U-Isaya 17
1 Isiqalekiso esimayelana leDamaseko: “Khangela iDamaseko kayisayikuba lidolobho kodwa izakuba yinqumbi yamanxiwa.
The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
2 Amadolobho ase-Aroyeri azatshiywa, etshiyelwa imihlambi ezalala phansi kungekho ozayenza yesabe.
The cities of Aroer are forsaken. They shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
3 Idolobho elivikelweyo lizanyamalala ko-Efrayimi lamandla obukhosi eDamaseko; insalela ka-Aramu izakuba njengodumo lwabako-Israyeli,” kutsho uThixo uSomandla.
And the fortress shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus. And the remnant of Syria, they shall be as the glory of the sons of Israel, says Jehovah of hosts.
4 “Ngalolusuku udumo lukaJakhobe luzakwehla; amafutha asemzimbeni wakhe azancipha.
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the glory of Jacob shall be made thin, and the fatness of his flesh shall grow lean.
5 Kuzakuba njengalapho umvuni evuna amabele amiyo evuna amabele ngengalo yakhe, njenganxa umuntu edobha izikhwebu zamabele eSigodini saseRefayi.
And it shall be as when the harvestman gathers the standing grain, and his arm reaps the ears. Yea, it shall be as when he gleans ears in the valley of Rephaim.
6 Ikanti ezinye izikhwebu zizasala, njengalapho isihlahla se-oliva sibhuliwe, kusale ama-oliva amabili loba amathathu ezingatsheni eziphezulu kakhulu, amane loba amahlanu ezingabeni zezithelo,” kutsho uThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.
Yet there shall be gleanings left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree-two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the outmost branches of a fruitful tree, says Jehovah, the God of Israel.
7 Ngalolosuku abantu bazathembela kuMenzi wabo amehlo abo aphendukele koNgcwele ka-Israyeli.
In that day men shall look to their maker, and their eyes shall have respect for the Holy One of Israel.
8 Abayikuthembela ema-alithareni, umsebenzi wezandla zabo, njalo kabayikuzinanza izinsika zika-Ashera lama-alithare empepha enziwa yiminwe yabo.
And they shall not look to the altars, the work of their hands, nor shall they have respect for that which their fingers have made, either the Asherim, or the sun-images.
9 Ngalolosuku amadolobho abo aqinileyo, abawatshiyayo ngenxa yama-Israyeli azafana lezindawo ezatshiyelwa izixukwana lezihlahlanyana. Konke kuzakuba yincithakalo.
In that day their strong cities shall be as the forsaken places in the woodland and on the mountain top, which were forsaken from before the sons of Israel, and it shall be a desolation.
10 Selimkhohliwe uNkulunkulu uMsindisi wenu, kalilikhumbulanga iDwala, inqaba yenu. Ngakho lanxa ligxumeka izihlahla ezinhle, lihlanyele lamavini avela ezizweni,
For thou have forgotten the God of thy salvation, and have not been mindful of the rock of thy strength. Therefore thou plant pleasant plants, and set it with foreign slips.
11 lanxa lingawenza akhule ngelanga elizawagxumeka ngalo, loba liwenze ahlume ngekuseni eliwahlanyele ngayo, kodwa isivuno sizakuba yize ngosuku lwesifo lobuhlungu obungelaphekiyo.
In the day of thy planting thou hedge it in, and in the morning thou make thy seed to blossom. But the harvest flees away in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow.
12 Maye, ukuhlokoma kwezizwe ezinengi, zihlokoma njengokuhlokoma kolwandle! Yeka ukuxokozela kwezizwe, zihuba njengokuhuba kwamanzi amanengi!
Ah, the uproar of many peoples, who roar like the roaring of the seas, and the rushing of nations, that rush like the rushing of mighty waters!
13 Lanxa izizwe zihuba njengokugubhuza kwamanzi, nxa ezikhuza zibalekela khatshana, njengamakhoba ephetshulwa ngumoya emaqaqeni, lanjengothuli olubangwa yisivunguzane.
The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters, but he shall rebuke them. And they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like the whirling dust before the storm.
14 Kusihlwa kuba lokuthuthumela. Kungakasi, kabasekho. Lesi yiso isabelo salabo abasikhuthuzayo, isabelo salabo abasihlaselayo.
At eventide, behold, terror, and before the morning they are not. This is the portion of those who despoil us, and the lot of those who rob us.
