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.
THE WORD CONCERNING TYRE. Howl, you ships of Carthage; for she has perished, and [men] no longer arrive from the land of the Citians: she is led captive.
2 Thulani lina bantu basesihlengeni lani bathengi baseSidoni, asebanothiswa ngabahambi bolwandle.
To whom are the dwellers in the island become like, the merchants of Phoenice, passing over the sea
3 Amabele aseShihori eza ephezu kwamanzi, isivuno saseNayili sasiyinzuzo yeThire, njalo yaba yindawo yezizwe yokuthengiselana.
in great waters, a generation of merchants? as when the harvest is gathered in, [so are] these traders with 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.”
Be ashamed, O Sidon: the sea has said, yes, the strength of the sea has said, I have not travailed, nor brought forth, nor have I brought up young men, nor reared virgins.
5 Lapho ilizwi lifika eGibhithe bazakuba lusizi ngombiko ovela eThire.
Moreover when it shall be heard in Egypt, sorrow shall seize them for Tyre.
6 Khuphukelani ngaseThashishi; khalani lina bantu basesihlengeni.
Depart you to Carthage; howl, you that dwell in this island.
7 Leli yilo na idolobho lenu lentokozo, idolobho elidaladala, elinyawo zalo zalithatha ukuyalihlalisa emazweni akude?
Was not this your pride from the beginning, before she was given up?
8 Ngubani ocebe lokhu ngeThire, umethesi wemiqhele, abathengisi bayo bangamakhosana, abathengisi bayo badumile emhlabeni?
Who has devised this counsel against Tyre? Is she inferior? or has she no strength? her merchants were the glorious princes of the earth.
9 UThixo uSomandla wakuceba lokhu, ukwehlisa ukuzigqaja kwenkazimulo yonke lokuthobisa bonke abalodumo emhlabeni.
The Lord of hosts has purposed to bring down all the pride of the glorious ones, and to disgrace every glorious thing on the earth.
10 Lima insimu yakho malungana leNayili wena Ndodakazi yaseThashishi ngoba kawuselayo indawo yokungenisa imikhumbi.
Till your land; for ships no more come out of Carthage.
11 UThixo useselulele isandla sakhe phezu kolwandle wenza imibuso yalo yanyikinyeka. Usekhuphe umlayo ngeKhenani ukuba izinqaba zayo zidilizwe.
And your hand prevails no more by sea, which troubled kings: the Lord of hosts has given a command concerning Chanaan, to destroy the strength thereof.
12 Wathi, “Akusekho ukuthokoza kwakho wena Ndodakazi Egcweleyo yaseSidoni esichoboziwe! Vuka ukhuphukele ngaseKhithimi; lakhona awuyikuthola ukuphumula.”
And [men] shall say, You shall no longer at all continue to insult and injure the daughter of Sidon: and if you depart to the Citians, neither there shall you have 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.
And [if you depart] to the land of the Chaldeans, this also is laid waste by the Assyrians, for her wall is fallen.
14 Khalani lina mikhumbi yaseThashishi, inqaba yenu idiliziwe!
Howl, you ships of Carthage: for your strong hold is destroyed.
15 Ngalesosikhathi iThire izakhohlakala okweminyaka engamatshumi ayisikhombisa, ibanga lokuphila kwenkosi. Kodwa ekupheleni kwaleyominyaka engamatshumi ayisikhombisa, eThire kuzakwenzakala okunjengokutshiwo yingoma yewule ukuthi:
And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] Tyre shall be left seventy years, as the time of a king, as the time of a man: and it shall come to pass after seventy years, [that] Tyre shall be as the song of a harlot.
16 “Thatha ichacho, uhambahambe phakathi kwedolobho wena wule elikhohlakeleyo. Litshaye kuhle ichacho, uhlabele izingoma ezinengi, ukuze ukhunjulwe.”
Take a harp, go about, O city, you harlot that have been forgotten; play well on the harp, sing many [songs], that you may be remembered.
17 Ekupheleni kweminyaka engamatshumi ayisikhombisa uThixo uzakhumbula iThire. IThire lizabuyela ekuthengiseni kwalo njengesifebe, njalo lizabuyela emsebenzini walo wokuthengiselana lemibuso yonke esemhlabeni.
And it shall come to pass after the seventy years, [that] God will visit Tyre, and she shall be again restored to her primitive state, and she shall be a mart for all the kingdoms of the world on the face of the earth.
18 Inzuzo lemiholo yalo kuzakwahlukaniselwa uThixo; kakuyikulondolozwa loba kubuthelelwe. Inzuzo yalo izakuya kulabo abahlala loThixo ukuba babe lokudla okunengi lezigqoko ezinhle.
And her trade and her gain shall be holiness to the Lord: it shall not be gathered for them, but for those that dwell before the Lord, [even] all her trade, to eat and drink and be filled, and for a covenant [and] a memorial before the Lord.
