U-Isaya 22
1 Isiphrofethi ngesiGodi soMbono: Kuyini okukukhathazayo khathesi, wena sewakhwela phezu kwezimpahla zezindlu,
[I received] this message [from Yahweh] about Jerusalem, about the valley where [Yahweh showed me] this vision. Why is everyone foolishly running up to their [flat] rooftops?
2 wena dolobho eligcwele iziphithiphithi, wena dolobho lokuxokozela lokuthokoza? Abafayo bakho ababulawanga ngenkemba, njalo kabafelanga empini.
Everyone in the city [seems to] be shouting. [There are a lot of] corpses [in the city], [but they] were not killed by [their enemies’] swords. They did not die in battles; [instead, they died from diseases and hunger].
3 Bonke abakhokheli bakho babaleke bebonke, bathunjiwe bengazange basebenzise mtshoko. Lonke lina elabanjwayo lathathwa ukuba libe yizibotshwa ndawonye, libalekile isitha sisesekhatshana.
All the leaders of the city fled. [But then] they were captured because they did not have bows [and arrows to defend themselves]. Your [soldiers tried to] flee while the enemy [army] was still far away, but they also were captured.
4 Ngakho ngathi, “Sukani kimi; lingiyekele ngikhale kabuhlungu. Lingazami ukungiduduza ngenxa yokuchithwa kwabantu bakithi.”
That is why I said, “Allow me to cry alone; do not try to comfort me [about my people being slaughtered].”
5 INkosi, uThixo uSomandla, ulosuku lokuxokozela lokugxoba lokwesaba eSigodini soMbono, usuku lokudiliza imiduli lokumemezela ezintabeni.
The Commander of the armies of angels has [chosen] a time when there will be a great uproar, [soldiers] marching, and people being terrified in the valley [where I received this] vision. [It will be a time when our city] walls will be battered down and [the people’s] cries [for help] will be heard in the mountains.
6 I-Elamu ithatha isikhwama semitshoko, labatshayeli balo bezinqola zempi, lamabhiza; iKhiri lambula ihawu.
The armies from Elam and Kir [in Media] will attack, driving chariots and carrying shields.
7 Izigodi zakho ezinhle kakhulu zigcwele izinqola zempi, abagadi bamabhiza bamiswe emasangweni edolobho.
Our beautiful valleys will be filled with [our enemies’] chariots and the men who drive the chariots will stand outside [our city] gates.
8 Ukuvikeleka kukaJuda kususiwe, Ngalolosuku wathemba izikhali eziseSigodlweni seHlathi,
The walls that protect [the cities in] Judah will fall down. You [people of Jerusalem] will run to get the weapons [that are stored in the building called] “the Hall of the Forest”.
9 wabona ukuthi iDolobho likaDavida lalilezikhala ezinengi ezivikelweni zalo; wagcina amanzi eSizibeni esingaPhansi.
You will see that there are many breaks/holes in the walls of Jerusalem. You will store water in the lower pool [in the city].
10 Wabala izindlu zaseJerusalema, wazidiliza ukuze kuqiniswe umduli.
You will inspect the houses in Jerusalem, and [some of] them you will tear down to use the stones to repair the [city] wall.
11 Phakathi kwemiduli yomibili wakha indawo yokugcinela amanzi eSiziba esiDala. Kodwa kawukhangelanga kuLowo owasenzayo, kumbe umnake Lowo owaceba ukusenza kudala.
Between the walls [of the city] you will build a reservoir to [store] water from the old pool. But you will never request help from the one who made the city; you have never depended on Yahweh, who planned this city long ago.
12 Ngalolosuku iNkosi, uThixo uSomandla, wakubiza ukuba ukhale ulile, usiphune inwele zakho, ugqoke isaka.
The Commander of the armies of angels told you to weep and mourn; he told you to shave your heads and to wear rough sackcloth to show that you were sorry for the sins that you had committed.
13 Kodwa khangela, kulokuthaba lokuthokoza, ukuhlatshwa kwezinkomo lokubalwa kwezimvu, ukudliwa kwenyama lokunathwa kwewayini! Lithi, “Kasidleni sinathe, ngoba kusasa sizakufa!”
But instead of doing that, you were happy and celebrating; you slaughtered cattle and sheep, [in order to cook their] meat and eat it and drink wine. You said, “Let’s eat and drink [all that we want to], because [it is possible that] we will die tomorrow!”
14 UThixo uSomandla usekuvezile lokhu ngisizwa: “Lesisono kasiyikuthethelelwa kuze kube lusuku lwakho lokufa,” kutsho iNkosi, uThixo uSomandla.
[So] the Commander of the armies of angels revealed this to me: “I will never forgive my people for sinning like this!”
15 Lokhu yikho okutshiwo yiNkosi, uThixo uSomandla, uthi: “Hamba, uthi encekwini le, kuShebhina ongumphathi wesigodlo:
The Commander of the armies of angels said this [to me]: “Go to Shebna, the official who supervises the workers in the palace, and give this message to him:
16 Wenzani lapha, njalo ngubani okuphe imvumo ukuba uzimbele ingcwaba lapha, ugubha ingcwaba lakho endaweni ephezulu, ugubha indawo yakho yokuphumula edwaleni?”
'[Who do you think you are?] Who gave you the authority to build a beautiful tomb where you will be buried, chiseling it out of the rocky cliff high above this valley?
17 Qaphela, sekuseduze ukuthi uThixo akubambe aqinise, akuphosele khatshana, wena ndoda elamandla.
You [think that you are] [IRO] a great man, but Yahweh is about to hurl you away. [It will be as though] he will seize you,
18 Uzakugoqa ngokuqinisa akubumbe njengebhola akuphosele elizweni elikhulu. Uzafela khonapho. Lezigqoko zakho zempi ezinhle zizasala khonapho, wenza ihlazo endlini yenkosi yakho!
and roll/crumple you into a ball and throw you away into a large distant land. You will die [and be buried] there, and your beautiful chariots will stay there [in the hands of your enemies]. And [because of what happens to you], your master, [the king], will be [very] ashamed/disgraced.
19 Ngizakususa esikhundleni sakho, njalo uzaxotshwa emsebenzini wakho.
Yahweh will force you to quit working in the palace; you will be demoted from your important position.
20 Ngalolosuku ngizabiza inceku yami, u-Eliyakhimu indodana kaHilikhiya.
Then I will summon Hilkiah’s son Eliakim, who has served serve me [well], to replace you.
21 Ngizamgqokisa izembatho zakho, ngimbophe ngebhanti lakho, ngimnike amandla akho. Uzakuba nguyise walabo abahlala eJerusalema lakwabendlu kaJuda.
I will allow him to wear your robe, and to fasten your sash around him, and I will give to him the authority that you had. He will be like [MET] a father to the people of Jerusalem and [all the other] towns in Judah.
22 Ngizabeka phezu kwamahlombe akhe isivulo sendlu kaDavida; akuvulayo kakho ongakuvala.
I will give to him authority [MTY] over [what happens in] the palace where King David [lived]; when he decides something [MET], no one will be able to oppose it; when he refuses to do something, no one will be able to force him to do it.
23 Ngizambethela njengesikhonkwane endaweni eqinileyo; uzakuba yisihlalo sobukhosi sasendlini kayise.
I will cause his family to be greatly respected, because I will put him firmly in his position [as supervisor of the workers in the palace], like [SIM] a nail that is firmly hammered into a wall.
24 Lonke udumo lwakwabo luzakuba kuye, inzalo yakhona lezizukulwane zonke, izitsha zakhona ezincinyane, kusukela emiganwini kusiya enkonxeni zonke.
Others will enable him to have much responsibility, with the result that all the members of his family, even the most insignificant ones, will be honored.'”
25 “Ngalolosuku,” kutsho uThixo uSomandla, “isikhonkwane esabethelwa endaweni eqinileyo sizakhumuka; sizaqunywa siwe, umthwalo ophezu kwaso uzawela phansi.” UThixo usekhulumile.
[But] the Commander of the armies of angels also says, “[Shebna is like] [MET] a peg that is firmly fastened to the wall. But there will be a time when I will [remove him from his position]; he will lose his power/influence, and everything that he promoted [MET] will fail. [That will surely happen] because [I], Yahweh, have said it.”
