< U-Isaya 34 >
1 Sondelani lina zizwe, lilalele; zwanini lina bantu! Umhlaba kawulalele, lakho konke okukiwo, umhlaba, lakho konke okuvela kuwo!
Draw near, O ye nations, and hear! Attend, O ye people! Let the earth hear, and all that is therein; The world, and all that springs from it!
2 UThixo uthukuthelele izizwe zonke, ulaka lwakhe luphezu kwezitha zabo zonke. Uzazibhubhisa ngokupheleleyo, uzazinikela ekubulaweni.
For the wrath of Jehovah is kindled against all the nations, And his fury against all their armies; He hath devoted them to destruction; He hath given them up to slaughter.
3 Ababuleweyo bakibo bazaphoselwa ngaphandle, izidumbu zabo zizanuka; izintaba zizacwila egazini labo.
Their slain shall be cast out; From their carcasses their stench shall ascend, And the mountains shall flow down with their blood.
4 Zonke izinkanyezi zasemazulwini zizanyamalala, umkhathi ugoqwe njengomqulu; wonke amaxuku ezinkanyezi azakuwa njengamahlamvu abunileyo evinini lanjengomkhiwa oswabileyo usiwa esihlahleni somkhiwa.
And all the hosts of heaven shall melt away; And the heavens shall be rolled up like a scroll, And all their host shall fall down, As the withered leaf faileth from the vine, As the blighted fruit from the fig-tree.
5 Inkemba yami isinathe yanela emazulwini; khangelani yehlela phezu kwe-Edomi ukulahlulela, abantu esengibabhubhise baphela.
For my sword hath become drunk in heaven; Behold, upon Edom shall it descend, Upon the people under my curse, for vengeance.
6 Inkemba kaThixo igxanyuzwe egazini, igcwele amafutha igazi lezimvu lelembuzi, amafutha ezinso zenqama. Ngoba uThixo ulomhlatshelo eBhozira lokubulawa okukhulu kwezifuyo e-Edomi.
The sword of Jehovah is full of blood; It is covered with fat, With the blood of lambs and goats, With the fat of the kidneys of rams; For Jehovah holdeth a sacrifice in Bozrah, And a great slaughter in the land of Edom.
7 Inyathi zizakufa kanye lazo, amathole azinkunzi kanye lenkunzi ezinkulu. Ilizwe labo lizagcwala igazi, umhlabathi uzakuba manzi ngamafutha.
The wild buffaloes shall fall down with them. And the bullocks with the bulls; The hind shall be drunk with blood, And the ground enriched with fat.
8 Ngoba uThixo ulosuku lokuphindisela, umnyaka wokujezisa, ukuqinisa injongo yeZiyoni.
For Jehovah holdeth a day of vengeance, A year of recompense in the cause of Zion.
9 Izifula zase-Edomi zizaphendulwa zibe yingcino, umhlabathi wakhona ube ngumlilo wesolufa, ilizwe lakhona lizakuba yingcino etshayo!
Her streams shall be turned into pitch, And her dust into brimstone, And her whole land shall become burning pitch.
10 Aliyikucitshwa ebusuku lemini; intuthu yalo izathunqa kokuphela. Lizakuba ngelichithiweyo kusukela kusizukulwane kusiya kwesinye; kakho ozadabula phakathi kwalo futhi.
Day and night it shall not be quenched; Its smoke shall ascend forever; From generation to generation it shall lie waste; None shall pass through it for ever and ever.
11 Isikhova senkangala lomandukulo kuzakwakha kulo; isikhova esikhulu lewabayi kuzakwakha izidleke zakho kulo. UNkulunkulu uzakwelulela phezu kwe-Edomi intambo yokulinganisa incithakalo lentambo yokulinganisa ukutshabalala.
The pelican and the hedgehog shall possess it; The heron and the raven shall dwell in it; Over it will he draw the measuring-line of destruction. And the plummet of desolation.
12 Izikhulu zalo kaziyikuba lalutho olungathiwa ngumbuso, wonke amakhosana alo azanyamalala.
Her nobles — none are there, who may proclaim a kingdom, And all her princes have come to naught.
13 Izinqaba zalo zizagcwala ameva, imbabazane lokhula kugcwale kuziphephelo zalo. Lizakuba yindawo yamakhanka, lomuzi wezikhova.
Thorns shall spring up in her palaces; Nettles and thistles in her strongholds. She shall become a habitation for jackals, A court for ostriches.
14 Izinyamazana zenkangala zizahlangana lezimpisi, amagogo azakhalelana; izidalwa zebusuku zizalala khona zizifunele izindawo zokuphumula.
The wild-cats shall fall upon the wolves, And the satyr shall call to his fellow; There also shall the night-spectre light, And find a place of rest.
15 Isikhova sizakwakha isidleke khona sibekele amaqanda, sizawachamisela, sifukamele abantwana baso ngaphansi komthunzi wempiko zaso, lemizwazwa izabuthana khonapho, yilowo lalowo lomngane wawo.
There also shall the arrow-snake make her nest, and lay her eggs; She shall hatch them, and gather her young under her shadow: There also shall the vultures be gathered together, Every one with her mate.
16 Khangelani encwadini kaThixo lifunde okuthi: Akukho lakunye kwalokhu okuzasweleka; akukho okuzaswela umngane wakho. Ngoba nguThixo onike umlayo, loMoya wakhe uzazigoqela ndawonye.
Search ye the book of Jehovah, and read! Not one of these shall fail; Not one shall want her mate; For His mouth, it shall command, And His spirit, it shall gather them.
17 Uzakwahlukanisela izabelo zakho; isandla sakhe sizakwabela ngesilinganiso. Isabelo sizakuba lilifa lakho kokuphela, njalo sizahlala khona kusukela kusizukulwane kusiya kusizukulwane.
He shall cast the lot for them; His hand shall divide it for them with a line; They shall possess it forever; From generation to generation shall they dwell therein.