Isaiah 66
1 Yahweh [also] said this: “[All of] heaven is [like] my throne, and the whole earth is [like] my footstool. So you could certainly not [RHQ] build a house [that would be adequate] for me to live in and rest!
Itsho njalo iNkosi: Amazulu ayisihlalo sami sobukhosi, lomhlaba uyisenabelo senyawo zami. Ingaphi leyondlu elizangakhela yona? Njalo ingaphi indawo yami yokuphumula?
2 I [MTY] have created everything; all things exist because I made them. [That is true because I], Yahweh, have said it. The people I am [most] pleased with are those who are humble, who [patiently endure it when they] (suffer/are afflicted), and who tremble when they hear me [rebuking them].
Ngoba zonke lezizinto isandla sami sazenza, lazo zonke lezizinto zikhona, itsho iNkosi. Kodwa kulowo ngizakhangela, kulowo ongumyanga lolomoya odabukileyo, lothuthumela ngelizwi lami.
3 You have enjoyed [continually] doing the things that you want to do: [Some of] you slaughter oxen [to sacrifice them to me], but you also bring human sacrifices [to your idols]! You sacrifice lambs [to me], but you kill dogs [to offer them to your gods]. You offer grain to me, but you also bring pigs’ blood [to your idols]. You burn incense [to me], but you also praise your idols. You enjoy doing those disgusting things.
Ohlaba inkabi unjengobulala umuntu; onikela umhlatshelo ngewundlu unjengowephula intamo yenja; onikela umnikelo wokudla unjengonikela igazi lengulube; otshisa impepha yesikhumbuzo unjengobusisa isithombe. Yebo, bona bakhethile izindlela zabo, lomphefumulo wabo uthokoza ngezinengiso zabo.
4 When I called [out to you], you did not answer. When I spoke, you did not pay attention. You did [many] things that I say are evil; you chose [to do] things that I did not like. So [now] I will punish you by causing you to experience the things that you are [very] afraid of.”
Lami ngizakhetha izigcono zabo, ngibehlisele abakwesabayo; ngoba ngabiza, akwaphendula muntu; ngakhuluma, akwalalela muntu; kodwa benza okubi emehlweni ami, bakhetha lokho engingathokozanga ngakho.
5 But you people who tremble when you hear what Yahweh says, listen to what he says [now]: “Some of your people hate you and reject you because you belong to me. They make fun of you, and they say, ‘Yahweh should show his glorious power! We want to see him [do something to cause] you to be truly happy.’ But [some day] those people will be [very] disgraced.”
Zwanini ilizwi leNkosi, lina elithuthumela ngelizwi layo. Abafowenu abalizondayo, abalixotsha ngenxa yebizo lami, bathi: Kayidunyiswe iNkosi; khona sizabona intokozo yenu; bona-ke bazayangeka.
6 [At that time], you will listen to the noise in the city. You will hear the shouting in the temple. It will be the sound of Yahweh shouting while he is punishing his enemies!
Ilizwi lomsindo elivela emzini, ilizwi elivela ethempelini, ilizwi leNkosi elibuyisela izinzuzo ezitheni zayo.
7 No one [RHQ] ever heard that a woman gave birth to a baby when she was just starting to have birth pains.
Ingakahelelwa, yazala; kungakafiki ubuhlungu bayo, yabeletha owesilisa.
8 Certainly no one [RHQ] ever heard about such a thing happening, and no one has ever seen it happen. [Similarly], no one ever [RHQ] heard that a nation was created in one instant, not even in one day. But Jerusalem is like [MET] [a woman who] gives birth to children as soon as she starts to have birth pains.
Ngubani owake wezwa okunje? Ngubani owake wabona izinto ezinje? Umhlaba uzakwenziwa uzale yini ngosuku olulodwa? Kumbe isizwe singabelethwa yini ngesikhathi sinye? Ngoba iZiyoni ithe ihelelwa, yazala abantwana bayo.
9 Women certainly do not [RHQ] bring infants to the time when they are ready to be born and then do not allow them to be born. [Similarly, he will do for Jerusalem] [MET] [what he has promised to do]: [He will cause Jerusalem to be full of people again]. [That will happen because] Yahweh has said it.
Mina ngizasondeza ekuzalweni, ngingazalisi yini? itsho iNkosi. Ngizazalisa, besengivala yini? utsho uNkulunkulu wakho.
10 You people in [APO] Jerusalem, rejoice! And all you people who love Jerusalem should also be happy. You people who were sad because of [what happened to Jerusalem], you should now be glad.
Thokozani kanye leJerusalema, lijabule layo, lina lonke eliyithandayo; thokozani kanye layo ngentokozo, lina lonke eliyililelayo;
11 [You people in Jerusalem] will [have everything that you need] like [MET] a baby that gets all it needs from its mother’s breasts. You will enjoy all the abundant and glorious things [MET] in the city.
ukuze limunye, lisuthe ngamabele ezinduduzo zayo; ukuze limunyisise lizithokozise ngobunengi bodumo lwayo.
12 Yahweh has promised, “I will cause Jerusalem to be full of valuable things that come from other nations; those things will pour into Jerusalem; it will be like [SIM] a big flood. I will take care of the people of Jerusalem like women care for the babies that they nurse.
Ngoba itsho njalo iNkosi: Khangelani, ngizaqhelisa ukuthula kuye njengomfula, lodumo lwezizwe njengesifula esikhukhulayo; khona lizamunya, lithwalwe enhlangothini, lidlaliswe emadolweni.
13 I will comfort you people in Jerusalem like [MET] mothers comfort their children.”
Njengalowo unina amduduzayo, ngokunjalo mina ngizaliduduza; njalo lizaduduzeka eJerusalema.
14 When you see [those things happen], you [SYN] will rejoice. Your [old] bones will become strong [again] like [SIM] grass [that grows quickly/well in the springtime]. [When that happens, everyone] will know that Yahweh has power [MTY] to help those who worship and obey him, but that he is angry with his enemies.
Lapho libona lokhu, inhliziyo yenu izathokoza, lamathambo enu ahlume njengohlaza; lesandla seNkosi sizakwaziwa ngasezincekwini zayo, njalo izakuba lolaka ngasezitheni zayo.
15 Yahweh will come down with flames of fire, and his chariots [will come down] like [SIM] a whirlwind; he will be extremely angry, and he will punish [his enemies] by burning them in a fire.
Ngoba khangela, iNkosi izafika ngomlilo, lezinqola zayo njengesivunguzane, ukubuyisela intukuthelo yayo ngokufutheka, lokukhuza kwayo ngamalangabi omlilo.
16 [It is as though] [MET] Yahweh has a [big] sword, and he will judge and execute many people.
Ngoba ngomlilo langenkemba yayo iNkosi izangena ekwahluleleni layo yonke inyama, lababuleweyo beNkosi bazakuba banengi.
17 Yahweh says, “Some of you people purify/bathe yourselves and [then] go to a garden to worship your gods. You eat the meat of pigs and lizards and mice, [and other things that I have forbidden you to eat]. So I will get rid of you [for doing that].
Labo abazingcwelisayo, bazihlambulule ezivandeni ngemva kwesihlahla esisodwa esiphakathi, besidla inyama yezingulube, lesinengiso, legundwane, bazaqedwa kanyekanye, itsho iNkosi.
18 I know [all] the [evil] things that you think and do. [It is now time] for me to gather together the people who live in all nations and who speak all languages, and to show them that I am very great.
Ngoba mina ngiyayazi imisebenzi yabo lemicabango yabo; kuzafika ukuthi ngibuthe zonke izizwe lezinlimi; njalo zizafika, zibone udumo lwami.
19 I will put a mark on them, and those whom I have spared will go to various [distant] countries: to Tarshish, Put, Lud, Meshech, Tubal, Javan, and to distant islands. I will send them to proclaim to nations that have never heard about me that I am very great and glorious.
Ngizabeka-ke isibonakaliso phakathi kwazo, ngithume abaphunyukileyo babo baye ezizweni, eTarshishi, iPhuli, leLudi, abadonsa idandili, eThubhali, leJavani, izihlenge ezikhatshana ezingakezwa indumela yami, lezingakaboni udumo lwami; njalo zizamemezela udumo lwami phakathi kwezizwe.
20 Then they will bring back here your relatives [who have been (exiled/forced to go to other countries)], to be like [SIM] an offering to me. They will come on horses, in chariots, on mules, and on camels. They will come to [Zion, ] my sacred hill in Jerusalem. That will be like [SIM] the offerings that [my] Israeli people used to bring in the correct manner to the temple.
Bazaletha-ke bonke abafowenu babe ngumnikelo eNkosini bephuma kuzo zonke izizwe bephezu kwamabhiza, langezinqola, langamathala, laphezu kwezimbongolo, laphezu kwezinyamazana ezilejubane, entabeni yami engcwele eJerusalema, itsho iNkosi, njengabantwana bakoIsrayeli beletha umnikelo ngesitsha esihlambulukileyo endlini yeNkosi.
21 [I solemnly promise that] I will appoint some of them to be priests, and others to do other work in my temple. [That will surely happen because I], Yahweh, have said it.
Ngizathatha-ke lakubo babe ngabapristi njalo babe ngamaLevi, itsho iNkosi.
22 I [also] promise that just like the new heaven and the new earth will last forever, you will always have descendants, and you [MTY] will always be honored.
Ngoba njengamazulu amatsha lomhlaba omutsha engizakwenza kuzakuma phambi kwami, itsho iNkosi, ngokunjalo inzalo yakho lebizo lakho kuzakuma.
23 At every festival to celebrate the Sabbath [each week] and the new moon [each month], everyone will [come and] worship me. [That will surely happen because] I, Yahweh, have said it.
Kuzakuthi-ke ekuthwaseni kwenye inyanga kusiya kwenye, njalo kusukela kwelinye isabatha kusiya kwelinye, yonke inyama izakuzakhonza phambi kwami, itsho iNkosi.
24 Then they will go out [of Jerusalem] and look at the corpses of those who rebelled against me. The maggots in those corpses will never die, the fire will never stop burning them, and everyone [who sees their corpses] will detest them.”
Bazaphuma-ke, babone izidumbu zabantu abaphambeke bemelene lami; ngoba impethu yabo kayiyikufa, lomlilo wabo kawuyikucitsha; njalo bazakuba yisinengiso kuyo yonke inyama.
