Isaiah 54
1 "Sing, barren, you who did not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, you who did not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than of her that has a husband," 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; do not spare: 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 spread out on the right hand and on the left; and your descendants shall possess the nations, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.
Ngoba uzaqhamuka ngakwesokudla langakwesokunene, lenzalo yakho izafuya abezizwe, yenze imizi echithekileyo ihlalwe.
4 "Do not be afraid, for you will not be put to shame, nor will you be humiliated, for you will not be disgraced. For you will forget the shame of your youth, and the disgrace of your widowhood you will remember no more.
Ungesabi, ngoba kawuyikuyangeka; njalo ungabi lenhloni, ngoba kawuyikuyangiswa; ngoba uzakhohlwa ihlazo lobutsha bakho, ungabe usakhumbula ukuyangeka kobufelokazi bakho.
5 For your husband is your Creator; the LORD of hosts is his name: and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; 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 wife forsaken and grieved in spirit, even a wife of youth, when she is cast off," 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 overflowing wrath I hid my face from you for a moment; but with everlasting loving 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 like the waters of Noah to me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah shall no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I will not be angry 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 may depart, and the hills be removed; but my loving kindness shall not depart from you, neither shall my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD who has mercy on you.
Ngoba izintaba zizasuka, lamaqaqa azamazame, kodwa umusa wami kawuyikusuka kuwe, lesivumelwano sami sokuthula kasiyikuzamazama, itsho iNkosi elesihawu kuwe.
11 "You afflicted, tossed with storms, and not comforted, look, I will set your stones in beautiful colors, and lay your foundations with sapphires.
Wena ohluphekileyo, ophoswe yisiphepho, ongaduduzwanga, khangela, ngizabeka amatshe akho abe mahle, ngibeke isisekelo sakho ngamasafire.
12 I will make your pinnacles of rubies, and your gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious stones.
Ngizakwenza imiphotshongo yakho nge-agate, lamasango akho ngama-emeraldi, lawo wonke umngcele wakho ngamatshe entokozo.
13 And all your children shall be taught by God; and great shall be the peace of your children.
Labantwana bakho bonke bazafundiswa yiNkosi, njalo kube kukhulu ukuthula kwabantwana bakho.
14 In righteousness you shall be established: you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not be afraid; and from terror, for it shall not come near you.
Uzaqiniswa ekulungeni; ube khatshana locindezelo, ngoba kawuyikwesaba; levalweni, ngoba kakuyikusondela kuwe.
15 Look, they may gather together, but not by me: whoever shall gather together against you shall fall because of you.
Khangela bazabuthana sibili, kodwa hatshi ngami; loba ngubani ozabuthana emelene lawe uzakuwa ngenxa yakho.
16 "Look, I have created the smith who blows the fire of coals, and brings forth a weapon 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 will prosper; and you will condemn every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness which 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
