< U-Isaya 26 >
1 Ngalolosuku ingoma le izahlatshelwa elizweni lakoJuda: Siledolobho eliqinileyo; uNkulunkulu wenza ukusindisa kube yimiduli yalo lezivikelo.
In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city; His aid doth God appoint for walls and bulwarks.
2 Vulani amasango ukuze isizwe esilungileyo singene, isizwe esigcina ukuthembeka.
Open ye the gates, That the righteous nation may enter in, The nation that keepeth the truth.
3 Lizamemeza abe lokuthula okupheleleyo lowo olengqondo ebambelelayo, ngoba wethemba kuwe.
Him that is of a steadfast mind Thou wilt keep in continual peace, Because he trusteth in thee.
4 Thembani uThixo kokuphela, ngoba uThixo, uThixo ngokwakhe, uliDwala laphakade.
Trust ye in Jehovah forever, For the Lord Jehovah is an everlasting rock.
5 Ubehlisela phansi abahlala engqongeni; ulehlisela phansi idolobho eliphakemeyo, ulidilizela emhlabathini, aliphosele phansi othulini.
For he hath brought down the inhabitants of the fortress; The lofty city he hath laid low; He hath laid her low even to the ground; He hath levelled her with the dust.
6 Inyawo zilinyathelela phansi, inyawo zabancindezelweyo, amanyathelo abayanga.
The foot trampleth upon her, The feet of the poor, the steps of the needy.
7 Indlela yabalungileyo iqondile; awu wena oQotho, wenza indlela yabalungileyo ibe butshelezi.
The way of the upright is a smooth way; Thou, O most righteous, doth level the path of the upright!
8 Yebo, Thixo, sihamba endleleni yemithetho yakho, siyakulindela; ibizo lakho lodumo lwakho kulangathelelwa zinhliziyo zethu.
In the way of thy judgments, O Jehovah, we have waited for thee; The desire of our souls is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.
9 Umphefumulo wami uyakulangazelela ebusuku, ekuseni umoya wami uyakukhumbula. Lapho ukwahlulela kwakho kufika emhlabeni, abantu basemhlabeni bayakufunda ukulunga.
My soul longeth for thee in the night, And my spirit within me seeketh thee in the morning; For when thy judgments are in the earth, The inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.
10 Lanxa ababi betshengiswa umusa, kabakufundi ukulunga; laselizweni lokulunga baqhubeka besenza okubi, bengabunaki ubukhosi bukaThixo.
Though favor be shown to the wicked, He will not learn righteousness; In the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, And have no regard to the majesty of Jehovah.
11 Oh Thixo, isandla sakho siphakanyiselwe phezulu, kodwa kabasiboni. Babonise ukutshisekela kwakho abantu bakho bayangiswe; umlilo olungiselwe izitha zakho kawubaqede.
Thy hand, O Jehovah, is lifted up, yet do they not see; But they shall see with shame thy zeal for thy people; Yea, fire shall devour thine adversaries.
12 Thixo, usilethela ukuthula; konke esesikufezile sikwenzelwe nguwe.
Thou, O Jehovah, wilt give us peace; For all our works thou doest for us.
13 Oh Thixo, Nkulunkulu wethu, amanye amakhosi ngaphandle kwakho ake asibusa, kodwa ibizo lakho yilo lodwa esilidumisayo.
O Jehovah, our God, other lords have had dominion over us besides thee; Only through thee do we call upon thy name.
14 Khathesi asafa, kawasaphili; imimoya leyana eyahambayo kayivuki. Wawajezisa, wawatshabalalisa; wesula konke ukukhunjulwa kwawo.
They are dead, they shall not live; They are shades, they shall not rise. For thou hast visited and destroyed them, And caused all the memory of them to perish.
15 Usandisile isizwe, Oh Thixo; usandisile isizwe. Uzilethele udumo; uyiqhelisile yonke imikhawulo yelizwe.
“Thou wilt enlarge the nation, O Jehovah! Thou wilt enlarge the nation; thou wilt glorify thyself; Thou wilt widely extend all the borders of the land.
16 Thixo, beza kuwe ekuhluphekeni kwabo; kwathi lapho usubajezisile banelisa ukunyenyeza umkhuleko.
O Jehovah, in affliction they sought thee; They poured out their prayer, when thy chastisement was upon them.
17 Njengowesifazane okhulelweyo lapho esezabeletha uyabhinqika ekhaliswa yibuhlungu, lathi sabanjalo phambi kwakho, Oh Thixo.
As a woman with child, when her delivery is near, Is in anguish, and crieth aloud in her pangs, So have we been, far from thy presence, O Jehovah!
18 Sasikhulelwe, sabhinqika ebuhlungwini, kodwa sazala umoya. Kasilethanga nsindiso emhlabeni; kasibazalelanga lutho abantu basemhlabeni.
We have been with child; we have been in anguish, Yet have, as it were, brought forth wind. To the land we bring no deliverance; Nor are the inhabitants of the land born.
19 Kodwa abafileyo bakho bazaphila Thixo, imizimba yabo izavuka. Lina elihlala othulini, vukani lihlabelele ngentokozo. Amazolo enu afana lamazolo ekuseni; umhlaba uzabaveza abafileyo bawo.
O might thy dead live again, Might the dead bodies of my people arise! Awake, and sing, ye that dwell in the dust! For thy dew is like the dew upon plants, And the earth shall bring forth her dead.”
20 Hambani bantu bami, ngenani ezindlini zenu, lizivalele phakathi; lizifihle okwesikhatshana ulaka lwakhe luze luphele.
Come, my people, enter into thy chambers, And shut thy doors behind thee; Hide thyself for a little moment, Until the indignation be overpast!
21 Khangelani, uThixo uyaphuma lapho ahlala khona ukuba ajezise abantu basemhlabeni ngenxa yezono zabo. Umhlaba uzaveza igazi elachithwa kuwo; kawusayikubafihla ababulawayo bawo.
For behold, Jehovah cometh forth from his place, To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; And the earth shall disclose her blood, And shall no longer cover her slain.