Isaiah 57
1 The righteous perish, and no one lays it to heart. Merciful men are taken away, and no one considers that the righteous is taken away from the evil.
Olungileyo uyabhubha, njalo kakulamuntu okubeka enhliziyweni; njalo abantu abalomusa bayasuswa, engekho okunanzayo ukuthi olungileyo ususiwe ngaphambi kobubi.
2 He enters into peace. They rest in their beds, each one who walks in his uprightness.
Uzangena ekuthuleni. Bazaphumula emibhedeni yabo, ngulowo lalowo ehamba ebuqothweni bakhe.
3 “But draw near here, you sons of a sorceress, you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes.
Kodwa lina sondelani lapha, madodana omthakathikazi, nzalo yesifebe, lawe wule.
4 Whom do you mock? Against whom do you make a wide mouth and stick out your tongue? Aren’t you children of disobedience and offspring of falsehood,
Lidlala limelene lobani? Livulela bani umlomo ube banzi, likhupha ulimi? Alisibantwana besiphambeko yini, inzalo yenkohliso,
5 you who inflame yourselves among the oaks, under every green tree; who kill the children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?
lizitshisa phakathi kwezihlahla zama-okhi ngaphansi kwaso sonke isihlahla esiluhlaza, libulalela abantwana ezihotsheni ngaphansi kwezingoxo zamadwala?
6 Among the smooth stones of the valley is your portion. They, they are your lot. You have even poured a drink offering to them. You have offered an offering. Shall I be appeased for these things?
Isabelo sakho siphakathi kwamatshe abutshelezi esifula; wona, wona ayinkatho yakho; njalo kiwo uthululele umnikelo wokunathwayo, waletha umnikelo wokudla. Ngizazisola ngalezizinto yini?
7 On a high and lofty mountain you have set your bed. You also went up there to offer sacrifice.
Phezu kwentaba ende lephakemeyo ubekile umbheda wakho; ngitsho lapho wenyukela khona ukuyanikela umhlatshelo.
8 You have set up your memorial behind the doors and the posts, for you have exposed yourself to someone besides me, and have gone up. You have enlarged your bed and made you a covenant with them. You loved what you saw on their bed.
Langemva kwesivalo lensika yomnyango wabeka isikhumbuzo sakho; ngoba uzivezile komunye kulakimi, wenyuka, waqhelisa umbheda wakho, wazenzela isivumelwano labo; wathanda umbheda wabo lapho uwubona.
9 You went to the king with oil, increased your perfumes, sent your ambassadors far off, and degraded yourself even to Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
Waya enkosini ulamafutha, wandisa amakha akho, wathuma izithunywa zakho khatshana, wazehlisela esihogweni. (Sheol h7585)
10 You were wearied with the length of your ways; yet you didn’t say, ‘It is in vain.’ You found a reviving of your strength; therefore you weren’t faint.
Wadinwa yibukhulu bendlela yakho, kodwa kawutshongo ukuthi: Kakulathemba; wathola impilo yesandla sakho, ngakho-ke kawuphelanga amandla.
11 “Whom have you dreaded and feared, so that you lie, and have not remembered me, nor laid it to your heart? Haven’t I held my peace for a long time, and you don’t fear me?
Njalo wesaba bani watshaywa luvalo, ukuthi uqambe amanga, ungangikhumbuli, ungakufaki enhliziyweni yakho? Kangithulanga yini ngitsho kwasendulo, njalo mina ungangesabi?
12 I will declare your righteousness; and as for your works, they will not benefit you.
Mina ngizamemezela ukulunga kwakho, lemisebenzi yakho; ngoba kakuyikukusiza.
13 When you cry, let those whom you have gathered deliver you, but the wind will take them. A breath will carry them all away, but he who takes refuge in me will possess the land, and will inherit my holy mountain.”
Lapho ukhala, amaxuku akho kawakukhulule! Kanti umoya uzawaphephula wonke, ize lizawathatha. Kodwa othemba kimi uzakudla ilifa lelizwe, adle ilifa lentaba yami engcwele.
14 He will say, “Build up, build up, prepare the way! Remove the stumbling-block out of the way of my people.”
Azakuthi: Buthelelani, buthelelani, lungisani indlela, susani isikhubekiso endleleni yabantu bami.
15 For the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy, says: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.
Ngoba utsho njalo ophezulu lophakemeyo, ohlala ephakadeni, obizo lakhe lingoNgcwele, uthi: Ngihlala endaweni ephakemeyo lengcwele, njalo kanye laye olomoya odabukileyo lozithobayo, ukuvuselela umoya wabathobekileyo, lokuvuselela inhliziyo yabadabukileyo.
16 For I will not contend forever, neither will I always be angry; for the spirit would faint before me, and the souls whom I have made.
Ngoba kangiyikulwisa kuze kube phakade, kangiyikuthukuthela njalonjalo; ngoba umoya ungaphela amandla phambi kwami, lemiphefumulo mina engiyenzileyo.
17 I was angry because of the iniquity of his covetousness and struck him. I hid myself and was angry; and he went on backsliding in the way of his heart.
Ngenxa yobubi bokufisa kwakhe ngathukuthela, ngamtshaya, ngazifihla, ngathukuthela; kodwa waqhubeka ehlubuka ngendlela yenhliziyo yakhe.
18 I have seen his ways, and will heal him. I will lead him also, and restore comforts to him and to his mourners.
Ngizibonile izindlela zakhe, njalo ngizamsilisa, ngimkhokhele, ngibuyisele izinduduzo kuye labalilayo bakhe.
19 I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace, to him who is far off and to him who is near,” says Yahweh; “and I will heal them.”
Ngidala izithelo zezindebe; ukuthula, ukuthula kokhatshana loseduze, itsho iNkosi; njalo ngizamsilisa.
20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea; for it can’t rest and its waters cast up mire and mud.
Kodwa ababi banjengolwandle olutshukumayo; ngoba kalulakuphumula, lamanzi alo akhafula udaka lengcekeza.
21 “There is no peace”, says my God, “for the wicked.”
Kakulakuthula, utsho uNkulunkulu wami, kwababi.
