U-Isaya 46
1 UBheli uyakhothama, uNebho uyaguqa; izithombe zabo zithwelwe yizifuyo zokuthwala. Izifanekiso ezithwelweyo ziyasinda, umthwalo osindayo kodiniweyo.
[It is as though] Bel and Nebo, the statues of the gods [of Babylonia], are bowing down as those statues are put on animals and carried away! The statues are heavy burdens and will cause the animals to become tired [SAR]!
2 Bayakhothama baguqe ndawonye; benganelisi ukuhlenga umthwalo, labo uqobo baya khona ekuthunjweni.
[It seems like] both gods are bowing down; not only can they not save themselves, but they themselves are being (exiled/taken to another country)!
3 “Ngilalela wena ndlu kaJakhobe, lonke lina eliseleyo abendlu ka-Israyeli, lina engalisekelayo selokhu lemulwayo, ngalithwala selokhu lazalwayo.
[Yahweh says], “You descendants of Jacob who were exiled, [I am not like the gods of Babylonia that must be carried]; [instead, it is as though] I have carried you since you first became a nation [MET]. I carried you [even] before you became a nation.
4 Lasebudaleni benu, inwele zenu sezimhlophe, mina nginguye, nginguye ozaliqinisa. Sengilenzile njalo ngizalithwala; ngizaliqinisa ngilihlenge.
I will be your God, and I will carry you for many years, until [it is as though] [MET] your nation is an old man with gray hair. I caused [you to become a nation], and I will sustain you and rescue you.
5 Ngubani elingangilinganisa laye kumbe limbale njengolingana lami na? Ngubani elingangifananisa laye ukuba siqathaniswe na?
There is certainly [RHQ] no one to whom I can be compared. There is [RHQ] no one who is equal to me [DOU].
6 Abanye bathulula igolide emigodleni yabo balinganise isiliva ezikalini; baqhatshe abakhandi begolide ukuba benze unkulunkulu ngalo, bakhothame, bamkhonze.
[So it is stupid/ridiculous that] some people pour out gold and silver from their bags and weigh it on a scale. [Then] they hire a man who makes things from gold to make an idol from it. [After he makes an idol], they bow down and worship it!
7 Bayamphakamisela emahlombe abo bamthwale; bayambeka endaweni yakhe, ame khonapho. Angeke asuke kuleyondawo. Lanxa umuntu ememeza, kaphenduli; angeke amsize ekuhluphekeni kwakhe.
They lift it up and carry it on their shoulders. They put it in a [special] place, and it stays there. It cannot move! And when someone prays to it, it does not answer. So [obviously] it cannot rescue anyone from his troubles!
8 Khumbulani lokhu, likufake ezingqondweni zenu, kukhumbuleni lina bahlamuki.
[You people of Judah], do not forget this; keep thinking about it, you sinful people!
9 Khumbulani izinto zakuqala ezendulo. Mina nginguNkulunkulu, kakho omunye; mina nginguNkulunkulu, kakho onjengami.
Think about the things [that I did] long ago. Only I am God; I am God, and there is no one like me.
10 Mina ngenza isiphetho sazakale kusukela ekuqaleni lokuzakwenzakala, kusukela ezikhathini zasendulo. Ngithi: ‘Injongo yami izakuma kokuphela, njalo ngizakwenza konke engikufunayo.’
Only I can tell what will happen in the future before it occurs; I tell it long before it happens. I will accomplish everything that I plan to accomplish, and I will do everything that I want to do.
11 Empumalanga ngibiza inyoni edla ezinye; elizweni elikhatshana ngibiza umuntu ukuba afeze injongo yami. Lokho engikutshiloyo ngizakufeza; lokho engikucebileyo ngizakwenza.
So I will summon [someone to come] from the east [like a swift and powerful] eagle; he will come from a distant country. He will accomplish what I want him to. [He is the one who] will do what I have said that I want him to do, what I have planned.
12 Ngilalelani lina elilezinhliziyo ezilukhuni, lina elikhatshana lokulunga.
You stubborn people [of Israel], [you think that] it will be a long time before you are allowed to return to your own country.
13 Ngiletha ukulunga kwami eduzane, akukho khatshana; lokusindisa kwami akuyikuphuziswa. IZiyoni ngizayinika ukusindiswa, u-Israyeli inkazimulo yami.”
But I will rescue you, and it will not be a long time [before that happens]. I will do it soon. I will rescue Jerusalem and show to you Israeli [people] that I am glorious.”
