U-Isaya 44
1 “Kodwa khathesi lalela, wena Jakhobe, nceku yami, Israyeli, engikukhethileyo.
Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen:
2 Nanku akutshoyo uThixo, yena owakwenzayo, owakubumba esiswini, njalo yena ozakusiza, uthi: Ungesabi, wena Jakhobe, nceku yami, Jeshuruni engikukhethileyo.
Thus saith YHWH that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.
3 Ngoba ngizathela amanzi elizweni elomileyo, lezifula emhlabathini owomileyo. Ngizathela uMoya wami phezu kwenzalo yakho lezibusiso zami phezu kwezizukulwane zakho.
For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:
4 Zizahluma njengotshani emadlelweni, lanjengeminyezane ezifuleni ezigelezayo.
And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.
5 Omunye uzakuthi, ‘Mina ngingokaThixo’; lomunye azibize ngebizo likaJakhobe; omunye laye uzaloba esandleni sakhe ukuthi, ‘OkaThixo,’ azinike ibizo lika-Israyeli.”
One shall say, I am YHWH 's; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto YHWH, and surname himself by the name of Israel.
6 “Nanku akutshoyo uThixo, iNkosi loMhlengi ka-Israyeli, uThixo uSomandla: Mina ngingowokuqala njalo ngingowokucina; ngaphandle kwami kakho uNkulunkulu.
Thus saith YHWH the King of Israel, and his redeemer YHWH of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no Elohim.
7 Pho ngubani onjengami? Kakumemezele lokho. Katsho, achaze phambi kwami okwenzakalayo kusukela ekubekeni kwami abantu bami bendulo; akutsho lokuzakwenzakala; yebo, kakuqambe okuzayo.
And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them.
8 Lingaqhaqhazeli, lingesabi. Lokhu angikutshongo ngabika ngakho kudala na? Lina lingofakazi bami. Kulomunye uNkulunkulu ngaphandle kwami na? Hatshi, kalikho elinye iDwala; kalikho engilaziyo.”
Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there an Eloah beside me? yea, there is no rock; I know not any.
9 Bonke abenza izithombe kabasilutho, lezinto abaziqakathekisayo ziyize. Labo abangabakhulumela bayiziphofu, kabazi lutho, kulihlazo kubo.
They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.
10 Ngubani obaza unkulunkulu abumbe isithombe, okungeke kumsize ngalutho?
Who hath formed an el, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?
11 Yena labanjengaye bazayangiswa; izingcitshi kazisilutho, ngabantu nje. Kaziqoqane zonke zime ndawonye; bazakuba lokwesaba kanye lehlazo.
Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together.
12 Umkhandi uthatha insimbi ayifake emalahleni; enze isithombe ngezando, asikhande ngengalo yakhe elamandla. Uyalamba aphelelwe ngamandla. Anganathi manzi, amandla aphele.
The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint.
13 Umbazi welula intambo yokulinganisa asidwebe ngosungulo, asibaze ngetshizela, asidwebe ngensimbi ecijileyo, abaze umfanekiso womuntu, umuntu olobuhle bonke, ukuba sihlale endlini yokukhonzela.
The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.
14 Ugamula isihlahla somsedari, loba athathe umsayiphresi kumbe umʼOkhi. Uyasikhulisa phakathi kwezihlahla zegusu, kumbe ahlanyele iphayini, izulu lisikhulise.
He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it.
15 Lapho-ke siba zinkuni zomuntu zokubasa; okunye kwaso uyathatha othe, ubasa umlilo abhekhe izinkwa. Kodwa, njalo, wenza unkulunkulu amkhonze; abaze isithombe asikhothamele.
Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh an el, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.
16 Ingxenye yezinkuni ubasa ngayo umlilo, apheke ngawo ukudla kwakhe. Ose inyama yakhe adle asuthe. Njalo uyotha umlilo athi, “Ha! Ngiyafudumala; ngiyawubona umlilo.”
He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire:
17 Ngeziseleyo wenza unkulunkulu, isithombe sakhe; uyasikhothamela, asikhonze. Uyakhuleka kuso athi, “Ngisindisa, ungunkulunkulu wami.”
And the residue thereof he maketh an el, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my el.
18 Kabazi lutho, kabaqedisisi lutho; amehlo abo abhadiwe ukuze bangaboni lezingqondo zabo zivalekile ukuze bangaqedisisi.
They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.
19 Kakho oke ame acabange, kakho olokwazi loba ukuzwisisa ukuba athi, “Ingxenye yazo ngabasa ngayo umlilo; ngaze ngabhekha izinkwa emalahleni awo, ngosa inyama ngayidla. Ngokuseleyo ngizakwenza into enengisayo na? Ngizasikhothamela na isigodo nje?”
And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?
20 Udla umlotha, inhliziyo ekhohlisekileyo iyamlahla, angeke azihlenge, kumbe athi, “Into le esesandleni sami sokudla kayisimanga na?”
He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?
21 “Khumbula lezizinto, wena Jakhobe, ngoba uyinceku yami, wena Israyeli. Ngakubumba, uyinceku yami; wena Israyeli, angiyikukukhohlwa.
Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.
22 Ngesule iziphambeko zakho njengeyezi, ngesula izono zakho njengenkungu yekuseni. Buyela kimi, ngoba ngikuhlengile.”
I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
23 Hlabelelani ngentokozo, lina mazulu, ngoba uThixo usekwenzile lokhu; hlaba umkhosi, wena mhlaba ngaphansi. Tshayani ingoma lina zintaba, lina mahlathi lazozonke izihlahla zenu, ngoba uThixo usemhlengile uJakhobe, ubonakalisa udumo lwakhe ko-Israyeli.
Sing, O ye heavens; for YHWH hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for YHWH hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.
24 “Nanku akutshoyo uThixo, uMhlengi wakho, owakubumbayo esiswini: Mina nginguThixo, owenza izinto zonke, owenza amazulu eyedwa, owendlala umhlaba eyedwa,
Thus saith YHWH, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am YHWH that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;
25 ofubisa izibonakaliso zabaphrofethi bamanga, enze izanuse zibe yizithutha, ochitha ulwazi lwezihlakaniphi alwenze lube yibuthutha,
That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;
26 ofeza amazwi ezinceku zakhe aphelelise amacebo ezithunywa zakhe. Athi kulo iJerusalema, ‘Kuzahlalwa kulo,’ ngamadolobho akoJuda athi, ‘Azakwakhiwa.’ Ngamanxiwa awo uthi, ‘Ngizawavusa,’
That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof:
27 athi enzikini yamanzi, ‘Cima, ngizakomisa izifula zakho,’
That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers:
28 athi ngoKhurosi, ‘Ungumelusi wami, uzafeza konke engikufunayo; uzakuthi ngeJerusalema, “Kalakhiwe futhi,” ngethempeli athi, “Izisekelo zalo kazakhiwe.”’”
That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.
