U-Isaya 28

1 Maye kulowomqhele wamaluba, iqhono lezidakwa zako-Efrayimi, kuluba elibunayo, ubuhle obukhazimulayo, obubekwe ngaphezulu kwesigodi esivundileyo, kulelodolobho, iqhono lalabo asebelaliswe liwayini phansi!

Woe to the crown of arrogance, to the inebriated of Ephraim, and to the falling flower, the glory of his exultation, to those who were at the top of the very fat valley, staggering from wine.

2 Khangelani, uThixo ulaye olamandla oqinileyo. Njengesiqhotho lomoya odilizayo, njengezulu lesiphepho lesihlambi esilamandla, uzakuphosa phansi ngamandla amakhulu.

Behold, the Lord is powerful and steadfast, like a storm of hail, like a crushing whirlwind, like the force of many waters, inundating, sent forth over a spacious land.

3 Umqhele lowo wamaluba, iqhono lezidakwa zako-Efrayimi kuzanyathelwa ngaphansi kwezinyawo.

The arrogant crown of the inebriated of Ephraim will be trampled underfoot.

4 Leliyaluba elibunayo, ubuhle bakhe obukhazimulayo, kuhlanyelwe ngaphezu kwesigodi esivundileyo, lizakuba njengomkhiwa ovuthiweyo kungakavunwa okuthi khonokho nje omunye ewubona awukhe ngesandla awuginye.

And the falling flower, the glory of his exultation, who is at the summit of the fat valley, will be like a premature fruit before the ripeness of autumn, which, when the onlooker beholds it, as soon he takes it in his hand, he will devour it.

5 Ngalolosuku uThixo uSomandla uzakuba ngumqhele okhazimulayo, umqhele wamaluba omuhle kulabo abayizinsalela zabantu bakhe.

In that day, the Lord of hosts will be the crown of glory and the wreath of exultation for the remnant of his people.

6 Uzakuba ngumoya wokulunga kulowo owahlulelayo, umthombo wamandla kulabo ababuyisela impi emuva isisesangweni.

And he will be the spirit of judgment for those who sit in judgment, and the strength of those who return from war to the gates.

7 Lalaba bayadiyazela ngenxa yewayini, babhadazele ngenxa yotshwala. Abaphristi labaphrofethi bayadiyazela ngenxa yotshwala, njalo baphambene ngenxa yewayini; bayabhadazela ngenxa yotshwala, bayadiyazela, lapho bebona imibono, bayakhininda lapho besenza izinqumo.

Yet truly, these also have been ignorant due to wine, and they have gone astray due to inebriation. The priest and the prophet have been ignorant because of inebriation. They have been absorbed by wine. They have staggered in drunkenness. They have not known the One who sees. They have been ignorant of judgment.

8 Amatafula wonke agcwele amahlanzo njalo akulandawo engelamanyala.

For all the tables have been filled with vomit and filth, so much so that there was no place left.

9 “Ngubani lowo ozama ukumfundisa? Umbiko wakhe uwuchazela bani na? Abantwana abangasamunyi, kumbe abalunyuliweyo na?

To whom will he teach knowledge? And to whom will he grant an understanding of what is heard? To those who have been weaned from the milk, who have been pulled away from the breasts.

10 Ngoba kumi kanje: Yenza lokhu, yenza lokhuya, umthetho walokhu, umthetho walokhuya; ingcosana lapha, lengconsana laphayana.”

So then: command, and command again; command, and command again; expect, and expect again; a little here, and a little there.

11 Kungasenani, ngezindebe zabezizweni langolimi olungaziwayo, uNkulunkulu uzakhuluma lalababantu,

For with the speech of lips and with a different language, he will speak to this people.

12 atshoyo kubo wathi, “Le yindawo yokuphumula, abadiniweyo kabaphumule”; njalo, “Le yindawo yokucambalala,” kodwa kabalalelanga.

He said to them: “This is my rest. Refresh the weary,” and, “This is my refreshment.” And yet they were unwilling to listen.

13 Ngakho ilizwi likaThixo kubo lizakuba ngelithi: Yenza lokhu, yenza lokhuya, umthetho walokhu, umthetho walokhuya, ingcosana lapha, ingcosana laphaya, ukuze bahambe bawe nyovane, balimale, bathiywe, bathunjwe.

And so, the word of the Lord to them will be: “Command, and command again; command, and command again; expect, and expect again; a little here, and a little there,” so that they may go forward and fall backward, and so that they may be broken and ensnared and captured.

14 Ngakho-ke zwanini ilizwi likaThixo lina bantu abaklolodayo, ababusa abantu laba eJerusalema.

Because of this, listen to the word of the Lord, you mocking men, who lord it over my people who are at Jerusalem.

15 Lizitshaya izifuba lisithi, “Senze isivumelwano lokufa, senza isivumelwano lethuna. Nxa isijeziso esikhulu sifika, kasiyikusithinta, ngoba senze amanga aba yisiphephelo sethu lenkohliso yaba yindawo yethu yokucatsha.” (Sheol h7585)

For you have said: “We struck a deal with death, and we formed a pact with Hell. When the inundating scourge passes through, it will not overwhelm us. For we have placed our hope in lies, and we are protected by what is false.” (Sheol h7585)

16 Ngakho lokhu yikho okutshiwo nguThixo woBukhosi: “Khangelani, ngibeka ilitshe eZiyoni, ilitshe elihloliweyo, ilitshe lengosi eliligugu; elesisekelo esiqinisekileyo, lowo othembayo akayikuphela amandla.

For this reason, thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will set a stone within the foundations of Zion, a tested stone, a cornerstone, a precious stone, which has been established in the foundation: whoever trusts in him need not hurry.

17 Ngizakwenza okufaneleyo kube yintambo yokulinganisa, ukulunga kube yintambo yokuqondisa; isiqhotho sizakhukhula isiphephelo senu, amanga, lamanzi azagabhela indawo yenu yokucatsha.

And I will establish judgment in weights, and justice in measures. And a hailstorm will overturn hope in what is false; and waters will inundate its protection.

18 Isivumelwano senu lokufa sizakwesulwa; isivumelwano senu lengcwaba kasiyikuma. Lapho isijeziso esikhulu sifika sizalilahla phansi. (Sheol h7585)

And your deal with death will be abolished, and your pact with Hell will not stand. When the inundating scourge passes through, you will be trampled down by it. (Sheol h7585)

19 Ngazozonke izikhathi esizafika ngazo sizalithatha; ukusa ngokusa, emini lebusuku, sizalikhukhula.” Ukulizwisisa ilizwi leli kuzaletha ukwesaba khona ngokwakho.

Whenever it passes through, it will take you away. For, at first light of morning, it will pass through, in the day and in the night, and vexation alone will make you understand what you hear.

20 Umbheda mfitshane kakhulu ukuba unabe kuwo, ingubo incane kakhulu ukuba ugoqelwe ngayo.

For the bed has been narrowed, so much so that one alone would fall out, and the short blanket is not able to cover two.

21 UThixo uzavuka njengalokho akwenzayo entabeni iPherazimu; uzathukuthela njengaseSigodini seGibhiyoni, ukuba enze umsebenzi wakhe, umsebenzi oyisimanga, enze umsebenzi wakhe, umsebenzi ongaziwayo.

For the Lord will stand, just as at the mountain of divisions. He will be angry, just as in the valley which is in Gibeon, so that he may accomplish his work, his strange work, so that he may complete his work, his work which is foreign even to him.

22 Khathesi-ke yekelani ukukloloda kwenu funa amaketane elibotshwe ngawo alisinde kakhulu; iNkosi, uThixo uSomandla usengitshele ngesimiso sokutshabalalisa ilizwe lonke.

And now, do not be willing to mock, lest your chains be tightened. For I have heard, from the Lord, the God of hosts, about the consummation and the abridgement concerning the entire earth.

23 Lalelani lizwe ilizwi lami; lalelani lizwe engikutshoyo.

Pay close attention, and listen to my voice! Attend and hear my eloquence!

24 Lapho umlimi elima ukuba ahlanyele, ulima kokuphela na? Uqhubeka elima umhlabathi ewubhuqa kokuphela na?

Would the plowman, after plowing all day so that he may sow, instead cut open and hoe his soil?

25 Nxa umhlabathi esewendlale kuhle, kahlanyeli ikharawayi ahlanyele lekhumini na? Kahlanyeli ingqoloyi endaweni yayo; ibhali ensimini yayo, lespelithi ensimini yaso na?

Will he not, when he has made the surface level, sow coriander, and scatter cumin, and plant wheat in rows, and barley, and millet, and vetch in their places?

26 UNkulunkulu wakhe uyamfundisa, amfundise indlela eqondileyo.

For he will be instructed in judgment; his God will teach him.

27 Ikharawayi kayibhulwa ngesileyi; lenqola kayihanjiswa phezu kwekhumini, kodwa ikharawayi ibhulwa ngentonga, kuthi ikhumini ibhulwe ngombhulo.

For coriander cannot be threshed with a saw, and a cartwheel cannot revolve over cumin. Instead, coriander is shaken out with a stick, and cumin with a staff.

28 Amabele kumele acholwe ukuba kwenziwe isinkwa, ngakho umuntu kawabhuli kokuphela. Lanxa ehambisa inqola yakhe yokubhula phezu kwawo, amabhiza akhe kawawacholi.

But grain for bread must be crushed. Truly, the thresher cannot thresh it unceasingly, and the cartwheel can neither disrupt it, nor break it with its surface.

29 Konke lokhu lakho kuvela kuThixo uSomandla omangalisayo ngokweluleka, njalo olenhlakanipho emangalisayo.

And this has gone forth from the Lord, the God of hosts, so that he may accomplish his miraculous plan and magnify justice.