Isaiah 65
1 [This is what Yahweh said]: “I was ready to reply [to my people], but no one requested me [to help them]. I was ready to help [even] those who did not call out to me. I continued to say, ‘I am here [to help you]!’
Ngadingwa yilabo abangangicelanga; ngatholwa yilabo abangangidinganga. Ngathi: Ngikhangelani, ngikhangelani, esizweni esingabizwa ngebizo lami.
2 [It is as though] I have continually held out my arms [to show that I am ready to help] my people who rebel [against me], and who [continually] do the evil things that they want to do.
Ngelule izandla zami usuku lonke ebantwini abavukelayo, abahamba ngendlela engalunganga, belandela imicabango yabo;
3 They boldly continue to do things that cause me to be angry: They offer sacrifices [to their idols] in their gardens, and they burn incense [to them] on [altars made of] bricks.
abantu abangithukuthelisayo njalonjalo ebusweni bami, abenza imihlatshelo ezivandeni, betshisa impepha phezu kwezitina;
4 They secretly remain awake at night in burial caves, [talking with the spirits of] ([dead people/their ancestors]). They eat the meat of pigs, and their pots are full of [other] meat that is [also] unacceptable to me.
abahlala emangcwabeni, balale endaweni ezisithekileyo, abadla inyama yengulube, lomhluzi wezinto ezinengekayo emiganwini yabo.
5 [Then] they say [to others], ‘Stay away from me; do not come near me, because I am very holy, [with the result that you should not touch me].’ People like that are [like] [MET] smoke in my nose [from] a fire that burns continually.
Abathi: Xeka wena, ungasondeli kimi; ngoba ngingcwele kulawe. Laba bayintuthu emakhaleni ami, umlilo otshisayo usuku lonke.
6 I have written [a record of all the evil things that they have done]. And I will not do nothing about all those things; I will certainly punish them
Khangela, kubhaliwe phambi kwami: Kangiyikuthula, kodwa ngizaphindisela, yebo ngiphindisele esifubeni sabo,
7 for the sins that they and their ancestors have committed. They have mocked/insulted me by burning incense [to their idols] on the hilltops. So I will punish them like they deserve for doing those things.”
iziphambeko zenu, leziphambeko zaboyihlo kanyekanye, itsho iNkosi, abatshise impepha phezu kwezintaba, bangithuka phezu kwamaqaqa; ngakho ngizalinganisa imisebenzi yabo yakuqala esifubeni sabo.
8 This is [also] what Yahweh said: “When there is a cluster of nice grapes on a vine, people do not throw them away, because they know that there is good juice in those grapes. Similarly, because there are some people [in Judah] who faithfully serve/worship me, I will not get rid of all of them.
Itsho njalo iNkosi: Njengewayini elitsha litholwa ehlukuzweni, lomunye athi: Ungalibhubhisi, ngoba isibusiso sikulo; ngizakwenza njalo ngenxa yenceku zami, ukuze ngingazibhubhisi zonke.
9 I will spare some of the descendants of Jacob who are living on the hills of Judah. I have chosen them, and they will possess that land; they will worship/serve me, and they will live there.
Njalo ngizaveza inzalo ivela kuJakobe, lakoJuda kuvele indlalifa yezintaba zami; labakhethiweyo bami bazakudla ilifa lazo, lenceku zami zihlale khona.
10 [Then all the land from the] Sharon [Plain near the Mediterranean Sea] and [as far east as] Achor Valley [near Jericho] will become pastureland where their cattle and sheep will rest.
Njalo iSharoni izakuba yisibaya semihlambi, lesihotsha seAkori sibe yindawo yokulala yenkomo, eyabantu bami abangidingayo.
11 But [it will be different] for you who have abandoned me, you who do not worship me on [Zion], my sacred hill, you who worship Gad and Meni, [the gods who you think will bring you] good luck and good fortune.
Kodwa lina elidela iNkosi, elikhohlwa intaba yami engcwele, elihlelele leloviyo itafula, njalo eligcwalisele lelonani umnikelo wokunathwayo.
12 [It is I, not Meni, who will decide/say what will happen to you]; you will all [be slaughtered by] swords. [That will happen] because you did not answer when I called out to you. I spoke to you, but you did not pay attention. Instead, you did things that I said are evil; you chose to do things that do not please me.
Ngakho ngizalimisela inkemba, njalo lonke lizakhothamela ukuhlatshwa; ngoba ngalibiza, kodwa kaliphendulanga, ngakhuluma, kodwa kalizwanga, kodwa lenza okubi emehlweni ami, lakhetha lokho engingathokozanga ngakho.
13 I, Yahweh the Lord, will give to those who worship and obey me things to eat and drink, and they will be happy; but [all] you evil people will be hungry and thirsty, and you will be [sad and] disgraced.
Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Khangela, izinceku zami zizakudla, kodwa lina lizalamba; khangela, inceku zami zizanatha, kodwa lina lizakoma; khangela, inceku zami zizathokoza, kodwa lina lizayangeka;
14 Those who worship and obey me will sing joyfully, but you [evil people] will wail loudly because you will be suffering in your inner beings.
khangela, inceku zami zizahlabela ngentokozo yenhliziyo, kodwa lina lizakhala ngenxa yokudabuka kwenhliziyo, liqhinqe isililo ngenxa yokudabuka komoya.
15 Those whom I have chosen will use your names when they curse people; [I], Yahweh the Lord, will get rid of you. But I will give to those who worship and obey me a new name [that they will use when they bless people].
Njalo lizatshiya ibizo lenu libe yisiqalekiso kwabakhethiweyo bami, ngoba iNkosi uJehova izalibulala; kodwa izabiza inceku zayo ngelinye ibizo;
16 The people in this land have had many troubles, but I will cause those troubles to occur no more. Therefore those who ask me to bless them and those who solemnly promise to do something should never forget that I am God, who faithfully [do what I promise to do].”
ukuthi lowo ozibusisa emhlabeni uzazibusisa kuNkulunkulu weqiniso, lalowo ofunga emhlabeni uzafunga ngoNkulunkulu weqiniso; ngoba inhlupheko zakuqala sezikhohlakele, njalo ngoba zisithekile emehlweni ami.
17 “Note this: [Some day] I will create a new heaven and a new earth. [They will be very wonderful, with the result that] you will no longer think about all [the troubles] you had previously.
Ngoba khangela, ngidala amazulu amatsha lomhlaba omutsha; okwakuqala kakusayikukhunjulwa, kumbe kuvele enhliziyweni.
18 Be glad and always rejoice because of what I will do: Jerusalem will be a place where [people] rejoice; the people who live there will always be happy.
Kodwa jabulani, lithokoze kuze kube laphakade ngengikudalayo, ngoba khangela, ngidala iJerusalema ibe yintokozo, labantu bayo babe yinjabulo.
19 I will rejoice about Jerusalem, and I will be delighted with my people. [People] will no longer weep or cry because of being distressed.
Ngizathokoza-ke ngeJerusalema, ngijabule ngabantu bami; njalo kalisayikuzwakala kuyo ilizwi lokulila lelizwi lokukhala.
20 No child will die when it is still an infant; all people will live until they are very old. [People will consider that] anyone who is 100 years old is still young; [they will consider that] anyone who dies who is younger than that has been cursed.
Kusukela lapho kakusayikuba khona usane lwezinsuku, kumbe ixhegu elingagcwalisi insuku zalo; ngoba omutsha uzakufa eleminyaka elikhulu, kodwa isoni esileminyaka elikhulu sizaqalekiswa.
21 My people will build houses and [then] live in them. They will plant vineyards and then eat grapes from those vineyards.
Njalo bazakwakha izindlu, bahlale kuzo; bahlanyele izivini, badle izithelo zazo.
22 As for the houses that they build, no one will [take those houses away from them and] live in them. No one will take a vineyard away from its owner. My chosen people will live a long time, like trees do, and they will enjoy what they have accomplished— [the houses that they have built and the crops that they have planted].
Kabayikwakha, kuhlale-ke omunye; kabayikuhlanyela, kudle-ke omunye; ngoba insuku zabantu bami zizakuba njengensuku zesihlahla, labakhethwa bami bazakholisa umsebenzi wezandla zabo okwesikhathi eside.
23 They will not work hard in vain, and their children will not die from some (calamity/terrible thing happening to them). I will [certainly] bless their children and their grandchildren.
Kabayikutshikatshikela ize, loba bazalele uhlupho; ngoba bayinzalo yababusisiweyo beNkosi, lembewu yabo kanye labo.
24 Before they call to me [to help them], I will answer; I will answer their prayers while they are still praying [for me to do something for them].
Kuzakuthi-ke bengakabizi, mina ngiphendule; lapho besakhuluma, mina-ke ngizwe.
25 No one will be harmed or injured anywhere on [Zion], my sacred hill: Wolves and lambs will eat grass together [peacefully]; lions will eat hay like oxen do, [and they will not attack people]. Snakes will [not hurt anyone; they will lie on the ground and] eat [only] dirt. [That is surely what it will be like because I], Yahweh, have said it.”
Impisi lewundlu kuzakudla ndawonye, lesilwane sidle amahlanga njengenkomo, lothuli lube yikudla kwenyoka. Kaziyikulimaza kumbe zibhubhise kuyo yonke intaba yami engcwele, itsho iNkosi.
