U-Isaya 1
1 Umbono omayelana ngoJuda leJerusalema owabonwa ngu-Isaya indodana ka-Amozi ensukwini zokubusa kuka-Uziya, loJothamu, lo-Ahazi loHezekhiya amakhosi akoJuda.
This is the vision that Isaiah, son of Amoz, saw about Judah and Jerusalem in the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
2 Zwanini, mazulu! Lalelani, mhlaba! Ngoba uThixo usekhulumile: “Ngondla abantwana ngabakhulisa, kodwa sebengihlamukele.
Heavens, listen! Earth, pay attention! For the Lord has spoken! I brought up children, I cared for them, but they have rebelled against me.
3 Inkabi iyamazi umniniyo, lobabhemi uyasazi isibaya somnikazi wakhe, kodwa u-Israyeli kazi, abantu bami kabaqedisisi.”
An ox knows its owner, and a donkey knows its feeding trough; but my people don't know me, they don't understand me.
4 Maye kuso isizwe esonayo, abantu abathwele amacala, inzalo yabenza okubi, abantwana abaxhwalileyo! Sebemlahlile uThixo; bamdelele oNgcwele ka-Israyeli, bamfulathela.
What a sinful nation—a people carrying such a load of guilt, an evil generation, corrupt children! They have abandoned the Lord. They have despised Israel's Holy One. They have become strangers. They have gone backwards.
5 Kungani kumele litshaywe futhi? Kungani liqhubeka ngokuhlamuka? Ikhanda lakho lonke lilimele, yonke inhliziyo yakho ihlukuluziwe.
Are you wanting to be punished? Are you going to continue to rebel? The whole of your head is damaged, and your heart is totally giving out.
6 Kusukela ngaphansi kwentende yonyawo lwakho kusiya esicholo sekhanda lakho akukho kuphelela, kodwa izilonda lemvivinya kuphela, kanye lamanxeba; akugeziswanga, akubotshwanga kumbe kwathanjiswa ngamafutha.
You're injured from head to toe, bruised and sore, with open wounds that haven't been cleaned or bandaged or treated with olive oil.
7 Ilizwe lenu lichithekile, amadolobho enu atshiswa ngomlilo, umhlaba wenu uphundlwa ngabezizweni, phambi kwenu uqobo, uchitheka njengalapho udilizwa ngabezizweni.
Your country has been devastated, your towns burned down, your fields stripped bare by foreigners right in front of you, as they turn it all into a wasteland.
8 Indodakazi yaseZiyoni isele njengedumba esivinini, njengendlwana ensimini yamajodo, njengedolobho elihonqolozelweyo.
The daughter of Zion is left like a shack in a vineyard, like a hut in a cucumber field, like a city under attack.
9 Aluba uThixo uSomandla kasitshiyelanga abalutshwana abasindayo, sasizakuba njengeSodoma; sasizafana leGomora.
If the Lord Almighty hadn't let a few of us survive, we would have become like Sodom and Gomorrah.
10 Zwanini ilizwi likaThixo, lina babusi baseSodoma, lalelani umthetho kaNkulunkulu wethu, lina bantu baseGomora!
Listen to what the Lord has to say, you rulers of Sodom! Pay attention to the instructions of our God, you people of Gomorrah!
11 “Ubunengi bemihlatshelo yenu buyini kimi?” kutsho uThixo. “Ngileminikelo yokutshiswa edlula efunekayo, eyenqama lamahwahwa ezifuyo ezinonisiweyo; igazi lenkunzi, lelamawundlu lelembuzi kalingithokozisi.
What use are all your many sacrifices to me? asks the Lord. I am sick and tired of your burnt offerings of rams and the fat of sacrificial animals. I don't delight in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats!
12 Lapho lisiza phambi kwami, ngubani othe linyathele amaguma ami na?
When you come to appear before me in worship, who asked you to proudly tramp around my courts?
13 Yekelani ukuletha iminikelo eyize! Impepha yenu iyisinengiso kimi. Angingeke ngibekezelele imbuthano yenu yobubi, eyokuThwasa kweNyanga, amaSabatha lemihlangano.
Don't bring me any more meaningless offerings; your incense is offensive to me. Your new moon festivals and Sabbath observations and your calling of special religious meetings—I can't stand them because they're evil, as are your solemn assemblies.
14 Umphefumulo wami uyawazonda amadili enu okuthwasa kwezinyanga lemikhosi yenu emisiweyo. Sekube ngumthwalo kimi; sengikhathele ngokukuthwala.
I detest your new moon and yearly festivals with my whole being! They've become just a burden to me—I can't bear them anymore!
15 Lapho lichaya izandla zenu likhuleka, ngizalifihlela amehlo ami; loba selikhuleka imikhuleko eminengi, angiyikulalela. Izandla zenu zigcwele igazi!
When you hold up your hands to me in prayer, I'll look away. Even though you pray many prayers, I won't pay attention to them, because your hands are full of blood.
16 Gezani libe ngabahlambulukileyo. Susani izenzo zenu ezimbi phambi kobuso bami; yekelani ukwenza okubi.
Wash yourselves and clean yourselves up. Get rid of your sins—I don't want to see them! Stop doing evil!
17 Fundani ukwenza okulungileyo; funani ukwahlulela okuhle. Khuthazani abancindezelweyo. Vikelani izintandane; lamulelani umfelokazi.
Learn to do good; strive for justice, condemn those who oppress others; support the rights of orphans, take up cases to defend widows.
18 Wozani, siqondisane sindawonye,” kutsho uThixo. “Lanxa izono zenu zibomvu gebhu, zizakuba mhlophe njengonqwaqwane, loba zibomvu njengegazi, zizakuba njengoboya bezimvu.
Come on, let's argue this out, says the Lord. Even though your sins are like scarlet, they will become white like snow. Even though they are red like crimson, they will become like wool.
19 Nxa livuma njalo lilalela, lizakudla okuhle kwelizwe;
If you really want this, and if you do as you're told, then you yourselves will eat the best things that the land produces.
20 kodwa nxa linqaba, lihlamuka, lizadliwa yinkemba.” Ngoba umlomo kaThixo usukhulumile.
But if you are defiant, and if you are rebellious, you'll be killed by the sword. This is what the Lord has declared!
21 Khangelani ukuthi idolobho elithembekileyo seliphenduke laba yisifebe kanjani! Lake lagcwala ngokufaneleyo; ukulunga kwakuhlala kulo, kodwa khathesi sekuhlala ababulali!
The city that used to be faithful has turned into a prostitute! Once she operated on principles of justice and followed what was right, but now only murderers live there.
22 Isiliva senu sesingamanyele, iwayini lenu elihle selihlanganiswe lamanzi.
Your silver has become worthless waste; you wine has been watered down.
23 Ababusi benu bangabahlamuki, abangane bamasela; bonke bathanda izivalamlomo, bafune izipho. Izintandane kabazivikeli; indaba yomfelokazi kayifiki kibo.
Your leaders are rebels, friends of thieves. They all love bribes and want to get kickbacks. They don't defend the rights of orphans, and refuse to take cases to help widows.
24 Ngakho-ke iNkosi, uThixo uSomandla, uMninimandla ka-Israyeli, uthi: “Yebo! Ngizabhodlisela ezitheni zami, ngibuye ngiphindisele kwabayizitha zami.
So this is what the Lord says, the Lord Almighty, the Mighty One of Israel: Ha! I will take satisfaction in punishing my enemies, by paying back those who hate me!
25 Ngizaphakamisela isandla sami kini; ngizawahlambulula ngokupheleleyo amanyele enu, ngisuse lakho konke ukungcola kwenu.
I will turn against you. I will refine you in a furnace, removing all impurities.
26 Ngizabuyisa abehluleli benu njengezinsukwini zakudala, labeluleki benu njengasekuqaleni. Muva uzabizwa ngokuthi iDolobho Lokulunga, iDolobho Elithembekileyo.”
I will give you good leaders as you used to have before, wise counselors as you had in the beginning. After that you will once again be called the City of Integrity, the Faithful City.
27 IZiyoni izahlengwa ngemfanelo, abaphendukayo bayo bahlengwe ngokulunga.
Zion will be rescued by justice, those who repent by doing right.
28 Kodwa abahlamuki lezoni bazachithwa, lalabo abalahla uThixo bazabhubha.
But rebels and sinners will be destroyed together, and those who abandon the Lord will die.
29 “Lizayangeka ngenxa yezihlahla zomʼokhi ezingcwele elazithokozisa ngazo. Lizadana ngamasimu elawakhethayo.
You will be ashamed about how you enjoyed your pagan worship among the oak trees; you will be embarrassed because you chose the pleasure gardens of idols.
30 Lizafana lomʼokhi olamahlamvu asebuna, lanjengensimu engelamanzi.
As a result you will become like an oak whose leaves have withered, a dried-out garden that has no water.
31 Indoda elamandla izafana lencwathi, umsebenzi wayo ufane lenhlansi; kokubili kuzakutsha kanyekanye, kungekho ozacitsha umlilo.”
Your strong people will become like tinder, and their work will become like a spark. They will burn together, and nobody will be able to put out the flames.
