Isaiah 21
1 The word about the waste land. As storm-winds in the South go rushing through, it comes from the waste land, from the land greatly to be feared.
Isiphrofethi mayelana leNkangala engasoLwandle: Njengesivunguzane sidlula eNegebi, umhlaseli uvela enkangala evelela elizweni elesabekayo.
2 A vision of fear comes before my eyes; the worker of deceit goes on in his false way, and the waster goes on making waste. Up! Elam; to the attack! Media; I have put an end to her sorrow.
Ngitshengiswe umbono owesabekayo. Umthengisi uyathengisa, umkhuthuzi uthatha impahla. Elamu, hlasela! Mediya, vimbezela! Mina ngizakuqeda konke ukububula akudalileyo.
3 For this cause I am full of bitter grief; pains like the pains of a woman in childbirth have come on me: I am bent down with sorrow at what comes to my ears; I am shocked by what I see.
Ngalokhu umzimba wami uyafuthelwa, ngiphethwe yibuhlungu obufana lobowesifazane ehelelwa. Ngithithibaliswa yilokhu engikuzwayo, ngidideka ngalokhu engikubonayo.
4 My mind is wandering, fear has overcome me: the evening of my desire has been turned into shaking for me.
Inhliziyo yami iphela amandla, ukwesaba kungenza ngiqhaqhazele; ukuhlwa engibe ngikufisa, sekusesabeka kimi.
5 They make ready the table, they put down the covers, they take food and drink. Up! you captains; put oil on your breastplates.
Itafula bayilungisile, bendlala amalembu bayadla, bayanatha. Sukumani lina zikhulu, ligcobe amahawu!
6 For so has the Lord said to me, Go, let a watchman be placed; let him give word of what he sees:
Lokhu yikho uThixo akutshoyo kimi: “Hamba uyefaka umlindi ukuze abike akubonayo.
7 And when he sees war-carriages, horsemen by twos, war-carriages with asses, war-carriages with camels, let him give special attention.
Angabona izinqola zempi, kulemihlambi yamabhiza, abagadi phezu kwabobabhemi loba abagadi phezu kwamakamela, kaqaphele; aqaphelisise sibili.”
8 And the watchman gave a loud cry, O my lord, I am on the watchtower all day, and am placed in my watch every night:
Umlindi wasememeza esithi, “Nkosi yami, usuku ngosuku ngiyema phezu komphotshongo wokulinda; ubusuku ngabunye ngihlala ensikeni yami.
9 See, here come war-carriages with men, horsemen by twos: and in answer he said, Babylon is made low, is made low, and all her images are broken on the earth.
Khangela, nangu umuntu esiza esenqoleni yempi lomhlambi wamabhiza. Uphendula esithi, ‘IBhabhiloni isidilikile, isidilikile! Zonke izifanekiso zezithombe zayo zihlakazekele phansi!’”
10 O my crushed ones, the grain of my floor! I have given you the word which came to me from the Lord of armies, the God of Israel.
Awu bantu bami elibhulelwe esizeni, ngilitshela engikuzwileyo kuvela Thixo uSomandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.
11 The word about Edom. A voice comes to me from Seir, Watchman, how far gone is the night? how far gone is the night?
Isiphrofethi esimayelana leDuma: Umuntu othile uyangimemeza eseSeyiri, esithi, “Mlindi, kuyini okwebusuku okusaseleyo? Mlindi, kuyini okwebusuku okusaseleyo?”
12 The watchman says, The morning has come, but night is still to come: if you have questions to put, put them, and come back again.
Umlindi uphendula esithi, “Ukusa kuyeza, kodwa lobusuku buyeza. Nxa ufuna ukubuza, buza; uphinde ubuye futhi.”
13 The word about Arabia. In the thick woods of Arabia will be your night's resting-place, O travelling bands of Dedanites!
Isiphrofethi esimayelana le-Arabhiya: Lina zindwendwe zabakoDedani ezimise emahlabathini ase-Arabhiya,
14 Give water to him who is in need of water; give bread, O men of the land of Tema, to those in flight.
lethelani abomileyo amanzi; lina elihlala eThema, lethelani ababalekayo ukudla.
15 For they are in flight from the sharp sword, and the bent bow, and from the trouble of war.
Babalekela inkemba, inkemba eqhatshisiweyo, babalekela idandili eligotshiweyo, lokutshisa kwempi.
16 For so has the Lord said to me, In a year, by the years of a servant working for payment, all the glory of Kedar will come to an end:
Lokhu yikho uThixo akutshoyo kimi ukuthi: “Phakathi komnyaka owodwa nje, njengendlela isisebenzi esiqhatshiweyo esingawubala ngayo, lonke udumo lweKhedari luzaphela.
17 And the rest of the bowmen, the men of war of the children of Kedar, will be small in number: for the Lord, the God of Israel, has said it.
Abasindayo kwabemitshoko, amabutho aseKhedari, bazakuba balutshwana.” UThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, usekhulumile.
