U-Isaya 23
1 Isiqalekiso esimayelana leThire: Khalani lina mikhumbi yaseThashishi! Ngoba iThire selichithiwe lasala lingaselandlu kumbe indawo yokungenisa imikhumbi. Ilizwi selifikile kibo livela elizweni laseKhithimi.
A message about Tyre. Howl, people on the ships of Tarshish! Tyre has been destroyed—nothing is left of the houses and the harbor. They heard the news from the people of Cyprus.
2 Thulani lina bantu basesihlengeni lani bathengi baseSidoni, asebanothiswa ngabahambi bolwandle.
Stay shocked into silence, people of the coastlands, merchants of Sidon, and sailors.
3 Amabele aseShihori eza ephezu kwamanzi, isivuno saseNayili sasiyinzuzo yeThire, njalo yaba yindawo yezizwe yokuthengiselana.
Egyptian grain came across the wide oceans. The Nile's harvest was what made Tyre money; she was the merchant to the nations.
4 Woba lenhloni wena Sidoni, lawe wena nqaba yasolwandle ngoba ulwandle selukhulumile lwathi: kangizange ngihelelwe kumbe ngizale; “Kangizange ngondle amadodana kumbe ngikhulise amadodakazi.”
Feel the shame, Sidon! For the fortress of the sea says, “I have no children, having never been in labor or given birth. I have not brought up young men or brought up young women.”
5 Lapho ilizwi lifika eGibhithe bazakuba lusizi ngombiko ovela eThire.
When the news about Tyre reaches Egypt they will be in agony.
6 Khuphukelani ngaseThashishi; khalani lina bantu basesihlengeni.
Sail across to Tarshish! Howl, people of the coastlands!
7 Leli yilo na idolobho lenu lentokozo, idolobho elidaladala, elinyawo zalo zalithatha ukuyalihlalisa emazweni akude?
Is this really your triumphant city, whose beginnings are from the distant past, who has sent out people to colonize faraway places?
8 Ngubani ocebe lokhu ngeThire, umethesi wemiqhele, abathengisi bayo bangamakhosana, abathengisi bayo badumile emhlabeni?
Who planned this attack on Tyre? Tyre, who created kingdoms, whose merchants were princes, whose traders were honored around the world!
9 UThixo uSomandla wakuceba lokhu, ukwehlisa ukuzigqaja kwenkazimulo yonke lokuthobisa bonke abalodumo emhlabeni.
The Lord Almighty planned it, to humble its pride in all its glory, and to bring down all who receive worldly honor.
10 Lima insimu yakho malungana leNayili wena Ndodakazi yaseThashishi ngoba kawuselayo indawo yokungenisa imikhumbi.
Work your land, people of Tarshish, as they do beside the Nile, for you don't have a harbor anymore.
11 UThixo useselulele isandla sakhe phezu kolwandle wenza imibuso yalo yanyikinyeka. Usekhuphe umlayo ngeKhenani ukuba izinqaba zayo zidilizwe.
The Lord held his hand out over the sea and shook kingdoms. He has condemned Phoenicia, giving the order to destroy their fortresses.
12 Wathi, “Akusekho ukuthokoza kwakho wena Ndodakazi Egcweleyo yaseSidoni esichoboziwe! Vuka ukhuphukele ngaseKhithimi; lakhona awuyikuthola ukuphumula.”
He said, “Don't celebrate any more, mistreated virgin daughter of Sidon. Go and sail over to Cyprus—however, even there you won't find rest.”
13 Khangela elizweni lamaKhaladiya, abantu laba khathesi abangaselutho! Abase-Asiriya sebelenze laba yindawo yezidalwa zeganga; bakhe imiphotshongo yabo yokuzivikela, bazibhidlizile izinqaba zalo balenza laba lunxiwa.
Look at the country of the Babylonians, this people that are not as they used to be! The Assyrians have turned it into a place for desert animals. They set up their siege towers, they demolished the fortresses, and ruined the country.
14 Khalani lina mikhumbi yaseThashishi, inqaba yenu idiliziwe!
Howl, people on the ships of Tarshish because your fortress is destroyed!
15 Ngalesosikhathi iThire izakhohlakala okweminyaka engamatshumi ayisikhombisa, ibanga lokuphila kwenkosi. Kodwa ekupheleni kwaleyominyaka engamatshumi ayisikhombisa, eThire kuzakwenzakala okunjengokutshiwo yingoma yewule ukuthi:
At that time Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, a king's lifetime, as it were. But at the end of these seventy years, Tyre will be like the song about a prostitute,
16 “Thatha ichacho, uhambahambe phakathi kwedolobho wena wule elikhohlakeleyo. Litshaye kuhle ichacho, uhlabele izingoma ezinengi, ukuze ukhunjulwe.”
“Take a lyre and walk around the city, forgotten prostitute! Play and sing so people will remember you!”
17 Ekupheleni kweminyaka engamatshumi ayisikhombisa uThixo uzakhumbula iThire. IThire lizabuyela ekuthengiseni kwalo njengesifebe, njalo lizabuyela emsebenzini walo wokuthengiselana lemibuso yonke esemhlabeni.
After seventy years, the Lord will restore Tyre. But then she will go back to hiring herself out as a prostitute, selling herself to all the kingdoms of the world.
18 Inzuzo lemiholo yalo kuzakwahlukaniselwa uThixo; kakuyikulondolozwa loba kubuthelelwe. Inzuzo yalo izakuya kulabo abahlala loThixo ukuba babe lokudla okunengi lezigqoko ezinhle.
However, her profits and what she earns will consecrated to the Lord. They won't be kept or saved up, for her business earnings will go to those who worship the Lord, to provide them with plenty of food and good clothes.
