Zephaniah 3
1 Woe to the rebellious and unclean city of oppression,
Maye kulo idolobho labancindezeli, elihlamukayo lelingcolileyo!
2 She has not obeyed the voice, she has not accepted instruction, In the Lord she has not trusted, to her God she has not drawn near.
Kalilaleli muntu, kalivumi kukhuzwa. Kalithembeli kuThixo, kalisondeli kuNkulunkulu walo.
3 Her rulers in her midst are roaring lions. Her judges are evening wolves, who leave nothing over until the morning,
Izikhulu zalo ziyizilwane ezibhongayo, ababusi balo bazimpisi zakusihlwa, ezingatshiyi lutho lwekuseni.
4 Her prophets are braggarts, faithless men. Her priests profane what is holy and do violence to the law.
Abaphrofethi balo bayazazisa; bangabantu bamacebo amabi. Abaphristi balo bangcolisa indawo engcwele bephule lomthetho.
5 The Lord is righteous in her midst, he does no wrong, Morning by morning he establishes his decree, Light is not lacking, an oversight is unknown. But the unjust know no shame.
UThixo phakathi kwalo ulungile; kenzi okubi, nsuku zonke ekuseni wenza ukulunga kwakhe njalo kaphambanisi ukusa kwamalanga wonke, ikanti abangalunganga kabalanhloni.
6 ‘I have cut off nations, their turrets are destroyed; I have laid waste their broad streets, so that none passes over them. Desolate are their cities without people, without inhabitants.’
“Ngizichithile izizwe; izinqaba zazo zidiliziwe. Ngitshiye imigwaqo yazo ideliwe kungekho odlula khona. Amadolobho azo adiliziwe; kakho ozasala kakho lamunye.
7 I said: ‘Surely the city will fear me, she will accept instruction. Nothing will vanish from her eyes that I have impressed upon her; But the more zealously have they made all their deeds corrupt.’
Ngathi kulo idolobho, ‘Impela uzangesaba uvume ukukhuzwa!’ Lapho-ke indlu yalo yokuhlala yayingayikudilizwa loba isijeziso sami sehlele phezu kwalo. Kodwa babelokhu betshisekela izenzo zokuxhwala kukho konke abakwenzayo.
8 Wait for me, is the Lord’s message, until the day when I stand up as a witness, for it is my fixed purpose to gather the nations, to collect the kingdoms, to pour upon them my wrath and my hot anger; for by the fire of my fury will all the earth be consumed.
Ngakho ngilindela,” kutsho uThixo, “lolusuku engizasukuma ngalo ngifakaze. Sengimise ukubuthanisa izizwe, ngiqoqe imibuso, ngehlisele ulaka lwami phezu kwabo konke ukuthukuthela kwami okukhulu. Umhlaba wonke uzaqothulwa ngomlilo womona wentukuthelo yami.”
9 For then I will purify the lips of all peoples, so that they will all call on the Lord’s name, to serve him with one accord.
“Lapho-ke ngizahlambulula izindebe zezizwe, ukuze zonke zikhuleke ebizweni likaThixo zimkhonze zimanyane.
10 From beyond the rivers of Cush my worshipers will bring me offerings.
Kusukela ngaphetsheya kwemifula yaseKhushi abakhonzi bami, abantu bami abahlakazekileyo, bazangilethela iminikelo.
11 On that day you will no longer be ashamed of all your deeds by which you rebelled against me. For I will rid you of your proudly arrogant ones, and you will never again be haughty on my holy mountain.
Ngalolosuku kaliyikuyangiswa ngobubi bonke elabenza kimi, ngoba ngizabasusa kulelidolobho abathokoziswa yikuzigqaja kwabo. Kaliyikuzikhukhumeza futhi entabeni yami engcwele.
12 But I will leave in your midst a people humble and poor, and the remnant of Israel will trust in the name of the Lord.
Kodwa ngizatshiya phakathi kwenu abathambileyo labathobekileyo, abathembele ebizweni likaThixo.
13 They will not do evil, nor speak falsehood, and a deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouth; but they will pasture and lie down, and no one will make them afraid.
Kabayikwenza okubi; kabayikuqamba amanga, loba kube lenkohliso emilonyeni yabo. Bazakudla balale phansi, kakho ozabenza besabe.”
14 Cry out with joy, daughter of Zion, shout aloud, Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem.
Hlabela wena Ndodakazi yeZiyoni, klabalala kakhulu, wena Israyeli! Thaba uthokoze ngenhliziyo yakho yonke wena ndodakazi yaseJerusalema!
15 The Lord has put away your adversaries, he has turned away your foes; the Lord is king in your midst, you will fear evil no more.
UThixo usesisusile isijeziso sakho, usesixotshile isitha sakho. UThixo, iNkosi ka-Israyeli, ulawe; akulangozi ozaphinda uyesabe futhi.
16 In that day it will be said to Jerusalem: Fear not! Zion, let not your hands grow weak!
Ngalolosuku bazakuthi kulo iJerusalema, “Ungesabi, wena Ziyoni; ungavumeli ukuba izandla zakho zibe buthakathaka.
17 The Lord your God is in your midst, a victorious hero. He will rejoice over you with joy, he will renew his love, he will exult over you with singing,
UThixo uNkulunkulu wakho ulawe, ulamandla okusindisa. Uzathokoza kakhulu ngawe, uzakududuza ngothando lwakhe, uzakuthokozela ngokuhlabelela.”
18 as on a day of festival. I will take away from you your disgrace, and put away from you your reproach.
“Insizi zemikhosi emisiweyo ngizazisusa kuwe; zingumthwalo lehlazo kuwe.
19 I will destroy at that time all who afflict you. I will deliver the lame, and gather the outcast, I will make them an object of renown and fame in all the earth.
Ngalesosikhathi ngizababona bonke abalincindezelayo; ngizahlenga abaqhulayo ngibuthe lalabo abahlakazwayo, ngizabapha udumo lenhlonipho kuwo wonke amazwe lapho abahlaziswa khona.
20 I will do good to you, at the time when I gather you. For I will make you an object of fame and renown among all the peoples of the earth; when I bring back your captivity before your eyes. This says the Lord.
Ngalesosikhathi ngizalibutha; ngalesosikhathi ngizalisa ekhaya. Ngizalipha inhlonipho lodumo phakathi kwezizwe zonke zasemhlabeni lapho sengiliphumelelisa futhi phambi kwamehlo enu uqobo,” kutsho uThixo.
