< Isambulo 18 >
1 Emva kwalokhu ngabona enye ingilosi isehla ivela ezulwini. Yayilamandla amakhulu njalo umhlaba wakhanyiswa yikukhazimula kwayo.
2 Yamemeza ngelizwi elikhulu yathi: “‘Liwile! Liwile iBhabhiloni eliKhulu!’ Selibe likhaya lamadimoni lomango wabomoya ababi, lomango wezinyoni zonke ezingcolileyo lezenyanyekayo.
3 Ngoba izizwe zonke zinathe iwayini elihlanyisayo lobufebe balo. Amakhosi omhlaba afeba lalo, labathengisi basemhlabeni banothiswa yinotho yalo edlulisileyo.”
4 Ngabuya ngezwa elinye ilizwi livela ezulwini lisithi: “‘Bantu bami, phumani kulo,’ ukuze lingahlanganyeli ezonweni zalo ukuze lingehlelwa yizifo zalo;
5 ngoba izono zalo ziyinqwaba efika ezulwini, njalo uNkulunkulu usekhumbule amacala alo.
6 Lipheni njengokupha kwalo; buyiselani ngokuphindiweyo kulokho elikwenzileyo. Thelani kabili isilinganiso enkezweni yalo.
7 Lizwiseni uchuku olukhulu losizi okulingana inkazimulo lenotho elizipha khona.” Enhliziyweni yalo liyazincoma lisithi, ngihlezi njengendlovukazi; kangisumfelokazi, njalo kangisoze ngilile.
8 Ngakho-ke, ngosuku olulodwa izifo zalo zizalifica: ukufa lokukhala kanye lendlala. Lizahangulwa ngumlilo ngoba ilamandla iNkosi uNkulunkulu olahlulelayo.
9 Lapho amakhosi asemhlabeni afeba lalo njalo abelana lalo inotho yalo ebona intuthu yokutsha kwalo azalikhalela alililele.
10 Azesaba ngenxa yokuhlukuluzwa kwalo eme khatshana akhale esithi: Maye! Maye, Oh dolobho elikhulu, Oh Bhabhiloni, dolobho lamandla! Ngehola linye nje incithakalo yakho ifikile!
11 Abathengisi basemhlabeni bazalikhalela balililele ngoba kungasekho othenga impahla yabo,
12 imithwalo yegolide leyesiliva leyamatshe aligugu leyobuhlalu; eyelineni elihle leliyibubende, ilembu lesilika lelembu elibomvu gebhu; inhlobo zonke zezigodo zesithironi lezinhlobo zonke zezinto ezenziwe ngempondo zendlovu lezigodo ezidulayo lethusi lensimbi kanye lelitshe elimhlophe;
13 imithwalo yesinamoni leyeziyoliso, eyempepha leyemure kanye leyamakha, eyewayini lamafutha e-oliva, eyefulawa ecolekileyo kanye lengqoloyi; inkomo lezimvu; amabhiza lezinqola lezigqili kanye lemiphefumulo yabantu.
14 Bazakuthi, “Izithelo owawuzilangathela zisukile kuwe. Yonke inotho yakho lenkazimulo sekunyamalele, kakuyikutholakala futhi.”
15 Abathengisi ababethengisa lezizinto bezuza inotho yabo kuyo bazakuma khatshana, besesaba ngokuhlukuluzwa kwalo. Bazalila babubule
16 njalo bakhale kakhulu besithi: “Maye! Maye, Oh dolobho elikhulu, eligqoke ilineni elihle, okuyibubende lokubomvu, elikhazimulayo ngegolide langamatshe aligugu kanye lobuhlalu!
17 Ngehola linye nje inotho enengi kangaka isichithiwe!” Izinduna zonke zemikhumbi labo bonke abahamba ngayo labatshayeli labo bonke abazuza ukuphila kwabo olwandle bazakuma khatshana.
18 Lapho bebona izikhatha zokutsha kwalo bazachaza bathi, “Kambe kwake kwaba ledolobho elinjengaleli idolobho elikhulu na?”
19 Bazathela uthuli emakhanda abo balile babubule bekhala besithi: “Maye! Maye, Oh dolobho elikhulu, lapho bonke ababelemikhumbi olwandle abanothiswa khona yinotho yalo! Ngehola linye nje selichithiwe!
20 Thokoza ngalo, Oh Zulu! Thokozani bangcwele labapostoli kanye labaphrofethi! UNkulunkulu uselahlulele ngendlela elaliphatha ngayo.”
21 Ingilosi elamandla yasidobha ilitshe elingangembokodo enkulu yaliphosela olwandle, yathi: “Idolobho elikhulu laseBhabhiloni lizaphoselwa phansi, ngodlakela olunje, lingaphindi libonakale futhi.
22 Umculo wabatshayi bamachacho labahlabeleli labatshayi bemihlanga lamacilongo, kawusoze uzwakale kuwe futhi. Akukho sisebenzi lesawuphi umsebenzi esizatholakala kuwe futhi. Umsindo wembokodo kawusoze uzwakale kuwe futhi.
23 Ukukhanya kwesibane akusoze kukhanye kuwe futhi. Ilizwi lomyeni lelomlobokazi kalisoze lizwakale kuwe futhi. Abathengisi bakho babeyizikhulu zomhlaba. Izizwe zonke zadukiswa yibuthakathi bakho.
24 Kuwe kwafunyanwa igazi labaphrofethi lelabangcwele, kanye lelabo bonke ababulawayo emhlabeni.”
