U-Isaya 41
1 “Thulani lithi zwi phambi kwami lina zihlenge! Izizwe kazivuselele amandla azo! Kazisondele phambili zikhulume; kasihlanganeni sonke endaweni yokwahlulela.
“Keep silent before me, islands, and let the peoples renew their strength. Let them come near, then let them speak. Let’s meet together for judgement.
2 Ngubani osevuse lowo ovela empumalanga, embizela emsebenzini wakhe ngokulunga na? Unikela izizwe kuye, anqobe amakhosi phambi kwakhe. Ngenkemba yakhe uwenza abe luthuli, ngedandili lakhe awenze abe ngamakhoba aphetshulwa ngumoya.
Who has raised up one from the east? Who called him to his feet in righteousness? He hands over nations to him and makes him rule over kings. He gives them like the dust to his sword, like the driven stubble to his bow.
3 Uyawaxotsha yena adlule engathintwanga lutho, endleleni angakaze ahambe ngayo.
He pursues them and passes by safely, even by a way that he had not gone with his feet.
4 Ngubani owenze lokhu wakuphumelelisa, ebiza izizukulwane kusukela ekuqaleni na? Mina uThixo, kusukela kwesokuqala sazo kanye lesokucina, nginguye.”
Who has worked and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD, the first, and with the last, I am he.”
5 Izihlenge zikubonile njalo ziyesaba; imikhawulo yomhlaba iyathuthumela, iyasondela ize ngaphambili;
The islands have seen, and fear. The ends of the earth tremble. They approach, and come.
6 yilowo lalowo usiza omunye athi kumfowabo, “Woba lesibindi!”
Everyone helps his neighbour. They say to their brothers, “Be strong!”
7 Umbazi ukhuthaza umkhandi wegolide, lalowo ololonga ngesando utshotshozela otshaya ihandila. Mayelana lokunusela uthi, “Kulungile.” Ubethelela isithombe phansi ngezipikili ukuze singawi.
So the carpenter encourages the goldsmith. He who smooths with the hammer encourages him who strikes the anvil, saying of the soldering, “It is good;” and he fastens it with nails, that it might not totter.
8 “Kodwa wena we Israyeli, nceku yami, Jakhobe, wena engikukhethileyo, wena nzalo ka-Abhrahama, umngane wami,
“But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham my friend,
9 ngakuthatha emikhawulweni yomhlaba, ngakubiza usemakhoneni akhatshana kakhulu. Ngathi, ‘Wena uyinceku yami’; ngikukhethile njalo angikulahlanga.
you whom I have taken hold of from the ends of the earth, and called from its corners, and said to you, ‘You are my servant. I have chosen you and have not cast you away.’
10 Ngakho ungesabi, ngoba ngilawe; ungakhathazeki, ngoba nginguNkulunkulu wakho. Ngizakuqinisa, ngikusize; ngizakusekela ngesandla sami sokudla esiqotho.
Don’t you be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.
11 Bonke abakuthukutheleleyo, ngoqotho bazayangeka babe lenhloni; labo abakuphikisayo bazakuba njengeze, babhubhe.
Behold, all those who are incensed against you will be disappointed and confounded. Those who strive with you will be like nothing, and shall perish.
12 Lanxa izitha zakho uzidinga, awuyikuzithola. Labo abalwa impi lawe bazakuba yize.
You will seek them, and won’t find them, even those who contend with you. Those who war against you will be as nothing, as a nonexistent thing.
13 Ngoba mina nginguThixo uNkulunkulu wakho, okubamba ngesandla sakho sokudla athi kuwe: Ungesabi; ngizakusiza.
For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I will help you.’
14 Ungesabi, wena mpethu enguJakhobe, wena Israyeli omncinyazana, ungesabi, ngoba mina ngokwami ngizakusiza,” kutsho uThixo, uMhlengi wakho, oNgcwele ka-Israyeli.
Don’t be afraid, you worm Jacob, and you men of Israel. I will help you,” says the LORD. “Your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.
15 “Khangela, ngizakwenza ube yisileyi sokubhula esitsha njalo esibukhali esilenhlendla ezinengi. Uzabhula izintaba uzibhidlize. Wenze amaqaqa abe ngamakhoba.
Behold, I have made you into a new sharp threshing instrument with teeth. You will thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and will make the hills like chaff.
16 Uzawahlungula, umoya uwathathe, isavunguzane siwaphephulele khatshana. Kodwa wena uzathokoza kuThixo njalo uzibule koNgcwele ka-Israyeli.
You will winnow them, and the wind will carry them away, and the whirlwind will scatter them. You will rejoice in the LORD. You will glory in the Holy One of Israel.
17 Abayanga labaswelayo badinga amanzi, kodwa kawakho; inlimi zabo sezitshile ngokoma. Kodwa mina Thixo ngizabaphendula; mina, Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, angiyikubalahla.
The poor and needy seek water, and there is none. Their tongue fails for thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
18 Ngizakwenza amanzi ageleze emiqolweni engelalutho lemithombo phakathi kwezigodi. Ngizaguqula inkangala ibe yiziziba zamanzi, lomhlabathi owomileyo ube yimithombo yamanzi.
I will open rivers on the bare heights, and springs in the middle of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.
19 Enkangala ngizamilisa khona imisedari lemi-akhakhiya, amamithili kanye lama-oliva. Ogwaduleni ngizamisa izihlahla zamaphayini, ndawonye lemifiri kanye lemisiphresi,
I will put cedar, acacia, myrtle, and oil trees in the wilderness. I will set cypress trees, pine, and box trees together in the desert;
20 ukuze abantu babone njalo bazi, bacabange bazwisise ukuthi isandla sikaThixo yiso esenza lokhu, lokuthi oNgcwele ka-Israyeli ukudalile.
that they may see, know, consider, and understand together, that the LORD’s hand has done this, and the Holy One of Israel has created it.
21 Bikani indaba yenu,” kutsho uThixo. “Bekani izizatho zenu,” kutsho iNkosi kaJakhobe.
Produce your cause,” says the LORD. “Bring out your strong reasons!” says the King of Jacob.
22 “Lethani izithombe zenu zisitshele okuzakwenzakala. Sitsheleni izinto zendulo ukuthi zaziyini ukuze sizihlole, sazi isiphetho sazo. Loba sitsheleni izinto ezizayo,
“Let them announce and declare to us what will happen! Declare the former things, what they are, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or show us things to come.
23 lisazise okuqukethwe yizinsuku ezizayo, ukuze sazi ukuthi lingonkulunkulu. Yenzani okuthile, okuhle kumbe okubi, ukuze sithuthumele, sibe lokwesaba.
Declare the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods. Yes, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and see it together.
24 Kodwa lina liyize, lemisebenzi yenu kayisilutho, okhetha lina uyisinengiso.
Behold, you are nothing, and your work is nothing. He who chooses you is an abomination.
25 Sengithukuthelise omunye enyakatho, njalo uyeza omunye ovela empumalanga obiza ibizo lami. Lowo unyathela phezu kwababusi kube sengathi baludaka, kube angathi ngumbumbi evoxa ibumba.
“I have raised up one from the north, and he has come, from the rising of the sun, one who calls on my name, and he shall come on rulers as on mortar, and as the potter treads clay.
26 Ngubani owabika lokhu kwasekuqaleni, ukuze sazi, kumbe ngaphambilini ukuze sithi, ‘Wayeqinisile na’? Kakho owabika ngalokhu, kakho owakutsho ngaphambilini, kakho owake wezwa amazwi aphuma kuwe.
Who has declared it from the beginning, that we may know? and before, that we may say, ‘He is right’? Surely, there is no one who declares. Surely, there is no one who shows. Surely, there is no one who hears your words.
27 Mina yimi engaba ngowokuqala ukutshela iZiyoni ukuthi, ‘Khangela, nampa lapha!’ Nganika iJerusalema isithunywa sezindaba ezinhle.
I am the first to say to Zion, ‘Behold, look at them;’ and I will give one who brings good news to Jerusalem.
28 Ngiyakhangela kodwa akulamuntu, kakho phakathi kwabo onganika iseluleko, kakho ongaphendula lapho ngibabuza.
When I look, there is no man, even amongst them there is no counsellor who, when I ask, can answer a word.
29 Khangela, bonke bayize! Izenzo zabo kazisilutho; izithombe zabo ezibunjiweyo zingumoya lensambatheka.”
Behold, all of their deeds are vanity and nothing. Their molten images are wind and confusion.
