Revelation 7
1 After this I saw four angels. One was standing at the north, one at the east, one at the south, and one at the west. They were restraining the winds that blew from all directions [MTY] to keep them from blowing [destructively] on the earth or on the ocean or even on any tree.
Emva kwalokhu ngabona izingilosi ezine zimi emagumbini womane omhlaba, zivimbele imimoya emine yomhlaba zisenqabela loba yiwuphi umoya ukuvunguza elizweni loba olwandle loba kwesinye isihlahla.
2 I saw another angel come up from the east. He was carrying God’s seal. [With this] seal God, who is all-powerful, marks [his own people to protect them]. The angel called out with a loud voice to the four angels to whom [he] had given [power] to harm the earth and the ocean. He said
Ngabuya ngabona enye ingilosi isiza ivela empumalanga, ilophawu lukaNkulunkulu ophilayo. Yamemeza ngelizwi elikhulu ezingilosini ezine ezaziphiwe amandla okulimaza umhlaba lolwandle, isithi:
3 [to them], “Do not harm the earth or the ocean or the trees until we [(exc)] have marked the servants of our [(inc)] God on their foreheads.”
“Lingawulimazi umhlaba loba ulwandle loba izihlahla size sibeke uphawu emabunzini ezinceku zikaNkulunkulu wethu.”
4 [Then the angel and his fellow angels marked all God’s servants]. I heard the number of people who were marked {whom [the angels] marked} [because of their being God’s servants. The number was] 144,000. They were from all the tribes of Israel. [They symbolized the complete number of people whom God would protect].
Ngasengisizwa inani lalabo ababekwa uphawu: Abazinkulungwane ezilikhulu lamatshumi amane lane abezizwana zonke zako-Israyeli.
5 [The angels] marked 12,000 people from the tribe of Judah, 12,000 from the tribe of Reuben, 12,000 from the tribe of Gad,
Abesizwana sakoJuda abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili bafakwa uphawu, abesizwana sakoRubheni abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili, abesizwana sakoGadi abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili,
6 12,000 from the tribe of Asher, 12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali, 12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh,
abesizwana sako-Asheri abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili, abesizwana sakoNafithali abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili, abesizwana sakoManase abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili,
7 12,000 from the tribe of Simeon, 12,000 from the tribe of Levi, 12.000 from the tribe of Issachar,
abesizwana sakoSimiyoni abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili, abesizwana sakoLevi abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili, abesizwana sako-Isakhari abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili,
8 12,000 from the tribe of Zebulun, 12,000 from the tribe of Joseph, and 12,000 from the tribe of Benjamin.
abesizwana sakoZebhuluni abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili, abesizwana sakoJosefa abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili, abesizwana sikaBhenjamini abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili.
9 After these things I saw a huge crowd. There were so [many people] that no one would be able to count them. [They were] from every nation, every tribe, every people-group, and every language [MTY]. They were standing before the throne and before [Jesus, the one who is like a] lamb. They were wearing white robes and held palm branches [to wave them in order to celebrate].
Emva kwalokhu ngakhangela khonapho phambi kwami kwakulexuku elikhulukazi elingela kubalwa livela ezizweni zonke lezizwaneni lasebantwini kanye lasezindimini zonke limi phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi laphambi kweWundlu. Babegqoke izembatho ezimhlophe bephethe ingatsha zelala ngezandla zabo.
10 They shouted loudly, “[O] our [(exc)] God, you who sit on the throne, and [Jesus, you who are like a] lamb, [you two] have delivered [us(exc) from Satan’s power]!”
Bamemeza ngelizwi elikhulu besithi: “Ukusindisa ngokukaNkulunkulu wethu, ohlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi, kanye lokweWundlu.”
11 All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living [creatures]. They all bowed down before the throne with their faces [to the ground] and worshipped God.
Izingilosi zonke zazimi zizingeleze isihlalo sobukhosi njalo zizingeleze abadala kanye lezidalwa ezine eziphilayo. Zathi mbo phansi ngobuso bazo phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi zakhonza uNkulunkulu
12 They said, “May it be so! [We(exc)] praise, thank, and honor [you], our [(exc)] God, forever! [We(exc) acknowledge] that you are completely wise, the powerful one, who is forever able to accomplish everything he wants to. (May everyone acknowlege that it is so!/Amen!)” (aiōn g165)
zisithi: “Ameni! Udumo lobukhosi lokuhlakanipha lokubongwa lokuhlonitshwa lamandla kanye lokuqina kakube kuNkulunkulu wethu nini lanini. Ameni!” (aiōn g165)
13 Then one of the elders asked me, “These [people] who are wearing white robes, [do you know] who they are, and where they come from?”
Emva kwalokho omunye wabadala wangibuza wathi, “Laba abezembatho ezimhlophe ngobani, njalo bavele ngaphi?”
14 I answered him, “Sir, [I do not know. Surely] you know [who they are]!” He said to me, “These are the people (whom [others] have caused to suffer greatly/who [have been persecuted]). [Because they believed that Jesus, the one who is like a sacrificial] lamb, [atoned for our sin when] his blood [flowed from his body when he died, it is as though] [MET] they have washed their robes and have made them [clean and] white.
Ngaphendula ngathi, “Nkosi, uyakwazi.” Wasesithi, “Laba yibo abaphume ekuhluphekeni okukhulu; bagezise izembatho zabo egazini leWundlu bazenza zaba mhlophe.
15 Because of this, they are in front of God’s throne, and they serve him day and night in his [heavenly temple. God], the one who sits on the throne, will shelter/protect them [MTY].
Ngakho-ke, baphambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi sikaNkulunkulu bemkhonza emini lebusuku ethempelini lakhe; njalo yena ohlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi uzakubavikela ngobukhona bakhe.
16 [As a result], they will never again be hungry. They will never again be thirsty. The sun will never again (beat on/burn) them, nor will any heat [scorch them].
‘Kabasoze balambe futhi; njalo kabasoze bome futhi. Ilanga kalisayikuhlaba phezu kwabo’ loba ukutshisa okuhangulayo.
17 This is because the [one who is like a] lamb who is at the throne will [take care of them, just like] a shepherd [takes care of his sheep] [MET]. He will guide them [to the source of eternal life, just like a shepherd leads his sheep] to springs of water, [which enable the sheep] to live [MET]. God will [cause them to no longer be sad. It will be as if he were] wiping away all tears from their eyes [MTY].”
Ngoba iWundlu elingaphakathi kwesihlalo sobukhosi lizakuba ngumelusi wabo; lizabaholela emithonjeni yamanzi okuphila. ‘UNkulunkulu uzazesula zonke inyembezi emehlweni abo.’”
