U-Isaya 30
1 “Maye ebantwaneni abalobuqholo,” kutsho uThixo, “kulabo abafeza amacebo angasiwami, abenza isivumelwano, kodwa kungesi ngoMoya wami, besengeza isono phezu kwesono;
Alas! for sons who are rebellious, Declareth Yahweh. Executing a purpose, but not from me, And pouring out a libation but not from my spirit, —That they may add sin to sin:
2 labaya eGibhithe bengabuzanga kimi; abadinga usizo lokuvikelwa nguFaro, lomthunzi wokuphephela eGibhithe.
Who are setting out to go down to Egypt, But at my mouth, have not asked, —Betaking them to the protection of Pharaoh And seeking refuge under the shadow of Egypt.
3 Kodwa-ke ukuvikelwa nguFaro kuzakuba lihlazo kini, umthunzi weGibhithe uzaliyangisa.
Therefore shall the protection of Pharaoh become to you a shame, And, the refuge in the shadow of Egypt, an insult;
4 Lanxa belabameli eZowani, lezithunywa zabo sezifikile eHanesi,
For their princes have been, in Zoan, —And, their messengers unto Hanes, would draw near.
5 bonke bazayangeka ngenxa yabantu abangalasizo kubo, abangalethi sizo loba inzuzo, kodwa ihlazo lokuyangeka kuphela.”
Every one, hath felt ashamed of a people that could not serve them, —Neither with help, nor with service, But they are a shame, yea even a 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 Oracle on the Beasts of the South, —Through a land of distress and oppression—Lioness and lion coming therefrom, Viper and fiery flying serpent, They would carry, on the shoulders of young asses their wealth And on the humps of camels their treasures Unto a people that cannot serve them.
7 Zisiwa eGibhithe osizo lwayo lungelamsebenzi. Ngakho ngiyibiza ngokuthi nguRahabi ivilavoxo.
But, the Egyptians, with vanity and emptiness, would help, —Therefore have I proclaimed concerning this, Insolent, they sit still!
8 Hamba khathesi nje, ubalobele khona esibhebhedwini, kulobe emqulwini, ukuze kuthi ensukwini ezizayo kube yibufakazi obungapheliyo.
Now, enter—Write it upon a tablet before them And upon a scroll, inscribe it, —That it may serve for a later day, For futurity, unto times age-abiding: —
9 Laba ngabantu abangabahlamuki, abantwana abangabakhohlisi, abantwana abangafuniyo ukulalela imfundiso kaThixo.
That it is, a rebellious people, Sons apt at deceiving, —Sons unwilling to hear the law of Yahweh:
10 Bathi kwabayizanuse, “Lingabe lisahlahlula futhi.” Kubaphrofethi bathi, “Lingasitsheli imibono ngalokho okuqondileyo. Sitsheleni izinto ezinhle, liphrofethe inkohliso.
Who have said to the seers, Ye must not see! To the prophets, Ye must not prophesy to us reproofs! Speak to us smooth things, Prophesy delusions:
11 Tshiyani indlela le, phambukani kulo umkhondo liyekele ukusibelesela ngoNgcwele ka-Israyeli!”
Depart ye from the way, Turn aside from the path, —Desist from setting before us the Holy One of Israel.
12 Ngakho okutshiwo ngoNgcwele ka-Israyeli yilokhu: “Njengoba lilalile ilizwi leli, lathembela ekuncindezelweni, lagwaba ngokukhohliswa,
Therefore—Thus, saith the Holy One of Israel, Because ye have rejected this word, —And have trusted in oppression and perverseness, And have relied thereon,
13 isono lesi kini sizafana lomduli ophakemeyo, olomnkenke njalo ohlephukayo, odilika masinyane, ngesikhatshana nje.
Therefore, shall this iniquity become to you As a breach ready to fall, A bulging in a high wall, —Whose breaking down cometh, suddenly in a twinkling.
14 Uzadilika ube yizicucu, njengembiza yombumbi ephahazeke kakubi akwaze kwatholakala lesihlephu sokokha amalahle eziko ezicucwini zayo kumbe ukukha amanzi emgqonyeni.”
Yea he will break it—as the breaking of the pitcher of a potter, crushed, he will not spare; So that there shall not be found when it is smashed, A sherd wherewith to snatch fire from a hearth, Or to skim off water out of a cistern.
15 Lokhu yikho okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi, oNgcwele ka-Israyeli, ukuthi: “Ukusindiswa kwenu kusekuphendukeni lekuphumuleni, amandla enu asekuthuleni lekwethembeni, kodwa likwalile lokhu.
For thus, said my Lord Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel—By returning and resting, shall ye be saved, In keeping quiet and trusting, shall be your strength, —Howbeit ye would not!
16 Lithe, ‘Hatshi, sizabaleka ngamabhiza.’ Ngakho lizabaleka! Lithe, ‘Sizagada amabhiza alejubane.’ Ngakho abalixotshayo bazakuba lejubane!
But ye said, —Nay! but on horses, will we flee For this cause, shall ye indeed flee, —And on the swift, will we ride, For this cause, swift, shall be your pursuers:
17 Abayinkulungwane bazabaleka besongelwe ngoyedwa nje; ekusongeni kwabahlanu, lizabaleka lonke, lize lisale linjengensika yophawu lwelizwe elisengqongeni yentaba, lanjengesiboniso phezu koqaqa.”
One thousand, before the war-cry of one—before the war-cry of five, shall ye flee, —Until ye have been left, As a pole on the top of a mountain, And as an ensign upon a hill.
18 Kodwa uThixo ulangatha ukuba lomusa kini; uyavuka ukuba alitshengise isihawu. Ngoba uThixo unguNkulunkulu wokulunga. Babusisiwe bonke abamlindeleyo!
And, therefore, will Yahweh wait, That he may grant you favour, And, therefore, will he lift himself up, That he may show you compassion, —For A God of justice, is, Yahweh, How happy all they who are waiting for him
19 Awu bantu baseZiyoni, abahlala eJerusalema, alisayikulila. UThixo uzakuba lomusa kini nxa licela usizo. Uzaliphendula khonokho nje ekulizweni kwakhe.
For, a people, In Zion, shall dwell, In Jerusalem, —As for weeping, thou shalt not weep! As for favour, he will grant thee favour, at the sound of thine outcry, —As soon as he heareth, he hath answered thee!
20 Lanxa nje uThixo elinika isinkwa sokuhlupheka lamanzi osizi, abalifundisayo kabayikucatsha futhi; lizababona ngamehlo enu.
Though My Lord, should give you bread in short measure and water in scant allowance Yet will thy Teacher not hide himself any more, But thine eyes shall ever be looking on thy Teacher.
21 Loba liphambukele kwesokudla kumbe kwesenxele lizalizwa ilizwi ngemva kwenu lisithi, “Le yiyo indlela; hambani ngayo.”
So shall, thine own ears, hear a word from behind thee saying, —This, is the way, walk ye therein, When ye would turn to the right hand Or when ye would turn to the left.
22 Lapho-ke lizangcolisa izithombe zenu ezihuqwe ngesiliva lezifanekiso zenu ezinanyekwe ngegolide; lizazilahlela khatshana njengelembu lowesifazane obesesikhathini, lithi kuzo, “Sukani lapha!”
Then will ye defile—The overlaying of thy graven images of silver, And the coating of thy molten image, of gold, —Thou wilt cash them away, as a woman the token of her sickness, Begone! shalt thou say thereto,
23 UThixo uzalehlisela izulu lenhlanyelo yenu eliyihlanyele emhlabathini, lamabele azavela emhlabathini azakuba mahle njalo emanengi. Ngalolosuku inkomo zenu zizakudla emadlelweni abanzi.
Then will he give—Rain for thy seed—wherewith thou shalt sow thy ground and Bread as the increase of thy ground, which shall be fertile and fat, —Thy cattle, in that day, shall feed in broad pasture:
24 Inkabi labobabhemi elilima ngakho umhlabathi kuzakudla utshani lamabele ahlungulwe ngefologwe langefotsholo.
And the oxen and the young asses that till the ground, salted provender, shall eat, which hath been winnowed with shovel or fan.
25 Ngosuku lokubulawa okukhulu, lapho imiphotshongo isiwa, izifula zamanzi zizageleza kuzozonke izintaba ezinde lakuwo wonke amaqaqa adephileyo.
Then shall there be, On every lofty mountain and On every lifted hill, Channels, Conduits of water, —In the great day of slaughter, When the towers fall.
26 Inyanga izakhanya njengelanga, ukukhanya kwelanga kukhanye ngokuphindwe kasikhombisa, njengokukhanya kwensuku eziyisikhombisa ezigcweleyo, lapho uThixo esebopha amanxeba abantu bakhe, epholisa lezilonda ezabangwa nguye.
Then shall the light of the moon, be as the light of the sun, And, the light of the sun, shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, —In the day—When Yahweh, bindeth up, the laceration of his people, and When the severe wound caused by smiting them, he healeth.
27 Khangelani, ibizo likaThixo livela khatshana, lolaka oluvuthayo kanye lokuthunqa kwentuthu enkulu; izindebe zakhe zigcwele intukuthelo, ulimi lwakhe lungumlilo ohangulayo.
Lo! the Name of Yahweh, coming in from afar, His anger kindling, A heavy storm, —His lips, are full of indignation, And, his tongue, is like a fire that devoureth;
28 Umoya awuphefumulayo unjengesifula esigcwele amanzi afika entanyeni. Uhlungula izizwe ngesefa yokubhubhisa; ufaka emihlathini yabantu amatomu abasa ekulahlekeni.
And, his breath like an overflowing torrent, even unto the neck, doth reach, To sift nations with a sieve of calamity, —A bridle leading to ruin, being upon the jaws of the peoples.
29 Lizahlabela njengasebusuku bokuthakazelela umkhosi ongcwele; inhliziyo zenu zizathokoza njengalapho abantu besiya entabeni kaThixo, eDwaleni lika-Israyeli, belemihubhe.
A song, shall ye have, As in the night of hallowing a festival, —And gladness of heart, As when one goeth with the flute to enter Into the mountain of Yahweh Unto the Rock 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.
Then will Yahweh cause to be heard—the resounding of his voice And the bringing down of his arm, shall be seen, In a rage of anger, And with the flame of a devouring fire, —A burst and a downpour, and a hailstone!
31 Ilizwi likaThixo lizayichitha i-Asiriya; abatshaye ngenduku yakhe yobukhosi.
For at the voice of Yahweh, shall Assyria be crushed, —With his rod, will he smite.
32 Imvimvinya yinye uThixo abatshaya yona ngentonga yakhe yokujezisa, uzakuba ukanye lokutshaywa kwamagedla lemihubhe, lapho esilwa labo impi ngezidutshulo zengalo yakhe.
And it shall come to pass, —that, every stroke of the staff of doom which Yahweh shall lay upon him, shall be with timbrels and with lyres, —when, with battles of brandished weapons, he hath fought against them.
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 there hath been set in order, beforehand a Topheth, Yea, the same, for the king, hath been prepared He hath made it deep—made it large, —The circumference thereof is for fire and wood in abundance, the breath of Yahweh, like a torrent of brimstone, is ready to kindle it.
