Isaiah 21
1 The burden of the wilderness of the sea. 'Like hurricanes in the south for passing through, From the wilderness it hath come, From a fearful land.
Isiphrofethi mayelana leNkangala engasoLwandle: Njengesivunguzane sidlula eNegebi, umhlaseli uvela enkangala evelela elizweni elesabekayo.
2 A hard vision hath been declared to me, The treacherous dealer is dealing treacherously, And the destroyer is destroying. Go up, O Elam, besiege, O Media, All its sighing I have caused to cease.
Ngitshengiswe umbono owesabekayo. Umthengisi uyathengisa, umkhuthuzi uthatha impahla. Elamu, hlasela! Mediya, vimbezela! Mina ngizakuqeda konke ukububula akudalileyo.
3 Therefore filled have been my loins [with] great pain, Pangs have seized me as pangs of a travailing woman, I have been bent down by hearing, I have been troubled by seeing.
Ngalokhu umzimba wami uyafuthelwa, ngiphethwe yibuhlungu obufana lobowesifazane ehelelwa. Ngithithibaliswa yilokhu engikuzwayo, ngidideka ngalokhu engikubonayo.
4 Wandered hath my heart, trembling hath terrified me, The twilight of my desire He hath made a fear to me,
Inhliziyo yami iphela amandla, ukwesaba kungenza ngiqhaqhazele; ukuhlwa engibe ngikufisa, sekusesabeka kimi.
5 Arrange the table, watch in the watch-tower, Eat, drink, rise, ye heads, anoint the shield,
Itafula bayilungisile, bendlala amalembu bayadla, bayanatha. Sukumani lina zikhulu, ligcobe amahawu!
6 For thus said the Lord unto me: 'Go, station the watchman, That which he seeth let him declare.'
Lokhu yikho uThixo akutshoyo kimi: “Hamba uyefaka umlindi ukuze abike akubonayo.
7 And he hath seen a chariot — a couple of horsemen, The rider of an ass, the rider of a camel, And he hath given attention — He hath increased attention!
Angabona izinqola zempi, kulemihlambi yamabhiza, abagadi phezu kwabobabhemi loba abagadi phezu kwamakamela, kaqaphele; aqaphelisise sibili.”
8 And he crieth — a lion, 'On a watch-tower my lord, I am standing continually by day, And on my ward I am stationed whole nights.
Umlindi wasememeza esithi, “Nkosi yami, usuku ngosuku ngiyema phezu komphotshongo wokulinda; ubusuku ngabunye ngihlala ensikeni yami.
9 And lo, this, the chariot of a man is coming, A couple of horsemen.' And he answereth and saith: 'Fallen, fallen hath Babylon, And all the graven images of her gods He hath broken to the earth.
Khangela, nangu umuntu esiza esenqoleni yempi lomhlambi wamabhiza. Uphendula esithi, ‘IBhabhiloni isidilikile, isidilikile! Zonke izifanekiso zezithombe zayo zihlakazekele phansi!’”
10 O my threshing, and the son of my floor, That which I heard from Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel, I have declared to you!'
Awu bantu bami elibhulelwe esizeni, ngilitshela engikuzwileyo kuvela Thixo uSomandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.
11 The burden of Dumah. Unto me is [one] calling from Seir 'Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?'
Isiphrofethi esimayelana leDuma: Umuntu othile uyangimemeza eseSeyiri, esithi, “Mlindi, kuyini okwebusuku okusaseleyo? Mlindi, kuyini okwebusuku okusaseleyo?”
12 The watchman hath said, 'Come hath morning, and also night, If ye inquire, inquire ye, turn back, come.'
Umlindi uphendula esithi, “Ukusa kuyeza, kodwa lobusuku buyeza. Nxa ufuna ukubuza, buza; uphinde ubuye futhi.”
13 The burden on Arabia. In a forest in Arabia ye lodge, O travellers of Dedanim.
Isiphrofethi esimayelana le-Arabhiya: Lina zindwendwe zabakoDedani ezimise emahlabathini ase-Arabhiya,
14 To meet the thirsty brought water have Inhabitants of the land of Tema, With his bread they came before a fugitive.
lethelani abomileyo amanzi; lina elihlala eThema, lethelani ababalekayo ukudla.
15 For from the face of destructions they fled, From the face of a stretched-out sword, And from the face of a trodden bow, And from the face of the grievousness of battle.
Babalekela inkemba, inkemba eqhatshisiweyo, babalekela idandili eligotshiweyo, lokutshisa kwempi.
16 For thus said the Lord unto me: 'Within a year, as years of a hireling, Consumed hath been all the honour of Kedar.
Lokhu yikho uThixo akutshoyo kimi ukuthi: “Phakathi komnyaka owodwa nje, njengendlela isisebenzi esiqhatshiweyo esingawubala ngayo, lonke udumo lweKhedari luzaphela.
17 And the remnant of the number of bow-men, The mighty of the sons of Kedar are few, For Jehovah, God of Israel, hath spoken!'
Abasindayo kwabemitshoko, amabutho aseKhedari, bazakuba balutshwana.” UThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, usekhulumile.
