U-Isaya 1
1 Umbono omayelana ngoJuda leJerusalema owabonwa ngu-Isaya indodana ka-Amozi ensukwini zokubusa kuka-Uziya, loJothamu, lo-Ahazi loHezekhiya amakhosi akoJuda.
The vision of Isaiah, the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Joatham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
2 Zwanini, mazulu! Lalelani, mhlaba! Ngoba uThixo usekhulumile: “Ngondla abantwana ngabakhulisa, kodwa sebengihlamukele.
Listen, O heavens, and pay attention, O earth, for the Lord has spoken. I have nurtured and raised children, but they have spurned me.
3 Inkabi iyamazi umniniyo, lobabhemi uyasazi isibaya somnikazi wakhe, kodwa u-Israyeli kazi, abantu bami kabaqedisisi.”
An ox knows his owner, and a donkey knows the manger of his lord, but Israel has not known me, and my people have not understood.
4 Maye kuso isizwe esonayo, abantu abathwele amacala, inzalo yabenza okubi, abantwana abaxhwalileyo! Sebemlahlile uThixo; bamdelele oNgcwele ka-Israyeli, bamfulathela.
Woe to a sinful nation, a people burdened by iniquity, a wicked offspring, accursed children. They have abandoned the Lord. They have blasphemed the Holy One of Israel. They been taken away backwards.
5 Kungani kumele litshaywe futhi? Kungani liqhubeka ngokuhlamuka? Ikhanda lakho lonke lilimele, yonke inhliziyo yakho ihlukuluziwe.
For what reason shall I continue to strike you, as you increase transgressions? The entire head is feeble, and the entire heart is grieving.
6 Kusukela ngaphansi kwentende yonyawo lwakho kusiya esicholo sekhanda lakho akukho kuphelela, kodwa izilonda lemvivinya kuphela, kanye lamanxeba; akugeziswanga, akubotshwanga kumbe kwathanjiswa ngamafutha.
From the sole of the foot, even to the top of the head, there is no soundness within. Wounds and bruises and swelling sores: these are not bandaged, nor treated with medicine, nor soothed with oil.
7 Ilizwe lenu lichithekile, amadolobho enu atshiswa ngomlilo, umhlaba wenu uphundlwa ngabezizweni, phambi kwenu uqobo, uchitheka njengalapho udilizwa ngabezizweni.
Your land is desolate. Your cities have been set ablaze. Foreigners devour your countryside in your sight, and it will become desolate, as if devastated by enemies.
8 Indodakazi yaseZiyoni isele njengedumba esivinini, njengendlwana ensimini yamajodo, njengedolobho elihonqolozelweyo.
And the daughter of Zion will be left behind, like an arbor in a vineyard, and like a shelter in a cucumber field, and like a city being laid to waste.
9 Aluba uThixo uSomandla kasitshiyelanga abalutshwana abasindayo, sasizakuba njengeSodoma; sasizafana leGomora.
If the Lord of hosts had not bequeathed us offspring, we would have been like Sodom, and we would have been comparable to Gomorrah.
10 Zwanini ilizwi likaThixo, lina babusi baseSodoma, lalelani umthetho kaNkulunkulu wethu, lina bantu baseGomora!
Listen to the Word of the Lord, you leaders of the people of Sodom. Listen closely to the law of our God, O people of Gomorrah.
11 “Ubunengi bemihlatshelo yenu buyini kimi?” kutsho uThixo. “Ngileminikelo yokutshiswa edlula efunekayo, eyenqama lamahwahwa ezifuyo ezinonisiweyo; igazi lenkunzi, lelamawundlu lelembuzi kalingithokozisi.
The multitude of your sacrifices, what is that to me, says the Lord? I am full. I do not desire holocausts of rams, nor the fat of fatlings, nor the blood of calves and of lambs and of he-goats.
12 Lapho lisiza phambi kwami, ngubani othe linyathele amaguma ami na?
When you approach before my sight, who is it that requires these things from your hands, so that you would walk in my courts?
13 Yekelani ukuletha iminikelo eyize! Impepha yenu iyisinengiso kimi. Angingeke ngibekezelele imbuthano yenu yobubi, eyokuThwasa kweNyanga, amaSabatha lemihlangano.
You should no longer offer sacrifice in vain. Incense is an abomination to me. The new moons and the Sabbaths and the other feast days, I will not receive. Your gatherings are iniquitous.
14 Umphefumulo wami uyawazonda amadili enu okuthwasa kwezinyanga lemikhosi yenu emisiweyo. Sekube ngumthwalo kimi; sengikhathele ngokukuthwala.
My soul hates your days of proclamation and your solemnities. They have become bothersome to me. I labor to endure them.
15 Lapho lichaya izandla zenu likhuleka, ngizalifihlela amehlo ami; loba selikhuleka imikhuleko eminengi, angiyikulalela. Izandla zenu zigcwele igazi!
And so, when you extend your hands, I will avert my eyes from you. And when you multiply your prayers, I will not heed you. For your hands are full of blood.
16 Gezani libe ngabahlambulukileyo. Susani izenzo zenu ezimbi phambi kobuso bami; yekelani ukwenza okubi.
Wash, become clean, take away the evil of your intentions from my eyes. Cease to act perversely.
17 Fundani ukwenza okulungileyo; funani ukwahlulela okuhle. Khuthazani abancindezelweyo. Vikelani izintandane; lamulelani umfelokazi.
Learn to do good. Seek judgment, support the oppressed, judge for the orphan, defend the widow.
18 Wozani, siqondisane sindawonye,” kutsho uThixo. “Lanxa izono zenu zibomvu gebhu, zizakuba mhlophe njengonqwaqwane, loba zibomvu njengegazi, zizakuba njengoboya bezimvu.
And then approach and accuse me, says the Lord. Then, if your sins are like scarlet, they shall be made white like snow; and if they are red like vermillion, they shall become white like wool.
19 Nxa livuma njalo lilalela, lizakudla okuhle kwelizwe;
If you are willing, and you listen to me, then you will eat the good things of the land.
20 kodwa nxa linqaba, lihlamuka, lizadliwa yinkemba.” Ngoba umlomo kaThixo usukhulumile.
But if you are not willing, and you provoke me to anger, then the sword will devour you. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
21 Khangelani ukuthi idolobho elithembekileyo seliphenduke laba yisifebe kanjani! Lake lagcwala ngokufaneleyo; ukulunga kwakuhlala kulo, kodwa khathesi sekuhlala ababulali!
How has the faithful city, full of judgment, become a harlot? Justice lived in her, but now murderers.
22 Isiliva senu sesingamanyele, iwayini lenu elihle selihlanganiswe lamanzi.
Your silver has turned into dross. Your wine has been mixed with water.
23 Ababusi benu bangabahlamuki, abangane bamasela; bonke bathanda izivalamlomo, bafune izipho. Izintandane kabazivikeli; indaba yomfelokazi kayifiki kibo.
Your leaders are unfaithful, the associates of thieves. They all love gifts; they pursue rewards. They do not judge for orphans, and the widow’s case is not brought before them.
24 Ngakho-ke iNkosi, uThixo uSomandla, uMninimandla ka-Israyeli, uthi: “Yebo! Ngizabhodlisela ezitheni zami, ngibuye ngiphindisele kwabayizitha zami.
Because of this, the Lord God of hosts, the Strength of Israel, says: Ah! I will be consoled over my enemies, and I will be vindicated from my adversaries.
25 Ngizaphakamisela isandla sami kini; ngizawahlambulula ngokupheleleyo amanyele enu, ngisuse lakho konke ukungcola kwenu.
And I will turn my hand to you. And I will temper your dross unto purity, and I will take away all your tin.
26 Ngizabuyisa abehluleli benu njengezinsukwini zakudala, labeluleki benu njengasekuqaleni. Muva uzabizwa ngokuthi iDolobho Lokulunga, iDolobho Elithembekileyo.”
And I will restore your judges, so that they will be as before, and your counselors as in times long past. After this, you shall be called the City of the Just, the Faithful City.
27 IZiyoni izahlengwa ngemfanelo, abaphendukayo bayo bahlengwe ngokulunga.
Zion will be redeemed in judgment, and they will lead her back to justice.
28 Kodwa abahlamuki lezoni bazachithwa, lalabo abalahla uThixo bazabhubha.
And he shall crush the accursed and sinners together. And those who have abandoned the Lord will be consumed.
29 “Lizayangeka ngenxa yezihlahla zomʼokhi ezingcwele elazithokozisa ngazo. Lizadana ngamasimu elawakhethayo.
For they shall be confounded because of the idols, to which they have sacrificed. And you shall be ashamed over the gardens that you chose,
30 Lizafana lomʼokhi olamahlamvu asebuna, lanjengensimu engelamanzi.
when you were like an oak with falling leaves, and like a garden without water.
31 Indoda elamandla izafana lencwathi, umsebenzi wayo ufane lenhlansi; kokubili kuzakutsha kanyekanye, kungekho ozacitsha umlilo.”
And your strength will be like the embers from stubble, and your work will be like a spark, and both will burn together, and there will be no one to extinguish it.
