Isaiah 9
1 Nevertheless the darkness shall not be as when the distress was in the [land], at the time he at first lightly, and afterwards heavily, visited the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, — the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations:
Kodwa-ke akusayikuba khona ukudangala kulabo ababesosizini. Ensukwini ezedlulayo walithobisa ilizwe likaZebhuluni lelizwe likaNafithali. Kodwa ensukwini ezizayo uzayipha udumo iGalile yabezizweni, eNdleleni eya oLwandle elandela iJodani:
2 the people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them light hath shone.
Abantu abahamba emnyameni sebebone ukukhanya okukhulu; kulabo abahlala elizweni lethunzi lokufa ukukhanya sekukhanyisile.
3 Thou hast multiplied the nation, hast increased its joy: they joy before thee like to the joy in harvest; as [men] rejoice when they divide the spoil.
Usikhulisile isizwe wandisa intokozo yabo, bayathokoza phambi kwakho njengabantu bethokoza ekuvuneni, njengempi ithokoza isaba impango.
4 For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian.
Ngoba njengamhla wokwehlulwa kukaMidiyani usulephule ijogwe elibasindayo, umgoqo onqume emahlombe abo, intonga yomncindezeli wabo.
5 For every boot of him that is shod for the tumult, and the garment rolled in blood, shall be for burning, fuel for fire.
Lonke inyathela lebutho elisetshenziswe empini, kanye lazozonke izigqoko ezigiqwe egazini kuzakuya ekutshisweni; kuzakuba ngokokubasisa umlilo.
6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name is called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace.
Ngoba sizalelwe umntwana, siphiwe indodana, umbuso uzakuba phezu kwamahlombe akhe. Uzabizwa ngokuthi uMeluleki Omangalisayo, uNkulunkulu uSomandla, uBaba Waphakade, iNkosana yokuThula.
7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with judgment and with righteousness, from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of Jehovah of hosts will perform this.
Ukwanda kombuso wakhe lokuthula akuyikuba lomkhawulo. Uzabusa esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavida laphezu kombuso wakhe, ewumisa njalo ewuqinisa ngokufaneleyo langokulunga, kusukela ngalesisikhathi kuze kube nini lanini. Ukutshiseka kukaThixo uSomandla kuzakufeza lokhu.
8 The Lord sent a word unto Jacob, and it lighteth upon Israel.
INkosi isithumele ilizwi lesixwayiso kuJakhobe lizakwehlela phezu kuka-Israyeli.
9 And all the people shall know [it], Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in pride and stoutness of heart,
Abantu bonke bazakwazi u-Efrayimi labakhele eSamariya, abathi ngokuzigqaja langokuzikhukhumeza kwenhliziyo,
10 The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones; the sycamore trees are cut down, but we will replace them with cedars.
“Izitina sezidilikele phansi, kodwa sizakwakha njalo ngamatshe abaziweyo; imikhiwa isiganyulelwe phansi, kodwa sizafaka imisedari endaweni yayo.”
11 And Jehovah will set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and arm his enemies,
Kodwa uThixo usebaqinisele izitha zikaRezini, njalo usetshotshozele izitha zabo.
12 the Syrians on the east, and the Philistines on the west; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still.
Ama-Aramu avela empumalanga lamaFilistiya avela entshonalanga asedle u-Israyeli ngomlomo ovulekileyo. Kodwa kukho konke lokhu, ukuthukuthela kwakhe akupheli, isandla sakhe silokhu siphakanyisiwe.
13 But the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, and they do not seek Jehovah of hosts.
Kodwa abantu abakabuyeli kuye owabatshayayo. Loba badinge uThixo uSomandla.
14 And Jehovah will cut off from Israel head and tail, palm-branch and rush, in one day:
Ngakho uThixo uzaquma ko-Israyeli ikhanda lomsila, ugatsha lwelala lomhlanga ngasuku lunye;
15 the ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.
abadala lezikhulu balikhanda, abaphrofethi abafundisa amanga bangumsila.
16 For the guides of this people mislead [them]; and they that are guided by them are swallowed up.
Labo abakhokhela abantu laba bayabalahlekisa, labo abakhokhelwayo bayedukiswa.
17 Therefore the Lord will not rejoice in their young men, neither will he have mercy on their fatherless and on their widows; for every one is a hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still.
Ngakho iNkosi kayiyikuthokoza ngezinsizwa zabo, izintandane labafelokazi kayiyikuba lozwelo kubo, ngoba bonke bayameyisa uNkulunkulu, njalo babi; imilomo yonke ikhuluma amanyala. Kodwa kukho konke lokhu, ukuthukuthela kwayo akupheli, isandla sayo silokhu siphakanyisiwe.
18 For wickedness burneth as a fire: it devoureth briars and thorns, and kindleth in the thickets of the forest, and they go rolling up like a pillar of smoke.
Ngeqiniso ububi butshisa njengomlilo, budla ukhula lameva, buthungela izixuku zehlathi zivuthe amalangabi izikhatha zentuthu ziqonga zisiya phezulu.
19 Through the wrath of Jehovah of hosts is the land burned up, and the people is as fuel for fire: a man spareth not his brother;
Ngolaka lukaThixo uSomandla ilizwe lizatshiswa, abantu bazakuba zinkuni zomlilo, kakho ozaphephisa umfowabo.
20 and he snatcheth on the right hand, and is hungry, and eateth on the left hand; and they are not satisfied. They eat every man the flesh of his own arm:
Bazaqeda kwesokudla kodwa babe belokhu belambile; bazakudla kwesokhohlo, kodwa bangasuthi. Omunye lomunye uzakudla abantwabakhe:
21 Manasseh, Ephraim, and Ephraim, Manasseh; [and] they together are against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still.
UManase uzakudla u-Efrayimi, u-Efrayimi adle uManase; bobabili bazamelana loJuda. Kukho konke lokhu, ukuthukuthela kwakhe akupheli, isandla sakhe silokhu siphakanyisiwe.
