U-Isaya 24
1 Khangela, uThixo uzabhidliza umhlaba utshabalale; uzawuchitha, ahlakaze abahlala kuwo.
Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.
2 Kuzafanana okuzenziwa kumphristi kuzenziwa lasebantwini, okuzenziwa enkosini kuzenziwa lasencekwini, okuzenziwa enkosikazini kuzenziwa lasencekukazini, okuzenziwa kumthengisi kuzenziwa lakumthengi, okuzenziwa kowebolekayo kuzenziwa lakumebolekisi, okuzenziwa kokweledayo kuzenziwa lakokweledisayo.
And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him.
3 Umhlaba uzatshabalaliswa nya uphangwe uqedwe du. UThixo uselikhulumile ilizwi leli.
The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word.
4 Umhlaba uyoma ubune, umhlaba uyahodoza ubune, abaphakemeyo bomhlaba bayahodoza!
The earth mourneth [and] fadeth away, the world languisheth [and] fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.
5 Umhlaba ungcoliswa ngabantu bawo. Kabayilalelanga imithetho, beqe imilayo bephula isivumelwano esingapheliyo.
The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.
6 Ngakho-ke umhlaba uchithwa yisiqalekiso; abantu bawo kumele bahlupheke ngenxa yokona kwabo. Ngakho abantu abahlala emhlabeni bayatshiswa, njalo balutshwana kakhulu abaseleyo.
Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.
7 Iwayini elitsha liyaphela, amavini ayabuna; bonke abenza umsindo bejabula bayabubula.
The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merryhearted do sigh.
8 Ukukhala kwamagedla kuthulisiwe, umsindo wabajabulayo usuphelile, ichacho lentokozo selithule.
The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth.
9 Kabasanathi iwayini behlabela, utshwala buyababa kubanathi babo.
They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it.
10 Idolobho elidilikileyo litshabalele; iminyango yezindlu zonke ivalekile.
The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man may come in.
11 Emigwaqweni bakhalela iwayini, yonke intokozo iba yikudana, ukujabula konke kuphelile emhlabeni.
[There is] a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone.
12 Idolobho lisele selingamanxiwa, isango lalo libhidlizwe laba yizicucu.
In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruction.
13 Kuzakuba njalo emhlabeni laphakathi kwezizwe, njengalapho isihlahla somʼoliva sinyikinywa, loba njengezithelo ezitholwa emva kokuvunwa kwamavini.
When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people, [there shall be] as the shaking of an olive tree, [and] as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done.
14 Baphakamisa amazwi abo, bahlabele ngentokozo; bememezela ubukhosi bukaThixo bengasentshonalanga.
They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the LORD, they shall cry aloud from the sea.
15 Ngakho-ke dumisani uThixo empumalanga; phakamisani uThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ezihlengeni zolwandle.
Wherefore glorify ye the LORD in the fires, [even] the name of the LORD God of Israel in the isles of the sea.
16 Sizwa ukuhlabelela okuvela emikhawulweni yomhlaba: “Udumo kalube koLungileyo.” Kodwa mina ngathi, “Ngiyacikizeka, ngiyacikizeka! Maye mina! Abakhohlisi bayaceba! Ngenkohliso abakhohlisi bayaceba!”
From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, [even] glory to the righteous. But I said, My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously.
17 Ukwesaba, igodi lomjibila kulilindele, lina bantu basemhlabeni.
Fear, and the pit, and the snare, [are] upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.
18 Loba ngubani obalekela umsindo wokwesaba uzawela egodini; loba ngubani ophumayo egodini uzabanjwa ngumjibila. Amasango asezulwini avuliwe, izisekelo zomhlaba ziyanyikinyeka.
And it shall come to pass, [that] he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake.
19 Umhlaba usubhidlikile, umhlaba usudabuke phakathi, umhlaba usunyikinywe impela.
The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.
20 Umhlaba udiyazela njengesidakwa, uzunguzeka njengendlu kulesiphepho; siwusinda kangaka isono sokuhlamuka kwawo uze uwe, awuyikuvuka futhi.
The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.
21 Ngalolosuku uThixo uzajezisa amabutho asemazulwini phezulu lamakhosi emhlabeni ngaphansi.
And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones [that are] on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.
22 Bazabuthelwa ndawonye njengezibotshwa zibotshiwe emgodini oyintolongo. Bazavalelwa entolongweni bajeziswe emva kwensuku ezinengi.
And they shall be gathered together, [as] prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.
23 Inyanga izayangeka, ilanga libelenhloni; ngoba uThixo uSomandla uzabusa ngenkazimulo phezu kweNtaba iZiyoni laphakathi kweJerusalema, laphambi kwabadala bakhona.
Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.
