Isaiah 13
1 This is the burden against Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz received:
Leli yilizwi elimayelana leBhabhiloni elaboniswa u-Isaya indodana ka-Amozi:
2 Raise a banner on a barren hilltop; call aloud to them. Wave your hand, that they may enter the gates of the nobles.
Phakamisa uphawu phezu koqaqa oluligceke, umemezele kubo, ubaqhwebe ngesandla ukuba bangene emasangweni asesikhosini.
3 I have commanded My sanctified ones; I have even summoned My warriors to execute My wrath and exult in My triumph.
Sengibalayile abangcwele bami, sengiwalayile amaqhawe ami ukuba afeze ulaka lwami, lawo athokozela ukunqoba kwami.
4 Listen, a tumult on the mountains, like that of a great multitude! Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms, like nations gathered together! The LORD of Hosts is mobilizing an army for war.
Lalelani, umsindo phezu kwezintaba, onjengowexuku elikhulu. Lalelani, ukuxokozela phakathi kwemibuso njengezizwe zibuthana ndawonye! UThixo uSomandla ubutha ibutho elibuthela impi.
5 They are coming from faraway lands, from the ends of the heavens— the LORD and the weapons of His wrath— to destroy the whole country.
Bavela emazweni akude, emikhawulweni yamazulu, uThixo lezikhali zolaka lwakhe, ukuba kuchithwe ilizwe lonke.
6 Wail, for the Day of the LORD is near; it will come as destruction from the Almighty.
Lilani ngoba usuku lukaThixo seluseduze. Luzafika njengokuchithakala okuvela kuSomandla.
7 Therefore all hands will fall limp, and every man’s heart will melt.
Ngenxa yalokhu izandla zonke zizakuba buthakathaka, inhliziyo zabantu bonke zizaphela amandla.
8 Terror, pain, and anguish will seize them; they will writhe like a woman in labor. They will look at one another, their faces flushed with fear.
Bazakuba lokwesaba okukhulu, baphathwe yibuhlungu losizi; bazabhinqika njengowesifazane ehelelwa. Bazakhangelana bemangele, ubuso babo bungamalangabi.
9 Behold, the Day of the LORD is coming— cruel, with fury and burning anger— to make the earth a desolation and to destroy the sinners within it.
Khangelani usuku lukaThixo luyeza, usuku lwesihluku, ulaka lokuthukuthela okukhulu, ukwenza ilizwe lichitheke, kubhujiswe izoni eziphakathi kwalo.
10 For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not give their light. The rising sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light.
Izinkanyezi zezulu lemithala yazo akuyikukhanyisa. Ilanga eliphumayo lizafiphazwa lenyanga ayiyikukhanyisa.
11 I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity. I will end the haughtiness of the arrogant and lay low the pride of the ruthless.
Umhlaba ngizawujezisa ngenxa yobubi bawo, lababi ngenxa yezono zabo. Ngizaqeda ukukloloda kwabazikhukhumezayo, ngehlise ukuzigqaja kwabalesihluku.
12 I will make man scarcer than pure gold, and mankind rarer than the gold of Ophir.
Ngizakwenza abantu basweleke okudlula igolide elicengekileyo, basweleke okudlula igolide lase-Ofiri.
13 Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken from its place at the wrath of the LORD of Hosts on the day of His burning anger.
Ngakho-ke ngizakwenza amazulu anyikinyeke; lomhlaba uzamazame endaweni yawo ngokuthukuthela kukaThixo uSomandla, ngosuku lolaka lwakhe oluvuthayo.
14 Like a hunted gazelle, like a sheep without a shepherd, each will return to his own people, each will flee to his native land.
Njengempala ezingelwayo, lanjengezimvu ezingelamelusi, omunye lomunye uzabuyela ebantwini bakibo, omunye lomunye uzabalekela elizweni lakibo.
15 Whoever is caught will be stabbed, and whoever is captured will die by the sword.
Lowo ozathunjwa uzagwazwa; bonke abazabanjwa bazabulawa ngenkemba.
16 Their infants will be dashed to pieces before their eyes, their houses will be looted, and their wives will be ravished.
Izingane zabo zizamahlazelwa phambi kwamehlo abo; izindlu zabo zizakhuthuzwa, omkabo babanjwe ngodlakela.
17 Behold, I will stir up against them the Medes, who have no regard for silver and no desire for gold.
Khangelani, ngizabavusela amaMede angelandaba lesiliva, njalo engalijabuleli legolide.
18 Their bows will dash young men to pieces; they will have no mercy on the fruit of the womb; they will not look with pity on the children.
Imitshoko yawo izabulala izinsizwa; kawayikuba lozwelo ezinganeni loba abe lesihawu ebantwaneni.
19 And Babylon, the jewel of the kingdoms, the glory of the pride of the Chaldeans, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah.
IBhabhiloni, igugu lemibuso, ubukhazikhazi bokuziqhenya kwamaKhaladiya, lizachithwa nguNkulunkulu njengeSodoma leGomora.
20 She will never be inhabited or settled from generation to generation; no nomad will pitch his tent there, no shepherd will rest his flock there.
Akuyikuhlalwa kulo futhi loba kwakhiwe kulo kuzozonke izizukulwane; akulama-Arabhu azamisa amathente awo khona, loba umelusi ozaphumuza imihlambi yakhe khona.
21 But desert creatures will lie down there, and howling creatures will fill her houses. Ostriches will dwell there, and wild goats will leap about.
Kodwa izinyamazana zeganga zizahlala khona, amakhanka azahlala ezindlini zakhona lezikhova zizahlala khona, lamagogo aqolotshe khona.
22 Hyenas will howl in her fortresses and jackals in her luxurious palaces. Babylon’s time is at hand, and her days will not be prolonged.
Impisi zizakhala ezinqabeni zakhona, amakhanka ezindlini ezinhle zobukhosi. Isikhathi salo sesizafika njalo insuku zalo kaziyikwandiswa.
