U-Isaya 47
1 “Yehla uhlale othulini Ndodakazi emsulwa yaseBhabhiloni, hlala emhlabathini ungelasihlalo sobukhosi, ndodakazi yamaBhabhiloni. Akusayikuthiwa ubuthakathaka loba kuthiwe uthambile.
Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; sit on the ground without a throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate.
2 Thatha amatshe okuchola uchole impuphu; ukhuphe isimbombozo sakho. Phakamisa izidwaba zakho, uveze imilenze yakho, ugxabhaze udabule ezifuleni.
Take the millstones, and grind meal: remove thy veil, strip off the train, uncover the leg, pass through the rivers.
3 Ubunqunu bakho buzavezwa, ihlazo lakho lambuleke. Ngizaphindisela, kakho engizamyekela.”
Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen: I will take vengeance, and will accept no man.
4 Umhlengi wethu uThixo uSomandla libizo lakhe ungoNgcwele ka-Israyeli.
Our redeemer, the LORD of hosts is his name, the Holy One of Israel.
5 “Hlala ngokuthula, yana emnyameni, ndodakazi yamaKhaladiya; awuyikubizwa ngokuthi ndlovukazi yemibuso futhi.
Sit thou silent, and get thee into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called The lady of kingdoms.
6 Ngabathukuthelela abantu bami, ngangcolisa ilifa lami, ngabanikela ezandleni zakho, kawaze waba lesihawu kubo. Lasebeluphele, wabethesa ijogwe elinzima.
I was wroth with my people, I profaned mine inheritance, and gave them into thine hand: thou didst shew them no mercy; upon the aged hast thou very heavily laid thy yoke.
7 Wathi, ‘Ngizaqhubeka kokuphela ngiyindlovukazi nini lanini.’ Kodwa kawuzinakanga lezizinto, kumbe unakane ngokungenzakala.
And thou saidst, I shall be a lady for ever: so that thou didst not lay these things to thy heart, neither didst remember the latter end thereof.
8 Khathesi-ke lalela, wena sidalwa esingazibekanga, wena ocambaleleyo uvikelekile usithi ngenhliziyo yakho, ‘Mina yimi, njalo kakho omunye ngaphandle kwami, angisoze ngaba ngumfelokazi kumbe ngifelwe ngabantwana.’
Now therefore hear this, thou that art given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart, I am, and there is none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children:
9 Kodwa lokhu kokubili kuzakwehlela ngokuphangisa, ngasuku lunye ukufelwa ngabantwana lobufelokazi. Lokhu kuzakwehlela phezu kwakho ngokugcweleyo, bungakhathelekile ubuthakathi bakho layo yonke imilingo yakho elamandla.
but these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: in their full measure shall they come upon thee, despite of the multitude of thy sorceries, and the great abundance of thine enchantments.
10 Wethembele ebubini bakho, njalo watsho wathi, ‘Kakho ongibonayo.’ Inhlakanipho yakho lolwazi lwakho kuyakukhohlisa lapho usithi kuwe, ‘Mina yimi, njalo kakho omunye ngaphandle kwami.’
For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness; thou hast said, None seeth me; thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee: and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and there is none else beside me.
11 Incithakalo izakwehlela phezu kwakho, njalo awuyikwazi ukuyivikela ngemilingo. Umonakalo uzakwehlela phezu kwakho, ongeke uwuvimbe ngenhlawulo, lengozi ongeke uyikhumbulele izakujuma.
Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know the dawning thereof: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it away: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou knowest not.
12 Qhubeka-ke ngemilingo yakho, langobuthakathi bakho obunengi okusebenza kusukela ebantwaneni bakho. Mhlawumbe uzaphumelela, kumbe njalo wenze kube lokwesaba.
Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail.
13 Zonke izeluleko owazitholayo zikucobile. Izazi zezinkanyezi kazisondele, labahloli bezinkanyezi ababika ngokuzakwenzakala inyanga ngenyanga. Kabakuhlenge kulokhu okuzakwehlela.
Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels: let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from the things that shall come upon thee.
14 Impela banjengamahlanga; umlilo uzabatshisa futhi bangeke bazihlenga emandleni amalangabi. Lapha akulamalahle okothiwa ngumuntu; lapha akulamlilo wokotha.
Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: it shall not be a coal to warm at, nor a fire to sit before.
15 Lokho yikho abangakwenzela khona labo owasebenza labo, uthengiselana labo kusukela ebuntwaneni. Omunye lomunye wabo uyaqhubeka ngesiphosiso sakhe; kakho ongakusindisa.”
Thus shall the things be unto thee wherein thou hast laboured: they that have trafficked with thee from thy youth shall wander every one to his quarter; there shall be none to save thee.
