< U-Isaya 45 >

1 “Nanku akutshoyo uThixo kogcotshiweyo wakhe, uKhurosi, engibamba isandla sakhe sokudla ukuba nginqobe izizwe eziphambi kwakhe, ngithathele amakhosi izihlangu zawo, ngivule iminyango phambi kwakhe ukuze amasango angavaleki:
Thus saith the Lord to my anointed Cyrus, whose right hand I have taken hold of, to subdue nations before his face, and to turn the backs of kings, and to open the doors before him, and the gates shall not be shut.
2 Ngizahamba phambi kwakho ngenze izintaba zendlaleke. Ngizadiliza amasango ethusi, ngifohle emigoqweni yensimbi.
I will go before thee, and will humble the great ones of the earth: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and will burst the bars of iron.
3 Ngizakupha inotho yobumnyama, lenotho egcinwe ezindaweni ezifihlakeleyo ukuze wazi ukuthi mina nginguThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, okubiza ngebizo.
And I will give thee hidden treasures, and the concealed riches of secret places: that thou mayest know that I am the Lord who call thee by thy name, the God of Israel.
4 Ngenxa kaJakhobe inceku yami, lo-Israyeli okhethiweyo wami, ngikubiza ngebizo ngikunike ibizo lokuhlonipha, lanxa wena unganginakanga.
For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have made a likeness of thee, and thou hast not known me.
5 Mina nginguThixo, njalo kakho omunye; ngaphandle kwami akulaNkulunkulu. Ngizakuqinisa, lanxa wena unganginakanga,
I am the Lord, and there is none else: there is no God, besides me: I girded thee, and thou hast not known me:
6 ukuze kuthi kusukela empumalanga kusiya entshonalanga, abantu bakwazi ukuthi kakho omunye ngaphandle kwami. Mina nginguThixo, njalo kakho omunye.
That they may know who are from the rising of the sun, and they who are from the west, that there is none besides me. I am the Lord, and there is none else:
7 Ngenza ukukhanya njalo ngidale umnyama, ngiletha ukuphumelela njalo ngidale incithakalo; mina Thixo ngiyazenza zonke lezizinto.
I form the light, and create darkness, I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord that do all these things.
8 Lina mazulu angaphezulu, nisani ukulunga; amayezi kawakuthululele phansi. Umhlaba kawuvuleke kabanzi kuhlume ukusindiswa, ukulunga akukhule lakho; mina, uThixo, ngikudalile.
Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the just: let the earth be opened, and bud forth a saviour: and let justice spring up together: I the Lord have created him.
9 Maye kulowo ophikisa uMdali wakhe, kulowo oludengezi nje phakathi kwendengezi emhlabathini. Ibumba liyatsho na kumbumbi lithi, ‘Kuyini okubumbayo?’ Umsebenzi wakho uyatsho na uthi, ‘Kalazandla?’
Woe to him that gainsayeth his maker, a sherd of the earthen pots: shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it: What art thou making, and thy work is without hands?
10 Maye kulowo othi kuyise, ‘Kuyini owakuzalayo?’ loba athi kunina, ‘Kuyini owakubelethayo?’
Woe to him that saith to his father: Why begettest thou? and to the woman: Why dost thou bring forth?
11 Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo, oNgcwele ka-Israyeli, loMdali wakhe uthi: Mayelana lezinto ezizayo, uyangibuza ngabatwabami na, loba uyangilawula emsebenzini engiwenzayo na?
Thus saith the Lord the Holy One of Israel, his maker: Ask me of things to come, concerning my children, and concerning the work of my hands give ye charge to me.
12 Yimi engadala umhlaba, ngenza labantu abahlala kuwo. Ezami izandla yizo ezananabula amazulu; ngahlela amaxuku ezinkanyezi zawo.
I made the earth: and I created man upon it: my hand stretched forth the heavens, and I have commanded all their host.
13 Ngizamvusa uKhurosi ngokulunga kwami, ngenze izindlela zakhe zonke ziqonde. Uzalakha futhi idolobho lami, akhulule abami abaxotshwayo elizweni, kodwa kungekho nhlawulo kumbe umvuzo, kutsho uThixo uSomandla.”
I have raised him up to justice, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and let go my captives, not for ransom, nor for presents, saith the Lord the God of hosts.
14 Nanku akutshoyo uThixo: “Izithelo zaseGibhithe lempahla ethengiswayo yaseKhushi lamaSebhina lawana amade, bazakuza kuwe babengabakho, bazakhasabula ngemva kwakho, beze kuwe bebotshwe ngamaketane. Bazakukhothamela bakuncenge besithi, ‘Ngempela uNkulunkulu ulawe, kakho omunye, kakho omunye uNkulunkulu.’”
Thus saith the Lord: The labour of Egypt, and the merchandise of Ethiopia, and of Sabaim, men of stature shall come over to thee, and shall be thins: they shall walk after thee, they shall go bound with manacles: and they shall worship thee, and shall make supplication to thee: only in thee is God, and there is no God besides thee.
15 Ngeqiniso unguNkulunkulu ozifihlayo, Nkulunkulu loMsindisi ka-Israyeli.
Verily thou art a hidden God, the God of Israel the saviour.
16 Bonke ababaza izithombe bazayangiswa badumazeke; bonke bazahamba beyangekile.
They are all confounded and ashamed: the forgers of errors are gone together into confusion.
17 Kodwa u-Israyeli uzasindiswa nguThixo ngensindiso engapheliyo; kaliyikuyangiswa kumbe libe lehlazo kuze kube nininini.
Israel is saved in the Lord with as eternal salvation: you shall not be confounded, and you shall not be ashamed for ever and ever.
18 Ngoba nanku okutshiwo nguThixo yena owadala amazulu, unguNkulunkulu, yena owabumba umhlaba wawenza, wawusekela; kawudalanga ukuba ungabi lalutho, kodwa wawenza ukuba kuhlalwe kuwo, uthi: “Mina nginguThixo, kakho omunye.
For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens, God himself that formed the earth, and made it, the very maker thereof: he did not create it in vain: he formed it to be inhabited. I am the Lord, and there is no other.
19 Angikhulumanga ensitha kwenye indawo elizweni lomnyama; angizange ngithi kuzizukulwane zikaJakhobe, ‘Ngidingani lingangitholi.’ Mina Thixo ngikhuluma iqiniso; ngitsho okuqotho.
I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I have not said to the seed of Jacob: Seek me in vain. I am the Lord that speak justice, that declare right things.
20 Qoqanani ndawonye lize kimi; buthanani lina elabaleka ezizweni. Labo abahamba bethwele izithombe zezigodo kabazi lutho; labo abakhuleka kubonkulunkulu abangeke babasize.”
Assemble yourselves, and come, and draw near together, ye that are saved of the Gentiles: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven work, and pray to a god that cannot save.
21 Memezelani okufanele kube yikho, likubike, kabemukele izeluleko ndawonye. Ngubani owabika lokhu endulo, ngubani owamemezela ngakho kudala le? Kwakungayisimi mina Thixo na? Njalo kakho uNkulunkulu ngaphandle kwami, uNkulunkulu olungileyo onguMsindisi; kakho omunye, yimi kuphela.
Tell ye, and come, and consult together: who hath declared this from the beginning, who hath foretold this from that time? Have not I the Lord, and there is no God else besides me? A just God and a saviour, there is none besides me.
22 “Phendukelani kimi lisindiswe, lonke lina mikhawulo yomhlaba; ngoba mina nginguNkulunkulu, njalo kakho omunye.
Be converted to me, and you shall be saved, all ye ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is no other.
23 Ngifunge ngami, ngobuqotho bonke umlomo wami ukhulume ilizwi elingayikwesulwa. Amadolo wonke azaguqa phambi kwami; izindimi zonke zizafunga ngami.
I have sworn by myself, the word of justice shall go out of my mouth, and shall not return: For every knee shall be bowed to me, and every tongue shall swear.
24 Zizakutsho ngami zithi, ‘Ukulunga lamandla kuThixo kuphela.’” Bonke abamthukuthelelayo bazakuza kuye bayangiswe.
Therefore shall he say: In the Lord are my justices and empire: they shall come to him, and all that resist him shall be confounded.
25 Kodwa Thixo yonke inzalo ka-Israyeli izafunyanwa ilungile, ithokoze iziqhenya ngaye.
In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and praised.

< U-Isaya 45 >