Isaiah 44
1 And now hear, Jacob, my servant, and Israel, whom I have chosen:
“Kodwa khathesi lalela, wena Jakhobe, nceku yami, Israyeli, engikukhethileyo.
2 thus saith Jehovah, that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, who helpeth thee, Fear not, Jacob, my servant, and thou, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.
Nanku akutshoyo uThixo, yena owakwenzayo, owakubumba esiswini, njalo yena ozakusiza, uthi: Ungesabi, wena Jakhobe, nceku yami, Jeshuruni engikukhethileyo.
3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring.
Ngoba ngizathela amanzi elizweni elomileyo, lezifula emhlabathini owomileyo. Ngizathela uMoya wami phezu kwenzalo yakho lezibusiso zami phezu kwezizukulwane zakho.
4 And they shall spring up among the grass, as willows by the water-courses.
Zizahluma njengotshani emadlelweni, lanjengeminyezane ezifuleni ezigelezayo.
5 One shall say, I am Jehovah's; and another shall call [himself] by the name of Jacob; and another shall write with his hand: [I am] Jehovah's, and surname [himself] by the name of Israel.
Omunye uzakuthi, ‘Mina ngingokaThixo’; lomunye azibize ngebizo likaJakhobe; omunye laye uzaloba esandleni sakhe ukuthi, ‘OkaThixo,’ azinike ibizo lika-Israyeli.”
6 Thus saith Jehovah, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, Jehovah of hosts: I [am] the first, and I [am] the last, and beside me there is no God.
“Nanku akutshoyo uThixo, iNkosi loMhlengi ka-Israyeli, uThixo uSomandla: Mina ngingowokuqala njalo ngingowokucina; ngaphandle kwami kakho uNkulunkulu.
7 And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? And the coming things, and those that shall happen, let them declare unto them.
Pho ngubani onjengami? Kakumemezele lokho. Katsho, achaze phambi kwami okwenzakalayo kusukela ekubekeni kwami abantu bami bendulo; akutsho lokuzakwenzakala; yebo, kakuqambe okuzayo.
8 Fear not, neither be afraid. Have I not caused thee to hear from that time, and have declared it? and ye are my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no Rock: I know not any.
Lingaqhaqhazeli, lingesabi. Lokhu angikutshongo ngabika ngakho kudala na? Lina lingofakazi bami. Kulomunye uNkulunkulu ngaphandle kwami na? Hatshi, kalikho elinye iDwala; kalikho engilaziyo.”
9 They that form a graven image are all of them vanity, and their delectable things are of no profit; and they are their own witnesses: they see not, nor know; — that they may be ashamed.
Bonke abenza izithombe kabasilutho, lezinto abaziqakathekisayo ziyize. Labo abangabakhulumela bayiziphofu, kabazi lutho, kulihlazo kubo.
10 Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?
Ngubani obaza unkulunkulu abumbe isithombe, okungeke kumsize ngalutho?
11 Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed; and the workmen are but men. Let them all be gathered together, let them stand up: they shall fear, they shall be ashamed together.
Yena labanjengaye bazayangiswa; izingcitshi kazisilutho, ngabantu nje. Kaziqoqane zonke zime ndawonye; bazakuba lokwesaba kanye lehlazo.
12 The iron-smith [hath] a chisel, and he worketh in the coals, and he fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with his strong arm; — but he is hungry, and his strength faileth; he hath not drunk water, and he is faint.
Umkhandi uthatha insimbi ayifake emalahleni; enze isithombe ngezando, asikhande ngengalo yakhe elamandla. Uyalamba aphelelwe ngamandla. Anganathi manzi, amandla aphele.
13 The worker in wood stretcheth out a line; he marketh it out with red chalk; he formeth it with sharp tools, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of man: that it may remain in the house.
Umbazi welula intambo yokulinganisa asidwebe ngosungulo, asibaze ngetshizela, asidwebe ngensimbi ecijileyo, abaze umfanekiso womuntu, umuntu olobuhle bonke, ukuba sihlale endlini yokukhonzela.
14 When he heweth him down cedars, he taketh also a holm-oak and a terebinth — he chooseth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth a pine, and the rain maketh [it] grow.
Ugamula isihlahla somsedari, loba athathe umsayiphresi kumbe umʼOkhi. Uyasikhulisa phakathi kwezihlahla zegusu, kumbe ahlanyele iphayini, izulu lisikhulise.
15 And it shall be for a man to burn, and he taketh thereof, and warmeth himself; he kindleth it also, and baketh bread; he maketh also a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.
Lapho-ke siba zinkuni zomuntu zokubasa; okunye kwaso uyathatha othe, ubasa umlilo abhekhe izinkwa. Kodwa, njalo, wenza unkulunkulu amkhonze; abaze isithombe asikhothamele.
16 He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh, he roasteth roast, and is satisfied; yea, he is warm, and saith, Aha, I am become warm, I have seen the fire.
Ingxenye yezinkuni ubasa ngayo umlilo, apheke ngawo ukudla kwakhe. Ose inyama yakhe adle asuthe. Njalo uyotha umlilo athi, “Ha! Ngiyafudumala; ngiyawubona umlilo.”
17 And with the remainder thereof he maketh a god, his graven image; he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me, for thou art my god.
Ngeziseleyo wenza unkulunkulu, isithombe sakhe; uyasikhothamela, asikhonze. Uyakhuleka kuso athi, “Ngisindisa, ungunkulunkulu wami.”
18 They have no knowledge, and understand not; for he hath plastered their eyes, that they may not see; and their hearts, that they may not understand.
Kabazi lutho, kabaqedisisi lutho; amehlo abo abhadiwe ukuze bangaboni lezingqondo zabo zivalekile ukuze bangaqedisisi.
19 And none taketh it to heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire, and have also baked bread upon the coals thereof, I have roasted flesh, and eaten [it], and with the rest thereof shall I make an abomination? shall I bow down to a block of wood?
Kakho oke ame acabange, kakho olokwazi loba ukuzwisisa ukuba athi, “Ingxenye yazo ngabasa ngayo umlilo; ngaze ngabhekha izinkwa emalahleni awo, ngosa inyama ngayidla. Ngokuseleyo ngizakwenza into enengisayo na? Ngizasikhothamela na isigodo nje?”
20 He feedeth on ashes; a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?
Udla umlotha, inhliziyo ekhohlisekileyo iyamlahla, angeke azihlenge, kumbe athi, “Into le esesandleni sami sokudla kayisimanga na?”
21 Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for thou art my servant; I have formed thee: thou art my servant, Israel; thou shalt not be forgotten of me.
“Khumbula lezizinto, wena Jakhobe, ngoba uyinceku yami, wena Israyeli. Ngakubumba, uyinceku yami; wena Israyeli, angiyikukukhohlwa.
22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
Ngesule iziphambeko zakho njengeyezi, ngesula izono zakho njengenkungu yekuseni. Buyela kimi, ngoba ngikuhlengile.”
23 Sing, ye heavens; for Jehovah hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth; break forth into singing, ye mountains, the forest, and every tree therein! For Jehovah hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.
Hlabelelani ngentokozo, lina mazulu, ngoba uThixo usekwenzile lokhu; hlaba umkhosi, wena mhlaba ngaphansi. Tshayani ingoma lina zintaba, lina mahlathi lazozonke izihlahla zenu, ngoba uThixo usemhlengile uJakhobe, ubonakalisa udumo lwakhe ko-Israyeli.
24 Thus saith Jehovah, thy Redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb: I [am] Jehovah, the maker of all things; who alone stretched out the heavens, who did spread forth the earth by myself;
“Nanku akutshoyo uThixo, uMhlengi wakho, owakubumbayo esiswini: Mina nginguThixo, owenza izinto zonke, owenza amazulu eyedwa, owendlala umhlaba eyedwa,
25 — he that frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;
ofubisa izibonakaliso zabaphrofethi bamanga, enze izanuse zibe yizithutha, ochitha ulwazi lwezihlakaniphi alwenze lube yibuthutha,
26 that confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built up, and I will raise up their ruins;
ofeza amazwi ezinceku zakhe aphelelise amacebo ezithunywa zakhe. Athi kulo iJerusalema, ‘Kuzahlalwa kulo,’ ngamadolobho akoJuda athi, ‘Azakwakhiwa.’ Ngamanxiwa awo uthi, ‘Ngizawavusa,’
27 that saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers;
athi enzikini yamanzi, ‘Cima, ngizakomisa izifula zakho,’
28 that saith of Cyrus, [He is] my shepherd, and he shall perform all my pleasure; even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.
athi ngoKhurosi, ‘Ungumelusi wami, uzafeza konke engikufunayo; uzakuthi ngeJerusalema, “Kalakhiwe futhi,” ngethempeli athi, “Izisekelo zalo kazakhiwe.”’”
