Isaiah 54
1 “Sing, barren, you who didn’t give birth! Break out into singing, and cry aloud, you who didn’t travail with child! For more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife,” says the LORD.
Hlabelela, nyumba, wena ongazalanga; qhamuka ngokuhlabelela, umemeze, wena ongazange uhelelwe! Ngoba banengi abantwana botshiyiweyo kulabantwana bowendileyo, itsho iNkosi.
2 “Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your habitations; don’t spare; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes.
Qhelisa indawo yethente lakho, kabatshombulule amakhetheni endawo yakho yokuhlala; ungagodli, yelula izintambo zakho, uqinise izikhonkwane zakho.
3 For you will spread out on the right hand and on the left; and your offspring will possess the nations and settle in desolate cities.
Ngoba uzaqhamuka ngakwesokudla langakwesokunene, lenzalo yakho izafuya abezizwe, yenze imizi echithekileyo ihlalwe.
4 “Don’t be afraid, for you will not be ashamed. Don’t be confounded, for you will not be disappointed. For you will forget the shame of your youth. You will remember the reproach of your widowhood no more.
Ungesabi, ngoba kawuyikuyangeka; njalo ungabi lenhloni, ngoba kawuyikuyangiswa; ngoba uzakhohlwa ihlazo lobutsha bakho, ungabe usakhumbula ukuyangeka kobufelokazi bakho.
5 For your Maker is your husband; the LORD of Armies is his name. The Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer. He will be called the God of the whole earth.
Ngoba uMenzi wakho ungumyeni wakho, iNkosi yamabandla libizo lakhe; loMhlengi wakho ungoNgcwele kaIsrayeli, uzabizwa ngokuthi nguNkulunkulu womhlaba wonke.
6 For the LORD has called you as a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit, even a wife of youth, when she is cast off,” says your God.
Ngoba iNkosi ikubizile njengomfazi olahliweyo lodabukileyo emoyeni, lomfazi wobutsha, lapho waliwe, kutsho uNkulunkulu wakho.
7 “For a small moment I have forsaken you, but I will gather you with great mercies.
Okomzuzwana omncinyane ngakutshiya, kodwa ngezihawu ezinkulu ngizakubutha.
8 In overflowing wrath I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting loving kindness I will have mercy on you,” says the LORD your Redeemer.
Ngolaka oluncinyane ngakufihlela ubuso bami okomzuzwana, kodwa ngothandolomusa waphakade ngizakuhawukela, itsho iNkosi, uMhlengi wakho.
9 “For this is like the waters of Noah to me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah will no more go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you, nor rebuke you.
Ngoba lokhu kunjengamanzi kaNowa kimi, lapho ngafunga ukuthi amanzi kaNowa kawaseyikwedlula emhlabeni; ngokunjalo ngifungile ukuthi kangiyikukuthukuthelela, ngikusole.
10 For the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed, but my loving kindness will not depart from you, and my covenant of peace will not be removed,” says the LORD who has mercy on you.
Ngoba izintaba zizasuka, lamaqaqa azamazame, kodwa umusa wami kawuyikusuka kuwe, lesivumelwano sami sokuthula kasiyikuzamazama, itsho iNkosi elesihawu kuwe.
11 “You afflicted, tossed with storms, and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in beautiful colors, and lay your foundations with sapphires.
Wena ohluphekileyo, ophoswe yisiphepho, ongaduduzwanga, khangela, ngizabeka amatshe akho abe mahle, ngibeke isisekelo sakho ngamasafire.
12 I will make your pinnacles of rubies, your gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious stones.
Ngizakwenza imiphotshongo yakho nge-agate, lamasango akho ngama-emeraldi, lawo wonke umngcele wakho ngamatshe entokozo.
13 All your children will be taught by the LORD, and your children’s peace will be great.
Labantwana bakho bonke bazafundiswa yiNkosi, njalo kube kukhulu ukuthula kwabantwana bakho.
14 You will be established in righteousness. You will be far from oppression, for you will not be afraid, and far from terror, for it shall not come near you.
Uzaqiniswa ekulungeni; ube khatshana locindezelo, ngoba kawuyikwesaba; levalweni, ngoba kakuyikusondela kuwe.
15 Behold, they may gather together, but not by me. Whoever gathers together against you will fall because of you.
Khangela bazabuthana sibili, kodwa hatshi ngami; loba ngubani ozabuthana emelene lawe uzakuwa ngenxa yakho.
16 “Behold, I have created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame, and forges a weapon for his work; and I have created the destroyer to destroy.
Khangela mina ngidale umkhandi wensimbi ovuthela amalahle emlilweni, lovezela umsebenzi wakhe isikhali; njalo mina ngidale umchithi ukuthi achithe.
17 No weapon that is formed against you will prevail; and you will condemn every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the LORD’s servants, and their righteousness is of me,” says the LORD.
Kakulasikhali esibunjelwe ukumelana lawe esizaphumelela; lalo lonke ulimi olukuvukelayo ekwehluleleni uzalulahla. Lokhu kuyilifa lezinceku zeNkosi, lokulunga kwazo kuvela kimi, itsho iNkosi.
A Dove is Sent Forth from the Ark
