Isambulo 18 - iBhayibhili Elingcwele 1978

Ukuwa kweBabiloni

¹ Emva kwalokho ngabona esinye isithunywa sisehla sivela ezulwini, silamandla amakhulu, lomhlaba wakhanyiswa yikukhazimula kwaso.

² Samemeza ngelizwi elikhulu sisithi: Liwile, liwile iBabiloni elikhulu! Seliyindawo yokuhlala omoya ababi, indawo yokuhlala omoya bonke abangcolileyo lezinyoni zonke ezingcolileyo lezizondekayo;

³ ngoba izizwe zonke zidakiwe liwayini lokungcola kwalo, lamakhosi omhlaba aphingile lalo, labathengisi bomhlaba banothiswe yinotho yalo enkulu.

⁴ Ngasengisizwa elinye ilizwi livela ezulwini lisithi: Phumani kulo, bantu bami, ukuze lingahlanganyeli kanye lalo, izono zalo lezifo zalo;

⁵ ngoba izono zalo zifinyelele ezulwini, loNkulunkulu ukhumbule ukungalungi kwalo.

⁶ Phindiselani kulo njengokwenza kwalo, liphinde kabili okwemisebenzi yalo; liphinde kabili amandla enkezo exutshwe yilo.

⁷ Linikeni ukuhlupheka lokulila okungangalokho elizidumise lazikholisa ngakho. Lithi enhliziyweni yalo: Ngihlezi ngiyinkosikazi, kangisuye umfelwakazi, futhi kangisoze ngabona ukulila.

⁸ Ngakhoke zizakufika ngasuku lunye izifo zalo, imikhuhlane lokulila lendlala, futhi lizakutshiswa ngomlilo; ngoba iNkosi uNkulunkulu elithonisisayo ilamandla.

⁹ Amakhosi omhlaba aphinga lalo ezikholisa lalo azakukhala alile, lapho ebona intuthu yokutsha kwalo.

¹⁰ Azakuma khatshana ngokwesaba ukuhlupheka kwalo esithi: Maye, maye kuwe muzi omkhulu waseBabiloni! Ngesikhatshana kufikile kuwe ukuthonisiswa kwakho.

¹¹ Labathengisi bomhlaba bazakulikhalela, balililele, ngoba impahla yalo kayisathengwa muntu,

¹² impahla yegolide lesiliva, lamatshe amahle, lamangqongqo aligugu, lamalembu amahle ayibubende layisilika labomvu; lazo zonke izihlahla ezilephunga, lezinto zempondo zendlovu, lezinto zezihlahla ezibiza imali enengi, lezethusi, lezensimbi, lezelitshe elimhlophe;

¹³ amaxolo esihlahla esithiwa ikinamoni, lokulephunga elimnandi, lempepha, lemure, lamakha, lewayini, lamafutha, lempuphu ecolekileyo, lamabele; inkomo lezimvu, amabhiza, lezinqola, lezigqili, lemiphefumulo yabantu.

¹⁴ Bazakuthi: Izithelo ezazifiswa ngumphefumulo wakho zisukile kuwe, lakho konke okunothileyo lokukhazimulayo kukulahlekele, kakusoze kubuye kufunyaniswe.

¹⁵ Abathengisi balezizinto abanothiswe yilo bazakuma khatshana, besesaba ukuhlupheka kwalo, bekhala, belila kakhulu,

¹⁶ besithi: Maye, maye kuwe muzi omkhulu, owawambathiswe amalembu amahle, layibubende, labomvu, uceciswe ngegolide langamatshe amahle langamangqongqo aligugu!

¹⁷ Ngesikhatshana nje yonke inotho yakho ichithekile. Lezinduna zemikolo, labo bonke abahamba olwandle, labatshayeli bonke bemikolo abamisebenzi yabo isolwandle, bema khatshana,

¹⁸ bakhala bebona intuthu yokutsha kwalo besithi: Yiwuphi umuzi ofana lawo umuzi omkhulu na?

¹⁹ Bathela uthuli emakhanda abo bekhala, belila, besithi: Maye, maye kuwe muzi omkhulu, lapho bonke ababelemikolo olwandle banothiswa yinotho yawo! Uchithekile ngesikhatshana nje.

²⁰ Thokoza ngawo wena zulu, lani bangcwele labaphostoli labaprofethi; ngoba uNkulunkulu uwuthonisisile, waliphindisela.

²¹ Isithunywa esilamandla safukula ilitshe elinjengelokuchola, saliphosela olwandle sisithi: Ngokunjalo iBabiloni umuzi omkhulu lizakuphoselwa phansi ngamandla, lingabe lisafunyanwa.

²² Umsindo wabatshaya amachacho, lowabahlabeleli labatshaya imihlanga lezimpondo, kawusoze uphinde uzwakale phakathi kwakho; labaleminwe yokwenza imisebenzi kabasayikufunyanwa phakathi kwakho; lomsindo welitshe lokuchola kawusoze uphinde uzwakale phakathi kwakho;

²³ lokukhanya kwesibane kakusayikukhanya phakathi kwakho; lelizwi lomyeni lomlobokazi kalisayikuzwakala phakathi kwakho; ngoba abathengisi bakho bebeyizikhulu zomhlaba, lezizwe zonke zikhohliswe yikuthakatha kwakho.

²⁴ Futhi kwafunyanwa phakathi kwakho igazi labaprofethi lelabangcwele lelabo bonke ababebulewe emhlabeni.