Amos 3
1 Listen to this message, Israelites, which the Lord has spoken against you, against the whole nation that I brought out of Egypt:
Zwanini ilizwi elikhulunywe nguThixo ngani lina bantu bako-Israyeli Lomndeni wonke engawukhupha eGibhithe:
2 You alone have I cared for of all the nations of the world, this is why I will punish you for your crimes.
“Yini kuphela engalikhethayo kuyo yonke imideni yasemhlabeni; ngakho ngizalijezisela zonke izono zenu.”
3 Do two walk together unless they agreed to meet?
Ababili bayahamba bendawonye ngaphandle kokuba bevumelene ukwenzanjalo na?
4 Does a lion roar in the forest when there is no prey for him? Does a young lion cry out in his den unless he has caught something?
Isilwane siyabhonga ehlathini kungelalutho esingalubamba na? Siyabhonga esikhundleni saso singabambanga lutho na?
5 Does a bird swoop down into a trap if no bait is set for it? Does a trap spring up from the ground if nothing sets it off?
Inyoni iyabanjwa emhlabathini okungelamjibila othiywe khona na? Umjibila uyathanca usuke emhlabathini kungelalutho olubambayo na?
6 Can a trumpet be blown in a city and the people not tremble? Can disaster strike a city and the Lord not have caused it?
Lapho icilongo likhala edolobheni abantu kabethuki na? Lapho incithakalo isehlela idolobho kayenziwanga nguThixo na?
7 Surely the Lord God does nothing without revealing his purpose to his servants the prophets.
Impela uThixo Wobukhosi kenzi lutho engavezanga icebo lakhe ezincekwini zakhe abaphrofethi.
8 The lion has roared; who does not fear? The Lord God has spoken; who will not prophesy?
Isilwane sibhongile, ngubani ongayikwesaba na? UThixo Wobukhosi usekhulumile ngubani ongayekela ukuphrofitha na?
9 Proclaim over the palaces in Ashdod, and over the palaces in the land of Egypt: Gather upon the mountain of Samaria, and see the violent turmoil, the acts of oppression in her midst.
Memezelani ezinqabeni zase-Ashidodi lasezinqabeni zaseGibhithe lithi: “Buthanani phezu kwezintaba zaseSamariya; libone isiyaluyalu esikhulu phakathi kwayo lokuncindezela phakathi kwabantu bayo.”
10 For they do not know how to do right. They are heaping up violence and oppression in their palaces, says the Lord.
“Kabakwazi ukwenza okulungileyo,” kutsho uThixo, “bona ababuthelela impango baphange lasezinqabeni zabo.”
11 Therefore the Lord God says: An enemy will surround the land, he will strip your strength from you. and your palaces will be looted.
Ngakho uThixo Wobukhosi uthi: “Isitha sizachitha ilizwe; sizadiliza izinqaba zenu, siphange izinqaba zenu.”
12 The Lord says: Just as a shepherd rescues from the jaws of a lion two shinbones or a piece of an ear, so the Israelites living in Sameria will be rescued – with the corner of a couch, and the damask of a divan!
Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: “Njengomelusi ehlenga emlonyeni wesilwane amathambo amabili kuphela omlenze loba isiqa sendlebe, bazahlengwa kanjalo abako-Israyeli abahlala eSamariya bethithibele ekucineni kwemibheda yabo, kanye laseDamaseko phezu kwemibheda yabo yokuphumulela.”
13 Listen and testify against the house of Jacob, says the Lord God, the God of hosts.
“Zwanini lokhu lifakaze ngendlu kaJakhobe,” kutsho iNkosi, uThixo uNkulunkulu uSomandla.
14 On the day when I punish Israel for their crimes, I will also visit in judgment the altars of Bethel, the horns of the altar will be hacked off, and they will fall to the ground.
“Ngosuku engizajezisela u-Israyeli izono zakhe ngizabhidliza ama-alithare aseBhetheli; impondo ze-alithare zizaqunywa ziwele emhlabathini.
15 I will destroy the winter houses together with the summer houses and the houses of ivory will perish. Many great houses will be swept away, says the Lord.
Ngizadiliza indlu yebusika kanye lendlu yehlobo, izindlu eziceciswe ngempondo zendlovu zizadilizwa lezindlu ezinkulu zizabhidlizwa,” kutsho uThixo.
