< Nahum 2 >

1 He who dashes in pieces has come up against you. Keep the fortress. Watch the way. Strengthen your waist. Fortify your power mightily.
Umhlakazi ukhuphukile phambi kobuso bakho; gcina inqaba, linda indlela, qinisa ukhalo, yenza amandla akho aqine kakhulu.
2 For Jehovah restores the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel; for the destroyers have destroyed them, and ruined their vine branches.
Ngoba iNkosi ibuyisile ubukhosi bukaJakobe, njengobukhosi bukaIsrayeli. Ngoba abathululayo babathululile, bona izingatsha zevini zabo.
3 The shield of his mighty men is made red. The valiant men are in scarlet. The chariots flash with steel in the day of his preparation, and the pine spears are brandished.
Isihlangu samaqhawe akhe senziwe saba bomvu, amadoda alesibindi agqoke okubomvu; izinqola ziphakathi lomlilo wensimbi ngosuku lokuzilungiselela kwakhe; lezihlahla zamafiri zizazanyazanyiswa.
4 The chariots rage in the streets. They rush back and forth in the broad ways. Their appearance is like torches. They run like the lightnings.
Izinqola ziyahlanya ezitaladeni, zihaluzela ziye le lale emidangeni; ukubonakala kwazo kunjengezibane, zigijime njengemibane.
5 He summons his picked troops. They stumble on their way. They dash to its wall, and the protective shield is put in place.
Uzakhumbula izikhulu zakhe; zizakhubeka ekuhambeni kwazo; ziphangise emthangaleni wakhe, sesimisiwe isivikelo.
6 The gates of the rivers are opened, and the palace is dissolved.
Amasango emifula azavulwa, lesigodlo sincibilike.
7 It is decreed: she is uncovered, she is carried away; and her handmaids moan as with the voice of doves, beating on their breasts.
Njalo uHuzabhi uzakhokhelwa engothunjiweyo, uzakhutshulwa, lezincekukazi zakhe zimkhokhele kwangathi ngelizwi lamajuba, zitshaya ezifubeni zazo.
8 But Nineveh has been from of old like a pool of water, yet they flee away. "Stop. Stop." they cry, but no one looks back.
Loba iNineve injengechibi lamanzi kusukela kwasendulo, kanti bazabaleka. Bathi: Manini! manini! kodwa kakho ozaphenduka.
9 Take the spoil of silver. Take the spoil of gold, for there is no end of the store, the glory of all goodly furniture.
Phangani isiliva, phangani igolide; ngoba kakulakuphela kokubuthelelweyo, lenkanzimulo kuzo zonke izitsha eziloyisekayo.
10 She is empty, void, and waste. The heart melts, the knees knock together, their bodies and faces have grown pale.
Iyize, kayiselalutho, ichithekile; inhliziyo iyancibilika, lamadolo ayatshayana, lobuhlungu obukhulu busezinkalweni zonke, lobuso babo bonke bunyukumele.
11 Where is the den of the lions, and the feeding place of the young lions, where the lion and the lioness walked, the lion's cubs, and no one made them afraid?
Ingaphi indawo yokuhlala yezilwane, lendawo yokudlela yamabhongo esilwane, lapho esasihamba khona isilwane, isilwane esidala, lomdlwane wesilwane, njalo kungekho okuzethusayo?
12 The lion tore in pieces enough for his cubs, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his caves with the kill, and his dens with prey.
Isilwane sadabudabula okwenele imidlwane yaso, sakhamela izilwanekazi zaso, sagcwalisa imilindi yaso ngempango, lezindawo zaso zokuhlala ngokudatshuliweyo.
13 "Look, I am against you," says Jehovah of hosts, "and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword will devour your young lions; and I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers will no longer be heard."
Khangela, ngimelene lawe, itsho iNkosi yamabandla, ngizazitshisa inqola zakhe entuthwini, lenkemba izaqeda amabhongo ezilwane akho; njalo ngizaquma impango yakho kusuke emhlabeni, lelizwi lezithunywa zakho kalisayikuzwakala.

< Nahum 2 >