Isaiah 21
1 The burden of the wilderness of the sea. As whirlwinds in the South sweep through, it cometh from the wilderness, from a terrible land.
Umthwalo wenkangala yolwandle. Njengokudlula kwezivunguzane eningizimu, kuzavela enkangala, 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.
Ngaziswe umbono olukhuni; umkhohlisi wenza ngenkohliso, lomchithi uyachitha. Yenyuka Elamu, uvimbezele Mede; ngiqede konke ukububula kwayo.
3 Therefore are my loins filled with anguish; pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman in travail: I am pained so that I cannot hear; I am dismayed so that I cannot see.
Ngenxa yalokhu ukhalo lwami lugcwele ubuhlungu, imihelo ingibambile njengemihelo yobelethayo; ngagotshiswa ngenxa yokuzwa, ngadideka ngenxa yokubona.
4 My heart panteth, horror hath affrighted me: the twilight that I desired hath been turned into trembling unto me.
Inhliziyo yami yaduha, uvalo lwangesabisa; ukuhwalala engikuloyisayo wakwenza kwaba yikuthuthumela kimi.
5 They prepare the table, they set the watch, they eat, they drink: rise up, ye princes, anoint the shield.
Lungisa itafula, linda emphotshongweni wokulinda, dlana, unathe; sukumani, ziphathamandla, ligcobe isihlangu.
6 For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman; let him declare what he seeth:
Ngoba yatsho njalo iNkosi kimi: Hamba umise umlindi; akhulume akubonayo.
7 and when he seeth a troop, horsemen in pairs, a troop of asses, a troop of camels, he shall hearken diligently with much heed.
Wasebona inqola, abagadi bamabhiza ababili, inqola kababhemi, inqola yekamela; walalela ngesineke, ngesineke esikhulu.
8 And he cried as a lion: O Lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the day-time, and am set in my ward whole nights:
Wasememeza esithi: Isilwane, Nkosi, ngimi njalonjalo emphotshongweni wokulinda emini, njalo ngimi emlindweni ubusuku bonke.
9 and, behold, here cometh a troop of men, horsemen in pairs. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods are broken unto the ground.
Khangela-ke, nansi inqola yomuntu isiza, labagadi bamabhiza ababili. Wasephendula wathi: Iwile, iwile iBhabhiloni; lazo zonke izithombe ezibaziweyo zabonkulunkulu bayo uzidilizele emhlabathini.
10 O thou my threshing, and the corn of my floor: that which I have heard from the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you.
Lina okubhuliweyo kwami, lamabele ebala lami lokubhulela, engikuzwileyo eNkosini yamabandla, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, ngilitshelile khona.
11 The burden of Dumah. One calleth unto me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?
Umthwalo weDuma. Uyangimemeza eseSeyiri esithi: Mlindi, uthini ngobusuku? Mlindi, uthini ngobusuku?
12 The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire ye: turn ye, come.
Umlindi wathi: Kuyeza ukusa, lobusuku futhi. Uba libuza, buzani, libuye, lize.
13 The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanites.
Umthwalo phezu kweArabhiya. Ehlathini leArabhiya lizalala ubusuku, lina zindwendwe zeDedani.
14 Unto him that was thirsty they brought water; the inhabitants of the land of Tema did meet the fugitives with their bread.
Mletheleni omileyo amanzi. Abahlali belizwe leTema bahlangabeza obalekayo ngokudla.
15 For they fled away from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.
Ngoba babalekela izinkemba, inkemba ehwatshiweyo, ledandili eligotshiweyo, lobunzima bempi.
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:
Ngoba itsho njalo iNkosi kimi: Kusesephakathi komnyaka, njengeminyaka yoqhatshiweyo, lonke udumo lweKedari luzaphela.
17 and the residue of the number of the archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be few: for the LORD, the God of Israel, hath spoken it.
Lensali yenani labatshoki, amaqhawe amaKedari, bazakuba balutshwana. Ngoba iNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli isikhulumile.
