Isaiah 48
1 Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and have come forth out of the waters of Judah, who swear by the name of Jehovah, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness
“Zwana lokhu, wena ndlu kaJakhobe, lina elibizwa ngebizo lika-Israyeli elingabosendo lukaJuda, lina elifunga ngoThixo, licele usizo kuNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, kodwa kungasingeqiniso loba ngokulunga,
2 (for they call themselves of the holy city, and steady themselves upon the God of Israel, Jehovah of hosts is his name):
lina elibizwa ngokuthi lingabasedolobheni elingcwele, lethembe uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uThixo uSomandla yilo ibizo lakhe:
3 I have declared the former things from of old. Yea, they went forth out of my mouth, and I showed them. Suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.
Ngamemezela ngezinto zakuqala endulo, ngazitsho ngomlomo wami, ngazenza zazakala. Ngazenza ngokuphangisa, zahle zenzakala.
4 Because I knew that thou are obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass,
Ngoba ngangikwazi ukuthi ulenkani, imisipha yentamo yakho zinsimbi, ibunzi lakho lithusi.
5 therefore I have declared it to thee from of old. Before it came to pass I showed it to thee, lest thou should say, My idol has done them. And my graven image, and my molten image, has commanded them.
Ngakho-ke ngakutsho kudala ngalezizinto, ngakwazisa ngazo zingakenzakali ukuze wena ungaze wathi, ‘Izithombe zami yizo ezazenzayo; izithixo zami zezigodo lonkulunkulu wensimbi yibo abakumisayo.’
6 Thou have heard it, behold all this, and ye, will ye not declare it? I have shown thee new things from this time, even hidden things, which thou have not known.
Usuzizwile lezizinto; zikhangele zonke. Awuyikuzivuma na? Kusukela khathesi ngizakutshela ngezinto ezintsha, izinto ezifihlakeleyo wena ongazaziyo.
7 They are created now, and not from of old. And thou have not heard them before this day, lest thou should say, Behold, I knew them.
Zidalwe khathesi nje, hatshi endulo; awuzange uzwe ngazo mandulo. Ngakho awungeke uthi, ‘Yebo, kade ngizazi.’
8 Yea, thou heard not. Yea, thou knew not. Yea, from of old thine ear was not opened. For I knew that thou dealt very treacherously, and were called a transgressor from the womb.
Kawuzange uzwe kumbe uqedisise; kusukela endulo indlebe yakho ibingavulekanga. Ngikwazi kuhle ukuthi wena uyingozi; kwathiwa ungumhlamuki kusukela ekuzalweni kwakho.
9 For my name's sake I will defer my anger, and for my praise I will refrain for thee, that I not cut thee off.
Ngenxa yebizo lami, ngiyaluphuzisa ulaka lwami; ngenxa yodumo lwami ngiyalubamba ukuba lungehleli kuwe, ukuze ngingakubhubhisi.
10 Behold, I have refined thee, but not as silver. I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.
Khangela, ngikulungisile lanxa kunganjengesiliva; ngikuhlole emlilweni wokuhlupheka.
11 For my own sake, for my own sake, I will do it. For how should my name be profaned? And I will not give my glory to another.
Ngenxa yami, ngenxa yami, ngenza lokhu. Ngingavuma njani ukuba ibizo lami ligconwe na? Angiyikunika omunye udumo lwami.”
12 Hearken to me, O Jacob, and Israel my called: I am he. I am the first. I also am the last.
“Ngilalela wena Jakhobe, Israyeli, engikubizileyo: Mina nginguye; ngingowokuqala njalo ngingowokucina.
13 Yea, my hand has laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand has spread out the heavens. When I call to them, they stand up together.
Isandla sami sabeka izisekelo zomhlaba, isandla sami sokudla sendlala amazulu; lapho ngikubiza, kuyasukuma konke kanyekanye.
14 Assemble yourselves, all ye, and hear: Who among them has declared these things? He whom Jehovah loves shall perform his pleasure on Babylon, and his arm, the Chaldeans.
Buthanani ndawonye lonke lilalele: Yisiphi sezithombe esamemezela ngalezizinto ngaphambilini na? Umsekeli kaThixo okhethiweyo uzafeza inhloso yakhe yokuhlasela amaKhaladiya; ingalo yakhe izamelana lamaKhaladiya.
15 I, even I, have spoken, yea, I have called him. I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous.
Mina, mina ngokwami, sengikhulumile; yebo ngimbizile. Ngizamletha, njalo uzaphumelela kuyo inhloso yakhe.
16 Come ye near to me, hear ye this: From the beginning I have not spoken in secret. From the time that it was, there I am. And now the lord Jehovah and his Spirit has sent me.
Sondelani kimi lizwe lokhu: Kusukela esimemezelweni sakuqala angikhulumelanga ensitha; lapho kusenzakala, mina ngikhona.” Khathesi uThixo Wobukhosi ungithumile ngoMoya wakhe.
17 Thus says Jehovah, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am Jehovah thy God, who teaches thee to profit, who leads thee by the way that thou should go.
Nanku uThixo akutshoyo, uMhlengi wakho, oNgcwele ka-Israyeli: “Mina nginguThixo uNkulunkulu wakho, okufundisa lokho okuhle kakhulu kuwe, ekutshengisa indlela okumele uhambe ngayo.
18 Oh that thou had hearkened to my commandments! Then thy peace would have been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea.
Aluba wawulalele imilayo yami nje, ukuthula kwakho kwakuzakuba njengomfula, ukulunga kwakho kunjengamagagasi olwandle.
19 Thy seed also would have been as the sand, and the offspring of thy bowels like the grains of it. His name would not be cut off nor destroyed from before me.
Inzalo yakho yayizakuba ngangetshebetshebe, abantwabakho babe ngangezinhlamvu zalo ezingeke zibalwe; ibizo labo belingayikwesulwa kumbe lidilizwe phambi kwami.”
20 Go ye forth from Babylon. Flee ye from the Chaldeans. With a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter it even to the end of the earth. Say ye, Jehovah has redeemed his servant Jacob.
Sukani eBhabhiloni, libalekele amaBhabhiloni! Bikani lokhu lihlaba umkhosi ngentokozo njalo likumemezele. Kufikiseni emikhawulweni yomhlaba; lithi, “UThixo uyihlengile inceku yakhe uJakhobe.”
21 And they did not thirst when he led them through the deserts. He caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them. He also split the rock, and the waters gushed out.
Kabomanga ekubaholeni kwakhe bedabula ezinkangala; wabenzela amanzi agelezayo ephuma edwaleni, wadabula idwala amanzi ampompoza.
22 There is no peace, says Jehovah, to the wicked.
UThixo uthi, “Akukho ukuthula kwababi.”
