< Isaiah 31 >
1 Cursed are those who go down to Egypt for help, and who put their faith in horses; looking to war-carriages for salvation, because of their numbers; and to horsemen, because they are very strong; but they are not looking to the Holy One of Israel, or turning their hearts to the Lord;
Maye kulabo abehlela usizo eGibhithe, abeyama emabhizeni, bethemba izinqola ngoba zizinengi, labagadi bamabhiza ngoba belamandla kakhulu, kodwa bengakhangeli koNgcwele kaIsrayeli, njalo bengadingi iNkosi!
2 Though he is wise, and able to send evil, and his purpose will not be changed; but he will go against the house of the evil-doers, and against those to whom they are looking for help.
Kanti layo ihlakaniphile, izaletha ububi, njalo kayiyikuwabuyisa amazwi ayo; kodwa izavukela indlu yabenzi bobubi, njalo imelene losizo lwabenzi beziphambeko.
3 For the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses are flesh, and not spirit: and when the Lord's hand is stretched out, the helper and he who is helped will come down together.
Ngoba amaGibhithe angabantu, kabasuNkulunkulu, lamabhiza awo ayinyama, kawayisimoya. Lapho iNkosi izakwelula isandla sayo, osizayo uzakhubeka losizwayo uzakuwa phansi, njalo bonke baphele kanyekanye.
4 For the Lord has said to me, As a lion, or a young lion, makes an angry noise over his food, and if a band of herdsmen come out against him, he will not be in fear of their voices, or give up his food for their noise: so the Lord of armies will come down to make war against Mount Zion and its hill.
Ngoba iNkosi itsho njalo kimi: Njengesilwane lebhongo lesilwane kubhongela phezu kwempango yakho, lapho ixuku labelusi libizelwe ukumelana laso, kasiyikwesaba ilizwi labo, njalo kasiyikuzithoba ngenxa yomsindo wabo; ngokunjalo iNkosi yamabandla izakwehla ukulwela intaba yeZiyoni loqaqa lwayo.
5 Like birds with outstretched wings, so will the Lord of armies be a cover to Jerusalem; he will be a cover and salvation for it, going over it he will keep it from danger.
Njengenyoni eziphaphayo, ngokunjalo iNkosi yamabandla izavikela iJerusalema; ivikela, izayophula; isedlula, iyikhulule.
6 Come back to him who has been so deeply sinned against by the children of Israel.
Phendukelani kuyo okuyo abantwana bakoIsrayeli bahlubuke ngokujulileyo.
7 For in that day they will all give up their images of silver and of gold, the sin which they made for themselves.
Ngoba ngalolosuku bazalahla, wonke umuntu izithombe zakhe zesiliva lezithombe zakhe zegolide, ozandla zenu zilenzele zona ukuba yisono.
8 Then the Assyrian will come down by the sword, but not of man; the sword, not of men, will be the cause of his destruction: and he will go in flight from the sword, and his young men will be put to forced work.
ISiriya izakuwa-ke ngenkemba engeyisiyo yomuntu olamandla, lenkemba engeyisiyo yomuntukazana izayiqeda; kodwa izabalekela inkemba, lamajaha ayo abe yizibhalwa.
9 And his rock will come to nothing because of fear, and his chiefs will go in flight from the flag, says the Lord, whose fire is in Zion, and his altar in Jerusalem.
Izakwedlulela edwaleni layo ngokwesaba, leziphathamandla zayo zesabe uphawu, itsho iNkosi, omlilo wayo useZiyoni, lesithando sayo siseJerusalema.