< U-Isaya 18 >
1 Maye ngelizwe elilokuphaphazela kwempiko emifuleni yaseKhushi,
Ho, land shadowed [with] wings, That [is] beyond the rivers of Cush,
2 elithuma izithunywa zihamba olwandle ngezikepe zemihlanga phezu kwamanzi. Hambani, zithunywa ezilejubane, liye ebantwini abade abalejwabu elibutshelezi, ebantwini abesatshwayo ezindaweni zonke, isizwe esilolaka, esilolimi olungaziwayo, esilizwe laso lehlukaniswe yimifula.
That is sending by sea ambassadors, Even with implements of reed on the face of the waters, — Go, ye light messengers, Unto a nation drawn out and peeled, Unto a people fearful from its beginning and onwards, A nation meeting out by line, and treading down, Whose land floods have spoiled.
3 Lonke lina bantu bomhlaba, lina elihlala emhlabeni, lapho uphawu luphakanyiswa phezu kwezintaba lizalubona, lalapho uphondo lukhala lizaluzwa.
All ye inhabitants of the world, And ye dwellers of earth, At the lifting up of an ensign on hills ye look, And at the blowing of a trumpet ye hear.
4 Lokhu yikho uThixo akutshoyo kimi: “Ngizakwala ngithule, ngikhangele ngisendaweni yami yokuhlala, njengokucwebezela kokutshisa ekukhanyeni kwelanga, lanjengenkungu yamazolo ngesikhathi sokuvuna.”
For thus said Jehovah unto me, 'I rest, and I look on My settled place, As a clear heat on an herb. As a thick cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.
5 Ngoba kungakavunwa, lapho ukukhahlela sekudlule, amaluba esesiba livini elivuthiweyo, uzaquma amahlumela ngamahloka okuthena, aqume lengatsha ezinabayo, azisuse.
For before harvest, when the flower is perfect, And the blossom is producing unripe fruit, Then hath [one] cut the sprigs with pruning hooks, And the branches he hath turned aside, cut down.
6 Zonke zizatshiyelwa izinyoni zasezintabeni ezidla inyama, lezinyamazana zeganga; izinyoni zizakudla ihlobo lonke, izinyamazana zeganga ubusika bonke.
They are left together to the ravenous fowl of the mountains, And to the beast of the earth, And summered on them hath the ravenous fowl, And every beast of the earth wintereth on them.
7 Ngalesosikhathi izipho zizalethwa kuThixo uSomandla zivela ebantwini abade abalamajwabu abutshelezi, zivela ebantwini abesatshwayo ezindaweni zonke. Isizwe esilolaka, esilolimi olungaziwayo, esilizwe laso lehlukaniswe yimifula, izipho zizalethwa entabeni iZiyoni, endaweni yeBizo likaThixo uSomandla.
At that time brought is a present to Jehovah of Hosts, A nation drawn out and peeled. Even of a people fearful from the beginning hitherto, A nation meting out by line, and treading down, Whose land floods have spoiled, Unto the place of the name of Jehovah of Hosts — mount Zion!'