Isaiah 44
1 But now listen, O Jacob My servant, Israel, whom I have chosen.
Kodwa khathesi zwana, Jakobe nceku yami, lawe Israyeli engikukhethileyo.
2 This is the word of the LORD, your Maker, who formed you from the womb and who will help you: “Do not be afraid, O Jacob My servant, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.
Itsho njalo INkosi umenzi wakho lombumbi wakho kusukela esiswini, ezakusiza: Ungesabi, Jakobe, nceku yami, lawe Jeshuruni engikukhethileyo.
3 For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and currents on the dry ground. I will pour out My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring.
Ngoba ngizathela amanzi phezu kwakhe owomileyo, lezikhukhula emhlabathini owomileyo; ngizathela umoya wami phezu kwenzalo yakho, lesibusiso sami phezu kwembewu yakho.
4 They will sprout among the grass like willows by flowing streams.
Bazahluma phakathi kotshani, njengeminyezane ngasezifuleni zamanzi.
5 One will say, ‘I belong to the LORD,’ another will call himself by the name of Jacob, and still another will write on his hand, ‘The LORD’s,’ and will take the name of Israel.”
Omunye uzakuthi: Mina ngingoweNkosi; lomunye azibize ngebizo likaJakobe, lomunye abhale esandleni sakhe ukuthi: NgingoweNkosi; azibonge ngebizo likaIsrayeli.
6 Thus says the LORD, the King and Redeemer of Israel, the LORD of Hosts: “I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God but Me.
Utsho njalo uJehova, inkosi yakoIsrayeli, loMhlengi wakhe, iNkosi yamabandla: Ngingowokuqala njalo ngingowokucina; njalo ngaphandle kwami kakho uNkulunkulu.
7 Who then is like Me? Let him say so! Let him declare his case before Me, since I established an ancient people. Let him foretell the things to come, and what is to take place.
Njalo ngubani ongabiza njengami, akumemezele, angihlelele khona, kusukela ngimisa abantu bendulo? Lezinto ezizayo, lezizakuza, kabazimemezele kubo.
8 Do not tremble or fear. Have I not told you and declared it long ago? You are My witnesses! Is there any God but Me? There is no other Rock; I know not one.”
Lingatshaywa luvalo, lingesabi; kangikuzwisanga yini kusukela ngalesosikhathi, ngakumemezela? Njalo lina lingabafakazi bami. Kukhona yini uNkulunkulu ngaphandle kwami? Yebo, kalikho elinye iDwala; kangilazi.
9 All makers of idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Their witnesses fail to see or comprehend, so they are put to shame.
Bonke ababumba izithombe ezibaziweyo bayize, lezinto zabo ezithandekayo kazisizi lutho; labo bangabafakazi babo, kababoni, kabazi; ukuze bayangeke.
10 Who fashions a god or casts an idol which profits him nothing?
Ngubani obumbe unkulunkulu, loba wabumba ngokuncibilikisa isithombe esibaziweyo esingasizi lutho?
11 Behold, all his companions will be put to shame, for the craftsmen themselves are only human. Let them all assemble and take their stand; they will all be brought to terror and shame.
Khangela, bonke abangane bakhe bazayangeka; lababazi bangababantu; kababuthane bonke, basukume; bazakwesaba, bayangeke kanyekanye.
12 The blacksmith takes a tool and labors over the coals; he fashions an idol with hammers and forges it with his strong arms. Yet he grows hungry and loses his strength; he fails to drink water and grows faint.
Umkhandi wensimbiukhanda ihloka, asebenze emalahleni, alibumbe ngezando, alisebenze ngamandla engalo yakhe; yebo, alambe, aze aphele amandla; kanathi manzi, aze adinwe.
13 The woodworker extends a measuring line; he marks it out with a stylus; he shapes it with chisels and outlines it with a compass. He fashions it in the likeness of man, like man in all his glory, that it may dwell in a shrine.
Umbazi welula intambo yokulinganisa, adwebe ngosungulo, asenze ngezancele, asidwebe ngekhampasi, asenze ngomfanekiso womuntu, ngokobuhle bomuntu, ukuze sihlale endlini.
14 He cuts down cedars or retrieves a cypress or oak. He lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a laurel, and the rain makes it grow.
Uzigamulela imisedari, athathe umsayiphuresi lesihlahla se-okhi, aziqinisela zona phakathi kwezihlahla zegusu, ahlanyele ifiri, lezulu liyikhulise.
15 It serves as fuel for man. He takes some of it to warm himself, and he kindles a fire and bakes his bread; he even fashions it into a god and worships it; he makes an idol and bows down to it.
Kuzakuba-ke ngokomuntu ukuthi akubase, njalo uzathatha kukho, othe; yebo akubase, abhake isinkwa; yebo enze unkulunkulu, amkhonze, enze isithombe esibaziweyo, akhothame kuso.
16 He burns half of it in the fire, and he roasts meat on that half. He eats the roast and is satisfied. Indeed, he warms himself and says, “Ah! I am warm; I see the fire.”
Atshise ingxenye yakho emlilweni; ngengxenye yakho adle inyama, ose amawoso asuthe; yebo, uyotha athi: Alala! ngiyakhudumala, ngiwubonile umlilo.
17 From the rest he makes a god, his graven image. He bows down to it and worships; he prays to it and says, “Save me, for you are my god.”
Njalo okuseleyo kwakho akwenze kube ngunkulunkulu, kube yisithombe sakhe esibaziweyo; akhothame kuso, akhonze, akhuleke kuso athi: Ngophula, ngoba ungunkulunkulu wami.
18 They do not comprehend or discern, for He has shut their eyes so they cannot see and closed their minds so they cannot understand.
Kabazanga, kabaqedisisanga; ngoba ebhade amehlo abo ukuze bangaboni; lenhliziyo zabo ukuze bangaqedisisi.
19 And no one considers in his heart, no one has the knowledge or insight to say, “I burned half of it in the fire, and I baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and I ate. Shall I make something detestable with the rest of it? Shall I bow down to a block of wood?”
Kakho ocabanga enhliziyweni yakhe, njalo kakulalwazi njalo kakulakuqedisisa kokuthi: Ngibasile ingxenye yakho emlilweni, yebo ngibhake isinkwa phezu kwamalahle akho, ngosa inyama, ngayidla; kambe ngizakwenza insali yakho isinengiso yini? Ngizakhothamela okwesihlahla yini?
20 He feeds on ashes. His deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?”
Udla umlotha; inhliziyo ekhohlisiweyo imphambule, okokuthi angekhulule umphefumulo wakhe njalo kathi: Kakulamanga yini esandleni sami sokunene?
21 Remember these things, O Jacob, for you are My servant, O Israel. I have made you, and you are My servant; O Israel, I will never forget you.
Khumbula lezizinto, Jakobe, lawe Israyeli, ngoba uyinceku yami; ngikubumbile, uyinceku yami. Wena Israyeli, kawuyikukhohlwa yimi.
22 I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud, and your sins like a mist. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.
Ngesule iziphambeko zakho njengeyezi elinzima, lanjengeyezi izono zakho; buyela kimi, ngoba ngikuhlengile.
23 Sing for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done this; shout aloud, O depths of the earth. Break forth in song, O mountains, you forests and all your trees. For the LORD has redeemed Jacob, and revealed His glory in Israel.
Hlabelelani, lina mazulu, ngoba iNkosi ikwenzile; memezani, zindawo eziphansi zomhlaba; qhamukani lihlabele, zintaba, gusu, laso sonke isihlahla esiphakathi kwakho; ngoba iNkosi imhlengile uJakobe, yazidumisa koIsrayeli.
24 Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer who formed you from the womb: “I am the LORD, who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who by Myself spread out the earth,
Itsho njalo iNkosi, uMhlengi wakho, leyakubumba kwasesiswini: NgiyiNkosi eyenza zonke izinto; eyendlala amazulu, mina ngedwa; eyeneka umhlaba ngokwami;
25 who foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, who confounds the wise and turns their knowledge into nonsense,
efubisa izibonakaliso zabaqambimanga; yenze izanuse zihlanye; ebuyisela emuva abahlakaniphileyo; yenze ulwazi lwabo lube yibuthutha;
26 who confirms the message of His servant and fulfills the counsel of His messengers, who says of Jerusalem, ‘She will be inhabited,’ and of the cities of Judah, ‘They will be rebuilt, and I will restore their ruins,’
eqinisa ilizwi lenceku yayo; ifeze amacebo ezithunywa zayo; ethi kuyo iJerusalema: Uzahlalwa; lemizini yakoJuda: Lizakwakhiwa; futhi ngizavusa amanxiwa ayo;
27 who says to the depths of the sea, ‘Be dry, and I will dry up your currents,’
etshoyo enzikini: Tshana; njalo ngizakomisa imifula yakho;
28 who says of Cyrus, ‘My shepherd will fulfill all that I desire,’ who says of Jerusalem, ‘She will be rebuilt,’ and of the temple, ‘Let its foundation be laid.’”
etshoyo ngoKoresi: Ungumelusi wami, uzaphelelisa intokozo yami yonke; ithi lakuJerusalema: Kayakhiwe; lethempelini: Isisekelo sakho kasibekwe.
