U-Isaya 44
1 “Kodwa khathesi lalela, wena Jakhobe, nceku yami, Israyeli, engikukhethileyo.
Yet listen now, 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.
This is what the LORD who made you, and formed you from the womb, who will help you says: “Don’t be afraid, Jacob my servant; and you, Jeshurun, 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 on him who is thirsty, and streams on the dry ground. I will pour my Spirit on your descendants, and my blessing on your offspring;
4 Zizahluma njengotshani emadlelweni, lanjengeminyezane ezifuleni ezigelezayo.
and they will spring up among the grass, as willows by the watercourses.
5 Omunye uzakuthi, ‘Mina ngingokaThixo’; lomunye azibize ngebizo likaJakhobe; omunye laye uzaloba esandleni sakhe ukuthi, ‘OkaThixo,’ azinike ibizo lika-Israyeli.”
One will say, ‘I am the LORD’s.’ Another will be called by the name of Jacob; and another will write with his hand ‘to the LORD,’ and honor the name of Israel.”
6 “Nanku akutshoyo uThixo, iNkosi loMhlengi ka-Israyeli, uThixo uSomandla: Mina ngingowokuqala njalo ngingowokucina; ngaphandle kwami kakho uNkulunkulu.
This is what the LORD, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the LORD of Hosts, says: “I am the first, and I am the last; and besides me there is no God.
7 Pho ngubani onjengami? Kakumemezele lokho. Katsho, achaze phambi kwami okwenzakalayo kusukela ekubekeni kwami abantu bami bendulo; akutsho lokuzakwenzakala; yebo, kakuqambe okuzayo.
Who is like me? Who will call, and will declare it, and set it in order for me, since I established the ancient people? Let them declare the things that are coming, and that will happen.
8 Lingaqhaqhazeli, lingesabi. Lokhu angikutshongo ngabika ngakho kudala na? Lina lingofakazi bami. Kulomunye uNkulunkulu ngaphandle kwami na? Hatshi, kalikho elinye iDwala; kalikho engilaziyo.”
Don’t fear, neither be afraid. Haven’t I declared it to you long ago, and shown it? You are my witnesses. Is there a God besides me? Indeed, there is not. I don’t know any other Rock.”
9 Bonke abenza izithombe kabasilutho, lezinto abaziqakathekisayo ziyize. Labo abangabakhulumela bayiziphofu, kabazi lutho, kulihlazo kubo.
Everyone who makes a carved image is vain. The things that they delight in will not profit. Their own witnesses don’t see, nor know, that they may be disappointed.
10 Ngubani obaza unkulunkulu abumbe isithombe, okungeke kumsize ngalutho?
Who has fashioned a god, or molds an 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 will be disappointed; and the workmen are mere men. Let them all be gathered together. Let them stand up. They will fear. They will be put to shame together.
12 Umkhandi uthatha insimbi ayifake emalahleni; enze isithombe ngezando, asikhande ngengalo yakhe elamandla. Uyalamba aphelelwe ngamandla. Anganathi manzi, amandla aphele.
The blacksmith takes an ax, works in the coals, fashions it with hammers, and works it with his strong arm. He is hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks 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 stretches out a line. He marks it out with a pencil. He shapes it with planes. He marks it out with compasses, and shapes it like the figure of a man, with the beauty of a man, to reside in a house.
14 Ugamula isihlahla somsedari, loba athathe umsayiphresi kumbe umʼOkhi. Uyasikhulisa phakathi kwezihlahla zegusu, kumbe ahlanyele iphayini, izulu lisikhulise.
He cuts down cedars for himself, and takes the cypress and the oak, and strengthens for himself one among the trees of the forest. He plants a cypress tree, and the rain nourishes 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 it will be for a man to burn; and he takes some of it and warms himself. Yes, he burns it and bakes bread. Yes, he makes a god and worships it; he makes it a carved image, and falls down to it.
16 Ingxenye yezinkuni ubasa ngayo umlilo, apheke ngawo ukudla kwakhe. Ose inyama yakhe adle asuthe. Njalo uyotha umlilo athi, “Ha! Ngiyafudumala; ngiyawubona umlilo.”
He burns part of it in the fire. With part of it, he eats meat. He roasts a roast and is satisfied. Yes, he warms himself and says, “Aha! I am warm. I have seen the fire.”
17 Ngeziseleyo wenza unkulunkulu, isithombe sakhe; uyasikhothamela, asikhonze. Uyakhuleka kuso athi, “Ngisindisa, ungunkulunkulu wami.”
The rest of it he makes into a god, even his engraved image. He bows down to it and worships, and prays to it, and says, “Deliver me, for you are my god!”
18 Kabazi lutho, kabaqedisisi lutho; amehlo abo abhadiwe ukuze bangaboni lezingqondo zabo zivalekile ukuze bangaqedisisi.
They don’t know, neither do they consider, for he has shut their eyes, that they can’t see, and their hearts, that they can’t 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?”
No one thinks, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, “I have burned part of it in the fire. Yes, I have also baked bread on its coals. I have roasted meat and eaten it. Shall I make the rest of it into an abomination? Shall I bow down to a tree trunk?”
20 Udla umlotha, inhliziyo ekhohlisekileyo iyamlahla, angeke azihlenge, kumbe athi, “Into le esesandleni sami sokudla kayisimanga na?”
He feeds on ashes. A deceived heart has turned him aside; and he can’t deliver his soul, nor say, “Isn’t there a lie in my right hand?”
21 “Khumbula lezizinto, wena Jakhobe, ngoba uyinceku yami, wena Israyeli. Ngakubumba, uyinceku yami; wena Israyeli, angiyikukukhohlwa.
Remember these things, Jacob and Israel, for you are my servant. I have formed you. You are my servant. Israel, you will not be forgotten by me.
22 Ngesule iziphambeko zakho njengeyezi, ngesula izono zakho njengenkungu yekuseni. Buyela kimi, ngoba ngikuhlengile.”
I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, your transgressions, and, as a cloud, your sins. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.
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, you heavens, for the LORD has done it! Shout, you lower parts of the earth! Break out into singing, you mountains, O forest, all of your trees, for the LORD has redeemed Jacob, and will glorify himself in Israel.
24 “Nanku akutshoyo uThixo, uMhlengi wakho, owakubumbayo esiswini: Mina nginguThixo, owenza izinto zonke, owenza amazulu eyedwa, owendlala umhlaba eyedwa,
The LORD, your Redeemer, and he who formed you from the womb says: “I am the LORD, who makes all things; who alone stretches out the heavens; who spreads out the earth by myself;
25 ofubisa izibonakaliso zabaphrofethi bamanga, enze izanuse zibe yizithutha, ochitha ulwazi lwezihlakaniphi alwenze lube yibuthutha,
who frustrates the signs of the liars, and makes diviners mad; who turns wise men backward, and makes 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,’
who confirms the word of his servant, and performs the counsel of his messengers; who says of Jerusalem, ‘She will be inhabited;’ and of the cities of Judah, ‘They will be built,’ and ‘I will raise up its waste places;’
27 athi enzikini yamanzi, ‘Cima, ngizakomisa izifula zakho,’
who says to the deep, ‘Be dry,’ and ‘I will dry up your rivers,’
28 athi ngoKhurosi, ‘Ungumelusi wami, uzafeza konke engikufunayo; uzakuthi ngeJerusalema, “Kalakhiwe futhi,” ngethempeli athi, “Izisekelo zalo kazakhiwe.”’”
who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure,’ even saying of Jerusalem, ‘She will be built;’ and of the temple, ‘Your foundation will be laid.’”
