Zephaniah 2
1 Gather yourselves together, yes, gather together, O nation not desired;
Zibuthaniseni, lizibuthanise, lina sizwe esingaloyisekiyo,
2 Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come on you, before the day of the LORD’s anger come on you.
isimiso singakazali, lalolosuku lwedlule njengamakhoba, intukuthelo yolaka lweNkosi ingakalehleli, usuku lolaka lweNkosi lungakalehleli.
3 Seek you the LORD, all you meek of the earth, which have worked his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be you shall be hid in the day of the LORD’s anger.
Dingani iNkosi, lina lonke abamnene bomhlaba, elenze isahlulelo sayo; dingani ukulunga, lidinge ubumnene; mhlawumbe lingafihlwa ngosuku lolaka lweNkosi.
4 For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up.
Ngoba iGaza izadelwa, leAshikeloni ibe lunxiwa; bazaxotsha iAshidodi emini enkulu, leEkhironi isitshunwe.
5 Woe to the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the LORD is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy you, that there shall be no inhabitant.
Maye kwabakhileyo belizwe lolwandle, isizwe samaKerethi! Ilizwi leNkosi limelene lani. Wena Khanani, lizwe lamaFilisti, ngizakuchitha, kuze kungabi lomhlali.
6 And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks.
Lelizwe lolwandle lizakuba ngamadlelo alemigodi yamanzi yabelusi, lezibaya zezimvu.
7 And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the LORD their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity.
Njalo ilizwe lizakuba ngelensali yendlu kaJuda; bazakudla kulo; kusihlwa bazalala ezindlini zeAshikeloni; ngoba iNkosi uNkulunkulu wabo izabahambela, iphendule ukuthunjwa kwabo.
8 I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border.
Ngiyizwile inhlamba kaMowabi, lokuthuka kwamadodana kaAmoni, abahlambaze ngakho abantu bami, bezikhulisa bemelene lomngcele wabo.
9 Therefore as I live, says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, and salt pits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them.
Ngakho kuphila kwami, itsho iNkosi yamabandla, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, isibili uMowabi uzakuba njengeSodoma, labantwana bakaAmoni njengeGomora, indawo yezimbabazane, lemigodi yetshwayi, lencithakalo kuze kube phakade. Insali yabantu bami izabaphanga, labaseleyo babantu bami badle ilifa labo.
10 This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts.
Lokhu bazakuba lakho endaweni yokuziphakamisa kwabo, ngoba bathuka, bazikhulisa bemelene labantu beNkosi yamabandla.
11 The LORD will be terrible to them: for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the isles of the heathen.
INkosi izakwesabeka kubo, ngoba izacakisa bonke onkulunkulu bomhlaba; njalo bazakhothama kuyo, ngulowo lalowo esendaweni yakhe, zonke izihlenge zezizwe.
12 You Ethiopians also, you shall be slain by my sword.
Lani maEthiyophiya, lizakuba ngababuleweyo ngenkemba yami.
13 And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like a wilderness.
Njalo izakwelula isandla sayo imelene lenyakatho, ichithe iAsiriya, ibeke iNineve ibe lunxiwa, yome njengenkangala.
14 And flocks shall lie down in the middle of her, all the beasts of the nations: both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper lintels of it; their voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be in the thresholds; for he shall uncover the cedar work.
Njalo imihlambi izalala phansi phakathi kwayo, zonke izinyamazana zezizwe; lalo iwunkwe kanye lenhloni kulale ezidukwini zayo; ilizwi lizahlabela ewindini, incithakalo ibe sembundwini; ngoba ezakwembula umsebenzi womsedari.
15 This is the rejoicing city that dwelled carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passes by her shall hiss, and wag his hand.
Lo ngumuzi ojabulayo, obuhlezi ngokuvikeleka, owawusithi enhliziyweni yawo: Yimi, njalo kakho omunye ngaphandle kwami. Yeka ukuba kwawo yincithakalo, indawo yokulala yezinyamazana! Wonke owedlula kiwo uyancifa, anyikinye isandla sakhe.
