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 this, house of Jacob, who are called by the name Israel, and have come from the sperm of Judah; you who swear by the name of Yahweh and invoke the God of Israel, but not sincerely nor in a righteous manner.
2 lina elibizwa ngokuthi lingabasedolobheni elingcwele, lethembe uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uThixo uSomandla yilo ibizo lakhe:
For they call themselves people of the holy city and trust in the God of Israel. Yahweh of hosts is his name.
3 Ngamemezela ngezinto zakuqala endulo, ngazitsho ngomlomo wami, ngazenza zazakala. Ngazenza ngokuphangisa, zahle zenzakala.
“I have declared the things from long ago; they came out from my mouth, and I made them known; then suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.
4 Ngoba ngangikwazi ukuthi ulenkani, imisipha yentamo yakho zinsimbi, ibunzi lakho lithusi.
Because I knew that you were obstinate, your neck muscles tight as iron, and your forehead like 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 these things to you beforehand; before they happened I informed you, so you could not say, 'My idol has done them,' or 'My carved figure and my cast metal figure has ordained these things.'
6 Usuzizwile lezizinto; zikhangele zonke. Awuyikuzivuma na? Kusukela khathesi ngizakutshela ngezinto ezintsha, izinto ezifihlakeleyo wena ongazaziyo.
You heard about these things; look at all this evidence; and you, will you not admit what I said is true? From now on, I am showing you new things, hidden things that you have not known.
7 Zidalwe khathesi nje, hatshi endulo; awuzange uzwe ngazo mandulo. Ngakho awungeke uthi, ‘Yebo, kade ngizazi.’
Now, and not from previously, they come into being, and before today you have not heard about them, so you will not be able to say, 'Yes, I knew about them.'
8 Kawuzange uzwe kumbe uqedisise; kusukela endulo indlebe yakho ibingavulekanga. Ngikwazi kuhle ukuthi wena uyingozi; kwathiwa ungumhlamuki kusukela ekuzalweni kwakho.
You never heard; you did not know; these things were not unfolded to your ears beforehand. For I knew that you have been very deceitful, and that you have been 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 defer my anger, and for my honor I will hold back from destroying you.
10 Khangela, ngikulungisile lanxa kunganjengesiliva; ngikuhlole emlilweni wokuhlupheka.
Look, I refined you, but not as silver; I have purified 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, for my own sake I will act; for how can I allow my name to be profaned? I will not give my glory to anyone else.
12 “Ngilalela wena Jakhobe, Israyeli, engikubizileyo: Mina nginguye; ngingowokuqala njalo ngingowokucina.
Listen to me, Jacob, and Israel, whom I called: I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.
13 Isandla sami sabeka izisekelo zomhlaba, isandla sami sokudla sendlala amazulu; lapho ngikubiza, kuyasukuma konke kanyekanye.
Yes, my hand laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens; when I call to 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.
Assemble yourselves, all of you, and listen! Who among you has announced these things? Yahweh's ally will accomplish his purpose against Babylon. He will carry out Yahweh's will against the Chaldeans.
15 Mina, mina ngokwami, sengikhulumile; yebo ngimbizile. Ngizamletha, njalo uzaphumelela kuyo inhloso yakhe.
I, I have spoken, yes, I have summoned him, I have brought him, and he will succeed.
16 Sondelani kimi lizwe lokhu: Kusukela esimemezelweni sakuqala angikhulumelanga ensitha; lapho kusenzakala, mina ngikhona.” Khathesi uThixo Wobukhosi ungithumile ngoMoya wakhe.
Come near to me, listen to this: From the beginning I have not spoken in secret; when it happens, I am there.” Now the Lord Yahweh has sent me, and 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.
This is what Yahweh, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel says, “I am Yahweh your God, who teaches you how to succeed, who leads you by the way that you should go.
18 Aluba wawulalele imilayo yami nje, ukuthula kwakho kwakuzakuba njengomfula, ukulunga kwakho kunjengamagagasi olwandle.
If only you had obeyed my commandments! Then your peace and prosperity would have flowed like a river, and your salvation like the 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 numerous as the sand, and the children from your womb as numerous as the grains of sand; their name would not have been cut off nor blotted out from before me.
20 Sukani eBhabhiloni, libalekele amaBhabhiloni! Bikani lokhu lihlaba umkhosi ngentokozo njalo likumemezele. Kufikiseni emikhawulweni yomhlaba; lithi, “UThixo uyihlengile inceku yakhe uJakhobe.”
Come out from Babylon! Flee from the Chaldeans! With the sound of a ringing cry announce it! Make this known, make it go out to the ends of the earth! Say, 'Yahweh 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 the water to flow out of the rock for them; he split open the rock, and the waters gushed out.
22 UThixo uthi, “Akukho ukuthula kwababi.”
There is no peace for the wicked—says Yahweh.”
