< Isaiah 8 >

1 And YHWH says to me, “Take a great tablet to yourself, and write on it with an engraving tool of man, To hurry spoil, enjoy prey.”
UThixo wathi kimi, “Thatha isibhebhedu selitshe esikhulu ulobe kuso ngolimi olujwayelekileyo ukuthi: Maheri-Shalali-Hashi-Bhazi (okutsho ukuthi: abaphanga ukuhuquluza okuphangiweyo).
2 And I cause faithful witnesses to testify to me, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah son of Jeberechiah.
Ngizabiza u-Uriya umphristi loZakhariya indodana kaJebherekhiya njengabofakazi bami abathembekileyo.”
3 And I draw near to the prophetess, and she conceives, and bears a son; and YHWH says to me, “Call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz,
Ngemva kwalokho ngaya kumphrofethikazi, wathatha isisu, wazala indodana. UThixo wasesithi kimi, “Mbize ngokuthi nguMaheri-Shalali-Hashi-Bhazi.
4 for before the youth knows to cry, My father, and, My mother, one takes away the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria, before the king of Asshur.”
Kuzakuthi umfana engakakwazi ukuthi ‘Ubaba’ loba ‘Umama,’ inotho yaseDamaseko lempahla ethunjwe eSamariya kuzathathwa yinkosi yase-Asiriya.”
5 And YHWH adds to speak to me again, saying,
UThixo wakhuluma kimi futhi wathi:
6 “Because that this people has refused The waters of Shiloah that go softly, And is rejoicing with Rezin and the son of Remaliah,
“Ngenxa yokuthi abantu laba sebewalile amanzi ageleza kuhle aseShilowa bethokozela uRezini lendodana kaRemaliya,
7 Therefore, behold, the Lord is bringing up on them, The waters of the river, the mighty and the great (The king of Asshur, and all his glory), And it has gone up over all its streams, And has gone on over all its banks.
ngakho-ke iNkosi isiseduze ukubalethela izikhukhula zamanzi ezilamandla, eziyinkosi yase-Asiriya lobukhosi bayo bonke, zivela eYufrathe. Azachithekela ngaphandle kwayo yonke imigelo yawo, ageleze phezu kwamakhumbi ayo wonke,
8 And it has passed on into Judah, It has overflown and passed over, It comes to the neck, And the stretching out of its wings Has been the fullness of the breadth of your land, O Immanuel!
afohlele koJuda, agcwale kulo, adlule phakathi kwalo efika entanyeni. Impiko zawo ezeluliweyo zizakwembesa ububanzi belizwe lakho, Awu, Emanuweli!”
9 Be friends, O nations, and be broken, And give ear, all you far-off ones of earth, Gird yourselves, and be broken, Gird yourselves, and be broken.
Hlabani umkhosi wempi lina zizwe, lichithwe! Lalelani lonke lina mazwe akude. Lungiselani impi, lichithwe! Lungiselani impi lichithwe!
10 Take counsel, and it is broken, Speak a word, and it does not stand, Because of Immanuel!”
Lungisani icebo lenu, kodwa kalisoze liphumelele: bumbani isu lenu, kodwa kaliyikuma, ngoba uNkulunkulu ulathi.
11 For thus has YHWH spoken to me with strength of hand, and instructs me against walking in the way of this people, saying,
UThixo wakhuluma kimi isandla sakhe esilamandla siphezu kwami, engixwayisa ukuba ngingalandeli indlela yalababantu. Wathi:
12 “You do not say, A confederacy, To all to whom this people says, A confederacy, And its fear you do not fear, Nor declare fearful.
“Ungabokuthi kungamacebo amabi konke abantu laba abathi kungamacebo amabi; ungakwesabi abakwesabayo njalo ungakuqhuqhi.
13 YHWH of Hosts—Him you sanctify, And He [is] your Fear, and He your Dread,
UThixo uSomandla nguye okumele limazi engongcwele, nguye okumele limesabe, nguye okumele limqhuqhe.
14 And He has been for a sanctuary, And for a stone of stumbling, and for a rock of falling, To the two houses of Israel, For a trap and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
Uzakuba yisiphephelo; kodwa kuzo zombili izindlu zako-Israyeli uzakuba yilitshe elikhubekisa abantu ledwala elibenza bawe. Ebantwini baseJerusalema uzakuba yisifu lomjibila.
15 And many among them have stumbled and fallen, And been broken, and snared, and captured.”
Inengi labo lizakhubeka; bazakuwa bephuke, bazathiywa bathunjwe.”
16 Bind up the testimony, Seal the Law among My disciples.
Bopha ubufakazi besixwayiso, uqinise umthetho phakathi kwabafundi bakaNkulunkulu.
17 And I have waited for YHWH, Who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob, And I have looked for Him.
Ngizamlindela uThixo, ofihlela indlu kaJakhobe ubuso bakhe. Ngizabeka ithemba lami kuye.
18 Behold, I, and the children whom YHWH has given to me, [Are] for signs and for wonders in Israel, From YHWH of Hosts, who is dwelling in Mount Zion.
Mina ngilapha, kanye labantwana uThixo angiphe bona. Siyizibonakaliso lempawu ku-Israyeli ezivela kuThixo uSomandla, ohlala entabeni iZiyoni.
19 And when they say to you, “Seek to those having familiar spirits, And to wizards, who chatter and mutter,” Does a people not seek to its God? To the dead on behalf of the living?
Nxa abantu bekutshela ukuthi buza abalamadlozi labalemimoya yobuthakathi, labanyenyezayo bengunguza, kambe abantu akumelanga babuzisise uNkulunkulu wabo na? Kungani abaphilayo libabuzela kwabafayo na?
20 To the Law and to the testimony! If not, let them say after this manner, “That there is no dawn to it.”
Emthethweni lakubo ubufakazi! Nxa bengakhulumi ngokumayelana lelizwi leli, kabalakho ukukhanya kokusa.
21 And it has passed over into it, hardened and hungry, And it has come to pass, That it is hungry, and has been angry, And made light of its king, and of its God, And has looked upwards.
Bazazula lelizwe behlulukelwe, belambile. Lapho sebephalwe yindlala, bazathukuthela, bathuke inkosi yabo loNkulunkulu wabo bekhangele phezulu.
22 And it looks attentively to the land, And behold, adversity and darkness! Dimness, distress, and thick darkness are driven away, But not the dimness for which she is in distress!
Emva kwalokho bazakhangela emhlabeni babone usizi kuphela, lomnyama owesabekayo, njalo bazaphoselwa emnyameni opheleleyo.

< Isaiah 8 >