Isaiah 48
1 Hear ye these things, O house of Jacob, you that are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Juda, you who swear by the name of the Lord, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in justice.
Zwanini lokhu, lina ndlu kaJakobe, elabizwa ngebizo likaIsrayeli, elaphuma emanzini akoJuda, elifunga ngebizo leNkosi, elikhumbuza ngoNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, kodwa kungeyisikho ngeqiniso, njalo kungeyisikho ngokulunga.
2 For they are called of the holy city, and are established upon the God of Israel: the Lord of hosts is his name.
Ngoba bazibiza ngokuthi bangabomuzi oyingcwele, beseyama kuNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli; iNkosi yamabandla libizo lakhe.
3 The former things of old I have declared, and they went forth out of my mouth, and I have made them to be heard: I did them suddenly and they came to pass.
Ngamemezela izinto zamandulo kwasekuqaleni, zaphuma emlonyeni wami, ngazizwakalisa; ngenza masinyane, zafika.
4 For I knew that thou art stubborn, and thy neck is as an iron sinew, and thy forehead as brass.
Ngoba ngangisazi ukuthi ulukhuni, lentamo yakho ingumsipha wensimbi, lebunzi lakho lilithusi;
5 I foretold thee of old, before they came to pass I told thee, lest thou shouldst say: My idols have done these things, and my graven and molten things have commanded them.
ngitsho kwasekuqaleni ngamemezela kuwe, kungakenzakali ngakwenza wakuzwa, hlezi uthi: Isithombe sami sizenzile, lesithombe sami esibaziweyo, lesithombe sami esibunjwe ngokuncibilikisa sikulayile.
6 See now all the things which thou hast heard: but have you declared them? I have shewn thee new things from that time, and things are kept which thou knowest not:
Usuzwile, khangela konke lokhu; njalo kaliyikukumemezela yini? Ngikwenze uzwe izinto ezintsha kusukela khathesi, lezinto ezifihlakeleyo obungazazi.
7 They are created now, and not of old: and before the day, when thou heardest them not, lest thou shouldst say: Behold I knew them.
Zidalwe khathesi, kungeyisikho ekuqaleni; ngitsho lungakafiki lolusuku ungakezwa ngazo, hlezi uthi: Khangela, bengizazi.
8 Thou hast neither heard, nor known, neither was thy ear opened of old. For I know that transgressing thou wilt transgress, and I have called thee a transgressor from the womb.
Yebo, kawuzwanga; yebo, kawazanga; yebo, kusukela ngalesosikhathi indlebe yakho yayingavulekanga; ngoba bengisazi ukuthi uzakwenza lokwenza ngenkohliso, wabizwa ngokuthi uyisiphambuki kusukela esizalweni.
9 For my name’s sake I will remove my wrath far off: and for my praise I will bridle thee, lest thou shouldst perish.
Ngenxa yebizo lami ngizaphuzisa ulaka lwami, langenxa yodumo lwami ngizibambe ngawe, ukuze ngingakuqumi.
10 Behold I have refined thee, but not as silver, I have chosen thee in the furnace of poverty.
Khangela, ngikuhlolile, kodwa hatshi ngesiliva, ngikukhethile esithandweni senhlupheko.
11 For my own sake, for my own sake will I do it, that I may not be blasphemed: and I will not give my glory to another.
Ngenxa yami, ngenxa yami ngiyakwenza; ngoba ibizo lami lingangcoliswa njani? Njalo kangiyikunika udumo lwami komunye.
12 Hearken to me, O Jacob, and thou Israel whom I call: I am he, I am the first, and I am the last.
Ngilalela, Jakobe, lawe Israyeli obiziweyo wami: Nginguye; ngingowokuqala, njalo ngingowokucina.
13 My hand also hath founded the earth, and my right hand hath measured the heavens: I shall call them, and they shall stand together.
Isandla sami laso sabeka isisekelo somhlaba, lesandla sami sokunene sendlale amazulu; lapho ngikubiza, kuyasukuma kanyekanye.
14 Assemble yourselves together, all you, and hear: who among them hath declared these things? the Lord hath loved him, he will do his pleasure in Babylon, and his arm shall be on the Chaldeans.
Buthanani lina lonke, lizwe; ngubani phakathi kwabo omemezele lezizinto? INkosi imthandile; izakwenza intando yayo eBhabhiloni, lengalo yayo izakuba phezu kwamaKhaladiya.
15 I, even I have spoken and called him: I have brought him, and his way is made prosperous.
Mina uqobo ngikhulumile; yebo ngambiza, ngimlethile, njalo uzaphumelelisa indlela yakhe.
16 Come ye near unto me, and hear this: I have not spoken in secret from the beginning: from the time before it was done, I was there, and now the Lord God hath sent me, and his spirit.
Sondelani kimi, lizwe lokhu; kangikhulumanga ensitha kusukela ekuqaleni; kusukela kulesosikhathi kusenzeka, ngikhona. Khathesi-ke iNkosi uJehova kanye loMoya wayo ingithumile.
17 Thus saith the Lord thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am the Lord thy God that teach thee profitable things, that govern thee in the way that thou walkest.
Itsho njalo iNkosi, uMhlengi wakho, oNgcwele kaIsrayeli: NgiyiNkosi, uNkulunkulu wakho, ekufundisa okukusizayo, ekukhokhela ngendlela ofanele ukuthi uhambe ngayo.
18 O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments: thy peace had been as a river, and thy justice as the waves of the sea,
Kungathi ngabe walalela imilayo yami! Khona ukuthula kwakho kwakuzakuba njengomfula, lokulunga kwakho njengamagagasi olwandle.
19 And thy seed had been as the sand, and the offspring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof: his name should not have perished, nor have been destroyed from before my face.
Inzalo yakho layo yayizakuba njengetshebetshebe, lembewu yemibilini yakho njengezinhlamvu zalo; ibizo lawo belingayikuqunywa kumbe lichithwe lisuke phambi kwami.
20 Come forth out of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, declare it with the voice of joy: make this to be heard, and speak it out even to the ends of the earth. Say: The Lord hath redeemed his servant Jacob.
Phumani eBhabhiloni, libalekele amaKhaladiya, limemeze ngelizwi lokuhlabelela, likuzwakalise, likuphumisele ngasemkhawulweni womhlaba, lithi: INkosi ihlengile inceku yayo uJakobe.
21 They thirsted not in the desert, when he led them out: he brought forth water out of the rock for them, and he clove the rock, and the waters gushed out.
Njalo kabomanga lapho ibakhokhela bedabula izinkangala; yenza amanzi abagelezela evela edwaleni, futhi yaqhekeza idwala, lamanzi ampompoza.
22 There is no peace to the wicked, saith the Lord.
Akulakuthula, itsho INkosi, kwabakhohlakeleyo.
