Ukwahlulelwa kwezizwe
1“Ngokuba ngalezo zinsuku nangaleso sikhathi,
lapho ngiyakubuyisa ukuthunjwa kukaJuda neJerusalema,
2ngiyakubutha zonke izizwe,
ngizehlisele esigodini sikaJehoshafati,
ngahlulelane nazo khona ngenxa yabantu bami
nesabelo sami u-Israyeli,
ezibahlakazile phakathi kwezizwe,
zabela izwe lami.
3Zenza inkatho ngabantu bami,
zanika umfana ngesifebe,
zathengisa ngentombazana ngenxa yewayini,
zaliphuza.
4“Niyini kimi, nina Tire neSidoni, nayo yonke imikhawulo yaseFilistiya na? Niyakungibuyisela utho na? Uma ningibuyisela utho ngiyakushesha ngibuyisele masinyane phezu kwekhanda lenu izenzo zenu, 5njengalokho nithathile isiliva lami negolide lami, nangenisa izinto zami ezinhle emathempelini enu, 6nathengisa ngabantwana bakwaJuda nangabantwana baseJerusalema kumadodana aseJavani ukuba nibadedisele kude nemikhawulo yabo.
7“Bhekani, ngiyakubavusa endaweni enithengisile kuyo ngabo, ngibuyisele ekhanda lenu isenzo senu. 8Ngiyakuthengisa ngamadodana enu nangamadodakazi enu esandleni sabantwana bakwaJuda, bona bathengise ngabo kumaSheba, isizwe esikude,” ngokuba uJehova ukhulumile.
9Memezelani lokhu phakathi kwabezizwe,
ningcwelise impi,
niwavuse amaqhawe;
mawasondele,
enyuke onke amadoda empi.
10Khandani amakhuba enu abe yizinkemba,
ocelemba benu babe yimikhonto,
obuthakathaka asho ukuthi ngiyiqhawe.
11Sheshani nifike nina bezizwe zonke nxazonke, nibuthane,
wehlisele khona amaqhawe akho, Jehova.
12“Mabazivuse abezizwe,
benyukele esigodini sikaJehoshafati,
ngokuba ngahlulele bonke abezizwe nxazonke.
13Fakani isikela,
ngokuba okuzakuvunwa sekuvuthiwe;
ngokuba isikhamo sewayini sigcwele,
nezikhongozelo ziyachichima,
ngokuba ububi babo bukhulu.”
14Yizixuku ngezixuku esigodini sokwahlulela,
ngokuba usuku lukaJehova lusondele esigodini sokwahlulela.
15Ilanga nenyanga kuba mnyama,
izinkanyezi zisusa ukukhanya kwazo.
16UJehova uyaduma eseSiyoni,
ezwakalise izwi lakhe eseJerusalema;
izulu nomhlaba kuyazamazama,
kepha uJehova uyisiphephelo sabantu bakhe,
nenqaba yabantwana bakwa-Israyeli.
17Bese nikwazi ukuthi nginguJehova uNkulunkulu wenu
engihlala eSiyoni, intaba yami engcwele;
iJerusalema liyakuba ngcwele,
abafokazi abasayikulidabula.
18“Kuyakuthi ngalolo suku
izintaba ziconse iwayini elimnandi,
amagquma agobhoze ubisi,
yonke imifula yakwaJuda igobhoze amanzi;
kuyakuvela umthombo endlini kaJehova
oyakunisela isigodi saseShithimi.
19IGibithe liyakuba yincithakalo,
u-Edomi abe yihlane lencithakalo
ngenxa yendluzula eyenziwe kubantwana bakwaJuda,
ngokuba bachithile igazi elingenacala ezweni labo.
20Kepha uJuda uyakuhlala kuze kube phakade,
neJerusalema ezizukulwaneni ngezizukulwane.
21Ngiyakuphindisela igazi labo engingakaliphindiseli,”
ngokuba uJehova wakhile eSiyoni.
