Isaiah 17
1 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
Isiqalekiso esimayelana leDamaseko: “Khangela iDamaseko kayisayikuba lidolobho kodwa izakuba yinqumbi yamanxiwa.
2 The cities of Aroer are forsaken; they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
Amadolobho ase-Aroyeri azatshiywa, etshiyelwa imihlambi ezalala phansi kungekho ozayenza yesabe.
3 The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus; and the remnant of Aram shall be as the glory of the children of Israel, saith the LORD of hosts.
Idolobho elivikelweyo lizanyamalala ko-Efrayimi lamandla obukhosi eDamaseko; insalela ka-Aramu izakuba njengodumo lwabako-Israyeli,” kutsho uThixo uSomandla.
4 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the glory of Jacob shall be made thin, and the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean.
“Ngalolusuku udumo lukaJakhobe luzakwehla; amafutha asemzimbeni wakhe azancipha.
5 And it shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the standing corn, and reapeth the ears with his arm; yea, it shall be as when one gleaneth ears in the valley of Rephaim.
Kuzakuba njengalapho umvuni evuna amabele amiyo evuna amabele ngengalo yakhe, njenganxa umuntu edobha izikhwebu zamabele eSigodini saseRefayi.
6 Yet there shall be left therein gleanings, as at the beating of an olive-tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the branches of the fruitful tree, saith the LORD, the God of Israel.
Ikanti ezinye izikhwebu zizasala, njengalapho isihlahla se-oliva sibhuliwe, kusale ama-oliva amabili loba amathathu ezingatsheni eziphezulu kakhulu, amane loba amahlanu ezingabeni zezithelo,” kutsho uThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.
7 In that day shall a man regard his Maker, and his eyes shall look to the Holy One of Israel.
Ngalolosuku abantu bazathembela kuMenzi wabo amehlo abo aphendukele koNgcwele ka-Israyeli.
8 And he shall not regard the altars, the work of his hands, neither shall he look to that which his fingers have made, either the Asherim, or the sun-images.
Abayikuthembela ema-alithareni, umsebenzi wezandla zabo, njalo kabayikuzinanza izinsika zika-Ashera lama-alithare empepha enziwa yiminwe yabo.
9 In that day shall his strong cities be as the forsaken places, which were forsaken from before the children of Israel, after the manner of woods and lofty forests; and it shall be a desolation.
Ngalolosuku amadolobho abo aqinileyo, abawatshiyayo ngenxa yama-Israyeli azafana lezindawo ezatshiyelwa izixukwana lezihlahlanyana. Konke kuzakuba yincithakalo.
10 For thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and thou hast not been mindful of the Rock of thy stronghold; therefore thou didst plant plants of pleasantness, and didst set it with slips of a stranger;
Selimkhohliwe uNkulunkulu uMsindisi wenu, kalilikhumbulanga iDwala, inqaba yenu. Ngakho lanxa ligxumeka izihlahla ezinhle, lihlanyele lamavini avela ezizweni,
11 In the day of thy planting thou didst make it to grow, and in the morning thou didst make thy seed to blossom — a heap of boughs in the day of grief and of desperate pain.
lanxa lingawenza akhule ngelanga elizawagxumeka ngalo, loba liwenze ahlume ngekuseni eliwahlanyele ngayo, kodwa isivuno sizakuba yize ngosuku lwesifo lobuhlungu obungelaphekiyo.
12 Ah, the uproar of many peoples, that roar like the roaring of the seas; and the rushing of nations, that rush like the rushing of mighty waters!
Maye, ukuhlokoma kwezizwe ezinengi, zihlokoma njengokuhlokoma kolwandle! Yeka ukuxokozela kwezizwe, zihuba njengokuhuba kwamanzi amanengi!
13 The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters; but He shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like the whirling dust before the storm.
Lanxa izizwe zihuba njengokugubhuza kwamanzi, nxa ezikhuza zibalekela khatshana, njengamakhoba ephetshulwa ngumoya emaqaqeni, lanjengothuli olubangwa yisivunguzane.
14 At eventide behold terror; and before the morning they are not. This is the portion of them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us.
Kusihlwa kuba lokuthuthumela. Kungakasi, kabasekho. Lesi yiso isabelo salabo abasikhuthuzayo, isabelo salabo abasihlaselayo.
