Isaiah 34
1 Come near, you nations, to hear! Listen, you peoples. Let the earth and all it contains hear, the world, and everything that comes from it.
Sondelani, zizwe, ukuze lizwe; lani bantu, lilalele; umhlaba kawuzwe, lokugcwala kwawo; ilizwe, lakho konke okuvela kilo.
2 For the LORD is enraged against all the nations, and angry with all their armies. He has utterly destroyed them. He has given them over for slaughter.
Ngoba intukuthelo yeNkosi iphezu kwazo zonke izizwe, lolaka phezu kwawo wonke amabutho azo; izitshabalalisile, izinikele ekubulaweni.
3 Their slain will also be cast out, and the stench of their dead bodies will come up. The mountains will melt in their blood.
Ababuleweyo bazo labo bazaphoselwa phandle, levumba labo lizakwenyuka ezidunjini zabo, lezintaba zizancibilika ngegazi labo.
4 All of the army of the sky will be dissolved. The sky will be rolled up like a scroll, and all its armies will fade away, as a leaf fades from off a vine or a fig tree.
Lalo lonke ibutho lamazulu lizabola; lamazulu agoqwe njengomqulu; lalo lonke ibutho labo liwele phansi, njengehlamvu liwohloka evinini, lanjengomkhiwa owohlokayo esihlahleni somkhiwa.
5 For my sword has drunk its fill in the sky. Behold, it will come down on Edom, and on the people of my curse, for judgement.
Ngoba inkemba yami izacwila emazulwini; khangela, izakwehlela phezu kukaEdoma laphezu kwabantu bokutshabalalisa kwami ngesigwebo.
6 The LORD’s sword is filled with blood. It is covered with fat, with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams; for the LORD has a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Edom.
Inkemba yeNkosi igcwele igazi, inoniswe ngamafutha, ngegazi lamawundlu lelezimbuzi, ngamahwahwa ezinso zezinqama; ngoba iNkosi ilomhlatshelo eBhozira, lokubulala okukhulu elizweni leEdoma.
7 The wild oxen will come down with them, and the young bulls with the mighty bulls; and their land will be drunken with blood, and their dust made greasy with fat.
Lezinyathi zizakwehla kanye lazo, lamajongosi kanye lezinkunzi. Njalo ilizwe labo lizacwila egazini, lothuli lwabo lunoniswe ngamahwahwa.
8 For the LORD has a day of vengeance, a year of recompense for the cause of Zion.
Ngoba kulusuku lwempindiselo yeNkosi, umnyaka wokubuyiselwa kwempikisano yeZiyoni.
9 Its streams will be turned into pitch, its dust into sulphur, and its land will become burning pitch.
Lezifula zabo zizaphendulwa zibe yingcino, lothuli lwabo lube yisibabule; lelizwe labo lizakuba yingcino etshayo.
10 It won’t be quenched night or day. Its smoke will go up forever. From generation to generation, it will lie waste. No one will pass through it forever and ever.
Kaliyikucitshwa ubusuku lemini; intuthu yalo izakwenyuka laphakade; kusukela esizukulwaneni kusiya kusizukulwana lizakuba yinkangala; kakho ozadabula phakathi kwalo kuze kube nini lanini.
11 But the pelican and the porcupine will possess it. The owl and the raven will dwell in it. He will stretch the line of confusion over it, and the plumb line of emptiness.
Kodwa iwunkwe lenhloni kuzakudla ilifa lalo; isikhova laso lewabayi kuzahlala kulo. Njalo izakwelula phezu kwalo intambo yencithakalo, lamatshe onxiwa.
12 They shall call its nobles to the kingdom, but none shall be there; and all its princes shall be nothing.
Bazabizela izikhulu zalo embusweni, kodwa kakho ozakuba khona, leziphathamandla zalo zonke zizakuba yinto engelutho.
13 Thorns will come up in its palaces, nettles and thistles in its fortresses; and it will be a habitation of jackals, a court for ostriches.
Lameva azakhula ezigodlweni zalo, imbabazane lokhula oluhlabayo ezinqabeni zalo; njalo libe yindawo yokuhlala yemigobho, umuzi wamadodakazi ezintshe.
14 The wild animals of the desert will meet with the wolves, and the wild goat will cry to his fellow. Yes, the night creature shall settle there, and shall find herself a place of rest.
Izilo zenkangala lazo zizahlangana lezilo ezihlaba umkhulungwane, legogo lizakhalela umngane walo; lesikhova esikhalayo sizaphumula khona, sizitholele indawo yokuphumula.
15 The arrow snake will make her nest there, and lay, hatch, and gather under her shade. Yes, the kites will be gathered there, every one with her mate.
Lapho isikhova esikhulu sizakwakha isidleke, sibekele, sichamisele, sifukamele ngaphansi komthunzi waso; amanqe lawo azabuthana lapho, yilelo lalelo lomngane walo.
16 Search in the book of the LORD, and read: not one of these will be missing. None will lack her mate. For my mouth has commanded, and his Spirit has gathered them.
Dingani egwalweni lweNkosi, lifunde; kakukho lokukodwa kwalokhu okuzasilela, kakukho okuzaswela umngane wakho; ngoba umlomo wami ngokwawo ulayile, lomoya wayo ngokwawo ukubuthanisile.
17 He has cast the lot for them, and his hand has divided it to them with a measuring line. They shall possess it forever. From generation to generation they will dwell in it.
Ngoba yona ibenzele inkatho yokuphosa, lesandla sayo sibehlukanisele ngentambo; lizakuba yilifa labo kuze kube phakade, kusukela kusizukulwana kuze kube sesizukulwaneni bazahlala kulo.
