< Amos 2 >

1 This is what the Lord says: The people of Moab have repeatedly sinned and so I will not hesitate to punish them, because they desecrated the bones of the king of Edom by burning them, turning them into lime.
Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: “Ngenxa yezono ezintathu zaseMowabi loba ngenxa yezine, kangiyikulunqanda ulaka lwami, ngoba utshise amathambo enkosi yase-Edomi aze afana lekalaga,
2 So I will send down fire on Moab, and I will burn up the fortresses of Kerioth, and the people of Moab will die in the midst of uproar, battle cries, and the sound of the trumpet.
ngizathumela umlilo kuMowabi ozalobisa izinqaba zaseKheriyothi. UMowabi uzachitheka kulokuxokozela okukhulu lokumenyezelwa kwezitsho zempi lokukhala kwecilongo.
3 I will cut down their king and all their princes with him, says the Lord.
Ngizaqothula ababusi bakhe ngibulale zonke izikhulu zakhe kanye laye,” kutsho uThixo.
4 This is what the Lord says: The people of Judah have repeatedly sinned and so I will not hesitate to punish them, because they rejected the law of the Lord and have not kept his commands. Their lies have led them astray, the same lies that their forefathers followed.
Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: “Ngenxa yezono ezintathu zikaJuda loba ngenxa yezine, kangiyikulunqanda ulaka lwami, ngoba bawalile umthetho kaThixo kabaze bagcina lezimiso zakhe, ngoba badukiswe ngonkulunkulu bamanga, onkulunkulu abalandelwa ngokhokho babo.
5 So I will send down fire on Judah, and I will burn up the fortresses of Jerusalem.
Ngizathumela umlilo koJuda ozalobisa izinqaba zaseJerusalema.”
6 This is what the Lord says: The people of Israel have repeatedly sinned and so I will not hesitate to punish them, because they sell good people for silver, and poor people for a pair of sandals.
Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: “Ngenxa yezono ezintathu zika-Israyeli loba ngenxa yezine, kangiyikulunqanda ulaka lwami ngoba bathengisa abalungileyo ngesiliva, labaswelayo ngamanyathelo.
7 They trample the heads of the poor into the dust, and push the needy out of the way. A man and his father have sex with the same servant girl so that my holy name is profaned.
Banyathela phezu kwamakhanda abayanga njengaphezu kothuli lomhlabathi banqabele imfanelo yabancindezelweyo. Uyise lendodana bembatha lentombi yinye kanjalo bangcolise ibizo lami elingcwele.
8 At every altar they stretch themselves out in clothes taken from debtors as collateral, in the temple of their god they drink wine taken from the people they fined.
Bacambalala phansi emaceleni ama-alithare wonke, phezu kwezembatho ezithethwe ziyizibambiso. Endlini kankulunkulu wabo banatha iwayini elithethwe njengenhlawulo.
9 Yet it was I was the one who destroyed the Amorites before you, even though they were as tall as cedars and as strong as oaks. I destroyed them root and branch.
Ngachitha umʼAmori phambi kwabo, lanxa wayemude njengemisedari njalo eqine njengomʼokhi. Ngachitha izithelo zakhe phezulu kanye lempande zakhe ngaphansi.
10 It was I who brought you out of the land of Egypt and led you through the desert for forty years so that you could take the Amorites' land.
Ngalikhupha eGibhithe ngalikhokhela iminyaka engamatshumi amane enkangala ukuba ngilinike ilizwe lama-Amori.
11 I appointed some of your sons to be prophets, and some of your young men to be Nazirites. Isn't this true, people of Israel?
Ngakhupha labaphrofethi bephuma phakathi kwamadodana enu, kanye lamaNaziri ephuma phakathi kwezinsizwa zenu. Lokhu akuqotho na, bantu bako-Israyeli?” kutsho uThixo.
12 But you made the Nazirites sin by drinking wine, and you told the prophets, “Don't tell us what God says.”
“Kodwa lanathisa amaNaziri iwayini, lalaya abaphrofethi ukuba bangaphrofethi.
13 Now see what I am going to do. I will crush you where you are, as if crushed by a heavy cart loaded down with sheaves of grain.
Khathesi-ke mina ngizalichoboza njengokuchoboza kwenqola ithwele amabele.
14 Not even your fastest runners will escape; strong men will lose their strength. Even the greatest warrior will not be able to save his life.
Olejubane kayikubaleka, oqinileyo uzawaswela amandla akhe, lebutho kaliyikusindisa impilo yalo.
15 The archer will not stand his ground. The quickest on his feet will not be able to get away, and even those on horseback will not save themselves.
Umtshoki akayikugxila, ibutho elilejubane kaliyikuphunyuka lomgadi webhiza kayikusindisa impilo yakhe.
16 On that day even the bravest of the mighty warriors will run away naked, says the Lord.
Lebutho elilesibindi kakhulu, ngalolosuku lizabaleka linqunu,” kutsho uThixo.

< Amos 2 >