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,
Hear these [words], you house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and have come forth out of Juda, who swear by the name of the Lord God of Israel, making mention [of it, but] not with truth, nor with righteousness;
2 lina elibizwa ngokuthi lingabasedolobheni elingcwele, lethembe uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uThixo uSomandla yilo ibizo lakhe:
maintaining also the name of the holy city, and staying themselves on the God of Israel: the Lord of hosts is his name. The former things I have already declared;
3 Ngamemezela ngezinto zakuqala endulo, ngazitsho ngomlomo wami, ngazenza zazakala. Ngazenza ngokuphangisa, zahle zenzakala.
and they that have proceeded out of my mouth, and it became well known; I wrought suddenly, and [the events] came to pass.
4 Ngoba ngangikwazi ukuthi ulenkani, imisipha yentamo yakho zinsimbi, ibunzi lakho lithusi.
I know that you are stubborn, and your neck is an iron sinew, and your forehead brazen.
5 Ngakho-ke ngakutsho kudala ngalezizinto, ngakwazisa ngazo zingakenzakali ukuze wena ungaze wathi, ‘Izithombe zami yizo ezazenzayo; izithixo zami zezigodo lonkulunkulu wensimbi yibo abakumisayo.’
And I told you of old what [should be] before it came upon you; I made it known to you, lest you should say, [My] idols have done [it] for me; and should say, [My] graven and molten images have commanded me.
6 Usuzizwile lezizinto; zikhangele zonke. Awuyikuzivuma na? Kusukela khathesi ngizakutshela ngezinto ezintsha, izinto ezifihlakeleyo wena ongazaziyo.
You have heard all this, but you have not known: yet I have made known to you the new things from henceforth, which are coming to pass, and you said not,
7 Zidalwe khathesi nje, hatshi endulo; awuzange uzwe ngazo mandulo. Ngakho awungeke uthi, ‘Yebo, kade ngizazi.’
Now they come to pass, and not formerly: and you heard not of them in former days: say not you, Yes, I know them.
8 Kawuzange uzwe kumbe uqedisise; kusukela endulo indlebe yakho ibingavulekanga. Ngikwazi kuhle ukuthi wena uyingozi; kwathiwa ungumhlamuki kusukela ekuzalweni kwakho.
You have neither known, nor understood, neither from the beginning have I opened your ears: for I knew that you would surely deal treacherously, and would be called a transgressor even from the womb.
9 Ngenxa yebizo lami, ngiyaluphuzisa ulaka lwami; ngenxa yodumo lwami ngiyalubamba ukuba lungehleli kuwe, ukuze ngingakubhubhisi.
For mine own sake will I show you my wrath, and will bring before you my glorious acts, that I may not utterly destroy you.
10 Khangela, ngikulungisile lanxa kunganjengesiliva; ngikuhlole emlilweni wokuhlupheka.
Behold, I have sold you, [but] not for silver; but I have rescued you from the furnace of affliction.
11 Ngenxa yami, ngenxa yami, ngenza lokhu. Ngingavuma njani ukuba ibizo lami ligconwe na? Angiyikunika omunye udumo lwami.”
For mine own sake I will do [this] for you, because my name is profaned; and I will not give my glory to another.
12 “Ngilalela wena Jakhobe, Israyeli, engikubizileyo: Mina nginguye; ngingowokuqala njalo ngingowokucina.
Hear me, O Jacob, and Israel whom I call; I am the first, and I endure for ever.
13 Isandla sami sabeka izisekelo zomhlaba, isandla sami sokudla sendlala amazulu; lapho ngikubiza, kuyasukuma konke kanyekanye.
My hand also has founded the earth, and my right hand has fixed the sky: I will call them, and they shall stand together.
14 Buthanani ndawonye lonke lilalele: Yisiphi sezithombe esamemezela ngalezizinto ngaphambilini na? Umsekeli kaThixo okhethiweyo uzafeza inhloso yakhe yokuhlasela amaKhaladiya; ingalo yakhe izamelana lamaKhaladiya.
And all shall be gathered, and shall hear: who has told them these things? Out of love to you I have fulfilled your desire on Babylon, to abolish the seed of the Chaldeans.
15 Mina, mina ngokwami, sengikhulumile; yebo ngimbizile. Ngizamletha, njalo uzaphumelela kuyo inhloso yakhe.
I have spoken, I have called, I have brought him, and made his way prosperous.
16 Sondelani kimi lizwe lokhu: Kusukela esimemezelweni sakuqala angikhulumelanga ensitha; lapho kusenzakala, mina ngikhona.” Khathesi uThixo Wobukhosi ungithumile ngoMoya wakhe.
Draw near to me, and hear you these words; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning: when it took place, there was I, and now the Lord, [even] the Lord, and his Spirit, has sent me.
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 that delivered you, the Holy One of Israel; I am your God, I have shown you how you should find the way wherein you should walk.
18 Aluba wawulalele imilayo yami nje, ukuthula kwakho kwakuzakuba njengomfula, ukulunga kwakho kunjengamagagasi olwandle.
And if you had listened to my commandments, [then] would your peace have been like a river, and your righteousness as a wave of the sea.
19 Inzalo yakho yayizakuba ngangetshebetshebe, abantwabakho babe ngangezinhlamvu zalo ezingeke zibalwe; ibizo labo belingayikwesulwa kumbe lidilizwe phambi kwami.”
Your seed also would have been as the sand, and the offspring of your belly as the dust of the ground: neither now shall you by any means be utterly destroyed, neither shall your name perish before me.
20 Sukani eBhabhiloni, libalekele amaBhabhiloni! Bikani lokhu lihlaba umkhosi ngentokozo njalo likumemezele. Kufikiseni emikhawulweni yomhlaba; lithi, “UThixo uyihlengile inceku yakhe uJakhobe.”
Go forth of Babylon, you that flee from the Chaldeans: utter aloud a voice of joy, and let this be made known, proclaim it to the end of the earth; say you, The Lord has delivered his servant Jacob.
21 Kabomanga ekubaholeni kwakhe bedabula ezinkangala; wabenzela amanzi agelezayo ephuma edwaleni, wadabula idwala amanzi ampompoza.
And if they shall thirst, he shall lead them through the desert; he shall bring forth water to them out of the rock: the rock shall be cloven, and the water shall flow forth, and my people shall drink.
22 UThixo uthi, “Akukho ukuthula kwababi.”
There is no joy, says the Lord, to the ungodly.
