Isambulo 17

1 Kwasekusiza enye yengilosi eziyisikhombisa ezazilemiganu eyisikhombisa, yasikhuluma lami, isithi kimi: Woza lapha, ngizakutshengisa isigwebo sesifebe esikhulu, esihlezi phezu kwamanzi amanengi,

And there came one of the seven angels that had the seven cups, and talked with me, saying: Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot that sits on many waters,

2 afeba laso amakhosi omhlaba, labakhileyo emhlabeni badakwe liwayini lobufebe baso.

with whom the kings of the earth have practiced lewdness, and with the wine of whose lewdness the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk.

3 Yasingithwalela enkangala ngikuMoya; ngasengibona owesifazana ehlezi phezu kwesilo esibomvu, sigcwele amabizo enhlamba, silamakhanda ayisikhombisa lempondo ezilitshumi.

And he carried me away in spirit into the wilderness; and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, that was full of impious names, and that had seven heads and ten horns.

4 Njalo owesifazana wayembethe okuyibubende lokubomvu, futhi ececiswe ngegolide langamatshe aligugu langamapharele, elenkezo yegolide esandleni sakhe, igcwele amanyala lokungcola kobufebe bakhe,

And the woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold, and precious stones, and pearls; and she had in her hand a golden cup full of idolatrous pollutions, and the impurities of her lewdness.

5 njalo ebunzini lakhe kwakulotshiwe ibizo lokuthi: IMFIHLO, IBHABHILONI ELIKHULU, UNINA WEZIFEBE LOWAMANYALA OMHLABA.

And on her forehead was a name written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS, AND OF THE IDOLATROUS POLLUTIONS OF THE EARTH.

6 Ngasengibona owesifazana edakwe ligazi labangcwele, legazi labafakazi bakaJesu. Sengimbonile ngamangala ngokumangala okukhulu.

And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus; and when I saw her, I wondered with great astonishment.

7 Ingilosi yasisithi kimi: Umangalelani? Mina ngizakutshela imfihlo yowesifazana, leyesilo esimthweleyo, esilamakhanda ayisikhombisa lempondo ezilitshumi.

And the angel said to me: Why did you wonder? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carries her, that has seven heads and ten horns.

8 Isilo, osibonileyo, sasikhona, njalo kasisekho, futhi sizakwenyuka sivela emgodini ongelamkhawulo, sibe sesisiya ekubhujisweni; labakhileyo emhlabeni bazamangala, abamabizo abo ayengabhalwanga egwalweni lwempilo, kusukela ekusekelweni komhlaba, bebona isilo esasikhona, njalo singasekho, lanxa sikhona. (Abyssos g12)

The beast that you saw, was, and is not, and will come out of the abyss, and go to perdition; and those who dwell on the earth, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder, when they see the beast that was, and is not, though he is yet present. (Abyssos g12)

9 Nanku ukuqedisisa okulenhlakanipho. Amakhanda ayisikhombisa azintaba eziyisikhombisa owesifazana ahlezi khona phezu kwazo;

Here is the mind that has wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sits.

10 futhi angamakhosi ayisikhombisa, amahlanu asewile, lenye ikhona, lenye kayikafiki, njalo nxa isifikile imele ukuhlala isikhatshana.

And there are seven kings: five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come; and when he comes, he must remain but a little while.

11 Lesilo esasikhona, njalo singasekho, yona-ke ingeyesificaminwembili, njalo ivela kwayisikhombisa, ibisisiya ekubhujisweni.

And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goes to perdition.

12 Lempondo ezilitshumi, ozibonileyo, zingamakhosi alitshumi, angakemukeli umbuso, kodwa emukele amandla njengamakhosi ngehola linye kanye lesilo.

And the ten horns which you saw are ten kings, who have received no kingdom as yet, but receive authority as kings at the same time with the beast.

13 Wona angqondonye, njalo abela isilo awawo amandla lokubusa.

These have one mind, and will give their power and authority to the beast.

14 La azakulwa leWundlu, njalo iWundlu lizawanqoba, ngoba liyiNkosi yamakhosi loMbusi wababusi, labakanye lalo ngababiziweyo labakhethiweyo labathembekileyo.

These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.

15 Yasisithi kimi: Amanzi owabonileyo, lapho esihlezi khona isifebe, angabantu lamaxuku lezizwe lendimi.

And he said to me: The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.

16 Lempondo ezilitshumi, ozibonileyo esilweni, zona zizasizonda isifebe, besezisichitha zisinqunule, zidle inyama yaso, zisitshise ngomlilo.

And the ten horns that you saw, and the beast, these will hate the harlot, and will make her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh, and burn her up with fire.

17 Ngoba uNkulunkulu ufakile enhliziyweni zazo ukuthi zenze ingqondo yakhe, lokwenza ngqondonye, lokunika isilo umbuso wazo, kuze kupheleliswe amazwi kaNkulunkulu.

For God has put into their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and to give their kingdom to the beast, till the words of God be accomplished.

18 Lowesifazana ombonileyo ungumuzi omkhulu olombuso phezu kwamakhosi omhlaba.

And the woman that you saw is that great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth.