Ukutshatyalaliswa kweNiniva

1 Mawoo, sixekondini samagazi,

ntondini ephuphuma ubuxoki,

into emaxhoba maninzi kunene,

ekuxhaphaza kungenalo nekhefu!

2 Naso sihlwahlwaz’ isabhokhwe,

atsho akraxalaza namavili.

Ewe, ayagqabadul’ amahashe;

zigoqoza ngamandla iinqwelo.

3 Umkhosi wabamahashe ugalelekile,

utsho ngaloo makrele akhazimlayo.

Hayi ukumenyezela kwemikhonto!

Ewe, kujub’ ugodo ngapha nangapha.

Hayi, akuzidumbu zibelekene!

Yinyambalala imizimba yabafi;

uba ngahamba ukhubeka kuyo.

4 Yonke loo nto kukuphum’ izandla kobuhenyu behenyukazi elinombizane,

igcisa lemilingo elazikhobozayo izizwe,

ngobuthi balo lazichan’ iintlanga.

5 Nanku umlomo kaNdikhoyo onamandla onke:

“Ndichasene nawe, Niniva!

Ndokuhluba izambatho zakho ziye kufika ebusweni,

iintlanga ndizivezele ubuze bakho,

izikumkani zilibone ihlazo lakho.

6 Ndiza kukubhaxeka ngobunyhuku-nyhuku,

Ewe, ndokuphatha ngolunya,

ndikutsho ube sisigculelo.

7 Abakubonayo bongcachela phaya,

besithi: ‘Kaloku iNiniva seyingamabhodlo.

Yaz’ba ingalilelwa ngubani na?

Ndingambhaqa phi onokukuthuthuzela?’ ”

8 Ngaba wena ungcono kuneNo-amon

eyayimi phezu kweNayile,

leyo yayijikelezwe ngamanzi

afana nolwandle olulixhadi layo,

manzi lawo aludonga lwayo?

9 Amandlakazi ayo inguKushe noJiputa,

intong’ esekhosi inguPuti noLibhiya.

10 Nakuba kunjalo yathinjwa,

bahamba baya kutshona ebukhobokeni,

ke bona oozimveku yaba ziziqwenga;

ube ngajikela kule kona ibe zizo.

Izikhulu zaqashwa oku kwenyama,

amadoda azivayo suka akhonkxwa.

11 Nawe kambe uza kushusha,

uzame ukuzimela,

ufune ukuzikhusela ezintshabeni zakho.

12 Iinqaba zakho zofana nemikhiwane;

nditsho leyo ilulibo luvuthiweyo.

Umthi lowo uthi ungashukunyiswa

amakhiwane adibane nokutyiwa.

13 Khawujonge imikhosi yakho!

Awu, bafazi bakwabani!

Amasango elizwe lakho avulwe gabalala;

usesichengeni seentshaba zakho;

imivalo ilenywe ngumlilo.

14 Zikhelele amanzi – ilizwe lifile!

Khawuzomeleze iinqaba zakho;

ewe, xonkxa udongwe,

uxovule udaka,

wenze izitena ezomeleleyo.

15 Wokutshisela apho umlilo,

ikrele likungqengqise phantsi.

Lokugeqa ngathi ziinkumbi,

noba unganda njengeentothoviyane,

unyakazele njengeentethe.

16 Abarhwebi bakho bandile;

bangaphezu kwazo neenkwenkwezi.

Njengeenkumbi banqunqa konke, bemke.

17 Abalindi bakho nqwa neenkumbi;

amagosa akho anjengebubu leentethe

elihlala eludongeni mhla ngengqele,

kwakuvela ilanga lisabe,

lingaze laziwe mntu.

18 Ke wena, kumkani waseAsiriya,

abelusibakho bona balele,

izikhulu zakho zilel’ obentlombe.

Abantu bakho bathe saa ezintabeni;

ewe, abanaye namqokeleli.

19 Uduma lwakho alunakunyangeka;

awenzakalanga ungxwelerhekile!

Abazivayo iindaba zokuwa kwakho basuka baqhwabe izandla.

Ngubani ongayingcamlanga inkohlakalo yakho engenasiphelo?