U-Isaya 40
1 Duduzani, libaduduze abantu bami, kutsho uNkulunkulu wenu.
“Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God.
2 Khulumani ngomusa kulo iJerusalema, limemezele kulo ukuthi ukusebenza kwalo nzima sekuphelile, ukuthi isono salo sihlawulwe, ukuthi selamukele okuvela esandleni sikaThixo kuphindwe kabili kuzozonke izono zalo.
“Speak tenderly to Jerusalem; and proclaim to her that her warfare has ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received double from Yahweh's hand for all her sins.”
3 Ilizwi lomemezayo lithi: “Enkangala lungiselani uThixo indlela, lenzele uNkulunkulu wethu umgwaqo oqondileyo enkangala.
A voice cries out, “In the wilderness prepare the way of Yahweh; make straight in the Arabah a highway for our God.”
4 Zonke izigodi zizaphakanyiswa, izintaba zonke lamaqaqa kuzakwehliselwa phansi. Umhlabathi ongamakhilikithi uzakwendlaleka, izindawo ezimadundulu zizakuba yisigcawu.
Every valley will be lifted up, and every mountain and hill will be leveled; and the rugged land will be made level, and the rough places a plain;
5 Inkazimulo kaThixo izabonakaliswa, abantu bonke bazambona kanyekanye, ngoba umlomo kaThixo usukhulumile.”
and the glory of Yahweh will be revealed, and all people will see it together; for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken it.
6 Ilizwi lithi, “Memeza!” Mina ngathi, “Ngimemeze ngisithini na?” “Abantu bonke banjengotshani njalo ubuhle babo bunjengamaluba eganga.
A voice says, “Cry.” Another answers, “What should I cry?” “All flesh is grass, and all their covenant faithfulness is like the flower of the field.
7 Utshani buyabuna amaluba ayakhithika, ngoba umoya kaThixo uyakuphephetha. Ngempela abantu babutshani.
The grass withers and the flower wilts when the breath of Yahweh blows on it; surely humanity is grass.
8 Utshani buyabuna, amaluba ayakhithika, kodwa ilizwi likaNkulunkulu limi kuze kube nininini.”
The grass withers, the flower wilts, but the word of our God will stand forever.”
9 Wena oletha izindaba ezinhle eZiyoni, khwela entabeni ende. Wena oletha izindaba ezinhle eJerusalema, phakamisa ilizwi lakho ngokumemeza; liphakamise, ungesabi, tshono emadolobheni akoJuda uthi: “Nangu uNkulunkulu wenu!”
Go up on a high mountain, Zion, bearer of good news. Shout out loud, Jerusalem. You who bring good news, raise your voice, do not be afraid. Say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!”
10 Khangelani, uThixo Wobukhosi uza elamandla, isandla sakhe sizabusa. Khangelani, umvuzo wakhe ulawo, lenhlawulo yakhe uhamba elayo.
Look, the Lord Yahweh comes as a victorious warrior, and his strong arm rules for him. See, his reward is with him, and those he has rescued go before him.
11 Welusa umhlambi wakhe njengomelusi: ubuthelela amawundlu ezingalweni zakhe awathwale eseduzane lenhliziyo yakhe; awakhokhele kuhle lawo alamazinyane.
He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather in his arm the lambs, and carry them close to his heart, and will gently lead the ewes nursing their young.
12 Ngubani olinganise amanzi entendeni yesandla sakhe, loba walinganisa amazulu ngobubanzi besandla sakhe na? Ngubani owaphatha uthuli lomhlabathi ngesitsha loba walinganisa izintaba ezilinganisweni lamaqaqa esikalini na?
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, measured the sky with the span of his hand, held the dust of the earth in a basket, weighed the mountains in scales, or the hills in a balance?
13 Ngubani osewazwisisa imicabango kaThixo, kumbe wamfundisa njengomeluleki wakhe na?
Who has comprehended the mind of Yahweh, or instructed him as his counselor?
14 Ngubani owake wacelwa nguThixo ukuba ameluleke, njalo ngubani owamfundisa indlela elungileyo na? Ngubani lowo owamfundisa ukwazi, loba owamtshengisa indlela yokuqedisisa na?
From whom did he ever receive instruction? Who taught him the correct way to do things, and taught him knowledge, or showed to him the way of understanding?
15 Ngeqiniso izizwe zinjengethonsi emgqonyeni; zibalwa njengothuli ezilinganisweni; uThixo ulinganisa izihlenge angathi ziluthuli olucolekileyo.
Look, the nations are like a drop in a bucket, and are regarded like the dust on the scales; see, he weighs the isles as a speck.
16 ILebhanoni kalaneli imililo ye-alithare, lezinyamazana zalo kazaneli iminikelo yokutshiswa.
Lebanon is not sufficient fuel, nor its wild animals sufficient for a burnt offering.
17 Phambi kwakhe zonke izizwe zinjengeze; yena uzikhangela njengento engasi yalutho njalo zingaphansi kweze.
All the nations are insufficient before him; they are regarded by him as nothing.
18 Pho ngubani elingamfanisa loNkulunkulu na? Yisifanekiso bani elingasilinganisa laye na?
To whom then will you compare God? To what idol will you liken him?
19 Isithombe sibunjwa yingcwethi, umkhandi wegolide asinameke ngegolide asenzele imigaxo yesiliva.
An idol! A craftsman casts it: The goldsmith overlays it with gold and forges silver chains for it.
20 Umuntu ongumyanga onganelisiyo ukunikela ngomnikelo onjalo ukhetha isigodo esingaboliyo. Udinga ingcitshi elolwazi ukuba imise isithombe esingayikubhidlika.
To make an offering one chooses a wood that will not rot; he seeks a skillful artisan to make an idol that will not fall over.
21 Kalazi yini? Kalizwanga na? Kalikutshelwanga kwasekuqaleni na? Kalizwisisanga na selokhu umhlaba wadalwayo?
Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
22 UThixo uhlezi ebukhosini ngaphezu kwendingiliza yomhlaba, njalo abantu bakhe banjengezintethe. Welula amazulu njengekhetheni, awendlale njengethente lokuhlala kulo.
He is the one who sits above the horizon of the earth; and the inhabitants are like grasshoppers before him. He stretches out the heavens like a curtain and spreads them out as a tent to live in.
23 Udiliza amakhosana, enze ababusi bomhlaba lo babe yize.
He reduces rulers to nothing and makes the rulers of the earth insignificant.
24 Banele ukugxunyekwa nje, banele ukuhlanyelwa nje, banele ukugxila impande emhlabathini abe ephephetha phezu kwabo, babune, isavunguzane sibakhukhulele khatshana njengamakhoba.
They are barely planted, barely sown, their stem has barely taken root in the earth, when he blows upon them and they wither, and the wind carries them away like straw.
25 “Ngubani elizangilinganisa laye na? Loba ngubani olingana lami na?” kutsho yena oNgcwele.
“To whom then will you compare me, whom do I resemble?” says the Holy One.
26 Phakamisani amehlo enu likhangele phezulu: Ngubani owadala konke lokhu na? Yena okhupha amaxuku ezinkanyezi ngalinye ngalinye, awabize ngalinye ngamabizo awo. Ngenxa yamandla akhe amakhulu lokuqina okulamandla, akukho lalinye elingekho.
Look up at the sky! Who has created all these stars? He leads out their formations and calls them all by name. By the greatness of his might and by the strength of his power, not one is missing.
27 Kungani usithi, we Jakhobe, usole usithi, we Israyeli, “Indlela yami ifihlakele Thixo; ilungelo lami kalinanzwa nguNkulunkulu wami na?”
Why do you say, Jacob, and declare, Israel, “My way is hidden from Yahweh, and my God is not concerned about my vindication”?
28 Kalazi yini? Kalizwanga na? UThixo unguNkulunkulu waphakade, uMdali wemikhawulo yomhlaba. Kayikudinwa kumbe akhathale, ukuqedisisa kwakhe kakho ongakulinganisa.
Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, Yahweh, the Creator of the ends of the earth, does not get tired or weary; there is no limit to his understanding.
29 Abakhatheleyo uyabanika amandla, andise amandla ababuthakathaka.
He gives strength to the tired; and to the weak he gives renewed energy.
30 Labatsha baphelelwa ngamandla bakhathale, lamajaha ayakhubeka awe,
Even young people become tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall:
31 kodwa labo abathemba uThixo bazavuselelwa amandla abo. Bazaqonga ngempiko njengezinkozi, bazagijima kodwa bangadinwa, bazahamba kodwa bangapheli amandla.
but those who wait for Yahweh will renew their strength; they will soar with wings like eagles; they will run and not be weary; they will walk and not faint.
