantu, lingcwelise ibandla, lihlanganise abadala, libuthanise abantwana, labamunya amabele; umyeni kaphume ekamelweni lakhe, lomakoti ekamelweni lakhe.
17 Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, “Spare your people, LORD, and do not give your heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”
Kakuthi abapristi, izikhonzi zeNkosi, bakhale inyembezi phakathi kwekhulusi lelathi, bathi: Yekela abantu bakho, Nkosi; unganikeli ilifa lakho ehlazweni, ukuthi abahedeni bababuse. Bazatsholoni phakathi kwezizwe ukuthi: Ungaphi uNkulunkulu wabo?
18 Then the LORD was jealous for his land, and had pity on his people.
Khona iNkosi izatshisekela ilizwe layo, ihawukele abantu bayo.
19 The LORD answered his people, “Behold, I will send you grain, new wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied with them; and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations.
Yebo iNkosi izaphendula ithi ebantwini bayo: Khangelani, ngizalithumela amabele lewayini elitsha lamafutha, ukuthi lisuthe ngakho; kangisayikulenza inhlamba phakathi kwezizwe.
20 But I will remove the northern army far away from you, and will drive it into a barren and desolate land, its front into the eastern sea, and its back into the western sea; and its stench will come up, and its bad smell will rise.” Surely he has done great things.
Kodwa ngizasusela khatshana lani okuvela enyakatho, ngikuxotshele elizweni elomileyo leliyinkangala, ubuso bakho buqonde ngaselwandle lwempumalanga, lokucina kwakho ngaselwandle olungemuva; njalo kwenyuke ivumba lakho, kwenyuke iphunga lakho elibi, ngoba kwenze izinto ezinkulu.
21 Land, do not be afraid. Be glad and rejoice, for the LORD has done great things.
Ungesabi, lizwe, jabula uthokoze, ngoba iNkosi yenze izinto ezinkulu.
22 Do not be afraid, you animals of the field; for the pastures of the wilderness spring up, for the tree bears its fruit. The fig tree and the vine yield their strength.
Lingesabi, zinyamazana zeganga, ngoba amadlelo enkangala asehlumile; ngoba isihlahla sithela isithelo saso, umkhiwa levini kunike amandla akho.
23 “Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD, your God; for he gives you the early rain in just measure, and he causes the rain to come down for you, the early rain and the latter rain, as before.
Lani bantwana beZiyoni, thabani lithokoze eNkosini, uNkulunkulu wenu; ngoba ilinikile izulu lensewula ngokulunga, yalinisela izulu, izulu lensewula lezulu lamuva njengakuqala.
24 The threshing floors will be full of wheat, and the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.
Lamabala okubhulela azagcwala amabele, lezikhamelo zewayini ziphuphume ngewayini elitsha lamafutha.
25 I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the great locust, the grasshopper, and the caterpillar, my great army, which I sent among you.
Njalo ngizabuyisela kini iminyaka eyadliwa yintothoviyane, yisikhonyane, leqhwagi, lenswabanda, ibutho lami elikhulu engalithumela phakathi kwenu.
26 You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied, and will praise the name of the LORD, your God, who has dealt wondrously with you; and my people will never again be disappointed.
Njalo lizakudla lokudla, lisuthe, lidumise ibizo leNkosi, uNkulunkulu wenu, oliphethe ngokumangalisayo. Njalo abantu bami kabayikuyangiswa lanininini.
27 You will know that I am among Israel, and that I am the LORD, your God, and there is no one else; and my people will never again be disappointed.
Njalo lizakwazi ukuthi ngiphakathi kukaIsrayeli, lokuthi ngiyiNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu, njalo kakho omunye. Njalo abantu bami kabayikuyangiswa lanininini.
28 “It will happen afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions.
Kuzakuthi emva kwalokho ngithele uMoya wami phezu kwayo yonke inyama; njalo amadodana enu lamadodakazi enu azaprofetha; abadala benu baphuphe amaphupho, amajaha enu abone imibono.
29 And also on the servants and on the handmaids in those days, I will pour out my Spirit.
Yebo, laphezu kwenceku laphezu kwencekukazi ngizathela uMoya wami ngalezonsuku.
30 I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood, fire, and pillars of smoke.
Njalo ngizaveza izimangaliso emazulwini lemhlabeni, igazi, lomlilo, lezinsika zentuthu.
31 The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes.
Ilanga lizaphenduka libe ngumnyama, lenyanga ibe ligazi, lungakafiki usuku lweNkosi olukhulu lolwesabekayo.
32 It will happen that whoever will call on the LORD’s name shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, as the LORD has said, and among the remnant, those whom the LORD calls.
Kuzakuthi-ke loba ngubani ozabiza ibizo leNkosi asindiswe; ngoba entabeni yeZiyoni leJerusalema kuzakuba khona ukukhululwa, njengokutsho kweNkosi, laphakathi kwabaseleyo iNkosi ezababiza.
