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 has been a heap—a ruin.
2 Amadolobho ase-Aroyeri azatshiywa, etshiyelwa imihlambi ezalala phansi kungekho ozayenza yesabe.
The cities of Aroer are forsaken, They are for droves, and they have lain down, And there is none troubling.
3 Idolobho elivikelweyo lizanyamalala ko-Efrayimi lamandla obukhosi eDamaseko; insalela ka-Aramu izakuba njengodumo lwabako-Israyeli,” kutsho uThixo uSomandla.
And the fortress has ceased from Ephraim, And the kingdom from Damascus, And the remnant of Aram are as the glory of the sons of Israel, A declaration of YHWH of Hosts!
4 “Ngalolusuku udumo lukaJakhobe luzakwehla; amafutha asemzimbeni wakhe azancipha.
And it has come to pass in that day, The glory of Jacob waxes poor, And the fatness of his flesh waxes lean.
5 Kuzakuba njengalapho umvuni evuna amabele amiyo evuna amabele ngengalo yakhe, njenganxa umuntu edobha izikhwebu zamabele eSigodini saseRefayi.
And it has come to pass, As the gathering of the standing grain by the reaper, And his arm reaps the ears, And it has come to pass, As the gathering of the 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.
And gleanings have been left in him, As the surrounding of an olive, Two—three berries on the top of a branch, Four—five on the fruitful boughs, A declaration of YHWH, God of Israel!
7 Ngalolosuku abantu bazathembela kuMenzi wabo amehlo abo aphendukele koNgcwele ka-Israyeli.
In that day man looks to His Maker, Indeed, his eyes look to the Holy One of Israel,
8 Abayikuthembela ema-alithareni, umsebenzi wezandla zabo, njalo kabayikuzinanza izinsika zika-Ashera lama-alithare empepha enziwa yiminwe yabo.
And he does not look to the altars. The work of his own hands, And that which his own fingers made, He does not see—the Asherim and the images.
9 Ngalolosuku amadolobho abo aqinileyo, abawatshiyayo ngenxa yama-Israyeli azafana lezindawo ezatshiyelwa izixukwana lezihlahlanyana. Konke kuzakuba yincithakalo.
In that day the cities of his strength are As the forsaken thing of the forest, And the branch that they have left, Because of the sons of Israel, It has also been a desolation.
10 Selimkhohliwe uNkulunkulu uMsindisi wenu, kalilikhumbulanga iDwala, inqaba yenu. Ngakho lanxa ligxumeka izihlahla ezinhle, lihlanyele lamavini avela ezizweni,
Because you have forgotten the God of your salvation, And have not remembered the Rock of your strength, Therefore you plant plants of pleasantness, And sow it with a strange shoot,
11 lanxa lingawenza akhule ngelanga elizawagxumeka ngalo, loba liwenze ahlume ngekuseni eliwahlanyele ngayo, kodwa isivuno sizakuba yize ngosuku lwesifo lobuhlungu obungelaphekiyo.
You cause your plant to become great in the day, And make your seed to flourish in the morning, The harvest [is] a heap in a day of overflowing, And of mortal pain.
12 Maye, ukuhlokoma kwezizwe ezinengi, zihlokoma njengokuhlokoma kolwandle! Yeka ukuxokozela kwezizwe, zihuba njengokuhuba kwamanzi amanengi!
Woe [to] the multitude of many peoples, They sound as the sounding of seas; And the roaring of nations, As the roaring of mighty waters [that] make a crashing.
13 Lanxa izizwe zihuba njengokugubhuza kwamanzi, nxa ezikhuza zibalekela khatshana, njengamakhoba ephetshulwa ngumoya emaqaqeni, lanjengothuli olubangwa yisivunguzane.
Nations crash as the roaring of many waters, And He rebuked them, And they fled far off, And were pursued as chaff of hills before wind, And as a rolling thing before a windstorm.
14 Kusihlwa kuba lokuthuthumela. Kungakasi, kabasekho. Lesi yiso isabelo salabo abasikhuthuzayo, isabelo salabo abasihlaselayo.
At evening, behold, terror, before morning it is not, This [is] the portion of our spoilers, And the lot of our plunderers!
