< U-Isaya 3 >

1 Khangelani khathesi UThixo, uThixo uSomandla usezasusa eJerusalema lelizweni lakoJuda okufunekayo losizo: konke ukudla lamanzi,
For behold, the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, Taketh away from Jerusalem and from Judah every stay and support; The whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water;
2 iqhawe lebutho, umahluleli lomphrofethi, isangoma lomuntu omdala,
The mighty man, and the warrior, The judge, the prophet, the diviner, and the sage,
3 induna yebutho labangamatshumi amahlanu lamadoda ayizikhulu, umeluleki, ingcitshi yemisebenzi, lesanuse esihlakaniphileyo.
The captain of fifty, and the honorable man, The counsellor, the expert in arts, and the skilful in charms.
4 “Ngizakwenza abafana babeyizikhulu zabo; abantwana nje bazababusa.”
And I will make boys their princes, And children shall rule over them.
5 Abantu bazancindezelana, umuntu avukele umuntu, umakhelwane avukele umakhelwane. Abatsha bazavukela abadala, abeyisekayo bavukele abahlonitshwa.
And the people shall oppress one another, Man striving against man, and neighbor against neighbor; The boy shall behave himself insolently toward the aged, And the base toward the honorable.
6 Indoda izabamba omunye wabafowabo emzini kayise ithi, “Ulesembatho, woba ngumkhokheli wethu, inqwaba yamanxiwa le izakuba ngaphansi kombuso wakho.”
Then shall a man take hold of his brother in his father's house, [[and say, ]] Thou hast yet clothing, Be thou our ruler, And take this ruin into thy hands!
7 Kodwa ngalolosuku uzakhala athi, “Angilamasiza. Endlini yami akulakudla loba izigqoko; ungangenzi umkhokheli wabantu.”
But in that day shall he lift up his hand, and say: I am no healer; In my house is neither bread nor raiment; Make not me ruler of the people!
8 IJerusalema liyadiyazela, uJuda uyawa; amazwi abo lezenzo zabo kuphambene loThixo, kweyisa ubukhosi bakhe.
For Jerusalem tottereth, and Judah falleth, Because their tongues and their deeds are against Jehovah, To provoke his holy eyes.
9 Ukukhangeleka kobuso babo kufakaza kubi ngabo; babukisa izono zabo njengeSodoma; kabazifihli. Maye kubo! Bazilethele incithakalo phezu kwabo.
Their very countenance witnesseth against them; They publish their sin like Sodom; they hide it not; Woe to them, for they bring evil upon themselves!
10 Tshela abalungileyo ukuthi kuzakuba kuhle kubo, ngoba bazakholisa izithelo zezenzo zabo.
Say ye of the righteous that it shall be well with him, For he shall eat the fruit of his doings.
11 Maye kwababi! Incithakalo isiphezu kwabo! Bazaphindiselwa ngalokho izandla zabo ezikwenzileyo.
Woe to the wicked, it shall be ill with him, For the work of his hands shall be repaid him!
12 Abatsha bancindezela abantu bami, abesifazane bayababusa. Awu, bantu bami, abakhokheli benu bayaliduhisa; bayaliphambula endleleni.
As for my people, children are their oppressors, And women rule over them. O my people, thy leaders cause thee to err, And destroy the way in which thou walkest!
13 UThixo uphakama ukuba afakaze indaba yakhe, uyasukuma ukuba ahlulele abantu.
Jehovah standeth up to maintain his cause; He standeth up to judge his people.
14 UThixo uqalisa ukwahlulela abadala labakhokheli babantu esithi, “Yini elitshabalalise isivini sami; elikuthumbe kubayanga kusezindlini zenu.
Jehovah entereth into judgment with the elders of his people, and their princes: “So then ye have consumed the vineyard; The plunder of the poor is in your houses!
15 Litshoni ngokuchoboza abantu bami langokuchola ubuso babayanga?” kutsho iNkosi, uThixo uSomandla.
What mean ye, that ye crush my people, And grind the faces of the poor?” Saith Jehovah, the Lord of hosts.
16 UThixo uthi, “Abesifazane baseZiyoni bayaziphakamisa, bahamba belule izintamo, behuga ngamehlo abo, begwenxeka ngamanyathelo amancane, izigqizo zikhencezela enqagaleni zabo.
Thus, also, saith Jehovah: Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, And walk with outstretched necks, And glance their eyes wantonly, Mincing their steps as they go, And tinkling with their foot-clasps,
17 Ngakho-ke uThixo uzakwenza amakhanda abesifazane baseZiyoni abe lezilonda; uThixo uzakwenza isikhumba samakhanda abo siphuceke.”
Therefore will the Lord make their heads bald, And Jehovah will expose their nakedness.
18 Ngalolosuku uThixo uzahluthuna imiceciso yabo: amasongo, imincwazi, lemigaxo yentanyeni
In that day shall the Lord take from them The ornaments of the foot-clasps, and the net-works, and the crescents;
19 amacici, izigqizo lezimbombozo,
The ear-rings, and the bracelets, and the veils;
20 amaqhiye, izigetsho lamabhanti; amambodlela amakha lezintebe,
The turbans, and the ankle-chains, and the belts; The perfume-boxes, and the amulets;
21 indandatho ezilophawu lamasongo empumulo,
The finger-rings, and the nose-jewels;
22 izembatho ezinhle lezingubo lezigqoko, izikhwama
The embroidered robes, and the tunics, and the cloaks, and the purses;
23 lezibuko, lezigqoko zelineni, imiqhele lamaveli.
The mirrors, and the linen shifts, and the head-bands, and the large veils.
24 Endaweni yephunga elimnandi kuzakuba lomnuko omubi; endaweni yebhanti kuzakuba legoda, endaweni yenwele ezilungiswe kuhle kuzakuba lempabanga, endaweni yezigqoko ezinhle kuzakuba ngamasaka, endaweni yobuhle, kuzakuba lihlazo.
And instead of perfume there shall be corruption; Instead of a belt, a rope; Instead of curled locks, baldness; Instead of a wide mantle, a covering of sackcloth; Fire-scars instead of beauty.
25 Amadoda akini azakuwa ngenkemba, kanjalo lamabutho akini empini.
Thy men shall fall by the sword, Yea, thy mighty men in battle;
26 Amasango aseZiyoni azakhala alile, kuthi yona ihlale phansi ichithekile.
Her gates shall lament and mourn, And she, being desolate, shall sit upon the ground.

< U-Isaya 3 >