uZefaniya ISAHLUKO 1 1 Izwi likaJehova elafika kuZefaniya, indodana kaKushi, indodana kaGedaliya, indodana kaAmariya, indodana kaHezekiya, ezinsukwini zikaJosiya, indodana ka-Amoni, inkosi yakwaJuda. 2 Ngiyakuqothula nokuqothula zonke izinto zisuke ezweni,” usho uJehova. 3 Ngiyakuqeda abantu nezilwane; Ngiyakuqeda izinyoni zezulu, nezinhlanzi zolwandle, nezikhubekiso kanye nababi; ngiyakunquma umuntu ezweni,” usho uJehova. 4 Ngiyakwelulela isandla sami phezu kukaJuda naphezu kwabo bonke abakhileyo eJerusalema; ngiyakunquma insali kaBali kule ndawo, negama lamaKemarimu kanye nabapristi; 5 Lalabo abakhonza ibandla lezulu phezu kwezindlu; nabakhulekayo nabafunga uJehova, nabafunga ngoMalikamu; 6 Nabahlubukayo kuJehova; nalabo abangamfunanga uJehova, nabangazange bambuze. 7 Thula ebusweni beNkosi uJehova, ngokuba usuku lukaJehova selusondele, ngokuba uJehova ulungisile umhlatshelo, unxusile abamenyiweyo bakhe. 8 Kuyakuthi ngosuku lomhlatshelo kaJehova, ngihambele izikhulu, nabantwana benkosi, nabo bonke abembethe izambatho zabezizwe. 9 Ngalolo suku ngiyakubahambela bonke abeqa embundwini, abagcwalisa izindlu zamakhosi abo ngobudlova nangenkohliso. 10 “Kuyakuthi ngalolo suku,” usho uJehova, “kube khona umsindo wokukhala uvela eSangweni Lezinhlanzi, nokuhhewula kwelesibili, nokuphahlazeka okukhulu okuvela emagqumeni. 11 Hewulani nina enakhileyo eMaketeshi, ngoba bonke abantu abahwebayo banqunyiwe; bonke abathwala isiliva bayakunqunywa. 12 “Kuyakuthi ngaleso sikhathi ngiphenye iJerusalema ngamakhandlela, ngijezise amadoda ehlezi ekuhlengeni kwawo athi enhliziyweni yawo: ‘UJehova akenzi okuhle, akenzi nokubi. 13 Ngakho-ke impahla yabo iyakuba yimpango, nezindlu zabo zibe yincithakalo; bayakutshala izivini, kepha bangaphuzi iwayini lazo. 14 Usuku olukhulu lukaJehova luseduze, luseduze, futhi lushesha kakhulu, yebo izwi losuku lukaJehova; iqhawe liyakukhala lapho ngokumunyu. 15 Lolo suku lungusuku lolaka, usuku losizi nolosizi, usuku lwencithakalo nolwencithakalo, usuku lobumnyama nesigayegaye, usuku lwamafu nolobumnyama obukhulu,
16 Usuku lwecilongo nolokuhlaba umkhosi ngemizi ebiyelweyo nasemibhoshongweni ephakemeyo. 17 Ngiyakwehlisela usizi phezu kwabantu, bahambe njengezimpumputhe, ngokuba bonile kuJehova; igazi labo liyakuchithwa njengothuli, nenyama yabo njengomquba. 18 Isiliva labo negolide labo ngeke libe namandla okubakhulula ngosuku lolaka lukaJehova; kepha izwe lonke liyakushwabadelwa ngumlilo womhawu wakhe, ngokuba uyakuqeda masinyane bonke abakhileyo ezweni. ISAHLUKO 2 1 Buthanani ndawonye, yebo, qoqani ndawonye, O sizwe esingafunwa; 2 lungakazali, usuku lungakadluli njengamakhoba, lungakafiki phezu kwenu ulaka oluvuthayo lukaJehova, lungakafiki phezu kwenu usuku lolaka lukaJehova. 3 Funani uJehova nina nonke bathobekileyo bomhlaba enisebenzile ukwahlulela kwakhe; funani ukulunga, funani ukuthobeka, mhlawumbe niyakusitshekelwa ngosuku lolaka lukaJehova. 4 Ngokuba iGaza liyakushiywa, ne-Ashikeloni libe yincithakalo; bayakuxosha i-Ashidodi emini enkulu, ne-Ekroni lisishulwe. 5 Maye kwabakhileyo ngasogwini lolwandle, isizwe samaKhereti! izwi likaJehova limelene nani; + O Kanana, + zwe lamaFilisti, futhi ngizokubhubhisa ukuze kungabikho ohlala khona. 6 Ugu lolwandle luyakuba ngamadlelo namadokodo abelusi nezibaya zezimvu. 7 Umkhawulo uyakuba ngowensali yendlu yakwaJuda; ayakwelusela kulo, alale ezindlini zaseAshikeloni kusihlwa, ngokuba uJehova uNkulunkulu wawo uyakubahambela, abuyise ukuthunjwa kwabo. 8 Ngiyizwile inhlamba yakwaMowabi nezithuko zabantwana bakwa-Amoni abahlambalaze ngazo abantu bami, baziphakamisa emngceleni wabo. 9 Ngalokho kuphila kwami, usho uJehova Sebawoti, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: “Impela uMowabi uyakuba njengeSodoma, nabantwana bakwa-Amoni babe njengeGomora, indawo yokuzala izimbabazane, nemigodi kasawoti, ibe yincithakalo ephakade; abantu bayoziphanga, futhi insali yabantu bami iyozidla. 10 Lokhu bayakuba nakho ngokuzidla kwabo, ngokuba baye bahlambalaza, baziphakamisa kubantu bakaJehova Sebawoti. 11 UJehova uyakwesabeka kubo, ngokuba uyakubabhubhisa bonke onkulunkulu bomhlaba; abantu bayakukhuleka kuye, kube yilowo nalowo endaweni yakhe, zonke iziqhingi zabezizwe.