Zephaniah 1

1Ilizwi likaThixo elafika kuZefaniya indodana kaKhushi, indodana kaGedaliya, indodana ka-Amariya, indodana kaHezekhiya, ekubuseni kukaJosiya indodana ka-Amoni inkosi yakoJuda:

Isixwayiso Ngencithakalo Ezayo

2“Ngizakhucula konke
ebusweni bomhlaba,”
kutsho uThixo.
3“Ngizakhucula kokubili abantu lezinyamazana;
ngizakhucula izinyoni zasemoyeni
kanye lenhlanzi zasolwandle,
lezithombe ezenza ababi bakhubeke.

Lapho ngiqeda abantu
ebusweni bomhlaba,”
kutsho uThixo.

Ukumelana LoJuda

4“Ngizakwelulela isandla sami koJuda
lakubo bonke abahlala eJerusalema.
Ngizaqeda konke okukaBhali okuseleyo kule indawo,
amabizo abahedeni labaphristi abakhonza izithombe
5labo abakhothama phezu kwezindlu
bakhonze ixuku lezinkanyezi,
labo abakhothama bafunge ngoThixo,
abafunga langoMoleki futhi,
6labo ababuyela emuva bedela ukulandela uThixo
njalo abangamdinganga uThixo loba babuze ngaye.

7Thula phambi kukaThixo Wobukhosi,
ngoba usuku lukaThixo seluseduze.
UThixo uselungise umhlatshelo;
usebangcwelisile labo abanxusileyo.

8Ngosuku lomhlatshelo kaThixo
ngizajezisa izikhulu
lamadodana amakhosi labo bonke
labo abagqoke
izigqoko zezizweni.
9Ngalolosuku ngizabajezisa
bonke abaxwaya ukunyathela umbundu womnyango,
abagcwalisa ithempeli labonkulunkulu
babo ngodlakela langenkohliso.”

10 UThixo, uthi,
“Ngalolosuku ilizwi lokukhala
lizaqonga ngaseSangweni leNhlanzi,
ukulila kuvelela esiGabeni eSitsha
lomsindo omkhulu wokufohloza uvela emaqaqeni.
11Lilani lina elihlala esigodini sokuthengisela saseMakhithashi,
bonke abathengisi benu bazaqedwa,
bonke abathengiselana ngesiliva bazabhujiswa.
12Ngalesosikhathi ngizaphenya iJerusalema ngezibane
ngijezise labo abangakhathaliyo,
abanjengewayini elitshiywe phakathi kwensipho zalo,
abathi, ‘UThixo kayikwenza lutho,
oluhle loba olubi.’
13Inotho yabo izaphangwa,
izindlu zabo zidilizwe.
Bazakwakha izindlu
kodwa bangahlali kuzo;
bazahlanyela izivini,
kodwa iwayini bangalinathi.”

14Usuku olukhulu lukaThixo seluseduze,
njalo luza ngokuphangisa.
Lalelani! Ukukhala ngosuku lukaThixo
kuzakuba buhlungu, lokuklabalala kwebutho khonapho.
15Lolosuku luzakuba lusuku lolaka,
usuku losizi lokudabuka;
usuku lokuhlupheka lokuchitheka,
usuku lomnyama lokudana,
usuku lwamayezi lobumnyama,
16usuku lwecilongo lokuhlaba umkhosi wokulwa impi
lamadolobho avikelweyo
kanye lezinqaba zasemajikweni.

17“Ngizaletha usizi ebantwini
njalo bazahamba njengeziphofu,
ngoba bonile kuThixo.
Igazi labo lizachithwa njengothuli
lezibilini zabo njengamanyala.
18Isiliva sabo loba igolide labo
kakungeke kwenelise ukubasindisa
ngosuku lolaka lukaThixo.

Umhlaba wonke uzatshiswa emlilweni
womona wakhe
ngoba uzakwenza isiphetho ngokuphangisa
kubo bonke abahlala emhlabeni.”