Isibhengezo Sesithunywa Sezulu
Kuvakaliswa ukuwa kweBhabhilon, lize ilizwi libize abantu bakaBawo wethu baphume kuyo phambi kokuba zihle izibetho zayo. Ookumkani, abarhwebi, namadoda eenqanawa bakhangela bemgama benze isijwili — kungekhona ngayo, kodwa ngenxa yorhwebo abalulahlileyo. Umculo, ukukhanya kwesibane, namazwi omtshato kuphela khona ngonaphakade.
18 1Emveni koko ndabona esinye isithunywa sezulu sisihla sivela ezulwini, siphethe igunya elikhulu; wakhanya umhlaba bubuqaqawuli baso. 2Samemeza ngezwi elikhulu: “Iwile, iwile—iBhabhilon enkulu! Isuke yaba likhaya leedemon, nendawo yokuhlala kwayo yonke imimoya engcolileyo, nendawo yokuhlala kwayo yonke intaka engcolileyo, nendawo yokuhlala kwayo yonke inkomo engcolileyo, ezotywayo. 3Ngokuba zonke iintlanga ziyisele iwayini yomsindo wobuhenyu bakhe; ookumkani bomhlaba benza ubuhenyu naye, basuka abarhwebi bomhlaba batyeba ngamandla obumewunewu bakhe.”
4Ndaza ndeva elinye ilizwi livela ezulwini: “Phumani kuye, bantu bam, ukuze ningabelani naye izono zakhe, ningamkeli nezibetho zakhe;
5ngokuba izono zakhe zinyuke zafika emazulwini, waza uBawo wethu wazikhumbula izenzo zakhe ezigwenxa. 6Mbuyekezeni njengoko naye athe wabuyekeza, nimbuyekeze ngokuphindwe kabini ngenxa yoko akwenzileyo; kwindebe awayixubayo, mxubeleni isabelo esiphindwe kabini. 7Njengoko azizukisayo waza waphila ebumewunewini, mnikeni ngokulinganayo intuthumbo nosizi; kuba usithi entliziyweni yakhe: ‘Ndihleli njengokumkanikazi; andingomhlolokazi, andisayi kuze ndilubone usizi.’ 8Ngenxa yoko izibetho zakhe ziya kufika ngamini-nye—ukufa nosizi nendlala— atshiswe ngomlilo; kuba unamandla uBawo wethu, lowo umgwebileyo.”
9Ookumkani bomhlaba abenza ubuhenyu baza babelana naye ngobumewunewu baya kumlilela bamenzele isijwili, bakubona umsi wokutsha kwakhe. 10Bemi kude, besoyika intuthumbo yakhe, bathi: “Yeha, yeha, mzi mkhulu, Bhabhilon, mzi unamandla! Ngelixa linye kufikile ukugwetywa kwakho.” 11Abarhwebi bomhlaba bamlilela bamenzele isijwili, ngokuba akusekho namnye uthenga impahla yabo. 12Impahla yegolide, nesilivere, namatye anqabileyo, neeperile, nelinen ecikizekileyo, nento emfusa, nesilika, nebomvu; nayo yonke imithi enevumba, nempahla yonke yempondo zeendlovu, nempahla yonke yomthi onqabileyo, nobhedu, nesinyithi, nemarbile. 13Isinamon, nobulawu, nesiqhumiso, nemore, nentlaka emhlophe, newayini, neoli, nomgubo ocoliweyo, nengqolowa, neenkomo, neegusha, namahashe, neenqwelo, nemizimba yabantu nemiphefumlo.
14“Isiqhamo esivuthiweyo esiwunqwenelayo umphefumlo wakho simke kuwe; bonke ubutyebi bakho nobungangamsha bulahlekile, abusayi kuphinda bufunyanwe.” 15Abarhwebi baloo nto abatyeba ngaye baya kuma kude, besoyika intuthumbo yakhe, belila besenza isijwili, 16besithi: “Yeha, yeha, mzi mkhulu, obunambethe ilinen ecikizekileyo, nento emfusa, nebomvu, uhonjiswe ngegolide, namatye anqabileyo, neeperile! Ngelixa linye bube bubhuqiwe obo butyebi bungaka.” 17Bonke abaphathi beenqanawa, nabo bonke abahamba ngeenqanawa elwandle, namadoda eenqanawa, nabo bonke abaphila ngolwandle, bema kude, 18bememeza bakubona umsi wokutsha kwakhe, besithi: “Nguwuphi na umzi owawukhe wafana nomzi omkhulu?” 19Bagalela uthuli ezintlokweni zabo, bamemeza belila besenza isijwili, besithi: “Yeha, yeha, mzi mkhulu, apho bonke abaneenqanawa elwandle babetyeba khona ngobutyebi bakhe! Ngelixa linye ubhuqiwe.” 20Vuya ngaye, wena zulu, nani bangcwele, nabapostile, nabaprofeti! Kuba uBawo wethu uligwebile ityala lenu kuye.
21Isithunywa sezulu esinamandla saphosa ilitye elinjengelitye elikhulu lokusila elwandle, sisithi: “Yoyiswa ngolo hlobo iBhabhilon umzi omkhulu, ingabi sabuya ifunyenwe. 22Isandi sabadlali boohadi nabaculi, nesabavutheli boogwali nabavutheli bamaxilongo, asisayi kuphinda sivakale kuwe. Akusayi kuphinda kufunyanwa kuwe nayiphi na ingcibi yaso nasiphi na isishishini. Isandi sokusila asisayi kuphinda sivakale kuwe. 23Ukukhanya kwesibane akusayi kuphinda kukhanye kuwe. Izwi lomyeni nomtshakazi alisayi kuphinda livakale kuwe. Kuba abarhwebi bakho babengabakhulu bomhlaba, zaza zonke iintlanga zalukuhlwa bubugqwirha bakho. 24Kuye kwafunyanwa igazi labaprofeti nelabangcwele, nelabo bonke abaxhelwa emhlabeni.”
