Isaiah 9
1 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those in distress. In the past He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future He will honor the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations:
Kodwa umnyama kawuyikuba njengenkathazo yalo; njengesikhathini samandulo wakwenza kwaba lula elizweni lakoZebuluni lelizweni lakoNafithali; kodwa emva kwalokhu wakwenza kwaba nzima ngendlela yolwandle, phetsheya kweJordani, eGalili lezizwe.
2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.
Abantu ababehamba emnyameni babonile ukukhanya okukhulu; ababehlala elizweni lethunzi lokufa, ukukhanya kubakhanyisele.
3 You have enlarged the nation and increased its joy. The people rejoice before You as they rejoice at harvest time, as men rejoice in dividing the plunder.
Wandisile isizwe, wakhulisa intokozo yaso; bayathokoza phambi kwakho njengentokozo ekuvuneni, njengoba bethokoza ekwehlukaniselaneni kwabo impango.
4 For as in the day of Midian You have shattered the yoke of their burden, the bar across their shoulders, and the rod of their oppressor.
Ngoba wephulile ijogwe lomthwalo waso, loswazi lwehlombe laso, intonga yomcindezeli waso, njengasosukwini lukaMidiyani.
5 For every trampling boot of battle and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.
Ngoba wonke umsindo wempi usenhlokomeni, lesigqoko sigiqwe egazini; njalo kuzakuba ngesokutshiswa, kube zinkuni zomlilo.
6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Ngoba sizalelwe umntwana, sinikwe indodana; lombuso uzakuba sehlombe layo, lebizo lakhe lizathiwa: OMangalisayo, uMeluleki, uNkulunkulu olamandla, uBaba wephakade, iNkosana yokuthula.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this.
Ukwanda kombuso lokuthula kakuyikuphela, phezu kwesihlalo sobukhosi sikaDavida laphezu kombuso wakhe, ukuwumisa, lokuwuqinisa ngesahlulelo langokulunga, kusukela khathesi kuze kube nininini. Ukutshiseka kweNkosi yamabandla kuzakwenza lokhu.
8 The Lord has sent a message against Jacob, and it has fallen upon Israel.
INkosi ithumele ilizwi koJakobe, lawela koIsrayeli.
9 All the people will know it— Ephraim and the dwellers of Samaria. With pride and arrogance of heart they will say:
Labo bonke abantu bazakwazi, uEfrayimi lomhlali weSamariya, ngokuzigqaja langokuzikhukhumeza kwenhliziyo, besithi:
10 “The bricks have fallen, but we will rebuild with finished stone; the sycamores have been felled, but we will replace them with cedars.”
Izitina ziwile, kodwa sizakwakha ngamatshe abaziweyo; imikhiwa yesikhamore iganyuliwe, kodwa sizayiguqula ibe yimisedari.
11 The LORD has raised up the foes of Rezin against him and joined his enemies together.
Ngakho iNkosi izaphakamisa abacindezeli bakaRezini phezu kwakhe, itshotshozele izitha zakhe;
12 Aram from the east and Philistia from the west have devoured Israel with open mouths. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.
amaSiriya ngaphambili lamaFilisti ngemuva, azakudla uIsrayeli ngomlomo wonke. Kukho konke lokhu intukuthelo yayo kayiphenduki, kodwa isandla sayo silokhu seluliwe.
13 But the people did not return to Him who struck them; they did not seek the LORD of Hosts.
Ngoba abantu kabaphendukeli kulowo owabatshayayo, futhi kabayidingi iNkosi yamabandla.
14 So the LORD will cut off Israel’s head and tail, both palm branch and reed in a single day.
Ngakho iNkosi izaquma kusuke koIsrayeli inhloko lomsila, ugatsha lomhlanga, ngasuku lunye.
15 The head is the elder and honorable man, and the tail is the prophet who teaches lies.
Omdala lowemukelwa ngobuso, uyinhloko, kodwa umprofethi ofundisa amanga, ungumsila.
16 For those who guide this people mislead them, and those they mislead are swallowed up.
Ngoba abakhokheli balababantu bayaduhisa, labakhokhelwa yibo bayaginywa.
17 Therefore the Lord takes no pleasure in their young men; He has no compassion on their fatherless and widows. For every one of them is godless and wicked, and every mouth speaks folly. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.
Ngenxa yalokho iNkosi kayiyikuthokoza ngamajaha abo, kayiyikuba lasihawu ngezintandane zabo labafelokazi babo; ngoba bonke bangabazenzisi labenzi bobubi, lomlomo wonke ukhuluma ubuthutha. Kukho konke lokhu intukuthelo yayo kayiphenduki, kodwa isandla sayo silokhu seluliwe.
18 For wickedness burns like a fire that consumes the thorns and briers and kindles the forest thickets which roll upward in billows of smoke.
Ngoba inkohlakalo itshisa njengomlilo; izakudla ameva lokhula oluhlabayo, ithungele izixuku zehlathi, ziziphakamise njengokuphakama kwentuthu.
19 By the wrath of the LORD of Hosts the land is scorched, and the people are fuel for the fire. No man even spares his brother.
Ngolaka lweNkosi yamabandla ilizwe liyafiphazwa, labantu bazakuba njengokudla komlilo; umuntu kayikuyekela umfowabo.
20 They carve out what is on the right, but they are still hungry; they eat what is on the left, but they are still not satisfied. Each one devours the flesh of his own offspring.
Njalo uzahluthuna ngakwesokunene, kodwa alambe; adle ngakwesokhohlo, kodwa angasuthi; ngulowo lalowo adle inyama yengalo yakhe;
21 Manasseh devours Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh; together they turn against Judah. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.
uManase uEfrayimi, loEfrayimi uManase; bazamelana loJuda kanyekanye. Kukho konke lokhu intukuthelo yayo kayiphenduki, kodwa isandla sayo silokhu seluliwe.
