< Isaiah 21 >
1 The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through; so it cometh from the desert, from a terrible land.
Isiphrofethi mayelana leNkangala engasoLwandle: Njengesivunguzane sidlula eNegebi, umhlaseli uvela enkangala evelela elizweni elesabekayo.
2 A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease.
Ngitshengiswe umbono owesabekayo. Umthengisi uyathengisa, umkhuthuzi uthatha impahla. Elamu, hlasela! Mediya, vimbezela! Mina ngizakuqeda konke ukububula akudalileyo.
3 Therefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth: I was bowed down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the seeing of it.
Ngalokhu umzimba wami uyafuthelwa, ngiphethwe yibuhlungu obufana lobowesifazane ehelelwa. Ngithithibaliswa yilokhu engikuzwayo, ngidideka ngalokhu engikubonayo.
4 My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me.
Inhliziyo yami iphela amandla, ukwesaba kungenza ngiqhaqhazele; ukuhlwa engibe ngikufisa, sekusesabeka kimi.
5 Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield.
Itafula bayilungisile, bendlala amalembu bayadla, bayanatha. Sukumani lina zikhulu, ligcobe amahawu!
6 For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.
Lokhu yikho uThixo akutshoyo kimi: “Hamba uyefaka umlindi ukuze abike akubonayo.
7 And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of donkeys, and a chariot of camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed:
Angabona izinqola zempi, kulemihlambi yamabhiza, abagadi phezu kwabobabhemi loba abagadi phezu kwamakamela, kaqaphele; aqaphelisise sibili.”
8 And he cried, A lion: My lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights:
Umlindi wasememeza esithi, “Nkosi yami, usuku ngosuku ngiyema phezu komphotshongo wokulinda; ubusuku ngabunye ngihlala ensikeni yami.
9 And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground.
Khangela, nangu umuntu esiza esenqoleni yempi lomhlambi wamabhiza. Uphendula esithi, ‘IBhabhiloni isidilikile, isidilikile! Zonke izifanekiso zezithombe zayo zihlakazekele phansi!’”
10 O my threshing, and the grain of my floor: that which I have heard of Yhwh of Armies, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you.
Awu bantu bami elibhulelwe esizeni, ngilitshela engikuzwileyo kuvela Thixo uSomandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.
11 The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?
Isiphrofethi esimayelana leDuma: Umuntu othile uyangimemeza eseSeyiri, esithi, “Mlindi, kuyini okwebusuku okusaseleyo? Mlindi, kuyini okwebusuku okusaseleyo?”
12 The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come.
Umlindi uphendula esithi, “Ukusa kuyeza, kodwa lobusuku buyeza. Nxa ufuna ukubuza, buza; uphinde ubuye futhi.”
13 The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanim.
Isiphrofethi esimayelana le-Arabhiya: Lina zindwendwe zabakoDedani ezimise emahlabathini ase-Arabhiya,
14 The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they did meet with their bread him that fled.
lethelani abomileyo amanzi; lina elihlala eThema, lethelani ababalekayo ukudla.
15 For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.
Babalekela inkemba, inkemba eqhatshisiweyo, babalekela idandili eligotshiweyo, lokutshisa kwempi.
16 For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Within a year, according to the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail:
Lokhu yikho uThixo akutshoyo kimi ukuthi: “Phakathi komnyaka owodwa nje, njengendlela isisebenzi esiqhatshiweyo esingawubala ngayo, lonke udumo lweKhedari luzaphela.
17 And the residue of the number of archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished: for Yhwh God of Israel hath spoken it.
Abasindayo kwabemitshoko, amabutho aseKhedari, bazakuba balutshwana.” UThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, usekhulumile.