U-Isaya 48
1 “Zwana lokhu, wena ndlu kaJakhobe, lina elibizwa ngebizo lika-Israyeli elingabosendo lukaJuda, lina elifunga ngoThixo, licele usizo kuNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, kodwa kungasingeqiniso loba ngokulunga,
“Listen to this, O house of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel, who have descended from the line of Judah, who swear by the name of the LORD, who invoke the God of Israel— but not in truth or righteousness—
2 lina elibizwa ngokuthi lingabasedolobheni elingcwele, lethembe uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uThixo uSomandla yilo ibizo lakhe:
who indeed call yourselves after the holy city and lean on the God of Israel; the LORD of Hosts is His name.
3 Ngamemezela ngezinto zakuqala endulo, ngazitsho ngomlomo wami, ngazenza zazakala. Ngazenza ngokuphangisa, zahle zenzakala.
I foretold the former things long ago; they came out of My mouth and I proclaimed them. Suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.
4 Ngoba ngangikwazi ukuthi ulenkani, imisipha yentamo yakho zinsimbi, ibunzi lakho lithusi.
For I knew that you are stubborn; your neck is iron and your forehead is bronze.
5 Ngakho-ke ngakutsho kudala ngalezizinto, ngakwazisa ngazo zingakenzakali ukuze wena ungaze wathi, ‘Izithombe zami yizo ezazenzayo; izithixo zami zezigodo lonkulunkulu wensimbi yibo abakumisayo.’
Therefore I declared it to you long ago; I announced it before it came to pass, so that you could not claim, ‘My idol has done this; my carved image and molten god has ordained it.’
6 Usuzizwile lezizinto; zikhangele zonke. Awuyikuzivuma na? Kusukela khathesi ngizakutshela ngezinto ezintsha, izinto ezifihlakeleyo wena ongazaziyo.
You have heard these things; look at them all. Will you not acknowledge them? From now on I will tell you of new things, hidden things unknown to you.
7 Zidalwe khathesi nje, hatshi endulo; awuzange uzwe ngazo mandulo. Ngakho awungeke uthi, ‘Yebo, kade ngizazi.’
They are created now, and not long ago; you have not heard of them before today. So you cannot claim, ‘I already knew them!’
8 Kawuzange uzwe kumbe uqedisise; kusukela endulo indlebe yakho ibingavulekanga. Ngikwazi kuhle ukuthi wena uyingozi; kwathiwa ungumhlamuki kusukela ekuzalweni kwakho.
You have never heard; you have never understood; for a long time your ears have not been open. For I knew how deceitful you are; you have been called a rebel from birth.
9 Ngenxa yebizo lami, ngiyaluphuzisa ulaka lwami; ngenxa yodumo lwami ngiyalubamba ukuba lungehleli kuwe, ukuze ngingakubhubhisi.
For the sake of My name I will delay My wrath; for the sake of My praise I will restrain it, so that you will not be cut off.
10 Khangela, ngikulungisile lanxa kunganjengesiliva; ngikuhlole emlilweni wokuhlupheka.
See, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
11 Ngenxa yami, ngenxa yami, ngenza lokhu. Ngingavuma njani ukuba ibizo lami ligconwe na? Angiyikunika omunye udumo lwami.”
For My own sake, My very own sake, I will act; for how can I let Myself be defamed? I will not yield My glory to another.
12 “Ngilalela wena Jakhobe, Israyeli, engikubizileyo: Mina nginguye; ngingowokuqala njalo ngingowokucina.
Listen to Me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I have called: I am He; I am the first, and I am the last.
13 Isandla sami sabeka izisekelo zomhlaba, isandla sami sokudla sendlala amazulu; lapho ngikubiza, kuyasukuma konke kanyekanye.
Surely My own hand founded the earth, and My right hand spread out the heavens; when I summon them, they stand up together.
14 Buthanani ndawonye lonke lilalele: Yisiphi sezithombe esamemezela ngalezizinto ngaphambilini na? Umsekeli kaThixo okhethiweyo uzafeza inhloso yakhe yokuhlasela amaKhaladiya; ingalo yakhe izamelana lamaKhaladiya.
Come together, all of you, and listen: Which of the idols has foretold these things? The LORD’s chosen ally will carry out His desire against Babylon, and His arm will be against the Chaldeans.
15 Mina, mina ngokwami, sengikhulumile; yebo ngimbizile. Ngizamletha, njalo uzaphumelela kuyo inhloso yakhe.
I, even I, have spoken; yes, I have called him. I have brought him, and he will succeed in his mission.
16 Sondelani kimi lizwe lokhu: Kusukela esimemezelweni sakuqala angikhulumelanga ensitha; lapho kusenzakala, mina ngikhona.” Khathesi uThixo Wobukhosi ungithumile ngoMoya wakhe.
Come near to Me and listen to this: From the beginning I have not spoken in secret; from the time it happened, I was there.” And now the Lord GOD has sent me, accompanied by His Spirit.
17 Nanku uThixo akutshoyo, uMhlengi wakho, oNgcwele ka-Israyeli: “Mina nginguThixo uNkulunkulu wakho, okufundisa lokho okuhle kakhulu kuwe, ekutshengisa indlela okumele uhambe ngayo.
Thus says the LORD your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you for your benefit, who directs you in the way you should go.
18 Aluba wawulalele imilayo yami nje, ukuthula kwakho kwakuzakuba njengomfula, ukulunga kwakho kunjengamagagasi olwandle.
If only you had paid attention to My commandments, your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like waves of the sea.
19 Inzalo yakho yayizakuba ngangetshebetshebe, abantwabakho babe ngangezinhlamvu zalo ezingeke zibalwe; ibizo labo belingayikwesulwa kumbe lidilizwe phambi kwami.”
Your descendants would have been as countless as the sand, and your offspring as numerous as its grains; their name would never be cut off or eliminated from My presence.”
20 Sukani eBhabhiloni, libalekele amaBhabhiloni! Bikani lokhu lihlaba umkhosi ngentokozo njalo likumemezele. Kufikiseni emikhawulweni yomhlaba; lithi, “UThixo uyihlengile inceku yakhe uJakhobe.”
Leave Babylon! Flee from the Chaldeans! Declare it with a shout of joy, proclaim it, let it go out to the ends of the earth, saying, “The LORD has redeemed His servant Jacob!”
21 Kabomanga ekubaholeni kwakhe bedabula ezinkangala; wabenzela amanzi agelezayo ephuma edwaleni, wadabula idwala amanzi ampompoza.
They did not thirst when He led them through the deserts; He made water flow for them from the rock; He split the rock, and water gushed out.
22 UThixo uthi, “Akukho ukuthula kwababi.”
“There is no peace,” says the LORD, “for the wicked.”
