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: [there is] no 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: uncover thy locks, make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers.
3 Ubunqunu bakho buzavezwa, ihlazo lakho lambuleke. Ngizaphindisela, kakho engizamyekela.”
Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yes, thy shame shall be seen: I will take vengeance, and I will not meet [thee as] a man.
4 Umhlengi wethu uThixo uSomandla libizo lakhe ungoNgcwele ka-Israyeli.
[As for] 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 have polluted my inheritance, and given them into thy hand: thou didst show them no mercy; upon the ancient 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 of it.
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.’
Therefore hear now this, [thou that art] given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thy heart, I [am], and none else besides 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: they shall come upon thee in their perfection, for the multitude of thy sorceries, [and] for the great abundance of thy 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 thy heart, I [am], and none else besides 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 from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, [which] thou shalt not know.
12 Qhubeka-ke ngemilingo yakho, langobuthakathi bakho obunengi okusebenza kusukela ebantwaneni bakho. Mhlawumbe uzaphumelela, kumbe njalo wenze kube lokwesaba.
Stand now with thy enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, in which thou hast labored from thy youth; if thou shalt be able to profit, if 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 star-gazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from [these 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: [there shall] not [be] a coal to warm at, [nor] fire to sit before it.
15 Lokho yikho abangakwenzela khona labo owasebenza labo, uthengiselana labo kusukela ebuntwaneni. Omunye lomunye wabo uyaqhubeka ngesiphosiso sakhe; kakho ongakusindisa.”
Thus shall they be to thee with whom thou hast labored, [even] thy merchants, from thy youth: they shall wander every one to his quarter; none shall save thee.
