Isaiah 44
1 Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen:
Kodwa khathesi zwana, Jakobe nceku yami, lawe Israyeli engikukhethileyo.
2 Thus says the LORD that made you, and formed you from the womb, which will help you; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and you, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.
Itsho njalo INkosi umenzi wakho lombumbi wakho kusukela esiswini, ezakusiza: Ungesabi, Jakobe, nceku yami, lawe Jeshuruni engikukhethileyo.
3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon your seed, and my blessing upon your offspring:
Ngoba ngizathela amanzi phezu kwakhe owomileyo, lezikhukhula emhlabathini owomileyo; ngizathela umoya wami phezu kwenzalo yakho, lesibusiso sami phezu kwembewu yakho.
4 And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.
Bazahluma phakathi kotshani, njengeminyezane ngasezifuleni zamanzi.
5 One shall say, I am the LORD's; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel.
Omunye uzakuthi: Mina ngingoweNkosi; lomunye azibize ngebizo likaJakobe, lomunye abhale esandleni sakhe ukuthi: NgingoweNkosi; azibonge ngebizo likaIsrayeli.
6 Thus says the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
Utsho njalo uJehova, inkosi yakoIsrayeli, loMhlengi wakhe, iNkosi yamabandla: Ngingowokuqala njalo ngingowokucina; njalo ngaphandle kwami kakho uNkulunkulu.
7 And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them show unto them.
Njalo ngubani ongabiza njengami, akumemezele, angihlelele khona, kusukela ngimisa abantu bendulo? Lezinto ezizayo, lezizakuza, kabazimemezele kubo.
8 Fear all of you not, neither be afraid: have not I told you from that time, and have declared it? all of you are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.
Lingatshaywa luvalo, lingesabi; kangikuzwisanga yini kusukela ngalesosikhathi, ngakumemezela? Njalo lina lingabafakazi bami. Kukhona yini uNkulunkulu ngaphandle kwami? Yebo, kalikho elinye iDwala; kangilazi.
9 They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.
Bonke ababumba izithombe ezibaziweyo bayize, lezinto zabo ezithandekayo kazisizi lutho; labo bangabafakazi babo, kababoni, kabazi; ukuze bayangeke.
10 Who has formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?
Ngubani obumbe unkulunkulu, loba wabumba ngokuncibilikisa isithombe esibaziweyo esingasizi lutho?
11 Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together.
Khangela, bonke abangane bakhe bazayangeka; lababazi bangababantu; kababuthane bonke, basukume; bazakwesaba, bayangeke kanyekanye.
12 The smith with the tongs both works in the coals, and fashions it with hammers, and works it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength fails: he drinks no water, and is faint.
Umkhandi wensimbiukhanda ihloka, asebenze emalahleni, alibumbe ngezando, alisebenze ngamandla engalo yakhe; yebo, alambe, aze aphele amandla; kanathi manzi, aze adinwe.
13 The carpenter stretches out his rule; he marks it out with a line; he fits it with planes, and he marks it out with the compass, and makes it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.
Umbazi welula intambo yokulinganisa, adwebe ngosungulo, asenze ngezancele, asidwebe ngekhampasi, asenze ngomfanekiso womuntu, ngokobuhle bomuntu, ukuze sihlale endlini.
14 He hews him down cedars, and takes the cypress and the oak, which he strengthens for himself among the trees of the forest: he plants an ash, and the rain does nourish it.
Uzigamulela imisedari, athathe umsayiphuresi lesihlahla se-okhi, aziqinisela zona phakathi kwezihlahla zegusu, ahlanyele ifiri, lezulu liyikhulise.
15 Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindles it, and bakes bread; yea, he makes a god, and worships it; he makes it a graven image, and falls down thereto.
Kuzakuba-ke ngokomuntu ukuthi akubase, njalo uzathatha kukho, othe; yebo akubase, abhake isinkwa; yebo enze unkulunkulu, amkhonze, enze isithombe esibaziweyo, akhothame kuso.
16 He burns part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eats flesh; he roasts roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warms himself, and says, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire:
Atshise ingxenye yakho emlilweni; ngengxenye yakho adle inyama, ose amawoso asuthe; yebo, uyotha athi: Alala! ngiyakhudumala, ngiwubonile umlilo.
17 And the residue thereof he makes a god, even his graven image: he falls down unto it, and worships it, and prays unto it, and says, Deliver me; for you are my god.
Njalo okuseleyo kwakho akwenze kube ngunkulunkulu, kube yisithombe sakhe esibaziweyo; akhothame kuso, akhonze, akhuleke kuso athi: Ngophula, ngoba ungunkulunkulu wami.
18 They have not known nor understood: for he has shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.
Kabazanga, kabaqedisisanga; ngoba ebhade amehlo abo ukuze bangaboni; lenhliziyo zabo ukuze bangaqedisisi.
19 And none considers in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?
Kakho ocabanga enhliziyweni yakhe, njalo kakulalwazi njalo kakulakuqedisisa kokuthi: Ngibasile ingxenye yakho emlilweni, yebo ngibhake isinkwa phezu kwamalahle akho, ngosa inyama, ngayidla; kambe ngizakwenza insali yakho isinengiso yini? Ngizakhothamela okwesihlahla yini?
20 He feeds on ashes: a deceived heart has turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?
Udla umlotha; inhliziyo ekhohlisiweyo imphambule, okokuthi angekhulule umphefumulo wakhe njalo kathi: Kakulamanga yini esandleni sami sokunene?
21 Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for you are my servant: I have formed you; you are my servant: O Israel, you shall not be forgotten of me.
Khumbula lezizinto, Jakobe, lawe Israyeli, ngoba uyinceku yami; ngikubumbile, uyinceku yami. Wena Israyeli, kawuyikukhohlwa yimi.
22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, your transgressions, and, as a cloud, your sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed you.
Ngesule iziphambeko zakho njengeyezi elinzima, lanjengeyezi izono zakho; buyela kimi, ngoba ngikuhlengile.
23 Sing, O all of you heavens; for the LORD has done it: shout, all of you lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, all of you mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD has redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.
Hlabelelani, lina mazulu, ngoba iNkosi ikwenzile; memezani, zindawo eziphansi zomhlaba; qhamukani lihlabele, zintaba, gusu, laso sonke isihlahla esiphakathi kwakho; ngoba iNkosi imhlengile uJakobe, yazidumisa koIsrayeli.
24 Thus says the LORD, your redeemer, and he that formed you from the womb, I am the LORD that makes all things; that stretches forth the heavens alone; that spreads abroad the earth by myself;
Itsho njalo iNkosi, uMhlengi wakho, leyakubumba kwasesiswini: NgiyiNkosi eyenza zonke izinto; eyendlala amazulu, mina ngedwa; eyeneka umhlaba ngokwami;
25 That frustrates the tokens of the liars, and makes diviners mad; that turns wise men backward, and makes their knowledge foolish;
efubisa izibonakaliso zabaqambimanga; yenze izanuse zihlanye; ebuyisela emuva abahlakaniphileyo; yenze ulwazi lwabo lube yibuthutha;
26 That confirms the word of his servant, and performs the counsel of his messengers; that says to Jerusalem, You shall be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, All of you shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof:
eqinisa ilizwi lenceku yayo; ifeze amacebo ezithunywa zayo; ethi kuyo iJerusalema: Uzahlalwa; lemizini yakoJuda: Lizakwakhiwa; futhi ngizavusa amanxiwa ayo;
27 That says to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up your rivers:
etshoyo enzikini: Tshana; njalo ngizakomisa imifula yakho;
28 That says of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, You shall be built; and to the temple, Your foundation shall be laid.
etshoyo ngoKoresi: Ungumelusi wami, uzaphelelisa intokozo yami yonke; ithi lakuJerusalema: Kayakhiwe; lethempelini: Isisekelo sakho kasibekwe.
