Isaiah 3
1 For behold, the sovereign Lord of hosts will take away, from Jerusalem and from Judah, the powerful and the strong: all the strength from bread, and all the strength from water;
Khangelani khathesi UThixo, uThixo uSomandla usezasusa eJerusalema lelizweni lakoJuda okufunekayo losizo: konke ukudla lamanzi,
2 the strong man, and the man of war, the judge and the prophet, and the seer and the elder;
iqhawe lebutho, umahluleli lomphrofethi, isangoma lomuntu omdala,
3 the leader over fifty and the honorable in appearance; and the counselor, and the wise among builders, and the skillful in mystical speech.
induna yebutho labangamatshumi amahlanu lamadoda ayizikhulu, umeluleki, ingcitshi yemisebenzi, lesanuse esihlakaniphileyo.
4 And I will provide children as their leaders, and the effeminate will rule over them.
“Ngizakwenza abafana babeyizikhulu zabo; abantwana nje bazababusa.”
5 And the people will rush, man against man, and each one against his neighbor. The child shall rebel against the elder, and the ignoble against the noble.
Abantu bazancindezelana, umuntu avukele umuntu, umakhelwane avukele umakhelwane. Abatsha bazavukela abadala, abeyisekayo bavukele abahlonitshwa.
6 For a man will apprehend his brother, from the household of his own father, saying: “The vestment is yours. Be our leader, but let this ruin be under your hand.”
Indoda izabamba omunye wabafowabo emzini kayise ithi, “Ulesembatho, woba ngumkhokheli wethu, inqwaba yamanxiwa le izakuba ngaphansi kombuso wakho.”
7 In that day, he will respond by saying: “I am not a healer, and there is no bread or vestment in my house. Do not choose to appoint me as a leader of the people.”
Kodwa ngalolosuku uzakhala athi, “Angilamasiza. Endlini yami akulakudla loba izigqoko; ungangenzi umkhokheli wabantu.”
8 For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah has fallen, because their words and their plans are against the Lord, in order to provoke the eyes of his majesty.
IJerusalema liyadiyazela, uJuda uyawa; amazwi abo lezenzo zabo kuphambene loThixo, kweyisa ubukhosi bakhe.
9 The acknowledgement of their countenance is their response. For they have proclaimed their own sin, like Sodom; and they have not concealed it. Woe to their souls! For evils are being repaid to them.
Ukukhangeleka kobuso babo kufakaza kubi ngabo; babukisa izono zabo njengeSodoma; kabazifihli. Maye kubo! Bazilethele incithakalo phezu kwabo.
10 Tell the just man that it is well, for he shall eat from the fruit from his own plans.
Tshela abalungileyo ukuthi kuzakuba kuhle kubo, ngoba bazakholisa izithelo zezenzo zabo.
11 Woe to the impious man immersed in evil! For retribution will be given to him from his own hands.
Maye kwababi! Incithakalo isiphezu kwabo! Bazaphindiselwa ngalokho izandla zabo ezikwenzileyo.
12 As for my people, their oppressors have despoiled them, and women have ruled over them. My people, who call you blessed, the same are deceiving you and disrupting the path of your steps.
Abatsha bancindezela abantu bami, abesifazane bayababusa. Awu, bantu bami, abakhokheli benu bayaliduhisa; bayaliphambula endleleni.
13 The Lord stands for judgment, and he stands to judge the people.
UThixo uphakama ukuba afakaze indaba yakhe, uyasukuma ukuba ahlulele abantu.
14 The Lord will enter into judgment with the elders of his people, and with their leaders. For you have been devouring the vineyard, and the plunder from the poor is in your house.
UThixo uqalisa ukwahlulela abadala labakhokheli babantu esithi, “Yini elitshabalalise isivini sami; elikuthumbe kubayanga kusezindlini zenu.
15 Why do you wear down my people, and grind up the faces of the poor, says the Lord, the God of hosts?
Litshoni ngokuchoboza abantu bami langokuchola ubuso babayanga?” kutsho iNkosi, uThixo uSomandla.
16 And the Lord said: Because the daughters of Zion have been lifted up, and have walked with extended necks and winking eyes, because they have continued on, walking noisily and advancing with a pretentious stride,
UThixo uthi, “Abesifazane baseZiyoni bayaziphakamisa, bahamba belule izintamo, behuga ngamehlo abo, begwenxeka ngamanyathelo amancane, izigqizo zikhencezela enqagaleni zabo.
17 the Lord will make the heads of the daughters of Zion bald, and the Lord will strip them of the locks of their hair.
Ngakho-ke uThixo uzakwenza amakhanda abesifazane baseZiyoni abe lezilonda; uThixo uzakwenza isikhumba samakhanda abo siphuceke.”
18 In that day, the Lord will take away their decorative shoes,
Ngalolosuku uThixo uzahluthuna imiceciso yabo: amasongo, imincwazi, lemigaxo yentanyeni
19 and the little moons and chains, and the necklaces and bracelets, and the hats,
amacici, izigqizo lezimbombozo,
20 and the ornaments for their hair, and the anklets, and the touches of myrrh and little bottles of perfumes, and the earrings,
amaqhiye, izigetsho lamabhanti; amambodlela amakha lezintebe,
21 and the rings, and the jewels hanging on their foreheads,
indandatho ezilophawu lamasongo empumulo,
22 and the continual changes in appearance, and the short skirts, and the fine linens and embroidered cloths,
izembatho ezinhle lezingubo lezigqoko, izikhwama
23 and the mirrors, and scarves, and ribbons, and their sparse clothing.
lezibuko, lezigqoko zelineni, imiqhele lamaveli.
24 And in place of a sweet fragrance, there will be stench. And in place of a belt, there will be a rope. And in place of stylish hair, there will be baldness. And in place of a blouse, there will be haircloth.
Endaweni yephunga elimnandi kuzakuba lomnuko omubi; endaweni yebhanti kuzakuba legoda, endaweni yenwele ezilungiswe kuhle kuzakuba lempabanga, endaweni yezigqoko ezinhle kuzakuba ngamasaka, endaweni yobuhle, kuzakuba lihlazo.
25 Likewise, your most handsome men will fall by the sword, and your strong men will fall in battle.
Amadoda akini azakuwa ngenkemba, kanjalo lamabutho akini empini.
26 And her gates will grieve and mourn. And she will sit on the ground, desolate.
Amasango aseZiyoni azakhala alile, kuthi yona ihlale phansi ichithekile.
