Isaiah 9
1 However, those in Judah who have been distressed/worried will not [continue to] suffer. Previously, Yahweh humbled [the people in] the land [where the tribes of] Zebulun and Naphtali [live]. But in the future he will honor [the people who live in] that Galilee region, along the road between the Jordan [River] and the [Mediterranean] Sea, where [many] foreigners live.
Kodwa-ke akusayikuba khona ukudangala kulabo ababesosizini. Ensukwini ezedlulayo walithobisa ilizwe likaZebhuluni lelizwe likaNafithali. Kodwa ensukwini ezizayo uzayipha udumo iGalile yabezizweni, eNdleleni eya oLwandle elandela iJodani:
2 [Some day, it will be as though] [MET] the people who walked in darkness will see a great light. A [great] light will shine on those who live in a land where they have great troubles/distress.
Abantu abahamba emnyameni sebebone ukukhanya okukhulu; kulabo abahlala elizweni lethunzi lokufa ukukhanya sekukhanyisile.
3 [Yahweh], you will cause us people in Israel to rejoice; we will become very happy. We will rejoice about what you [have done] like [SIM] people rejoice when they harvest their crops, [or] like soldiers rejoice when they divide up among themselves the things that they have captured in a battle.
Usikhulisile isizwe wandisa intokozo yabo, bayathokoza phambi kwakho njengabantu bethokoza ekuvuneni, njengempi ithokoza isaba impango.
4 You will cause us to no longer be slaves [MET] [of those who captured us]; you will lift the heavy burdens from our shoulders. [It will be as though] you will break the rods of those who oppressed us, like you did when you destroyed [the army of] the Midian people-group.
Ngoba njengamhla wokwehlulwa kukaMidiyani usulephule ijogwe elibasindayo, umgoqo onqume emahlombe abo, intonga yomncindezeli wabo.
5 The boots that the enemy soldiers have worn and their clothing which has stains of blood on them will all be burned up; they will only be fuel for a [big] fire.
Lonke inyathela lebutho elisetshenziswe empini, kanye lazozonke izigqoko ezigiqwe egazini kuzakuya ekutshisweni; kuzakuba ngokokubasisa umlilo.
6 Another reason that we will rejoice is that a [special] child will be born for us; [a woman will give birth to] a son, who will be our ruler. And his names will be ‘Wonderful Counselor’, ‘Mighty/Powerful God’, ‘[Our] Everlasting Father’, and ‘Prince/Ruler [who enables us to have] Peace’.
Ngoba sizalelwe umntwana, siphiwe indodana, umbuso uzakuba phezu kwamahlombe akhe. Uzabizwa ngokuthi uMeluleki Omangalisayo, uNkulunkulu uSomandla, uBaba Waphakade, iNkosana yokuThula.
7 His rule, and the peace that he [brings/causes], will never end. He will rule [MTY] fairly and justly [DOU], like [his ancestor King] David did. This will happen because the Commander of the armies of angels greatly desires that it happen.
Ukwanda kombuso wakhe lokuthula akuyikuba lomkhawulo. Uzabusa esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavida laphezu kombuso wakhe, ewumisa njalo ewuqinisa ngokufaneleyo langokulunga, kusukela ngalesisikhathi kuze kube nini lanini. Ukutshiseka kukaThixo uSomandla kuzakufeza lokhu.
8 The Lord has warned the people of Israel, the descendants of Jacob; he has said that [he will punish] them.
INkosi isithumele ilizwi lesixwayiso kuJakhobe lizakwehlela phezu kuka-Israyeli.
9 And all the people in Samaria and [other places in] Israel know that, [but] they are very proud and arrogant [DOU]. They say, “Our city has been destroyed, but we will [take away the broken bricks from the ruins] [and] replace them with carefully cut stones. Our sycamore-fig trees have been cut down [by our enemies], but we will plant cedar trees [in their place].”
Abantu bonke bazakwazi u-Efrayimi labakhele eSamariya, abathi ngokuzigqaja langokuzikhukhumeza kwenhliziyo,
“Izitina sezidilikele phansi, kodwa sizakwakha njalo ngamatshe abaziweyo; imikhiwa isiganyulelwe phansi, kodwa sizafaka imisedari endaweni yayo.”
11 But Yahweh brought the armies of [Assyria], the enemies of King Rezin [of Syria, to fight] against Israel and incited [other] nations [to attack Israel].
Kodwa uThixo usebaqinisele izitha zikaRezini, njalo usetshotshozele izitha zabo.
12 [The army of] Syria [came] from the east, and [the army of] Philistia [came] from the west, and they destroyed Israel [like a wild animal tears another animal apart and] [MET] devours it. But even after that happened, Yahweh was still very angry with them. He was ready to strike them with his fist again.
Ama-Aramu avela empumalanga lamaFilistiya avela entshonalanga asedle u-Israyeli ngomlomo ovulekileyo. Kodwa kukho konke lokhu, ukuthukuthela kwakhe akupheli, isandla sakhe silokhu siphakanyisiwe.
13 [But even though] Yahweh punished his people [like that], they [still] did not return to him [and worship him]. They [still] did not request the Commander of the armies of angels [to assist them].
Kodwa abantu abakabuyeli kuye owabatshayayo. Loba badinge uThixo uSomandla.
14 Therefore, in one day Yahweh will get rid of [those who are like] Israel’s head and [those who are like] its tail; the [ones who are like] the top of the palm tree and the [ones who are like] the bottom.
Ngakho uThixo uzaquma ko-Israyeli ikhanda lomsila, ugatsha lwelala lomhlanga ngasuku lunye;
15 The leaders [DOU] of Israel are the head, and the prophets who tell lies are the tail.
abadala lezikhulu balikhanda, abaphrofethi abafundisa amanga bangumsila.
16 The leaders of the people have misled them; they have caused the people that they are ruling to be confused.
Labo abakhokhela abantu laba bayabalahlekisa, labo abakhokhelwayo bayedukiswa.
17 For that reason, Yahweh is not pleased with the young men [of Israel], and he does not [even] act mercifully toward the widows and orphans, because they are all ungodly and wicked, and they all say things that are foolish. [But] Yahweh still is angry with them; he is ready to strike them with his fist again.
Ngakho iNkosi kayiyikuthokoza ngezinsizwa zabo, izintandane labafelokazi kayiyikuba lozwelo kubo, ngoba bonke bayameyisa uNkulunkulu, njalo babi; imilomo yonke ikhuluma amanyala. Kodwa kukho konke lokhu, ukuthukuthela kwayo akupheli, isandla sayo silokhu siphakanyisiwe.
18 When people do wicked things, it is like [SIM] a brushfire [that spreads rapidly]. It burns up [not only] briers and thorns; it starts a big fire in the forests from which clouds of smoke will rise.
Ngeqiniso ububi butshisa njengomlilo, budla ukhula lameva, buthungela izixuku zehlathi zivuthe amalangabi izikhatha zentuthu ziqonga zisiya phezulu.
19 [It is as though] the [whole] land is burned [black] because the Commander of the armies of angels is extremely angry with the Israeli people. They will become like [SIM] fuel for that great fire, and no one will try to rescue even his [own] brother [from that fire].
Ngolaka lukaThixo uSomandla ilizwe lizatshiswa, abantu bazakuba zinkuni zomlilo, kakho ozaphephisa umfowabo.
20 Israeli people will attack their neighbors on the right [to get food from them], but they will still be hungry. They will [kill those who live in houses] on the left and eat their flesh, but their stomachs will still not be full.
Bazaqeda kwesokudla kodwa babe belokhu belambile; bazakudla kwesokhohlo, kodwa bangasuthi. Omunye lomunye uzakudla abantwabakhe:
21 [People of the tribes of] Manasseh and Ephraim will attack each other, and [then] they will both attack the people of Judah. But even after that happens, Yahweh will still be very angry with them. He will be ready to strike them with his fist again.
UManase uzakudla u-Efrayimi, u-Efrayimi adle uManase; bobabili bazamelana loJuda. Kukho konke lokhu, ukuthukuthela kwakhe akupheli, isandla sakhe silokhu siphakanyisiwe.
