A Promised Ruler
1 Jerusalem, enemy troops
have surrounded you;
they have struck Israel's ruler
in the face with a stick.
2 Bethlehem Ephrath,
you are one of the smallest towns
in the nation of Judah.
But the Lord will choose
one of your people
to rule the nation—
someone whose family
goes back to ancient times.
3 The Lord will abandon Israel
only until this ruler is born,
and the rest of his family
returns to Israel.
4 Like a shepherd
taking care of his sheep,
this ruler will lead
and care for his people
by the power and glorious name
of the Lord his God.
His people will live securely,
and the whole earth will know
his true greatness,
5 because he will bring peace.
Assyria Will Be Defeated
Let Assyria attack our country
and our palaces.
We will counterattack,
led by a number of rulers
6 whose strong army will defeat
the nation of Assyria.
Yes, our leaders will rescue us,
if those Assyrians
dare to invade our land.
The Survivors Will Be Safe
7 A few of Jacob's descendants
survived and are scattered
among the nations.
But the Lord will let them
cover the earth like dew and rain
that refreshes the soil.
8 At present they are scattered,
but later they will attack,
as though they were fierce lions
pouncing on sheep.
Their enemies will be torn
to shreds,
with no one to save them;
9 they will be helpless,
completely destroyed.
Idols Will Be Destroyed in Israel
10 The Lord said:
At that time I will wipe out
your cavalry and chariots,
11 as well as your cities
and your fortresses.
12 I will stop you
from telling fortunes
and practicing witchcraft.
13 You will no longer worship
the idols or stone images
you have made—
I will destroy them,
14 together with the sacred poles
and even your towns.
15 I will become furious
and take revenge on the nations
that refuse to obey me.
1 ǀHaoǀhaosen re Jerusalemse, khākhoen ǂnubis xas xāǂgāhes hâ xuige. ǁÎn ge Israels ǂgaeǂgui-aoba haib ǀkha xōb ai nî ǂnau.
ǀAsa ǂgaeǂgui-aob ge Betlehemsa xu nî hā
2 Sas, Betlehems Efratase, ǂkharis ge a sasa Judab ǃhaoǃnādi ǃnâ, xawe sasa xub ge tita nî ǀkhība ǁnāb, Israela nî ǂgaeǂguiba. ǁÎb di tsoatsoadi ge ǀnai, ǀoro ǁaeba xu hâ.
3 ǁNā-amagab ge ǃKhūba ǁîna nî ǁnāxūǃgâ ǁnās ǁora nîse is nî ǁora ǁaeb kōse. On ge ǃgau hâ ǃgâsana Israelǁîna ǃoa nî oahā. 4 ǁÎb ge hā tsî ǁîb ǁaesa ǃKhūb di ǀgaib ǀkha nî ǃûi, ǂkhaisib di ǀons ǃKhūb ǁîb Elob dis ǃnâ. On ge ǁîna sâsase nî ûi, ǁîb di kaisib hoaraga ǃhūbaib ǃnâ nî ǂansa xui-ao, 5 tsîb ge ǁîba ǂkhîba nî hā-ū.
Ores tsî ǁkharab
Asiriaǁîn ga sida ǃhūba ǁnāǂam tsî sida ǁkhui-omgu ǃnâ ǂgâ ǂgao, o da ge ǂgui ǂgaeǂgui-aogu tsî ǂamkhoegu tsîna ǁîn ǃoagu nî ǃkhamse nî sî. 6 ǁÎgu ge Asiriab, Nimrodi ǃhūba gôagu ǀkha nî dan. ǁÎb ge Asiriab di ǀgaiba xu nî ore da, Asiriab ga sida ǃhūba ǁnāǂamo.
7 On ge ûiǃgau hân Jakob dina ǂgui ǁaedi ǁaegu nî hâ. ǁÎn ge ǀaub ǃKhūba xu ra hāb khami ǁîdi ǃnâ nî ī, ǀnanus, ǀgân ai ra ǀapis khami, khoe-e ǃâu tama tsî khoesiba ǃâumâ tamasa. 8 Ûiǃgau hân Jakob din ge ǂgui ǁaedi ǁaegu nî hâ, kaise ǂgui khoen ǁaegu. ǁÎn ge xam-i khami nî ī xamanin ǁaegu, tsî ǂkham xammi khami gūn ǁaegu, garub a khami ǁnāǂam tsî ra ǀkhauǃāba, tsî i ge hui nî khoe-i xare-e a ǀkhai. 9 Sats ge sa mâǃoasabena nî ǀgaidā tsîn ge sa khākhoen hoana nî hîkākāhe.
10 Nētib ge ǃKhūba ra mî: “ǁNā tsēs ai ta ge sadu hāna nî hîkākā tsî sadu torokunide nî khôaǂkhū. 11 Tita ge sadu ǃhūb di ǃāde nî hîkākā tsî sadu ǀgaisa hâǃkhaidi di ǂnubiǂgoaga nî khôaǁnâ. 12 Tita ge sadu di ǃgaidī-ūxuna nî hîkākā, tsî du ge aimûǀgaru-ao-i xare-e ǃaruǀî ūhâ tide. 13 Tita ge sadu di ǁgôa-elo īgu tsî sadu di ǀuiǂkhâǃnâgu tsîna nî hîkākā, tsî du ge ǃaruǀî sadu ǃomgu sîsenna ǀgoreǀî tide. 14 ǁKhāti ta ge sadu di Asera īga nî ǃhomǂui tsî sadu ǃāde nî hîkākā. 15 Tsî ta ge ti ǁaib ǃnâ ǁnā ǃhaodi tita ge ǁnâuǀnam tama hâ ide nî ǀkhao.”
