Isaiah 3
1 The Commander of the armies of angels is about to take away from Jerusalem and [other places in] Judea everything that you depend on— all your food and water.
Ngoba khangela, iNkosi, uJehova wamabandla, izasusa eJerusalema lakoJuda insika lodondolo, insika yonke yesinkwa, lensika yonke yamanzi,
2 He will take away your heroes and your [other] soldiers, your judges and your prophets, people who do rituals to find out what will happen in the future and the elders,
iqhawe, lendoda yempi, umahluleli, lomprofethi, lomvumisi, lomdala,
3 army officers and [other] officials, advisors and skilled craftsmen and those who perform rituals to predict the future.
induna yamatshumi amahlanu, lowemukelekayo ngobuso, lomeluleki, lombazi ohlakaniphileyo, lowazi amalumbo.
4 He will appoint boys to be your leaders; your children will rule you.
Ngizabanika abafana babe yiziphathamandla zabo, lezihluku zizabusa phezu kwabo.
5 People will treat each other cruelly: people will fight against their neighbors. Young people will insult older people, and vulgar/dishonorable people will sneer at people who should be honored.
Labantu bazacindezelwa, omunye komunye, njalo ngulowo lalowo kumakhelwane wakhe; ijaha lizadelela omdala, lodelelekayo ohloniphekayo.
6 At that time, someone will grab one of his brothers in his father’s house and say to him, “You have a coat, [which shows that you are respected]. [So] you be our leader! You rule this [city, which is now] a pile of ruins!”
Lapho umuntu ezabamba umfowabo wendlu kayise athi: Wena ulesembatho, woba ngumbusi wethu, lokhukuchithakala kube ngaphansi kwesandla sakho;
7 [But] his brother will reply, “[No], I cannot help you, [because] I do not have [any extra] food or clothes in this house. [So] do not appoint me to be your leader!”
uzaphakamisa ngalolosuku athi: Kangiyikuba ngumelaphi, ngoba endlini yami kakulakudla kakulasembatho; lingangimisi ngibe ngumbusi wabantu.
8 Jerusalem and [the other towns in] Judah will be destroyed, because [everything] that the people do and say there opposes Yahweh, who is powerful and glorious, and they refuse to obey him. They rebel against him.
Ngoba iJerusalema ikhubekile, loJuda uwile, ngoba ulimi lwabo lezenzo zabo kumelene leNkosi, ukuvukela amehlo obukhosi bayo.
9 They even show on their faces that [they oppose Yahweh]. They are proud of their sins, like [the people of] Sodom were [long ago]; they do not try to hide their sins. [Because of their sins], terrible things will happen to them, [but] they will bring those disasters on themselves.
Ukukhangeleka kobuso babo kuyafakaza ngabo; bememezela izono zabo njengeSodoma, kabazifihli. Maye kumphefumulo wabo! Ngoba bazenzela okubi.
10 [Yahweh told me to] tell the righteous people that good things will happen to them; they will enjoy the blessings that they will receive for their good deeds.
Tshelani olungileyo ukuthi kuzakuba kuhle kuye; ngoba bazakudla isithelo sezenzo zabo.
11 [But] terrible things will happen to wicked people; they will be (paid back/punished) for [the evil things that] [MTY] they have done.
Maye kokhohlakeleyo! Kuzakuba kubi kuye; ngoba umvuzo wezandla zakhe uzakwenziwa kuye.
12 [Now], youths [who have become leaders] treat my people cruelly, and women rule over my people. My people, your leaders are misleading you; they are causing you to go down the wrong road [MET].
Abantu bami, abacindezeli babo ngabantwana, labesifazana bayababusa. Bantu bami, abakhokheli benu ngabaduhisi, basanganisa indlela yemikhondo yenu.
13 [It is as though] Yahweh has sat in his place in a courtroom and is ready to judge his people.
INkosi izimisele ukuphikisana, imi ukuthi yahlulele abantu.
14 He will stand up to declare why the elders and rulers of his people should be punished: [he says], “The people of Israel are [like] [MET] a vineyard that I planted, but you have ruined it! Your houses are full of things that you have stolen from poor people.
INkosi ingena kusahlulelo labadala babantu bayo leziphathamandla zayo; ngoba lina lidle isivini; impango yomyanga isezindlini zenu.
15 You should stop [RHQ] crushing my people! [It is as though] you are pushing the faces of poor people into the dirt!” [That is what] the Commander of the armies of angels says.
Lina libachobozelani abantu bami, lichola ubuso babayanga? itsho iNkosi uJehova wamabandla.
16 Yahweh says this: “The women of Jerusalem are haughty/proud; they walk around sticking their chins out, and flirting [with men] with their eyes. They walk with tiny steps with bracelets on their ankles that jingle.
INkosi yasisithi: Ngenxa yokuthi amadodakazi eZiyoni eziphakamisile, ehamba elule intamo, ehuga ngamehlo, ehamba ngokuqoqomela ehamba, ekhencezisa izigqizo enyaweni zawo,
17 So I, Yahweh, will cause sores to be on their heads, and I will cause those beautiful women in Jerusalem to become bald.”
ngakho iNkosi izakwenza inkanda yamadodakazi eZiyoni ibe loqweqwe, leNkosi izanqunula izitho zawo zangasese.
18 At the time [that Yahweh does that], he will strip away everything that the women of Jerusalem wear to make themselves beautiful—the ornaments on their ankles and their headbands, their crescent necklaces,
Ngalolosuku iNkosi izasusa ubuhle bezigqizo zawo, lezicwatsho, lamasongo anjengenyanga,
19 their earrings and bracelets and veils,
amacici, lamasongo, lezimbombozo,
20 their scarves and ankle bracelets and sashes, their perfumes and (charms/little things that they wear thinking that those things will protect them from evil),
amaqhiye, lezigetsho, lamabhanti, lemifuma, lezintebe,
21 their signet rings and nose rings,
izindandatho, lamacici amakhala,
22 their nice robes and capes and cloaks and purses,
izigqoko zemikhosi, lamajazi, lezembatho, lezamba,
23 their mirrors and nice linen clothes and shawls.
lezibuko, lezigqoko zelembu elicolekileyo kakhulu, lamaqhele, lamaveyili.
24 Instead of their having a nice smell from perfume, they will stink; instead of nice sashes, they will have ropes [around their waists because they will be captives]. Instead of having fancy hairdos, they will be bald. Instead of fancy/beautiful robes, they will wear rough sackcloth, and instead of being beautiful, they will be branded.
Kuzakuthi-ke endaweni yamakha kube levumba, lendaweni yebhanti kube khona igoda, lendaweni yenwele ezilungiswe kuhle kube khona impabanga, lendaweni yesigqoko esihle kube khona isaka, ukutsha endaweni yobuhle.
25 Their husbands will be killed by [their enemies’] swords, and their soldiers [will also die] in battles.
Amadoda akho azakuwa ngenkemba, lamaqhawe akho empini.
26 People [PRS] will mourn and cry at the gates [of the city]. The city will [be like] [MET] a woman who sits on the ground because everything that she owned is gone.
Lamasango ayo azakhala alile; yenziwe ize izahlala emhlabathini.
