U-Isaya 21
1 Isiphrofethi mayelana leNkangala engasoLwandle: Njengesivunguzane sidlula eNegebi, umhlaseli uvela enkangala evelela elizweni elesabekayo.
The burden of the wilderness of the sea. As whirlwinds in the South sweep through, it cometh from the wilderness, from a terrible land.
2 Ngitshengiswe umbono owesabekayo. Umthengisi uyathengisa, umkhuthuzi uthatha impahla. Elamu, hlasela! Mediya, vimbezela! Mina ngizakuqeda konke ukububula akudalileyo.
A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous man dealeth treacherously, and the destroyer destroyeth. Go up, O Elam; besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease.
3 Ngalokhu umzimba wami uyafuthelwa, ngiphethwe yibuhlungu obufana lobowesifazane ehelelwa. Ngithithibaliswa yilokhu engikuzwayo, ngidideka ngalokhu engikubonayo.
Therefore are my loins filled with anguish; pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman in travail: I am pained so that I cannot hear; I am dismayed so that I cannot see.
4 Inhliziyo yami iphela amandla, ukwesaba kungenza ngiqhaqhazele; ukuhlwa engibe ngikufisa, sekusesabeka kimi.
My heart fluttereth, horror hath affrighted me; the twilight that I desired hath been turned into trembling unto me.
5 Itafula bayilungisile, bendlala amalembu bayadla, bayanatha. Sukumani lina zikhulu, ligcobe amahawu!
They prepare the table, they set the watch, they eat, they drink: rise up, ye princes, anoint the shield.
6 Lokhu yikho uThixo akutshoyo kimi: “Hamba uyefaka umlindi ukuze abike akubonayo.
For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman; let him declare what he seeth:
7 Angabona izinqola zempi, kulemihlambi yamabhiza, abagadi phezu kwabobabhemi loba abagadi phezu kwamakamela, kaqaphele; aqaphelisise sibili.”
and when he seeth a troop, horsemen in pairs, a troop of asses, a troop of camels, he shall hearken diligently with much heed.
8 Umlindi wasememeza esithi, “Nkosi yami, usuku ngosuku ngiyema phezu komphotshongo wokulinda; ubusuku ngabunye ngihlala ensikeni yami.
And he cried as a lion: O Lord, I stand continually upon the watch-tower in the day-time, and am set in my ward whole nights;
9 Khangela, nangu umuntu esiza esenqoleni yempi lomhlambi wamabhiza. Uphendula esithi, ‘IBhabhiloni isidilikile, isidilikile! Zonke izifanekiso zezithombe zayo zihlakazekele phansi!’”
and, behold, here cometh a troop of men, horsemen in pairs. And he answered and said, Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the graven images of her gods are broken unto the ground.
10 Awu bantu bami elibhulelwe esizeni, ngilitshela engikuzwileyo kuvela Thixo uSomandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.
O thou my threshing, and the grain of my floor! that which I have heard from Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you.
11 Isiphrofethi esimayelana leDuma: Umuntu othile uyangimemeza eseSeyiri, esithi, “Mlindi, kuyini okwebusuku okusaseleyo? Mlindi, kuyini okwebusuku okusaseleyo?”
The burden of Dumah. One calleth unto me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?
12 Umlindi uphendula esithi, “Ukusa kuyeza, kodwa lobusuku buyeza. Nxa ufuna ukubuza, buza; uphinde ubuye futhi.”
The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire ye: turn ye, come.
13 Isiphrofethi esimayelana le-Arabhiya: Lina zindwendwe zabakoDedani ezimise emahlabathini ase-Arabhiya,
The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye caravans of Dedanites.
14 lethelani abomileyo amanzi; lina elihlala eThema, lethelani ababalekayo ukudla.
Unto him that was thirsty they brought water; the inhabitants of the land of Tema did meet the fugitives with their bread.
15 Babalekela inkemba, inkemba eqhatshisiweyo, babalekela idandili eligotshiweyo, lokutshisa kwempi.
For they fled away from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.
16 Lokhu yikho uThixo akutshoyo kimi ukuthi: “Phakathi komnyaka owodwa nje, njengendlela isisebenzi esiqhatshiweyo esingawubala ngayo, lonke udumo lweKhedari luzaphela.
For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Within a year, according to the years of a hireling, all the glory of Kedar shall fail;
17 Abasindayo kwabemitshoko, amabutho aseKhedari, bazakuba balutshwana.” UThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, usekhulumile.
and the residue of the number of the archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be few; for Jehovah, the God of Israel, hath spoken it.
