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 prophecy concerning Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish! For it is laid waste; No house, no entrance is left! From the land of the Chittaeans were the tidings brought to them.
2 Thulani lina bantu basesihlengeni lani bathengi baseSidoni, asebanothiswa ngabahambi bolwandle.
Be amazed, ye inhabitants of the sea-coast, Which the merchants of Sidon, that pass over the sea, did crowd!
3 Amabele aseShihori eza ephezu kwamanzi, isivuno saseNayili sasiyinzuzo yeThire, njalo yaba yindawo yezizwe yokuthengiselana.
Upon the wide waters, the corn of the Nile, The harvest of the river, was her revenue; She was the mart of 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 thou ashamed, O Sidon, for the sea hath spoken, The fortress of the sea hath spoken thus: “I have not travailed, nor brought forth children; I have not nourished youths, nor brought up virgins.”
5 Lapho ilizwi lifika eGibhithe bazakuba lusizi ngombiko ovela eThire.
When the tidings shall reach Egypt, They shall be filled with anguish at the tidings concerning Tyre.
6 Khuphukelani ngaseThashishi; khalani lina bantu basesihlengeni.
Pass ye over to Tarshish; Howl, ye inhabitants of the sea-coast!
7 Leli yilo na idolobho lenu lentokozo, idolobho elidaladala, elinyawo zalo zalithatha ukuyalihlalisa emazweni akude?
Is this your joyous city, Whose antiquity is of ancient days? Now her own feet bear her To sojourn far away.
8 Ngubani ocebe lokhu ngeThire, umethesi wemiqhele, abathengisi bayo bangamakhosana, abathengisi bayo badumile emhlabeni?
Who hath purposed this against Tyre, The dispenser of crowns, Whose merchants are princes, Whose traders the nobles of the earth?
9 UThixo uSomandla wakuceba lokhu, ukwehlisa ukuzigqaja kwenkazimulo yonke lokuthobisa bonke abalodumo emhlabeni.
Jehovah of hosts hath purposed it, To bring down the pride of all glory, To humble the nobles of the earth.
10 Lima insimu yakho malungana leNayili wena Ndodakazi yaseThashishi ngoba kawuselayo indawo yokungenisa imikhumbi.
Go over thy land like the Nile, O daughter of Tarshish! Now thy bonds are broken.
11 UThixo useselulele isandla sakhe phezu kolwandle wenza imibuso yalo yanyikinyeka. Usekhuphe umlayo ngeKhenani ukuba izinqaba zayo zidilizwe.
He hath stretched out his hand over the sea, He hath made the kingdoms tremble; Jehovah hath given commandment concerning Canaan To destroy her strong holds.
12 Wathi, “Akusekho ukuthokoza kwakho wena Ndodakazi Egcweleyo yaseSidoni esichoboziwe! Vuka ukhuphukele ngaseKhithimi; lakhona awuyikuthola ukuphumula.”
He hath said, Thou shalt no more rejoice, Thou ravished virgin, daughter of Sidon! Arise, pass over to the Chittaeans; Yet even there shalt thou have no 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.
Behold the land of the Chaldaeans, Who, not long ago, were not a people, —The Assyrian assigned it to the inhabitants of the wilderness, —They raise their watch-towers; They destroy her palaces; They make her a heap of ruins.
14 Khalani lina mikhumbi yaseThashishi, inqaba yenu idiliziwe!
Howl, ye ships of Tarshish! For your stronghold 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 forgotten seventy years, According to the days of one king; But at the end of seventy years It shall be with Tyre as in the song of the harlot:
16 “Thatha ichacho, uhambahambe phakathi kwedolobho wena wule elikhohlakeleyo. Litshaye kuhle ichacho, uhlabele izingoma ezinengi, ukuze ukhunjulwe.”
“Take thy lyre, go about the city, O harlot, long forgotten; Make sweet melody; sing many songs, That thou mayst again be remembered!”
17 Ekupheleni kweminyaka engamatshumi ayisikhombisa uThixo uzakhumbula iThire. IThire lizabuyela ekuthengiseni kwalo njengesifebe, njalo lizabuyela emsebenzini walo wokuthengiselana lemibuso yonke esemhlabeni.
At the end of seventy years shall Jehovah show regard to Tyre, And she shall return to her hire, And play the harlot with all the kingdoms of the world, That are upon 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.
But her gain and her hire shall be holy to Jehovah; It shall not be treasured, nor laid up in store; But it shall be for them that dwell before Jehovah, For abundant food, and for splendid clothing.
