Isaiah 21
1 The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds come from the south, it cometh from the desert from a terrible land.
Isiphrofethi mayelana leNkangala engasoLwandle: Njengesivunguzane sidlula eNegebi, umhlaseli uvela enkangala evelela elizweni elesabekayo.
2 A grievous vision is told me: he that is unfaithful dealeth unfaithfully: and he that is a spoiler, spoileth. Go up, O Elam, besiege, O Mede: I have made all the mourning thereof to cease.
Ngitshengiswe umbono owesabekayo. Umthengisi uyathengisa, umkhuthuzi uthatha impahla. Elamu, hlasela! Mediya, vimbezela! Mina ngizakuqeda konke ukububula akudalileyo.
3 Therefore are my loins filled with pain, anguish hath taken hold of me, as the anguish of a woman in labour: I fell down at the hearing of it, I was troubled at the seeing of it.
Ngalokhu umzimba wami uyafuthelwa, ngiphethwe yibuhlungu obufana lobowesifazane ehelelwa. Ngithithibaliswa yilokhu engikuzwayo, ngidideka ngalokhu engikubonayo.
4 My heart failed, darkness amazed me: Babylon my beloved is become a wonder to me.
Inhliziyo yami iphela amandla, ukwesaba kungenza ngiqhaqhazele; ukuhlwa engibe ngikufisa, sekusesabeka kimi.
5 Prepare the table, behold in the watchtower them that eat and drink: arise, ye princes, take up the shield.
Itafula bayilungisile, bendlala amalembu bayadla, bayanatha. Sukumani lina zikhulu, ligcobe amahawu!
6 For thus hath the Lord said to me: Go, and set a watchman: and whatsoever he shall see, let him tell.
Lokhu yikho uThixo akutshoyo kimi: “Hamba uyefaka umlindi ukuze abike akubonayo.
7 And he saw a chariot with two horsemen, a rider upon an ass, and a rider upon a camel: and he beheld them diligently with much heed.
Angabona izinqola zempi, kulemihlambi yamabhiza, abagadi phezu kwabobabhemi loba abagadi phezu kwamakamela, kaqaphele; aqaphelisise sibili.”
8 And a lion cried out: I am upon the watchtower of the Lord, standing continually by day: and I am upon my ward, standing whole nights.
Umlindi wasememeza esithi, “Nkosi yami, usuku ngosuku ngiyema phezu komphotshongo wokulinda; ubusuku ngabunye ngihlala ensikeni yami.
9 Behold this man cometh, the rider upon the chariot with two horsemen, and he answered, and said: Babylon is fallen, she is fallen, and all the graven gods thereof are broken unto the ground.
Khangela, nangu umuntu esiza esenqoleni yempi lomhlambi wamabhiza. Uphendula esithi, ‘IBhabhiloni isidilikile, isidilikile! Zonke izifanekiso zezithombe zayo zihlakazekele phansi!’”
10 O my thrashing and the children of my door, that which I have heard of the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, I have declared unto you.
Awu bantu bami elibhulelwe esizeni, ngilitshela engikuzwileyo kuvela Thixo uSomandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.
11 The burden of Duma calleth to me out of Seir: Watchman, what of the eight? watchman, what of the night?
Isiphrofethi esimayelana leDuma: Umuntu othile uyangimemeza eseSeyiri, esithi, “Mlindi, kuyini okwebusuku okusaseleyo? Mlindi, kuyini okwebusuku okusaseleyo?”
12 The watchman said: The morning cometh, also the night: if you seek, seek: return, come.
Umlindi uphendula esithi, “Ukusa kuyeza, kodwa lobusuku buyeza. Nxa ufuna ukubuza, buza; uphinde ubuye futhi.”
13 The burden in Arabia. In the forest at evening you shall sleep, in the paths of Dedanim.
Isiphrofethi esimayelana le-Arabhiya: Lina zindwendwe zabakoDedani ezimise emahlabathini ase-Arabhiya,
14 Meeting the thirsty bring him water, you that inhabit the land of the south, meet with bread him that fleeth.
lethelani abomileyo amanzi; lina elihlala eThema, lethelani ababalekayo ukudla.
15 For they are fled from before the swords, from the sword that hung over them, from the bent bow, from the face of a grievous battle.
Babalekela inkemba, inkemba eqhatshisiweyo, babalekela idandili eligotshiweyo, lokutshisa kwempi.
16 For thus saith the Lord to me: Within a year, according to the years of a hireling, all the glory of Cedar shall be taken away.
Lokhu yikho uThixo akutshoyo kimi ukuthi: “Phakathi komnyaka owodwa nje, njengendlela isisebenzi esiqhatshiweyo esingawubala ngayo, lonke udumo lweKhedari luzaphela.
17 And the residue of the number of strong archers of the children of Cedar shall be diminished: for the Lord the God of Israel hath spoken it.
Abasindayo kwabemitshoko, amabutho aseKhedari, bazakuba balutshwana.” UThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, usekhulumile.
