Judgment on Neighboring Nations
1 This is the Lord's message:
He has decreed punishment for the land of Hadrach and for the city of Damascus. Not only the tribes of Israel but also the capital of Syria belong to the Lord. 2 Hamath, which borders on Hadrach, also belongs to him, and so do the cities of Tyre and Sidon, with all their skill. 3 Tyre has built fortifications for herself and has piled up so much silver and gold that it is as common as dirt! 4 But the Lord will take away everything she has. He will throw her wealth into the sea, and the city will be burned to the ground.
5 The city of Ashkelon will see this and be afraid. The city of Gaza will see it and suffer great pain. So will Ekron, and her hopes will be shattered. Gaza will lose her king, and Ashkelon will be left deserted. 6 People of mixed race will live in Ashdod. The Lord says, “I will humble all these proud Philistines. 7 They will no longer eat meat with blood in it, or other forbidden food. All the survivors will become part of my people and be like a clan in the tribe of Judah. Ekron will become part of my people, as the Jebusites did. 8 I will guard my land and keep armies from passing through it. I will not allow tyrants to oppress my people any more. I have seen how my people have suffered.”
The Future King
9 Rejoice, rejoice, people of Zion!
Shout for joy, you people of Jerusalem!
Look, your king is coming to you!
He comes triumphant and victorious,
but humble and riding on a donkey—
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
10 The Lord says,
“I will remove the war chariots from Israel
and take the horses from Jerusalem;
the bows used in battle will be destroyed.
Your king will make peace among the nations;
he will rule from sea to sea,
from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.”
The Restoration of God's People
11 The Lord says,
“Because of my covenant with you
that was sealed by the blood of sacrifices,
I will set your people free—
free from the waterless pit of exile.
12 Return, you exiles who now have hope;
return to your place of safety.
Now I tell you that I will repay you twice over
with blessing for all you have suffered.
13 I will use Judah like a soldier's bow
and Israel like the arrows.
I will use the men of Zion like a sword,
to fight the men of Greece.”
14 The Lord will appear above his people;
he will shoot his arrows like lightning.
The Sovereign Lord will sound the trumpet;
he will march in the storms from the south.
15 The Lord Almighty will protect his people,
and they will destroy their enemies.
They will shout in battle like drunk men
and will shed the blood of their enemies;
it will flow like the blood of a sacrifice
poured on the altar from a bowl.
16 When that day comes, the Lord will save his people,
as a shepherd saves his flock from danger.
They will shine in his land
like the jewels of a crown.
17 How good and beautiful the land will be!
The young people will grow strong on its grain and wine.
Lobgwa shamu kwe zwitjaba
Dama
1 Dama la Yahwe lobhayana ne shango ye Hadiraki
lakatemelela kwazo ku Damasiko,
ngobe mesho e bathu bose ne njudzi dze Iziraela
Yahwe bakazwibiga zhisho,
2 ne Hamati bo iyo yakashanganyila n'gathu nayo,
ne mu Tire ne Sidoni nenguba dzina butjenjedu bukulu.
3 Tire yakazwibakila matizhilo,
ikazwikubunganyila siliva se nsetje
bakakubunganya golide ikanga zwizhala nlota hwunde ye zila.
4 Koga bonani, tetshi banowobatolela thundu yabo ngono bakalashila
masimba abo ku gungwa,
ngono unowopisiwa nge moto.
5 Ashikeloni inowobona ikoko ngono inowotja kwazo.
Gaza naiyobo inotshinda nge zogwadza
Ekironi naiyo kugalabgwe kwayo kowopela.
Gaza inowolashikigwa na mambo wayo
ne Ashikeloni inowobe dongo.
6 Bathu bakashangashangana lutshinga banowogala mu Ashidodi,
ngono ndowopedza kuzwikudza kwe Bafilisitiya.
7 Ndowodusa malopa abo mu milomo yabo
ne zojiwa zwakatemapala mu meno abo,
naibo banowobe malimbelimbe e Ndzimu wedu
kakale bakabe ludzi mu Juda,
ngono Ekironi inowonga Bajebusi.
8 Koga ndowobakilila ng'umba yangu,
kuti kushete unoyenda yenda muili.
Akutowofa kwabe ne ntshambilidzi
ungatshambilidza bathu bangu,
ngoti ndobona nge mesho angu.
Kuzha kwe mambo we Ziyoni
9 Shatha kwazo iwe nkololokadzi we Ziyoni!
Pembela kaa iwe nkololokadzi we Jerusalema!
Bona mambo uwo unozha ku kuli,
ana ndulamo ne jidzo,
akatebama akatatha donki
ili donkana.
10 Ndowodusa koloyi dze ngwa mu Ifureimi
ne mbizi dze ngwa mu Jerusalema
ne misebe ye ngwa inowodusiwa.
Unowoleba ngekwe kunyalala ku zwitjaba.
Unowobusa kudwa ku gungwa kunoti gungwa,
ne kudwa pa gwizi gwe Ifuratesi
kunoti ku phelelo dze shango.
11 Koga nge kuko, ngekwe tjidumano tjangu nawe tjandakasisithila nge lopa,
ndowosunungula basungwa bakatapiwa pasi pasi kwe shango.
12 Bgwililani ku matizhilo enyu imwi basungwa batjina kugalabgwe
na ngwenu kose nditjaleba nditi ndowokubgwilizila kwakakulashikila kungabe kabili.
13 Ndowopeta Juda se dati langu,
Ifureimi ili nsebe,
ndowodzonga bakololo babo iwe Ziyoni,
kuti bamukilane ne bakololo babo iwe Javani,
akuthama ukanga thumo le mbhayani.
Yahwe banowozwilakidza
14 Ipapo Yahwe banowozwilakidza mubali,
misebe yabo inowopubulila se lupenyo gwe vula.
She Yahwe banowolidza lunyanga,
banowokabula bali mu dutu le burwa,
15 Yahwe Masimbawose banowobabakilila,
ngono banowolobesa bakakunda nge zwivirimabgwe,
banowong'wa malopa abo se nkumbi,
bakagutshika se ikutili tjinoshingisiwa
kubigilidza malopa e tjibhayilo bakakapa se nyanga dze tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo.
16 Yahwe Ndzimu banowobatjidza mu zhuba ilelo,
se bali ngubi dze bathu babo.
Banowopenya mu shango,
se ndalama dze tjiala.
17 Kowobe kuli kubuya kwakanaka seni!
Bazhuzha banowomonyoka nge mathunde
baanadi nge nkumbi ntshwa we zhambi!