< Isaiah 57 >
1 The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart, and godly men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.
Abalungileyo bayabhubha, kodwa kakho ocabanga ngakho enhliziyweni yakhe. Abantu abazinikele ekukhonzeni bayasuswa, njalo kakho okuzwisisayo ukuthi abalungileyo basuswa ukuba baphetshiswe ebubini.
2 He entereth into peace, they rest in their beds, each one that walketh in his uprightness.
Labo abahamba ngokulunga bayangena ekuthuleni; bathola ukuphumula belele ekufeni.
3 But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the harlot.
“Kodwa lina wozani lapha lina, madodana esanusekazi lina nzalo yezifebe leziphingi!
4 Against whom do ye sport yourselves? Against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? Are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood,
Ngubani elimklolodelayo na? Ngubani elimnemelayo limkhuphela inlimi zenu? Kalisinzalo yabahlamuki, labantwana babaqamba amanga na?
5 Ye that inflame yourselves among the terebinths, under every leafy tree; that slay the children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?
Liyatshiseka ngenkanuko ezihlahleni zomʼOkhi, langaphansi kwezihlahla zonke eziyizithingithingi; lenza umhlatshelo ngabantwabenu emakhelekehleni langaphansi kwamawa.
6 Among the smooth stones of the valley is thy portion; they, they are thy lot; even to them hast thou poured a drink-offering, thou hast offered a meal-offering. Should I pacify Myself for these things?
Izithombe eziphakathi kwamatshe abutshelezi emakhelekehleni yiso isabelo senu, yizo, yizo eziyisabelo senu. Yebo, kuzo lithele iminikelo yokunathwayo lanikela leminikelo yamabele. Ngenxa yalezizinto ngingaba lozwelo na?
7 Upon a high and lofty mountain hast thou set thy bed; thither also wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.
Wenze umbheda wakho phezu koqaqa oluphakemeyo, wakhwela wayanikela imihlatshelo yakho khona.
8 And behind the doors and the posts hast thou set up thy symbol; for thou hast uncovered, and art gone up from Me, thou hast enlarged thy bed, and chosen thee of them whose bed thou lovedst, whose hand thou sawest.
Ngemva kwezivalo zakho langemva kwezinsika zomnyango wakho ubeke izifanekiso zakho zobuhedeni. Wathi ungilahla wembula umbheda wakho, wakhwela kuwo wawuvula waba banzi, wavumelana lalabo othanda imibheda yabo, wakhangela ubunqunu babo.
9 And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thine ambassadors far off, even down to the nether-world. (Sheol )
Uye kuMoleki ulamafutha e-oliva, wandisa lamakha akho. Uthume izithunywa zakho khatshana wangena ethuneni lona ngokwalo! (Sheol )
10 Thou wast wearied with the length of thy way; yet saidst thou not: 'There is no hope'; thou didst find a renewal of thy strength, therefore thou wast not affected.
Wadiniswa yizindlela zakho zonke, kodwa wawungeke uthi, ‘Akusizi ngalutho.’ Wathola ukuvuselelwa kwamandla akho. Ngakho kawuphelanga amandla.
11 And of whom hast thou been afraid and in fear, that thou wouldest fail? And as for Me, thou hast not remembered Me, nor laid it to thy heart. Have not I held My peace even of long time? Therefore thou fearest Me not.
Ngubani omesabe kangaka waze waba lamanga kimi, njalo kawaze wangikhumbula loba ukucabanga lokhu enhliziyweni yakho na? Akusingenxa yokuthi sengathula okwesikhathi eside kakhulu waze wangasangesabi na?
12 I will declare thy righteousness; thy works also — they shall not profit thee.
Ukulunga kwakho lemisebenzi yakho ngizakuveza obala, njalo akuyikukusiza ngalutho.
13 When thou criest, let them that thou hast gathered deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away, a breath shall bear them off; but he that taketh refuge in Me shall possess the land, and shall inherit My holy mountain.
Lapho usukhalela ukusizwa, iqoqo lezithombe zakho kalikuhlenge. Umoya uzazithatha zonke, lokuphephetha nje kuziphephulele khatshana. Kodwa umuntu owenza mina isiphephelo sakhe ilizwe lizakuba yilifa lakhe lentaba yami engcwele ibe ngeyakhe.”
14 And He will say: cast ye up, cast ye up, clear the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of My people.
Njalo kuzathiwa: “Candani, candani, lungisani indlela! Susani izikhubekiso endleleni yabantu bami.”
15 For thus saith the High and Lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
Ngoba ophakemeyo ongaPhezulu, yena ophila kokuphela, obizo lakhe lingcwele uthi: “Ngihlala endaweni ephakemeyo lengcwele, kodwa laye ozisolayo lothobekileyo emoyeni, ukuba kuvuselelwe umoya wabathobekileyo, kuvuselelwe lezinhliziyo zabazisolayo.
16 For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth; for the spirit that enwrappeth itself is from Me, and the souls which I have made.
Angiyikulisola kokuphela kumbe ngihlale ngithukuthele, ngoba umoya womuntu ungaphela phambi kwami, umoya womuntu engawudalayo.
17 For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth and smote him, I hid Me and was wroth; and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart.
Ngathukutheliswa yibuhwaba bakhe obubi; ngamjezisa, ngafihla ubuso bami ngithukuthele, kodwa waqhubeka ngezindlela zakhe zenkani.
18 I have seen his ways, and will heal him; I will lead him also, and requite with comforts him and his mourners.
Izindlela zakhe sengizibonile, kodwa ngizamsilisa. Ngizamkhokhela, ngimduduze futhi,
19 Peace, peace, to him that is far off and to him that is near, saith the LORD that createth the fruit of the lips; and I will heal him.
ngenze ukubonga ezindebeni zabalilayo ko-Israyeli. Ukuthula, ukuthula kwabakhatshana labaseduze,” kutsho uThixo. “Ngizabasilisa.”
20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea; for it cannot rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt.
Kodwa ababi banjengolwandle olugubhazelayo, olungeke luphumule, amagagasi alo ephosa udaka lengcekeza phezulu.
21 There is no peace, saith my God concerning the wicked.
“Akukho kuthula kwababi,” kutsho uNkulunkulu wami.