Isaiah 7
1 Now in the days that Ahaz son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, Rezin king of Aram marched up to wage war against Jerusalem. He was accompanied by Pekah son of Remaliah the king of Israel, but he could not overpower the city.
Kwathi u-Ahazi indodana kaJothamu, indodana ka-Uziya, eyinkosi yakoJuda, uRezini inkosi yase-Aramu loPhekha indodana kaRemaliya inkosi yako-Israyeli basuka bayahlasela iJerusalema, kodwa kabalinqobanga.
2 When it was reported to the house of David that Aram was in league with Ephraim, the hearts of Ahaz and his people trembled like trees in the forest shaken by the wind.
Indlu kaDavida yatshelwa kwathiwa, “I-Aramu isimanyene lo-Efrayimi,” inhliziyo ka-Ahazi lezabantu bakhe zanyikinyeka njengezihlahla zegusu zinyikinywa ngumoya.
3 Then the LORD said to Isaiah, “Go out with your son Shear-jashub to meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct that feeds the upper pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field,
UThixo wasesithi ku-Isaya, “Hamba wena lendodana yakho uSheyari-Jashubi ukuba lihlangabeze u-Ahazi ekucineni komgelo wamanzi oweChibi Elingaphezulu, emgwaqweni oya Ensimini Yomgezisi.
4 and say to him: Calm down and be quiet. Do not be afraid or disheartened over these two smoldering stubs of firewood—over the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and of the son of Remaliah.
Lithi kuye, ‘Nanzelela, hlala ngokuthula, njalo ungesabi. Inhliziyo yakho kayingadeli ngenxa yolaka olwesabekayo lukaRezini lo-Aramu lolwendodana kaRemaliya.’”
5 For Aram, along with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has plotted your ruin, saying:
U-Aramu lo-Efrayimi lendodana kaRemaliya sebecebe ukukutshabalalisa besithi,
6 ‘Let us invade Judah, terrorize it, and divide it among ourselves. Then we can install the son of Tabeal over it as king.’
“Kasihlaseleni ilizwe lakoJuda; kasilidabuleni phakathi silabelane, senze indodana kaThabheli ibe yinkosi yalo.”
7 But this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘It will not arise; it will not happen.
Kodwa-ke lokhu yikho okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi ukuthi: “‘Akuyikuphumelela, akuyikwenzakala,
8 For the head of Aram is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin. Within sixty-five years Ephraim will be shattered as a people.
ngoba inhloko ye-Aramu yiDamaseko, inhloko yeDamaseko nguRezini kuphela. Phakathi kweminyaka engamatshumi ayisithupha lanhlanu u-Efrayimi uzakuba esetshabalele engaseyiso sizwe.
9 The head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you do not stand firm in your faith, then you will not stand at all.’”
Inhloko ka-Efrayimi yiSamariya, inhloko yeSamariya yindodana kaRemaliya kuphela. Nxa lingami liqine okholweni lwenu alisoze livele lime.’”
10 Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying,
UThixo wakhuluma njalo ku-Ahazi wathi,
11 “Ask for a sign from the LORD your God, whether from the depths of Sheol or the heights of heaven.” (Sheol h7585)
“Cela isibonakaliso kuThixo uNkulunkulu wakho, ingabe ekujuleni kwezulu loba phezulu engqongweni.” (Sheol h7585)
12 But Ahaz replied, “I will not ask; I will not test the LORD.”
Kodwa u-Ahazi wathi, “Angiyikucela. Angiyikulinga uThixo.”
13 Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, O house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God as well?
U-Isaya wasesithi, “Khathesi-ke zwana wena lendlu kaDavida. Akwenelanga na ukulinga ukubekezela kwabantu? Uzalinga lokubekezela kukaNkulunkulu wami njalo na?
14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.
Ngakho-ke iNkosi ngokwayo izanika isibonakaliso: Intombi egcweleyo izakhulelwa izale indodana bayibize ngokuthi ngu-Emanuweli.
15 By the time He knows enough to reject evil and choose good, He will be eating curds and honey.
Uzakudla amasi loluju lapho eselolwazi olwaneleyo ukuba ale okubi akhethe okulungileyo.
16 For before the boy knows enough to reject evil and choose good, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste.
Kodwa-ke umfana engakazi okwaneleyo ukuba ale okubi akhethe okulungileyo, ilizwe lamakhosi amabili owesabayo lizachithwa.
17 The LORD will bring on you and on your people and on the house of your father a time unlike any since the day Ephraim separated from Judah—He will bring the king of Assyria.”
UThixo uzakwehlisela phezu kwakho laphezu kwabantu bakho, laphezu kwendlu kayihlo, isikhathi esingafani lesinye kusukela u-Efrayimi ebhazuka kuJuda, uzaletha inkosi yase-Asiriya.”
18 On that day the LORD will whistle to the flies at the farthest streams of the Nile and to the bees in the land of Assyria.
Ngalelolanga uThixo uzatshaya ikhwelo ebiza impukane ezisekudabukeni kwezifula zaseGibhithe lezinyosi eziselizweni lase-Asiriya.
19 And they will all come and settle in the steep ravines and clefts of the rocks, in all the thornbushes and watering holes.
Zizakuza zonke zihlale ezingoxweni ezingamawa, ezimbalwini zamadwala, ezihlahleni zonke zameva kuwo wonke amagodi amanzi.
20 On that day the Lord will use a razor hired from beyond the Euphrates —the king of Assyria—to shave your head and the hair of your legs, and to remove your beard as well.
Ngalolosuku iNkosi izasebenzisa impuco ebolekwe enkosini yase-Asiriya ngaphetsheya koMfula iYufrathe ukuphuca ikhanda lakho loboya obusembaleni yakho, lokugunda indevu zakho lazo.
21 On that day a man will raise a young cow and two sheep,
Ngalolosuku umuntu uzafuya ithokazi elilodwa lembuzi ezimbili.
22 and from the abundance of milk they give, he will eat curds; for all who remain in the land will eat curds and honey.
Ngenxa yobunengi bochago oluzavela kuzo, uzakuba lamasi azawadla. Bonke abazasala elizweni bazakudla amasi loluju.
23 And on that day, in every place that had a thousand vines worth a thousand shekels of silver, only briers and thorns will be found.
Ngalolosuku, ezindaweni zonke lapho okwakulamavini ayinkulungwane alingana amashekeli esiliva ayinkulungwane, kuzakuba lokhula lameva kuphela.
24 Men will go there with bow and arrow, for the land will be covered with briers and thorns.
Abantu bazakuya khona belamadandili lemitshoko ngoba ilizwe lizakuba seligcwele ukhula lameva.
25 For fear of the briers and thorns, you will no longer traverse the hills once tilled by the hoe; they will become places for oxen to graze and sheep to trample.
Emaqaqeni wonke ake alinywa ngekhuba kawusayikuya khona ngenxa yokwesaba ukhula lameva, azakuba yindawo yokwelusela inkomo lamadlelo ezimvu.
