Isaiah 7
1 Ahaz was the son of Jotham and grandson of Uzziah. During the time that Ahaz was the king of Judah, King Rezin of Syria and King Pekah of Israel marched [with their armies] to attack Jerusalem. But they could not conquer it.
Kwathi u-Ahazi indodana kaJothamu, indodana ka-Uziya, eyinkosi yakoJuda, uRezini inkosi yase-Aramu loPhekha indodana kaRemaliya inkosi yako-Israyeli basuka bayahlasela iJerusalema, kodwa kabalinqobanga.
2 [But before they attacked], everyone in the palace heard a report that the armies of Syria and Israel were [now] (allies/joined [to attack Jerusalem)]. So Ahaz and the people over whom he ruled were extremely afraid; they were shaking from fear like trees shake in a windstorm.
Indlu kaDavida yatshelwa kwathiwa, “I-Aramu isimanyene lo-Efrayimi,” inhliziyo ka-Ahazi lezabantu bakhe zanyikinyeka njengezihlahla zegusu zinyikinywa ngumoya.
3 Then Yahweh said to me, “Take your son Shear-Jashub, and go to talk with [King] Ahaz. He is at the end of the (aqueduct/water channel) that brings water into the upper reservoir, near the road to the place where women wash clothes.
UThixo wasesithi ku-Isaya, “Hamba wena lendodana yakho uSheyari-Jashubi ukuba lihlangabeze u-Ahazi ekucineni komgelo wamanzi oweChibi Elingaphezulu, emgwaqweni oya Ensimini Yomgezisi.
4 Tell Ahaz to stop worrying [DOU]. Tell him that he does not need to be afraid of those two kings, Rezin and Pekah. They are very angry [with Judah], but they are [unable to harm his country any more than] completely burned-out coals [can harm him].
Lithi kuye, ‘Nanzelela, hlala ngokuthula, njalo ungesabi. Inhliziyo yakho kayingadeli ngenxa yolaka olwesabekayo lukaRezini lo-Aramu lolwendodana kaRemaliya.’”
5 Yes, they are planning to attack this land and saying,
U-Aramu lo-Efrayimi lendodana kaRemaliya sebecebe ukukutshabalalisa besithi,
6 ‘We will attack Judah and conquer it. Then we will appoint Tabeel’s son to be the king of Judah.’
“Kasihlaseleni ilizwe lakoJuda; kasilidabuleni phakathi silabelane, senze indodana kaThabheli ibe yinkosi yalo.”
7 But this is what Yahweh, the Lord, says: ‘It will not happen; they will not [conquer Jerusalem]!
Kodwa-ke lokhu yikho okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi ukuthi: “‘Akuyikuphumelela, akuyikwenzakala,
8 The capital of Syria is Damascus, but Damascus is ruled [only] by its [unimportant/insignificant] king king Rezin. And as for Israel, within 65 years it will be conquered and completely destroyed.
ngoba inhloko ye-Aramu yiDamaseko, inhloko yeDamaseko nguRezini kuphela. Phakathi kweminyaka engamatshumi ayisithupha lanhlanu u-Efrayimi uzakuba esetshabalele engaseyiso sizwe.
9 Israel’s capital is Samaria, and Samaria is ruled only by its [insignificant/unimportant] king king Pekah. [So you do not need to be afraid of those two countries]! [But you must trust me, because] if you do not trust me fully, you will be defeated.’”
Inhloko ka-Efrayimi yiSamariya, inhloko yeSamariya yindodana kaRemaliya kuphela. Nxa lingami liqine okholweni lwenu alisoze livele lime.’”
10 [Later], Yahweh gave [me another message to tell to] King Ahaz.
UThixo wakhuluma njalo ku-Ahazi wathi,
11 [He said to tell him], “Request me, Yahweh your God, to do something that will enable you to be sure [that I will help/protect you]. What you request can be [from a place that is] as high as the sky or as low as the place where the dead people are.” (Sheol h7585)
“Cela isibonakaliso kuThixo uNkulunkulu wakho, ingabe ekujuleni kwezulu loba phezulu engqongweni.” (Sheol h7585)
12 But [when I told that to the king, he refused]. He said, “[No], I will not request Yahweh to do something to prove [that he will help/protect us]!”
Kodwa u-Ahazi wathi, “Angiyikucela. Angiyikulinga uThixo.”
13 Then I said [to him], “You people who are descendants of King David, listen! You are causing me to be tired of being patient. Are you also going to cause my God to stop being patient with you [RHQ]?
U-Isaya wasesithi, “Khathesi-ke zwana wena lendlu kaDavida. Akwenelanga na ukulinga ukubekezela kwabantu? Uzalinga lokubekezela kukaNkulunkulu wami njalo na?
14 Yahweh himself will do something for you [to prove that he will help/protect you]. Listen to this: A young woman will become pregnant and give birth to a son. She will name him Immanuel, [which means ‘God is with us’].
Ngakho-ke iNkosi ngokwayo izanika isibonakaliso: Intombi egcweleyo izakhulelwa izale indodana bayibize ngokuthi ngu-Emanuweli.
15 And by the time that child is old enough to eat curds/yogurt and honey, he will be able to reject what is evil and choose what is good.
Uzakudla amasi loluju lapho eselolwazi olwaneleyo ukuba ale okubi akhethe okulungileyo.
16 And before that child is old enough to do that, the lands of the two kings that you(sg) are very (afraid of/worried about) will be deserted.
Kodwa-ke umfana engakazi okwaneleyo ukuba ale okubi akhethe okulungileyo, ilizwe lamakhosi amabili owesabayo lizachithwa.
17 [But then] Yahweh will cause you and your family and your entire nation to experience [terrible disasters]. Those disasters will be worse than any disasters that have occurred since the country of Israel separated from Judah. Yahweh will cause [the army of] the king of Assyria to attack you!”
UThixo uzakwehlisela phezu kwakho laphezu kwabantu bakho, laphezu kwendlu kayihlo, isikhathi esingafani lesinye kusukela u-Efrayimi ebhazuka kuJuda, uzaletha inkosi yase-Asiriya.”
18 At that time, [it will be as though] Yahweh will whistle to summon the army from the south of Egypt as well as the army of Assyria. They will [come and surround your country like] [MET] flies and bees.
Ngalelolanga uThixo uzatshaya ikhwelo ebiza impukane ezisekudabukeni kwezifula zaseGibhithe lezinyosi eziselizweni lase-Asiriya.
19 They will all come and settle/live [everywhere]—in the narrow valleys and caves in the rock cliffs, on land where there are thornbushes as well as on the fertile land.
Zizakuza zonke zihlale ezingoxweni ezingamawa, ezimbalwini zamadwala, ezihlahleni zonke zameva kuwo wonke amagodi amanzi.
20 At that time Yahweh will hire the king of Assyria to come [with his army] from east of the [Euphrates] River. [They will get rid of everything in your land—the crops and the people. They will destroy everything thoroughly]; it will be like [MET] a barber shaving not only a man’s hair but his beard and the hair on his legs.
Ngalolosuku iNkosi izasebenzisa impuco ebolekwe enkosini yase-Asiriya ngaphetsheya koMfula iYufrathe ukuphuca ikhanda lakho loboya obusembaleni yakho, lokugunda indevu zakho lazo.
21 When that happens, a farmer will be able to have only one cow and two goats/sheep.
Ngalolosuku umuntu uzafuya ithokazi elilodwa lembuzi ezimbili.
22 [However], those animals will give plenty of milk, with the result that the farmer will have curds/yogurt to eat. And [because there will not be many people left] in the land, all the people who remain there will have plenty of milk and honey.
Ngenxa yobunengi bochago oluzavela kuzo, uzakuba lamasi azawadla. Bonke abazasala elizweni bazakudla amasi loluju.
23 Now there are many areas where there are vineyards that are worth 1,000 pieces of silver, but at that time there will be only briers and thorns [DOU] in those fields.
Ngalolosuku, ezindaweni zonke lapho okwakulamavini ayinkulungwane alingana amashekeli esiliva ayinkulungwane, kuzakuba lokhula lameva kuphela.
24 There will be only briers and thorns in the entire land, [and wild animals], with the result that men will take their bows and arrows and go there [to hunt and kill animals].
Abantu bazakuya khona belamadandili lemitshoko ngoba ilizwe lizakuba seligcwele ukhula lameva.
25 No one will go to where there previously were gardens on fertile hillsides, because briers and thorns will cover those hillsides. They will be areas where [only a few] cattle and sheep and goats wander around [searching for something to eat].
Emaqaqeni wonke ake alinywa ngekhuba kawusayikuya khona ngenxa yokwesaba ukhula lameva, azakuba yindawo yokwelusela inkomo lamadlelo ezimvu.
