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.
Umthwalo wenkangala yolwandle. Njengokudlula kwezivunguzane eningizimu, kuzavela enkangala, 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.
Ngaziswe umbono olukhuni; umkhohlisi wenza ngenkohliso, lomchithi uyachitha. Yenyuka Elamu, uvimbezele Mede; ngiqede konke ukububula kwayo.
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.
Ngenxa yalokhu ukhalo lwami lugcwele ubuhlungu, imihelo ingibambile njengemihelo yobelethayo; ngagotshiswa ngenxa yokuzwa, ngadideka ngenxa yokubona.
4 Wandered hath my heart, trembling hath terrified me, The twilight of my desire He hath made a fear to me,
Inhliziyo yami yaduha, uvalo lwangesabisa; ukuhwalala engikuloyisayo wakwenza kwaba yikuthuthumela kimi.
5 Arrange the table, watch in the watch-tower, Eat, drink, rise, ye heads, anoint the shield,
Lungisa itafula, linda emphotshongweni wokulinda, dlana, unathe; sukumani, ziphathamandla, ligcobe isihlangu.
6 For thus said the Lord unto me: 'Go, station the watchman, That which he seeth let him declare.'
Ngoba yatsho njalo iNkosi kimi: Hamba umise umlindi; akhulume 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!
Wasebona inqola, abagadi bamabhiza ababili, inqola kababhemi, inqola yekamela; walalela ngesineke, ngesineke esikhulu.
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.
Wasememeza esithi: Isilwane, Nkosi, ngimi njalonjalo emphotshongweni wokulinda emini, njalo ngimi emlindweni ubusuku bonke.
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-ke, nansi inqola yomuntu isiza, labagadi bamabhiza ababili. Wasephendula wathi: Iwile, iwile iBhabhiloni; lazo zonke izithombe ezibaziweyo zabonkulunkulu bayo uzidilizele emhlabathini.
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!'
Lina okubhuliweyo kwami, lamabele ebala lami lokubhulela, engikuzwileyo eNkosini yamabandla, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, ngilitshelile khona.
11 The burden of Dumah. Unto me is [one] calling from Seir 'Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?'
Umthwalo weDuma. Uyangimemeza eseSeyiri esithi: Mlindi, uthini ngobusuku? Mlindi, uthini ngobusuku?
12 The watchman hath said, 'Come hath morning, and also night, If ye inquire, inquire ye, turn back, come.'
Umlindi wathi: Kuyeza ukusa, lobusuku futhi. Uba libuza, buzani, libuye, lize.
13 The burden on Arabia. In a forest in Arabia ye lodge, O travellers of Dedanim.
Umthwalo phezu kweArabhiya. Ehlathini leArabhiya lizalala ubusuku, lina zindwendwe zeDedani.
14 To meet the thirsty brought water have Inhabitants of the land of Tema, With his bread they came before a fugitive.
Mletheleni omileyo amanzi. Abahlali belizwe leTema bahlangabeza obalekayo ngokudla.
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.
Ngoba babalekela izinkemba, inkemba ehwatshiweyo, ledandili eligotshiweyo, lobunzima bempi.
16 For thus said the Lord unto me: 'Within a year, as years of a hireling, Consumed hath been all the honour of Kedar.
Ngoba itsho njalo iNkosi kimi: Kusesephakathi komnyaka, njengeminyaka yoqhatshiweyo, lonke udumo lweKedari 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!'
Lensali yenani labatshoki, amaqhawe amaKedari, bazakuba balutshwana. Ngoba iNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli isikhulumile.
