Zefaniya Chapter 1

1. Izwi likaJehova elafika kuZefaniya indodana kaKushi kaGedaliya ka-Amariya kaHezekiya ezinsukwini zikaJosiya indodana ka-Amoni, inkosi yakwaJuda.

2. “Ngiyakuqothula nokuqothula konke, kusuke ebusweni bomhlaba,” usho uJehova.

3. “Ngiyakuqothula abantu nezilwane, ngiqothule izinyoni zezulu nezinhlanzi zaselwandle, ngikhubekise ababi, nginqume abantu ebusweni bomhlaba,” usho uJehova.

4. “Ngiyakwelula isandla sami phezu kukaJuda naphezu kwabo bonke abakhileyo eJerusalema, nginqume insali kaBali kule ndawo, negama labapristi bezithixo kanye nabapristi,

5. nabakhuleka kulo ibandla lasezulwini phezu kwezindlu, nabakhuleka kuJehova bemfunga, befunga futhi uMilkomu,

6. nababuyile ekumlandeleni uJehova, nabangamfunanga uJehova bengabuzanga ngaye.

7. Thula phambi kobuso beNkosi uJehova, ngokuba usuku lukaJehova luseduze; uJehova ulungisile umhlatshelo, ungcwelisile abamenyiweyo bakhe.

8. Kuyakuthi ngosuku lomhlatshelo kaJehova, ngihambele izikhulu, namadodana enkosi, nabo bonke abembethe isambatho sabezizwe.

9. Ngalolo suku ngiyakuhambela bonke abeqa umbundu, begcwalisa indlu yamakhosi abo ngobudlova nangenkohliso.

10. “Ngalolo suku,” usho uJehova, “kuyakuba khona izwi lokukhala, livela eSangweni Lezinhlanzi, nokuhhewula, kuvela eNxenyeni Yesibili, nokufahlazeka okukhulu, kuvela emagqumeni.

11. Hhewulani nina enakhe esiGqulweni, ngokuba bonke abantu abathengisayo bachithekile, bonke abathweswe isiliva banqunyiwe.

12. Kuyakuthi ngaleso sikhathi ngicwaninge iJerusalema ngezibani, ngihambele abantu abajiyile enhleseni yabo, abathi ezinhliziyweni zabo: UJehova akenzi okuhle, akenzi nokubi.

13. Ingcebo yabo iyakuba yimpango, nezindlu zabo incithakalo; bayakwakha izindlu, kepha abayikuhlala kuzo, batshale izivini, bangaliphuzi kodwa iwayini lazo.

14. “Usuku olukhulu lukaJehova luseduze; luseduze, lushesha kakhulu; umsindo wosuku lukaJehova uyababa, neqhawe liyahhewula khona.

15. Lolo suku lungusuku lolaka, usuku lokuhlupheka nolosizi, usuku lwencithakalo nolokuyize, usuku lobumnyama nolwesigayegaye, usuku lwamafu nolobumnyama obukhulu,

16. usuku lwecilongo nolokuhlaba umkhosi ngasemizini ebiyelweyo nasemibhoshongweni yasezingosini.

17. Ngiyakucindezela abantu, bahambe njengezimpumputhe, ngokuba bonile kuJehova; igazi labo liyakuthululwa njengothuli, nenyama yabo njengomquba.

18. Nasiliva labo nagolide labo akuyikuba namandla okubophula ngosuku lwentukuthelo lukaJehova, kepha umhlaba wonke uyakudliwa ngumlilo womhawu wakhe, ngokuba uyakuqeda, yebo, aqede ngokuzumayo bonke abakhileyo ezweni.”