Isambulo 18

Ukudilika KweBhabhiloni

1Emva kwalokhu ngabona enye ingilosi isehla ivela ezulwini. Yayilamandla amakhulu njalo umhlaba wakhanyiswa yikukhazimula kwayo. 2Yamemeza ngelizwi elikhulu yathi:

“ ‘Liwile! Liwile iBhabhiloni eliKhulu!’1

Selibe likhaya lamadimoni

lomango wabomoya ababi,

lomango wezinyoni zonke ezingcolileyo lezenyanyekayo.

3Ngoba izizwe zonke zinathe

iwayini elihlanyisayo lobufebe balo.

Amakhosi omhlaba afeba lalo,

labathengisi basemhlabeni banothiswa yinotho yalo edlulisileyo.”

Izixwayiso Zokwahlulelwa KweBhabhiloni

4Ngabuya ngezwa elinye ilizwi livela ezulwini lisithi:

“ ‘Bantu bami, phumani kulo,’2

ukuze lingahlanganyeli ezonweni zalo

ukuze lingehlelwa yizifo zalo;

5ngoba izono zalo ziyinqwaba efika ezulwini,

njalo uNkulunkulu usekhumbule amacala alo.

6Lipheni njengokupha kwalo;

buyiselani ngokuphindiweyo kulokho elikwenzileyo.

Thelani kabili isilinganiso enkezweni yalo.

7Lizwiseni uchuku olukhulu losizi

okulingana inkazimulo lenotho elizipha khona.”3

Enhliziyweni yalo liyazincoma lisithi,

ngihlezi njengendlovukazi; kangisumfelokazi,

njalo kangisoze ngilile.

8Ngakho-ke, ngosuku olulodwa izifo zalo zizalifica:

ukufa lokukhala kanye lendlala.

Lizahangulwa ngumlilo

ngoba ilamandla iNkosi uNkulunkulu olahlulelayo.

Izixwayiso Ezintathu Ngokuwa KweBhabhiloni

9Lapho amakhosi asemhlabeni afeba lalo njalo abelana lalo inotho yalo ebona intuthu yokutsha kwalo azalikhalela alililele. 10Azesaba ngenxa yokuhlukuluzwa kwalo eme khatshana akhale esithi:

Maye! Maye, Oh dolobho elikhulu,

Oh Bhabhiloni, dolobho lamandla!

Ngehola linye nje incithakalo yakho ifikile!

11Abathengisi basemhlabeni bazalikhalela balililele ngoba kungasekho othenga impahla yabo, 12imithwalo yegolide leyesiliva leyamatshe aligugu leyobuhlalu; eyelineni elihle leliyibubende, ilembu lesilika lelembu elibomvu gebhu; inhlobo zonke zezigodo zesithironi lezinhlobo zonke zezinto ezenziwe ngempondo zendlovu lezigodo ezidulayo lethusi lensimbi kanye lelitshe elimhlophe; 13imithwalo yesinamoni leyeziyoliso, eyempepha leyemure kanye leyamakha, eyewayini lamafutha e-oliva, eyefulawa ecolekileyo kanye lengqoloyi; inkomo lezimvu; amabhiza lezinqola lezigqili kanye lemiphefumulo yabantu.

14Bazakuthi, “Izithelo owawuzilangathela zisukile kuwe. Yonke inotho yakho lenkazimulo sekunyamalele, kakuyikutholakala futhi.” 15Abathengisi ababethengisa lezizinto bezuza inotho yabo kuyo bazakuma khatshana, besesaba ngokuhlukuluzwa kwalo. Bazalila babubule 16njalo bakhale kakhulu besithi:

“Maye! Maye, Oh dolobho elikhulu,

eligqoke ilineni elihle, okuyibubende lokubomvu,

elikhazimulayo ngegolide langamatshe

aligugu kanye lobuhlalu!

17Ngehola linye nje inotho enengi kangaka isichithiwe!”

Izinduna zonke zemikhumbi labo bonke abahamba ngayo labatshayeli labo bonke abazuza ukuphila kwabo olwandle bazakuma khatshana. 18Lapho bebona izikhatha zokutsha kwalo bazachaza bathi, “Kambe kwake kwaba ledolobho elinjengaleli idolobho elikhulu na?” 19Bazathela uthuli emakhanda abo balile babubule bekhala besithi:

“Maye! Maye, Oh dolobho elikhulu,

lapho bonke ababelemikhumbi olwandle

abanothiswa khona yinotho yalo!

Ngehola linye nje selichithiwe!

20Thokoza ngalo, Oh Zulu!

Thokozani bangcwele labapostoli kanye labaphrofethi!

UNkulunkulu uselahlulele

ngendlela elaliphatha ngayo.”

Isinqumo Sokubhujiswa KweBhabhiloni

21Ingilosi elamandla yasidobha ilitshe elingangembokodo enkulu yaliphosela olwandle, yathi:

“Idolobho elikhulu laseBhabhiloni lizaphoselwa phansi,

ngodlakela olunje,

lingaphindi libonakale futhi.

22Umculo wabatshayi bamachacho labahlabeleli labatshayi bemihlanga lamacilongo,

kawusoze uzwakale kuwe futhi.

Akukho sisebenzi lesawuphi umsebenzi

esizatholakala kuwe futhi.

Umsindo wembokodo

kawusoze uzwakale kuwe futhi.

23Ukukhanya kwesibane

akusoze kukhanye kuwe futhi.

Ilizwi lomyeni lelomlobokazi

kalisoze lizwakale kuwe futhi.

Abathengisi bakho babeyizikhulu zomhlaba.

Izizwe zonke zadukiswa yibuthakathi bakho.

24Kuwe kwafunyanwa igazi labaphrofethi lelabangcwele,

kanye lelabo bonke ababulawayo emhlabeni.”