Isaiah 54
1 Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear, break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail; for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD.
“Hlabela wena mfazi oyinyumba, wena ongazange uzale umntwana; susa ingoma, umemeze ngentokozo, wena ongakaze uhelelwe ngoba abantwana bomfazi olahliweyo banengi kulabalowo olendoda,” kutsho uThixo.
2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thy habitations, spare not; lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes.
Qhelisa indawo yethente lakho, yelula amakhetheni ethente lakho abe banzi, ungathikazi, yelula izintambo zakho, uqinise izikhonkwane zakho.
3 For thou shalt spread abroad on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall possess the nations, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.
Ngoba uzaqhela usiya kwesokudla lesenxele; inzalo yakho izazixotsha izizwe yakhe emadolobheni azo adilikayo.
4 Fear not, for thou shalt not be ashamed. Neither be thou confounded, for thou shalt not be put to shame; for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and the reproach of thy widowhood shalt thou remember no more.
“Ungesabi, ngoba awuyikwehlelwa lihlazo. Ungesabi ukuyangeka, ngoba awuyikudumazeka. Uzalikhohlwa ihlazo lasebutsheni bakho, ungakhumbuli lesithuko sobufelokazi bakho.
5 For thy Maker is thy husband, the LORD of hosts is His name; and the Holy One of Israel is thy Redeemer, the God of the whole earth shall He be called.
Ngoba uMenzi wakho engumyeni wakho, uThixo uSomandla libizo lakhe oNgcwele ka-Israyeli unguMhlengi wakho; ubizwa ngokuthi nguNkulunkulu womhlaba wonke.
6 For the LORD hath called thee as a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit; and a wife of youth, can she be rejected? saith thy God.
UThixo uzakubiza njengowesifazane olahliweyo, odabukileyo emoyeni, owesifazane owenda esesemncane, waphanga waliwa,” kutsho uNkulunkulu wakho.
7 For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great compassion will I gather thee.
“Ngakutshiya okomzuzwana omncane, kodwa ngesihawu esikhulu ngizakubuyisa.
8 In a little wrath I hid My face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have compassion on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer.
Ngomfutho wokuthukuthela, ngakufihlela ubuso bami okomzuzwana, kodwa ngothando olungapheliyo, ngizakuba lesihawu kuwe,” kutsho uThixo uMhlengi wakho.
9 For this is as the waters of Noah unto Me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.
“Kimi lokhu kunjengasezinsukwini zikaNowa, lapho engafunga khona ngathi amanzi kaNowa kawayikugcwala umhlaba futhi. Ngakho khathesi sengifungile ngathi angiyikukuthukuthelela futhi; angiyikukusola njalo.
10 For the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed; but My kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall My covenant of peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath compassion on thee.
Lanxa izintaba zinganyikinyiswa, lamaqaqa asuswe, kodwa uthando lwami olungapheliyo kuwe kaluyikunyikinyiswa, kumbe isivumelwano sami sokuthula sisuswe,” kutsho uThixo olesihawu kuwe.
11 O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will set thy stones in fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires.
Wena dolobho elihluphekileyo, elitshaywa yiziphepho alaze laduduzwa, ngizakwakha ngamatshe amahle, izisekelo zakho ngizakhe ngamasafire.
12 And I will make thy pinnacles of rubies, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy border of precious stones.
Izakhiwo zakho zokuvikela ngizazenza ngamarubhi, amasango akho ngiwenze ngamatshe akhazimulayo, yonke imithangala yakho ngiyenze ngamatshe aligugu.
13 And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.
Wonke amadodana akho azafundiswa nguThixo, njalo kuzakuba kukhulu ukuthula kwabantwana bakho.
14 In righteousness shalt thou be established; be thou far from oppression, for thou shalt not fear, and from ruin, for it shall not come near thee.
Uzaqiniswa ngokulunga: uchuku luzakuba khatshana lawe, awuyikwesaba lutho. Ukwesaba kuzasuselwa khatshana, akuyikusondela phansi kwakho.
15 Behold, they may gather together, but not by Me; whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall because of thee.
Nxa ekhona ozakuhlasela, kobe kungayisimi; loba ngubani okuhlaselayo uzazinikela kuwe.
16 Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the fire of coals, and bringeth forth a weapon for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.
“Khangela, yimi engadala umkhandi wensimbi ovuthela amalahle abe lilangabi, akhande isikhali esilungele umsebenzi waso. Njalo yimi engadala umchithi ukuba enze umonakalo;
17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their due reward from Me, saith the LORD.
akulasikhali esikhandelwe wena esizaphumelela, njalo bonke abakumangalelayo uzabehlula. Leli yilifa lezinceku zikaThixo, lokhu yikho ukwenaniswa kwazo yimi,” kutsho uThixo.
A Dove is Sent Forth from the Ark
