< UMikha 7 >

1 Maye ngosizi lwami! Nginjengomuntu obutha izithelo zehlobo senginjengevini eselivunwe laphela; akuselasixha samavini okudliwa, kayisekho lemikhiwa yakuqala engiyikhanukayo.
Misery is mine! Indeed, I am like one who gathers the summer fruits, as gleanings of the vineyard. There is no cluster of grapes to eat. My soul desires to eat the early fig.
2 Abathembekileyo babhujisiwe elizweni, kakho lamunye umuntu olungileyo oseleyo. Abantu bonke bacathamela ukuchitha igazi; lowo lalowo uzingela umfowabo ngombule.
The godly man has perished out of the earth, and there is no one upright among men. They all lie in wait for blood; every man hunts his brother with a net.
3 Izandla zombili zizingcitshi ekwenzeni okubi; umbusi ufuna izipho ngamandla, umahluleli wamukela isivalamlomo, abalamandla babiza abakufisayo, bonke baceba okubi bendawonye.
Their hands are on that which is evil to do it diligently. The ruler and judge ask for a bribe. The powerful man dictates the evil desire of his soul. Thus they conspire together.
4 Ongcono wabo unjengesihlahla sameva, oqotho kakhulu mubi kulothango lwameva. Usuku uNkulunkulu alethekelela ngalo selufikile, usuku lokukhala kophondo lwabalindi. Manje sekuyisikhathi sokuphumputheka kwabo.
The best of them is like a brier. The most upright is worse than a thorn hedge. The day of your watchmen, even your visitation, has come; now is the time of their confusion.
5 Ungamethembi umakhelwane; ungagwabi ngomngane wakho. Lalowo olala umgonile, qaphela amazwi akho.
Don’t trust in a neighbor. Don’t put confidence in a friend. With the woman lying in your embrace, be careful of the words of your mouth!
6 Ngoba indodana idumaza uyise, indodakazi ivukela unina, umalukazana avukele uninazala, izitha zomuntu ngamalunga endlu yakhe.
For the son dishonors the father, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.
7 Kodwa mina ngilindele uThixo ngethemba, ngilindele uNkulunkulu uMsindisi wami; uNkulunkulu wami uzangizwa.
But as for me, I will look to Yahweh. I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.
8 Ungaklolodi wena sitha sami! Lanxa ngiwile, ngizavuka. Lanxa ngihlezi emnyameni, uThixo uzakuba yikukhanya kwami.
Don’t rejoice against me, my enemy. When I fall, I will arise. When I sit in darkness, Yahweh will be a light to me.
9 Ngenxa yokuba ngonile kuye, ngizalumela ulaka lukaThixo, aze angincengele endabeni yami, aveze ukungabi lacala kwami. Uzangikhuphela phandle ekukhanyeni; ngizabona ukulunga kwakhe.
I will bear the indignation of Yahweh, because I have sinned against him, until he pleads my case and executes judgment for me. He will bring me out to the light. I will see his righteousness.
10 Lapho-ke isitha sami sizakubona, njalo sibanjwe zinhloni, lowo owathi kimi, “Ungaphi uThixo uNkulunkulu wakho?” Lakhathesi uzagxotshwa ngezinyawo njengodaka emigwaqweni.
Then my enemy will see it, and shame will cover her who said to me, “Where is Yahweh your God?” My eyes will see her. Now she will be trodden down like the mire of the streets.
11 Usuku lokwakhiwa kwemiduli yakho luzafika, usuku lokuqhelisa imingcele yakho.
A day to build your walls! In that day, he will extend your boundary.
12 Ngalolosuku abantu bazakuza kuwe bevela e-Asiriya lasemadolobheni aseGibhithe, njalo kusukela eGibhithe kusiya kuYufrathe, kusukela olwandle kusiya olwandle, lakusukela entabeni kusiya entabeni.
In that day they will come to you from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, and from Egypt even to the River, and from sea to sea, and mountain to mountain.
13 Umhlaba uzachitheka ngenxa yabahlezi kuwo, ngenxa yezenzo zabo.
Yet the land will be desolate because of those who dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings.
14 Beluse abantu bakho ngentonga yakho, umhlambi welifa lakho, ohlala wodwa ehlathini emadlelweni avundileyo. Kawudle eBhashani laseGiliyadi njengasezinsukwini zokuphuma.
Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your heritage, who dwell by themselves in a forest. Let them feed in the middle of fertile pasture land, in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.
15 “Njengasezinsukwini zokuphuma kwenu eGibhithe, ngizabatshengisa izimangaliso zami.”
“As in the days of your coming out of the land of Egypt, I will show them marvelous things.”
16 Izizwe zizabona ziyangeke, zemukwe wonke amandla azo. Zizabamba imilomo yazo ngezandla, lezindlebe zazo zingabe zisezwa.
The nations will see and be ashamed of all their might. They will lay their hand on their mouth. Their ears will be deaf.
17 Zizakhotha uthuli njengenyoka, njengezinanakazana ezihuquzela emhlabathini. Zizakuza ziqhaqhazela ziphuma emihomeni yazo; zizaphendukela kuThixo uNkulunkulu wethu ngokwesaba, njalo lawe zizakwesaba.
They will lick the dust like a serpent. Like crawling things of the earth, they will come trembling out of their dens. They will come with fear to Yahweh our God, and will be afraid because of you.
18 Ngubani onguNkulunkulu njengawe, oxolela izono athethelele iziphambeko zensalela zelifa lakhe na? Kawuthukutheli kokuphela kodwa uthokoza ngokutshengisa isihawu.
Who is a God like you, who pardons iniquity, and passes over the disobedience of the remnant of his heritage? He doesn’t retain his anger forever, because he delights in loving kindness.
19 Uzakuba lesihawu kithi futhi; uzanyathela izono zethu ngezinyawo uphosele bonke ububi bethu ezinzikini zolwandle.
He will again have compassion on us. He will tread our iniquities under foot. You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
20 Uzakuba qotho kuJakhobe, ubonakalise isihawu sakho ku-Abhrahama, njengokuthembisa kwakho ngesifungo kubokhokho bethu ensukwini zasendulo.
You will give truth to Jacob, and mercy to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.

< UMikha 7 >