Isaiah 52
1 [You people who live in the] holy city of Jerusalem [APO], wake up! Be strong again! Show that [MTY] your city is beautiful and glorious; foreigners who do not believe in God will not enter your city again [to attack you].
Vuka, vuka, wena Ziyoni, uzembese ngamandla! Gqoka izigqoko zakho zenkazimulo, wena Jerusalema, muzi ongcwele. Ongasokanga longcolileyo akayikungena kuwe futhi.
2 People of Jerusalem, get up from [humbly] sitting in the dust and sit in places where people are honored! You people who have returned from being exiled, take off from your neck the chains which were fastened around you [as slaves in Babylonia],
Thintitha uthuli lwakho; sukuma, uhlale ebukhosini, wena Jerusalema. Zikhulule izibopho ezisentanyeni yakho, wena Ndodakazi ethunjiweyo yaseZiyoni.
3 because this is what Yahweh says: “[When you were taken to Babylonia], no one paid me for doing that. So now I will bring you back without [being required to] pay for you!”
Ngoba nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: “Lathengiswa ngeze, njalo lizahlengwa kungekho mali.”
4 Yahweh [our] Lord [also] says this: “Long ago, my people went to Egypt to live there. [Later] they were being (oppressed/treated cruelly) by [the soldiers of] Assyria.
Ngoba nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: “Ekuqaleni abantu bami baya eGibhithe besiyahlala khona; muva i-Asiriya yabancindezela.
5 But now think about what is happening: My people are being forced to be slaves again, this time by the [people of Babylonia]. And [those who have conquered them this time have also] paid me nothing, and they despise me [MTY] continually [DOU].
Khathesi kuyini engilakho lapha?” kubuza uThixo. “Ngoba abantu bami bathunjwa kungekho sizatho, njalo labo abababusayo bayakloloda,” kutsho uThixo. “Ilanga lonke ibizo lami lihlanjazwa kokuphela.
6 But my people will then have a close relationship with [MTY] me, and when that happens, they will know that I am the one who predicted/promised [that it would happen]. It is I, [Yahweh, who will do it].”
Ngakho-ke abantu bami bazalazi ibizo lami, ngakho-ke ngalolosuku bazakwazi ukuthi yimi engamemezela lokho ngaphambilini. Yebo, yimi.”
7 It is a wonderful thing when messengers [MTY] arrive on the mountains/hills, bringing good news, the news about [God giving us] peace and saving us, the news that the God to whom we [Israeli people] belong is now ruling/king!
Yeka ubuhle phezu kwezintaba, bezinyawo zalabo abaletha izindaba ezinhle, abamemezela ukuthula, abaletha izindaba ezinhle, abamemezela insindiso, abathi kulo iZiyoni, “UNkulunkulu wakho uyabusa!”
8 The watchmen [who are guarding the city] will shout and sing joyfully, because while they are watching they will see Yahweh returning to Jerusalem.
Lalela! Abalindi bakho baphakamisa amazwi abo, bonke bahlaba umkhosi ngokuthokoza. Lapho uThixo ebuyela eZiyoni bazayibona iZiyoni ngamehlo abo.
9 Jerusalem has been ruined, but the people who are there now should start to sing joyfully, because Yahweh will encourage his people; he will set his people free and bring them back to Jerusalem.
Hlokomani ndawonye ngezingoma zokuthokoza, lina manxiwa aseJerusalema, ngoba uThixo usebaduduzile abantu bakhe, uselihlengile iJerusalema.
10 Yahweh will show all the nations that he is holy and powerful. People in the most remote/distant places on earth will know that he has rescued his people.
UThixo uzaveza ingalo yakhe engcwele phambi kwezizwe zonke, njalo yonke imikhawulo yomhlaba izabona insindiso kaNkulunkulu wethu.
11 So, leave [the places where you were taken to when you were captured], where [everything is] unacceptable to God. You men who carry the items used for the worship of Yahweh, leave there [and return to Jerusalem], and purify yourselves [in order to be acceptable to worship God].
Sukani, sukani, phumani lapho! Lingathinti lutho olungcolileyo! Phumani kulo libe ngabahlambulukileyo, lina eliphatha izitsha zikaThixo.
12 But it will not [be necessary] for you to leave suddenly, to flee in panic, because Yahweh will (go in front of/lead) you; and he will [also] protect you [from being attacked] at the rear [while you travel].
Kodwa kaliyikusuka ngokuphangisa, kumbe libaleka; ngoba uThixo uzahamba phambi kwenu, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uzakuba ngumvikeli wenu emva kwenu.
13 [Yahweh says], “Listen carefully! My servant will act wisely (OR, do the right things to accomplish what he wants to), and I will highly exalt him.”
Khangelani, inceku yami izakwenza ngokuhlakanipha, izaphakanyiswa ikhwezwe, iphiwe lodumo olukhulu.
14 But many people will be appalled when they see what has happened to him. [Because of his being beaten very badly], his appearance will be changed; people will hardly recognize that he is a human.
Njengoba babebanengi abanengwayo yiyo, ubuso bayo babulimele okudlula okwabantu bonke, lesimo sayo sonakele singase njengesomuntu,
15 But he will cause [people of] many nations to be surprised; [even] kings will be silent when they stand in front of him, because they will see someone that no one had told them about [previously], and they will understand things that they had not heard about [before].
ngakho-ke izachela izizwe ezinengi, amakhosi azavala imilomo yawo ngenxa yayo. Ngoba lokho abangakutshelwanga bazakubona, labangakuzwanga, bazakuqedisisa.
