ISambulo 17

17 ¹Omunye wezingelosi eziyisikhombisa ezaziphethe izitsha eziyisikhombisa weza wakhuluma nami, wathi: “Woza, ngizakukubonisa ukwahlulelwa kwesifebe esikhulu esihlezi phezu kwamanzi amaningi. ²Amakhosi omhlaba enza isono sobufebe naso, nabantu bomhlaba badakwa yiwayini lesono saso.” ³Wangimukisa ngoMoya wangisa ehlane, lapho ngabona khona owesifazane ehlezi phezu kwesilo esibomvu klebhu, esigcwele amagama athuka uNkulunkulu, sinamakhanda ayisikhombisa nezimpondo eziyishumi. ⁴Owesifazane wayembethe okuyibubende nokubomvu klebhu, ehlobise ngegolide namatshe ayigugu namaparele, ephethe esandleni sakhe inkomishi yegolide igcwele izinto ezinengekayo nokungcola kobufebe bakhe. ⁵Ebunzini lakhe kwakulotshwe igama, iyimfihlakalo: “IBabiloni elikhulu, unina wezifebe nowezinto ezinengekayo zomhlaba.”

⁶Ngabona owesifazane edakwe yigazi labangcwele, igazi lofakazi bakaJesu. Ngathi ngimbona, ngamangala kakhulu.

⁷Ingelosi yabuza yathi: “Umangalelani na? Ngizakukutshela imfihlakalo yalona wesifazane neyesilo esimthwele, leso esinamakhanda ayisikhombisa nezimpondo eziyishumi. ⁸Isilo osibonile sase sikhona, kodwa manje asisekho, futhi sesizakwenyuka siphume emgodini ongenamkhawulo siye ekubhujisweni kwaso. Labo abahlala emhlabeni, abamagama abo angalotshwanga encwadini yokuphila kusukela ekusekelweni komhlaba, bayakumangala lapho bebona isilo—ngokuba sake sakhona, manje asisekho, kodwa sizakuza.

⁹Lokhu kudinga ingqondo ehlakaniphileyo: amakhanda ayisikhombisa ayizintaba eziyisikhombisa lapho owesifazane ahlezi khona, futhi angamakhosi ayisikhombisa. ¹⁰Amahlanu asewile, enye ikhona, enye ayikafiki; lapho ifika, imelwe ukuhlala isikhashana. ¹¹Isilo esasikhona kodwa esingasekho siyisona esesishiyagalombili, kanti siyesinye salezo eziyisikhombisa, siya ekubhujisweni. ¹²Izimpondo eziyishumi ozibonile angamakhosi ayishumi angakawamukeli umbuso, kodwa amukela igunya njengamakhosi ihora elilodwa kanye nesilo. ¹³La anengqondo eyodwa, futhi anikela amandla awo negunya lawo esilweni.

¹⁴Ayakulwa neWundlu, kodwa iWundlu liyakuwanqoba, ngokuba liyiNkosi yezinkosi neNkosi yamakhosi, nalabo abanaye babiziwe, bakhethiwe, bathembekile.” ¹⁵Ingelosi yathi kimi: “Amanzi owabonile, lapho isifebe sihlezi khona, angabantu, nezixuku, nezizwe, nezilimi. ¹⁶Izimpondo eziyishumi ozibonile, kanye nesilo, ziyakusizonda isifebe. Ziyakusishiya sincithakele sinqunu, zidle inyama yaso, zisishise ngomlilo. ¹⁷Ngokuba uBaba wethu wakufaka ezinhliziyweni zawo ukuba enze injongo yakhe, avumelane ngomqondo munye, anikele umbuso wawo esilweni, kuze kugcwaliseke amazwi kaBaba wethu. ^a a v17 Ngisho namakhosi ahlubukayo akhonza isilo enza injongo kaBaba wethu. Uqondisa umlando awubhekise ekunqobeni kweWundlu. ¹⁸Owesifazane omboneyo ungumuzi omkhulu obusa phezu kwamakhosi omhlaba.”