Micah 5
1 Gather your troops together, Jerusalem! An enemy is besieging us. They will strike Israel's leader on the cheek with a rod.
Hlomisa amabutho akho, wena dolobho lamabutho, ngoba sesivinjezelwe. Bazatshaya umbusi wako-Israyeli esihlathini ngomqwayi.
2 But from you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, (though you are only a small place in Judah), will come a ruler of Israel to do my will. His existence is from the ages of eternity past.
“Kodwa wena Bhethilehema Efrathi, lanxa umncinyane phakathi kwezizwana zakoJuda, kuwe kuzavela ozakuba ngumbusi wako-Israyeli, omdabuko wakhe ngowasekadeni, kusukela ezikhathini zendulo.”
3 So the Lord will give up on them until the woman in labor has given birth. Then the rest of his brothers will return to the people of Israel.
Ngakho u-Israyeli uzadelwa kuze kube yisikhathi sokuthi lowo ohelelwayo abelethe, laba abafowabo bonke baphenduke ukuzahlangana labako-Israyeli.
4 He will stand up and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. They will live in safety because his greatness is recognized all over the world.
Uzakuma eluse umhlambi wakhe ngamandla kaThixo, ngobukhosi bebizo likaThixo uNkulunkulu wakhe. Bazahlala ngokuvikeleka, ngoba lapho udumo lwakhe luzafika emikhawulweni yomhlaba.
5 He will be our source of peace when the Assyrians invade our land and destroy our fortresses. Then we will appoint many strong leaders,
Uzakuba yikuthula kwabo. Lapho umʼAsiriya ehlasela ilizwe lethu edabula phakathi kwezinqaba zethu, sizamvusela abelusi abayisikhombisa, kanye labakhokheli babantu abayisificaminwembili.
6 and they will rule Assyria with their swords, the land of Nimrod with drawn swords. He shall rescue us from the Assyrians when they invade our land, marching across our borders.
Bazabusa ilizwe lase-Asiriya ngenkemba, ilizwe likaNimrodi behlome ngenkemba, uzasikhulula kumʼAsiriya lapho ehlasela ilizwe lethu engena phakathi kwemingcele yethu.
7 Then those who are left of the people of Jacob shall be in the center of many nations, like dew from the Lord, like showers on the grass, which wait for no one, and which no one can delay.
Insalela zabakoJakhobe zizakuba phakathi kwezizwe ezinengi njengamazolo avela kuThixo, lanjengemkhizo phezu kotshani, okungalindeli muntu kumbe kuhlalele abantu.
8 Those who are left of the people of Jacob shall be among many nations, in the center of many peoples. They will be like a lion among the wild animals of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, clawing and tearing as it passes through, with no one to come to the rescue.
Insalela zabakoJakhobe zizakuba phakathi kwezizwe, phakathi kwabantu abanengi, njengesilwane phakathi kwezinyamazana zegusu, lanjengeguqa lesilwane phakathi komhlambi wezimvu, esidlithizayo sidabule ekuhambeni kwaso, kungekho ongahlenga.
9 Lift your hand in triumph against your enemies; all of them will be destroyed.
Isandla sakho sizaphakanyiselwa phezulu ngokunqoba izitha zakho, njalo zonke izitha zakho zizachithwa.
10 On that day, says the Lord, I will kill your horses and break your chariots.
“Ngalolosuku,” kutsho uThixo, “ngizabhubhisa amabhiza enu phakathi kwenu ngibhidlize lezinqola zenu zempi.
11 I will tear down your city walls and demolish your fortresses.
Ngizachitha amadolobho elizwe lenu ngibhidlize lezinqaba zenu zonke.
12 I will stop the witchcraft you practice; there will be no more fortune-tellers for you.
Ngizachitha ubuthakathi benu njalo kalisayikukhunkula futhi.
13 I will smash down the idols and stone pillars that stand among you: you shall not bow down and worship idols that you make with your own hands any more.
Ngizachitha izithombe zenu ezabazwayo lamatshe enu okukhonza phakathi kwenu; kalisayi kuwukhothamela futhi umsebenzi wezandla zenu.
14 I will pull up the Asherah poles that you have and destroy your pagan places.
Ngizasiphula phakathi kwenu izinsika zenu zika-Ashera, ngidilize lamadolobho enu.
15 In anger and fury I will execute vengeance on those nations that do not obey me.
Ngizaphindisela ngentukuthelo langolaka ezizweni ezingangilalelanga.”
