Nahume 3

₁Maye kulo lidolobha lengati leligcwele emacebo,

naleligcwele imphango,

nalelingabesweli bantfu lekubahlupha.

₂Ase nilalele kubhoma kwesiswebhu,

nebuklekekleke bemasondvo,

nebugidzigidzi bemahhashi,

nebunsegensege betincola temphi.

₃Bagibeli bemahhashi bayajijimeta,

kumanya tinkemba,

tikhali bumengemenge.

Imphi yatfolana etulu,

kwadzindzibala tindvundvuma tetidvumbu

letingeke tibalwe nekubalwa;

bantfu bagijima etikwato, tiyabagila.

₄Konkhe loku kuye ngebunyenti benkhanuko

yengwadla lebukekako,

umhhunguli wabo bonkhe butsi,

ingwababane leyagcilata tive

ngebugwadla bayo

netive tonkhe ngebutsi bayo.

“Mine ngiphambene nawe,

ngitawuphakamisa tidvwaba takho tibheke etulu.

Tonkhe tive temhlaba

ngitatikhombisa bungcunu bakho,

nemibuso yemhlaba ngiyikhombise lihlazo lakho.

₆Ngiyawukujikijela ngemanyala,

ngikuphatse dlephu,

ngikwente ube yinhlekisa.

₇Bonkhe labakubonako bayawukubalekela, batsi:

‘INineve seyiwile, sengusemaboleleni,

ingabe itawukhalelwa ngubani?’

Ngingamtfolaphi umuntfu longahle akudvudvute?”

₈Wena Nineve,

uncono yini kuneThebesi,

lekuyindlunkhulu yaseGibhithe,

letungeletwe ngemanti?

Lawo manti bekulubondza lwayo.

₉IKushe neGibhithe

bekungemandla ayo lamakhulu;

iPhuthi neLibhiya, bangani bayo.

₁₀Noko, yatfunjwa yesuswa eveni layo,

yadzingiswa.

Bantfwabayo labancane bashaywa

baphihlitwa kuwo onkhe emakona etitaladi,

baholi bayo bashayelwa inkatho;

bonkhe bahlonishwa bayo baboshwa ngetinketane.

₁₁Nawe-ke, Nineve, utawudzakwa,

uhambe uyekubhaca,

ufune kukhoseliswa titsa.

₁₂Tonkhe tinqaba takho tinjengemikhiwa

lenemakhiwa ayo ekucala lasavutsiwe;

nangabe inyakatiswa,

lamakhiwa adzilikela emlonyeni walowo lowadlako.

₁₃Ase ubheke emasotja akho!

Onkhe abafati nje.

Emasango elive lakho,

avulekele titsa takho kabanti,

umlilo uyishise yonkhe imicabo yawo.

₁₄Khani lamanti utilungiselele kuvinjetelwa,

ucinise tinqaba takho.

Tsatsa inhlabatsi ubhuce ludzaka,

utilungiselele, ufolome sitini.

₁₅Umlilo utakudlela khona lapho,

nenkemba itakudla ikucedze,

njengetintsetse tidla tjani,

nawe umlilo utakudla ukucedze,

wandze njengesikhonyane.

₁₆Bahwebi bakho ubandzise baba banyenti,

bendlula tinkhanyeti tesibhakabhaka.

Kodvwa nyalo balingise tintsetse

ngekutsi bahluphulute live,

bese bayabaleka.

₁₇Balindzi bakho bafanana nesikhonyane,

netindvuna takho tinjengelibulo lesikhonyane

lesihlala elubondzeni nakumakhata,

kodvwa kutsi nakuphuma lilanga,

sindize siye le khashane,

singatiwa lapho sikhona.

₁₈Awu, mbusi wase-Asiriya,

belusi bakho bayetela,

kantsi netakhamiti takho letihloniphekile

setilele kokuphela.

Bantfu bakho basakateke bagcwala tintsaba,

kute nalongahle abagcogce babuye ekhaya.

₁₉Kute lokungelapha lesilondza sakho,

lelinceba lakho linengati yekufa.

Bonkhe labo labeva letindzaba takho

bagidza batibetsele.

Utsi ukhona nje lowase waphunyula

wasindza kulolunya lwakho lolungenamkhawulo?