< U-Isaya 30 >

1 “Maye ebantwaneni abalobuqholo,” kutsho uThixo, “kulabo abafeza amacebo angasiwami, abenza isivumelwano, kodwa kungesi ngoMoya wami, besengeza isono phezu kwesono;
Woe to the apostate children, says the Lord: you have framed counsel, not by me, and covenants not by my Spirit, to add sins to sins:
2 labaya eGibhithe bengabuzanga kimi; abadinga usizo lokuvikelwa nguFaro, lomthunzi wokuphephela eGibhithe.
[even] they that proceed to go down into Egypt, but they have not enquired of me, that they might be helped by Pharao, and protected by the Egyptians.
3 Kodwa-ke ukuvikelwa nguFaro kuzakuba lihlazo kini, umthunzi weGibhithe uzaliyangisa.
For the protection of Pharaoh shall be to you a disgrace, and [there shall be] a reproach to them that trust in Egypt.
4 Lanxa belabameli eZowani, lezithunywa zabo sezifikile eHanesi,
For there are princes in Tanes, evil messengers.
5 bonke bazayangeka ngenxa yabantu abangalasizo kubo, abangalethi sizo loba inzuzo, kodwa ihlazo lokuyangeka kuphela.”
In vain shall they labour [in seeking] to a people, which shall not profit them for help, but [shall be] for a shame and reproach.
6 Isiphrofethi mayelana lezinyamazana zeNegebi sithi: kulolonke ilizwe lobunzima losizi, elezilwane lezilwanekazi, elamabululu lezinyoka ezeqayo izithunywa zithwala inotho yazo ngemihlane yabobabhemi, impahla yazo eligugu ziyithwale ngamalunda amakamela, zikusa ebantwini abangayikuba losizo kuzo.
THE VISION OF THE QUADRUPEDS IN THE DESERT. In affliction and distress, [where are] the lion and lion's whelp, thence [come] also asps, and the young of flying asps, [there shall they be] who bore their wealth on asses and camels to a nation which shall not profit them.
7 Zisiwa eGibhithe osizo lwayo lungelamsebenzi. Ngakho ngiyibiza ngokuthi nguRahabi ivilavoxo.
The Egyptians shall help you utterly in vain: tell them, This your consolation is vain.
8 Hamba khathesi nje, ubalobele khona esibhebhedwini, kulobe emqulwini, ukuze kuthi ensukwini ezizayo kube yibufakazi obungapheliyo.
Now then sit down and write these words on a tablet, and in a book; for these things shall be for [many long] days, and even for ever.
9 Laba ngabantu abangabahlamuki, abantwana abangabakhohlisi, abantwana abangafuniyo ukulalela imfundiso kaThixo.
For the people is disobedient, false children, who would not hear the law of God:
10 Bathi kwabayizanuse, “Lingabe lisahlahlula futhi.” Kubaphrofethi bathi, “Lingasitsheli imibono ngalokho okuqondileyo. Sitsheleni izinto ezinhle, liphrofethe inkohliso.
who say to the prophets, Report not to us; and to them that see visions, Speak [them] not to us, but speak and report to us another error;
11 Tshiyani indlela le, phambukani kulo umkhondo liyekele ukusibelesela ngoNgcwele ka-Israyeli!”
and turn us aside from this way; remove from us this path, and remove from us the oracle of Israel.
12 Ngakho okutshiwo ngoNgcwele ka-Israyeli yilokhu: “Njengoba lilalile ilizwi leli, lathembela ekuncindezelweni, lagwaba ngokukhohliswa,
Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel, Because you have refused to obey these words, and have trusted in falsehood; and because you have murmured, and been confident in this respect:
13 isono lesi kini sizafana lomduli ophakemeyo, olomnkenke njalo ohlephukayo, odilika masinyane, ngesikhatshana nje.
therefore shall this sin be to you as a wall suddenly falling when a strong city has been taken, of which the fall is very near at hand.
14 Uzadilika ube yizicucu, njengembiza yombumbi ephahazeke kakubi akwaze kwatholakala lesihlephu sokokha amalahle eziko ezicucwini zayo kumbe ukukha amanzi emgqonyeni.”
And the fall thereof shall be as the breaking of an earthen vessel, [as] small fragments of a pitcher, so that you should not find amongst them a sherd, with which you might take up fire, and with which you should draw a little water.
15 Lokhu yikho okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi, oNgcwele ka-Israyeli, ukuthi: “Ukusindiswa kwenu kusekuphendukeni lekuphumuleni, amandla enu asekuthuleni lekwethembeni, kodwa likwalile lokhu.
Thus says the Lord, the Holy Lord of Israel; When you shall turn and mourn, then you shall be saved; and you shall know where you were, when you did trust in vanities: [then] your strength became vain, yet you would not listen:
16 Lithe, ‘Hatshi, sizabaleka ngamabhiza.’ Ngakho lizabaleka! Lithe, ‘Sizagada amabhiza alejubane.’ Ngakho abalixotshayo bazakuba lejubane!
but you said, We will flee upon horses; therefore shall you flee: and, We will be aided by swift riders; therefore shall they that pursue you be swift.
17 Abayinkulungwane bazabaleka besongelwe ngoyedwa nje; ekusongeni kwabahlanu, lizabaleka lonke, lize lisale linjengensika yophawu lwelizwe elisengqongeni yentaba, lanjengesiboniso phezu koqaqa.”
A thousand shall flee because of the voice of one, and many shall flee on account of the voice of five; until you be left as a signal-post upon a mountain, and as one bearing an ensign upon a hill.
18 Kodwa uThixo ulangatha ukuba lomusa kini; uyavuka ukuba alitshengise isihawu. Ngoba uThixo unguNkulunkulu wokulunga. Babusisiwe bonke abamlindeleyo!
And the Lord will again wait, that he may pity you, and will therefore be exalted that he may have mercy upon you: because the Lord your God is a judge: blessed are they that stay themselves upon him.
19 Awu bantu baseZiyoni, abahlala eJerusalema, alisayikulila. UThixo uzakuba lomusa kini nxa licela usizo. Uzaliphendula khonokho nje ekulizweni kwakhe.
For the holy people shall dwell in Sion: and [whereas] Jerusalem has wept bitterly, [saying], Pity me; he shall pity you: when he perceived the voice of your cry, he listened to you.
20 Lanxa nje uThixo elinika isinkwa sokuhlupheka lamanzi osizi, abalifundisayo kabayikucatsha futhi; lizababona ngamehlo enu.
And [though] the Lord shall give you the bread of affliction and scant water, yet they that cause you to err shall no more at all draw near to you; for your eyes shall see those that cause you to err,
21 Loba liphambukele kwesokudla kumbe kwesenxele lizalizwa ilizwi ngemva kwenu lisithi, “Le yiyo indlela; hambani ngayo.”
and your ears shall hear the words of them that went after you to lead you astray, who say, This [is] the way, let us walk in it, whether to the right or to the left.
22 Lapho-ke lizangcolisa izithombe zenu ezihuqwe ngesiliva lezifanekiso zenu ezinanyekwe ngegolide; lizazilahlela khatshana njengelembu lowesifazane obesesikhathini, lithi kuzo, “Sukani lapha!”
And you shall pollute the plated idols, and you shall grind to powder the gilt ones, and shall scatter them as the water of a removed [woman], and you shall thrust them forth as dung.
23 UThixo uzalehlisela izulu lenhlanyelo yenu eliyihlanyele emhlabathini, lamabele azavela emhlabathini azakuba mahle njalo emanengi. Ngalolosuku inkomo zenu zizakudla emadlelweni abanzi.
Then shall there be rain to the seed of your land; and the bread of the fruit of your land shall be plenteous and rich: and your cattle shall feed in that day in a fertile and spacious place.
24 Inkabi labobabhemi elilima ngakho umhlabathi kuzakudla utshani lamabele ahlungulwe ngefologwe langefotsholo.
Your bulls and your oxen that till the ground, shall eat chaff mixed with winnowed barley.
25 Ngosuku lokubulawa okukhulu, lapho imiphotshongo isiwa, izifula zamanzi zizageleza kuzozonke izintaba ezinde lakuwo wonke amaqaqa adephileyo.
And there shall be upon every lofty mountain and upon every high hill, water running in that day, when many shall perish, and when the towers shall fall.
26 Inyanga izakhanya njengelanga, ukukhanya kwelanga kukhanye ngokuphindwe kasikhombisa, njengokukhanya kwensuku eziyisikhombisa ezigcweleyo, lapho uThixo esebopha amanxeba abantu bakhe, epholisa lezilonda ezabangwa nguye.
And the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold in the day when the Lord shall heal the breach of his people, and shall heal the pain of your wound.
27 Khangelani, ibizo likaThixo livela khatshana, lolaka oluvuthayo kanye lokuthunqa kwentuthu enkulu; izindebe zakhe zigcwele intukuthelo, ulimi lwakhe lungumlilo ohangulayo.
Behold, the name of the Lord comes after a [long] time, burning wrath: the word of his lips is with glory, a word full of anger, and the anger of his wrath shall devour as fire.
28 Umoya awuphefumulayo unjengesifula esigcwele amanzi afika entanyeni. Uhlungula izizwe ngesefa yokubhubhisa; ufaka emihlathini yabantu amatomu abasa ekulahlekeni.
And his breath, as rushing water in a valley, shall reach as far as the neck, and be divided, to confound the nations for [their] vain error: error also shall pursue them, and overtake them.
29 Lizahlabela njengasebusuku bokuthakazelela umkhosi ongcwele; inhliziyo zenu zizathokoza njengalapho abantu besiya entabeni kaThixo, eDwaleni lika-Israyeli, belemihubhe.
Must you always rejoice, and go into my holy places continually, as they that keep a feast? and must you go with a pipe, as those that rejoice, into the mountain of the Lord, to the God of Israel?
30 UThixo uzakwenza abantu balizwe ilizwi lakhe lobukhosi, njalo uzakwenza bayibone ingalo yakhe isehla ngokuthukuthela okukhulu langomlilo oqothulayo, langesihlambo esikhulu, lomdumo kanye lesiqhotho.
And the Lord shall make his glorious voice to be heard, and the wrath of his arm, to make a display with wrath and anger and devouring flame: he shall lighten terribly, and [his wrath shall be] as water and violent hail.
31 Ilizwi likaThixo lizayichitha i-Asiriya; abatshaye ngenduku yakhe yobukhosi.
For by the voice of the Lord the Assyrians shall be overcome, [even] by the stroke wherewith he shall strike them.
32 Imvimvinya yinye uThixo abatshaya yona ngentonga yakhe yokujezisa, uzakuba ukanye lokutshaywa kwamagedla lemihubhe, lapho esilwa labo impi ngezidutshulo zengalo yakhe.
And it shall happen to him from every side, [that] they from whom their hope of assistance was, in which he trusted, themselves shall war against him in turn with drums and with harp.
33 IThofethi sekukade yalungiswa; seyenziwa yalungela inkosi. Igodi layo lomlilo selenziwa latshona njalo laba banzi, lomlilo lenkuni ezinengi; umphefumulo kaThixo, utshisa njengokugeleza komlilo wesolufa, uyawulumathisa.
For you shall be required before [your] time: has it been prepared for you also to reign? nay, God has [prepared for you] a deep trench, wood piled, fire and much wood: the wrath of the Lord [shall be] as a trench kindled with sulphur.

< U-Isaya 30 >