1 People of Jerusalem, gather your forces! We are besieged! They are attacking the leader of Israel!
God Promises a Ruler from Bethlehem
2 The Lord says, “Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are one of the smallest towns in Judah, but out of you I will bring a ruler for Israel, whose family line goes back to ancient times.”
3 So the Lord will abandon his people to their enemies until the woman who is to give birth has her son. Then those Israelites who are in exile will be reunited with their own people. 4 When he comes, he will rule his people with the strength that comes from the Lord and with the majesty of the Lord God himself. His people will live in safety because people all over the earth will acknowledge his greatness, 5 and he will bring peace.
Deliverance and Punishment
When the Assyrians invade our country and break through our defenses, we will send our strongest leaders to fight them. 6 By force of arms they will conquer Assyria, the land of Nimrod, and they will save us from the Assyrians when they invade our territory.
7 The people of Israel who survive will be like refreshing dew sent by the Lord for many nations, like showers on growing plants. They will depend on God, not people. 8 Those who are left among the nations will be like a lion hunting for food in a forest or a pasture: it gets in among the sheep, pounces on them, and tears them to pieces—and there is no hope of rescue. 9 Israel will conquer her enemies and destroy them all.
10 The Lord says, “At that time I will take away your horses and destroy your chariots. 11 I will destroy the cities in your land and tear down all your defenses. 12 I will destroy the magic charms you use and leave you without any fortunetellers. 13 I will destroy your idols and sacred stone pillars; no longer will you worship the things that you yourselves have made. 14 I will pull down the images of the goddess Asherah in your land and destroy your cities. 15 And in my great anger I will take revenge on all nations that have not obeyed 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.”
