Joel 2

Umtshitshi Wentethe

1Vuthelani icilongo eZiyoni;
hlabani umkhosi entabeni yami engcwele.

Bonke abahlala elizweni kabathuthumele,
ngoba usuku lukaThixo luyeza.
Selusondele, selufikile,
2usuku lomnyama lokudana,
usuku lwamayezi lobumnyama.
Njengokusa kusendlaleka phezu kwezintaba,
liyeza ibutho elikhulu elilamandla
elingazange libe khona endulo
kumbe libe khona eminyakeni ezayo.

3Phambi kwabo umlilo uyatshisa,
ngemva kwabo amalangabi ayavutha.
Phambi kwabo ilizwe linjengensimu yase-Edeni
ngemva kwabo yinkangala elugwadule,
akukho okubaphunyukayo.
4Bakhangeleka benjengamabhiza;
bamatha njengamabhiza empi.
5Ngomsindo onjengowezinqola zempi,
beqa phezu kwezingqongo zezintaba,
njengamabibi omlilo etshisa inhlanga,
njengebutho elilamandla selilungele impi.

6Ekubaboneni nje, izizwe zizwa ubuhlungu;
ubuso bonke buyadana.
7Bahlasela njengamaqhawe;
bakhwele imiduli njengamabutho.
Bonke bahamba beludwendwe
bengaphambuki endleleni yabo.
8Kabasunduzani;
lowo lalowo uhamba eqonde phambili.
Badabula phakathi kwezivikelo
kungekho kwehlukana kubo.
9Baya ngesiqubu edolobheni;
bagijima besekele umduli.
Bayakhwela bangene ezindlini;
bangena ngamawindi njengamasela.

10Umhlaba uyanyikinyeka phambi kwabo;
umkhathi uyaqhaqhazela,
ilanga lenyanga kube mnyama,
lezinkanyezi kazisakhanyisi.
11 UThixo uyakhwaza
phambi kwebutho lakhe;
amabutho akhe angeke abalwe,
njalo balamandla labo abalalela ukulaya kwakhe.
Usuku lukaThixo lukhulu;
luyesabeka.
Ngubani ongalumela na?

Guqulani Inhliziyo Zenu

12“Lakhathesi,” kutsho uThixo,
“phendukelani kimi ngenhliziyo zenu zonke,
ngokuzila langokukhala lokulila.”

13Dabulani inhliziyo zenu
hatshi izigqoko zenu.
Buyelani kuThixo uNkulunkulu wenu,
ngoba ulomusa lesihawu,
uyaphuza ukuthukuthela, ulothando olukhulu,
njalo uyaxola ukuthumela umonakalo.
14Ngubani owaziyo? Engxenye angaphenduka abe lesihawu
atshiye isibusiso,
iminikelo yamabele leminikelo yokunathwayo
kaThixo uNkulunkulu wenu.

15Vuthelani icilongo eZiyoni,
memezelani ukuzila okungcwele,
bizani ibandla elingcwele.
16Buthanisani abantu,
ngcwelisani ibandla;
hlanganisani abadala,
buthanisani abantwana
labo abamunyayo.
Umyeni katshiye indlu yakhe
lomlobokazi atshiye ikamelo lakhe.
17Abaphristi abakhonzayo phambi kukaThixo,
kabakhale bephakathi laphakathi kwentuba le-alithari.
Kabathi, “Awu Thixo, zwela abantu bakho.
Ungenzi ilifa lakho libe yinto yokuhlekwa,
isiga phakathi kwezizwe.
Kungani phakathi kwezizwe kumele bathi,
‘Ungaphi uNkulunkulu wabo?’ ”

Impendulo KaThixo

18Lapho-ke uThixo uzakuba lobukhwele ngelizwe lakhe
abe lesihawu ebantwini bakhe.
19 UThixo uzabaphendula athi:

“Ngiyalithumela amabele lewayini elitsha lamafutha,
okwaneleyo ukulisuthisa ngokugcweleyo;
angiyikuphinda futhi ukulenza
into yokuhlekisa ezizweni.

20Ibutho lasenyakatho ngizalixotshela khatshana lani,
ngilifuqele elizweni elomileyo elilugwadule,
amaviyo alo aphambili esiya olwandle lwasempumalanga
lawo angemuva esiya olwandle lwasentshonalanga.
Iphunga lalo elibi lizakuya phezulu,
umnuko walo uzaphakama.”

Ngempela wenze izinto ezinkulu ezimangalisayo.
21Ungesabi, wena lizwe;
thaba uthokoze.
Impela uThixo wenze izinto ezinkulu.
22Lingesabi, lina zinyamazana zeganga,
ngoba amadlelo asesiba luhlaza.
Izihlahla sezithela izithelo zazo;
imikhiwa lemivini kuthela kakhulu.
23Thabani, lina bantu baseZiyoni,
thokozani kuThixo uNkulunkulu wenu
ngoba ulinike izulu lekwindla
ngokulunga.
Ulilethela izulu elinengi
kanye lezulu lekwindla lelentwasa, njengakuqala.
24Iziza zizagcwala amabele;
izikhamelo zizaphuphuma iwayini lamafutha.

25“Ngizalihlawula okwaleyo minyaka lokho okwadliwa zintethe,
lesikhonyane lobuyane,
ezinye izintethe kanye lemitshitshi yezintethe,
ibutho lami elikhulu engalithumela kini.
26Lizakuba lokudla okunengi lize lisuthe,
njalo lizadumisa ibizo likaThixo uNkulunkulu wenu,
olenzele izimangaliso;
abantu bami kabayikuphinda bayangeke futhi.
27Ngakho lizakwazi ukuthi ngiko-Israyeli,
lokuthi mina nginguThixo uNkulunkulu wenu,
kanye lokuthi kakho omunye;
abantu bami kabayikuphinda bayangeke futhi.”

Usuku LukaThixo

28“Emva kwalokho,
ngizathululela uMoya wami kubo bonke abantu.
Amadodana lamadodakazi enu azaphrofitha,
izinsizwa zenu zizabona imibono,
lamaxhegu enu azaphupha amaphupho.
29Lasezincekwini zami, ezesilisa lezesifazane,
ngizawuthulula uMoya wami ngalezonsuku.
30Ngizabonakalisa izimangaliso emazulwini
lasemhlabeni,
igazi lomlilo lezikhatha zentuthu.
31Ilanga lizaphendulwa libe yibumnyama
lenyanga ibeligazi
phambi kokuba kufike
usuku olukhulu lukaThixo, olwesabekayo.
32Njalo wonke obiza
ibizo likaThixo uzasindiswa;
ngoba eNtabeni iZiyoni laseJerusalema
kuzakuba lokukhululwa,
njengoba uThixo etshilo,
iloba phakathi kwabasindileyo
labo ababizwa nguThixo.”