Isaiah 9
1 Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations.
Kodwa-ke akusayikuba khona ukudangala kulabo ababesosizini. Ensukwini ezedlulayo walithobisa ilizwe likaZebhuluni lelizwe likaNafithali. Kodwa ensukwini ezizayo uzayipha udumo iGalile yabezizweni, eNdleleni eya oLwandle elandela iJodani:
2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them has the light shined.
Abantu abahamba emnyameni sebebone ukukhanya okukhulu; kulabo abahlala elizweni lethunzi lokufa ukukhanya sekukhanyisile.
3 You have multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before you according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
Usikhulisile isizwe wandisa intokozo yabo, bayathokoza phambi kwakho njengabantu bethokoza ekuvuneni, njengempi ithokoza isaba impango.
4 For you have broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian.
Ngoba njengamhla wokwehlulwa kukaMidiyani usulephule ijogwe elibasindayo, umgoqo onqume emahlombe abo, intonga yomncindezeli wabo.
5 For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire.
Lonke inyathela lebutho elisetshenziswe empini, kanye lazozonke izigqoko ezigiqwe egazini kuzakuya ekutshisweni; kuzakuba ngokokubasisa umlilo.
6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Ngoba sizalelwe umntwana, siphiwe indodana, umbuso uzakuba phezu kwamahlombe akhe. Uzabizwa ngokuthi uMeluleki Omangalisayo, uNkulunkulu uSomandla, uBaba Waphakade, iNkosana yokuThula.
7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
Ukwanda kombuso wakhe lokuthula akuyikuba lomkhawulo. Uzabusa esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavida laphezu kombuso wakhe, ewumisa njalo ewuqinisa ngokufaneleyo langokulunga, kusukela ngalesisikhathi kuze kube nini lanini. Ukutshiseka kukaThixo uSomandla kuzakufeza lokhu.
8 The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it has lighted upon Israel.
INkosi isithumele ilizwi lesixwayiso kuJakhobe lizakwehlela phezu kuka-Israyeli.
9 And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart,
Abantu bonke bazakwazi u-Efrayimi labakhele eSamariya, abathi ngokuzigqaja langokuzikhukhumeza kwenhliziyo,
10 The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycomores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars.
“Izitina sezidilikele phansi, kodwa sizakwakha njalo ngamatshe abaziweyo; imikhiwa isiganyulelwe phansi, kodwa sizafaka imisedari endaweni yayo.”
11 Therefore the LORD shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies together;
Kodwa uThixo usebaqinisele izitha zikaRezini, njalo usetshotshozele izitha zabo.
12 The Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
Ama-Aramu avela empumalanga lamaFilistiya avela entshonalanga asedle u-Israyeli ngomlomo ovulekileyo. Kodwa kukho konke lokhu, ukuthukuthela kwakhe akupheli, isandla sakhe silokhu siphakanyisiwe.
13 For the people turns not unto him that strikes them, neither do they seek the LORD of hosts.
Kodwa abantu abakabuyeli kuye owabatshayayo. Loba badinge uThixo uSomandla.
14 Therefore the LORD will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day.
Ngakho uThixo uzaquma ko-Israyeli ikhanda lomsila, ugatsha lwelala lomhlanga ngasuku lunye;
15 The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teaches lies, he is the tail.
abadala lezikhulu balikhanda, abaphrofethi abafundisa amanga bangumsila.
16 For the leaders of this people cause them to go astray; and they that are led of them are destroyed.
Labo abakhokhela abantu laba bayabalahlekisa, labo abakhokhelwayo bayedukiswa.
17 Therefore the LORD shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaks folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
Ngakho iNkosi kayiyikuthokoza ngezinsizwa zabo, izintandane labafelokazi kayiyikuba lozwelo kubo, ngoba bonke bayameyisa uNkulunkulu, njalo babi; imilomo yonke ikhuluma amanyala. Kodwa kukho konke lokhu, ukuthukuthela kwayo akupheli, isandla sayo silokhu siphakanyisiwe.
18 For wickedness burns as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke.
Ngeqiniso ububi butshisa njengomlilo, budla ukhula lameva, buthungela izixuku zehlathi zivuthe amalangabi izikhatha zentuthu ziqonga zisiya phezulu.
19 Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother.
Ngolaka lukaThixo uSomandla ilizwe lizatshiswa, abantu bazakuba zinkuni zomlilo, kakho ozaphephisa umfowabo.
20 And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm:
Bazaqeda kwesokudla kodwa babe belokhu belambile; bazakudla kwesokhohlo, kodwa bangasuthi. Omunye lomunye uzakudla abantwabakhe:
21 Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: and they together shall be against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
UManase uzakudla u-Efrayimi, u-Efrayimi adle uManase; bobabili bazamelana loJuda. Kukho konke lokhu, ukuthukuthela kwakhe akupheli, isandla sakhe silokhu siphakanyisiwe.
