Isaiah 54
1 Sing, O barren, you that did not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, you that did not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, says the LORD.
Hlabelela, nyumba, wena ongazalanga; qhamuka ngokuhlabelela, umemeze, wena ongazange uhelelwe! Ngoba banengi abantwana botshiyiweyo kulabantwana bowendileyo, itsho iNkosi.
2 Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of your habitations: spare not, lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes;
Qhelisa indawo yethente lakho, kabatshombulule amakhetheni endawo yakho yokuhlala; ungagodli, yelula izintambo zakho, uqinise izikhonkwane zakho.
3 For you shall break forth on the right hand and on the left; and your seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.
Ngoba uzaqhamuka ngakwesokudla langakwesokunene, lenzalo yakho izafuya abezizwe, yenze imizi echithekileyo ihlalwe.
4 Fear not; for you shall not be ashamed: neither be you confounded; for you shall not be put to shame: for you shall forget the shame of your youth, and shall not remember the reproach of your widowhood any more.
Ungesabi, ngoba kawuyikuyangeka; njalo ungabi lenhloni, ngoba kawuyikuyangiswa; ngoba uzakhohlwa ihlazo lobutsha bakho, ungabe usakhumbula ukuyangeka kobufelokazi bakho.
5 For your Maker is your husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and your Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.
Ngoba uMenzi wakho ungumyeni wakho, iNkosi yamabandla libizo lakhe; loMhlengi wakho ungoNgcwele kaIsrayeli, uzabizwa ngokuthi nguNkulunkulu womhlaba wonke.
6 For the LORD has called you as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when you were refused, says your God.
Ngoba iNkosi ikubizile njengomfazi olahliweyo lodabukileyo emoyeni, lomfazi wobutsha, lapho waliwe, kutsho uNkulunkulu wakho.
7 For a small moment have I forsaken you; but with great mercies will I gather you.
Okomzuzwana omncinyane ngakutshiya, kodwa ngezihawu ezinkulu ngizakubutha.
8 In a little wrath I hid my face from you for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on you, says the LORD your Redeemer.
Ngolaka oluncinyane ngakufihlela ubuso bami okomzuzwana, kodwa ngothandolomusa waphakade ngizakuhawukela, itsho iNkosi, uMhlengi wakho.
9 For this is as the waters of Noah to 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 you, nor rebuke you.
Ngoba lokhu kunjengamanzi kaNowa kimi, lapho ngafunga ukuthi amanzi kaNowa kawaseyikwedlula emhlabeni; ngokunjalo ngifungile ukuthi kangiyikukuthukuthelela, ngikusole.
10 For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from you, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, says the LORD that has mercy on you.
Ngoba izintaba zizasuka, lamaqaqa azamazame, kodwa umusa wami kawuyikusuka kuwe, lesivumelwano sami sokuthula kasiyikuzamazama, itsho iNkosi elesihawu kuwe.
11 O you afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay your stones with fair colors, and lay your foundations with sapphires.
Wena ohluphekileyo, ophoswe yisiphepho, ongaduduzwanga, khangela, ngizabeka amatshe akho abe mahle, ngibeke isisekelo sakho ngamasafire.
12 And I will make your windows of agates, and your gates of carbuncles, and all your borders of pleasant stones.
Ngizakwenza imiphotshongo yakho nge-agate, lamasango akho ngama-emeraldi, lawo wonke umngcele wakho ngamatshe entokozo.
13 And all your children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of your children.
Labantwana bakho bonke bazafundiswa yiNkosi, njalo kube kukhulu ukuthula kwabantwana bakho.
14 In righteousness shall you be established: you shall be far from oppression; for you shall not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near you.
Uzaqiniswa ekulungeni; ube khatshana locindezelo, ngoba kawuyikwesaba; levalweni, ngoba kakuyikusondela kuwe.
15 Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whoever shall gather together against you shall fall for your sake.
Khangela bazabuthana sibili, kodwa hatshi ngami; loba ngubani ozabuthana emelene lawe uzakuwa ngenxa yakho.
16 Behold, I have created the smith that blows the coals in the fire, and that brings forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.
Khangela mina ngidale umkhandi wensimbi ovuthela amalahle emlilweni, lovezela umsebenzi wakhe isikhali; njalo mina ngidale umchithi ukuthi achithe.
17 No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, says the LORD.
Kakulasikhali esibunjelwe ukumelana lawe esizaphumelela; lalo lonke ulimi olukuvukelayo ekwehluleleni uzalulahla. Lokhu kuyilifa lezinceku zeNkosi, lokulunga kwazo kuvela kimi, itsho iNkosi.
A Dove is Sent Forth from the Ark
