U-Isaya 49
1 Ngilalelani lina zihlenge; zwanini lokhu lina zizwe ezikude: uThixo wangibiza ngingakazalwa; kusukela ekuzalweni kwami ubelitsho ibizo lami.
Listen, O isles, to me; and listen, you people, from far; The LORD has called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother has he made mention of my name.
2 Wenza umlomo wami waba njengenkemba eloliweyo, wangifihla emthunzini wesandla sakhe. Wangenza ngaba ngumtshoko ololiweyo, wangifihla emxhakeni wakhe wemitshoko.
And he has made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand has he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver has he hid me;
3 Wathi kimi, “Wena Israyeli uyinceku yami, engizabonakalisa inkazimulo yami ngayo.”
And said to me, You are my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.
4 Kodwa mina ngathi, “Mina ngisebenzele ize; amandla ami ngiwachithele ize lobala, ikanti okufanele mina kusesandleni sikaThixo, lomvuzo wami ukuNkulunkulu.”
Then I said, I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God.
5 Khathesi uThixo uthi, yena owangibumbayo esiswini ukuba ngibe yinceku yakhe ukuze ngibuyisele uJakhobe kuye lokuqoqela u-Israyeli kuye, ngoba ngiphakanyisiwe emehlweni kaThixo njalo uNkulunkulu wami ubengamandla ami
And now, says the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.
6 uthi: “Kuyinto encane kakhulu kuwe ukuba yinceku yami ukuze uvuselele izizwe zikaJakhobe ubuyise labako-Israyeli engibalondolozileyo. Ngizakwenza ube yikukhanya kwabeZizwe, ukuze ufikise usindiso lwami emikhawulweni yomhlaba.”
And he said, It is a light thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give you for a light to the Gentiles, that you may be my salvation to the end of the earth.
7 Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo, uMhlengi loNgcwele ka-Israyeli, utsho kuye oweyiswa, wenyanywa yisizwe, kuyo inceku yababusi: “Amakhosi azakubona asukume, amakhosana azakubona akhothame, ngenxa kaThixo othembekileyo, oNgcwele ka-Israyeli okukhethileyo.”
Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despises, to him whom the nation abhors, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose you.
8 Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: “Ngesikhathi esifaneleyo kimi ngizakuphendula, langosuku lwensindiso ngizakusiza. Ngizakulondoloza ngikwenze ube yisivumelwano sabantu, ukubuyisela ilizwe lokwaba kutsha amafa abo achithekayo,
Thus says the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard you, and in a day of salvation have I helped you: and I will preserve you, and give you for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;
9 uthi kwabathunjiweyo, ‘Phumani,’ kulabo abasemnyameni uthi, ‘Khululekani!’ Bazadlela emaceleni emigwaqo bathole amadlelo kuwo wonke amaqaqa alugwadule.
That you may say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Show yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.
10 Kabayikulamba kumbe bome, lokutshisa kwasenkangala kumbe okwelanga kabayikukuzwa. Lowo obazwela isihawu uzabakhokhela abase emithonjeni yamanzi.
They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that has mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.
11 Izintaba zami zonke ngizazenza zibe yizindlela, imigwaqo yami izaphakamela phezulu.
And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.
12 Khangelani, bazakuza bevela khatshana, abanye bevela enyakatho, abanye bevela entshonalanga labanye bevela emangweni wase-Asiwani.”
Behold, these shall come from far: and, see, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.
13 Hlabelelani ngentokozo lina mazulu; jabula lawe mhlaba; tshayani ingoma lina zintaba. Ngoba uThixo uyabaduduza abantu bakhe njalo uzakuba lesihawu kwabahluphekayo bakhe.
Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD has comforted his people, and will have mercy on his afflicted.
14 Kodwa iZiyoni yathi, “UThixo ungilahlile, uThixo usengikhohliwe.”
But Zion said, The LORD has forsaken me, and my Lord has forgotten me.
15 “Owesifazane angamkhohlwa umntanakhe omunyayo na, angabi lesihelo emntwaneni amzeleyo na? Lanxa engamkhohlwa, mina angiyikukukhohlwa!”
Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yes, they may forget, yet will I not forget you.
16 Khangela, sengikudwebe ezintendeni zezandla zami; imiduli yakho ihlezi iphambi kwami.
Behold, I have graven you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.
17 Amadodana akho aphanga emuva, lalabo abakuchithayo bayasuka kuwe.
Your children shall make haste; your destroyers and they that made you waste shall go forth of you.
18 Phakamisa amehlo akho ukhangele emaceleni wonke, wonke amadodana akho ayaqoqana eze kuwe. UThixo uthi, “Ngeqiniso elinjengoba ngiphila, bonke uzabagqiza njengezigqizo, ucece ngabo njengomlobokazi.
Lift up your eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to you. As I live, says the LORD, you shall surely clothe you with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on you, as a bride does.
19 Lanxa nje wadilizwa waba lunxiwa lelizwe lakho lachithwa, khathesi uzakuba mncane kakhulu ebantwini bakho; lalabo abakuchithayo bazakuba khatshana.
For your waste and your desolate places, and the land of your destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swallowed you up shall be far away.
20 Abantwana abazalwa ngesikhathi sokufelwa kwakho bazakutsho lawe usizwa bathi, ‘Indawo le incinyane kakhulu kithi; siphe enye njalo indawo yokuhlala.’
The children which you shall have, after you have lost the other, shall say again in your ears, The place is too strait for me: give place to me that I may dwell.
21 Lapho-ke uzakuthi enhliziyweni yakho, ‘Ngubani owangizalela laba na? Ngafelwa njalo ngaba njengongazalanga; ngaxotshwa elizweni, ngalahlwa. Laba bondliwa ngubani? Mina ngangisele ngedwa, kodwa laba-ke, bavele ngaphi?’”
Then shall you say in your heart, Who has begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? and who has brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where had they been?
22 Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: “Khangela, ngizaqhweba abeZizwe. Ngizaphakamisela uphawu lwami ebantwini; bazaletha amadodana akho bewagonile, amadodakazi akho bewathwele ngamahlombe abo.
Thus says the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring your sons in their arms, and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.
23 Amakhosi azakuba ngoyihlo bokukukhulisa, amakhosikazi awo abe ngonyoko bokukondla. Bazakhothama phambi kwakho ubuso babo buphansi, emhlabathini, bazakhotha uthuli ezinyaweni zakho. Lapho-ke uzakwazi ukuthi mina nginguThixo; labo abangithembayo abayikudaniswa.”
And kings shall be your nursing fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers: they shall bow down to you with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of your feet; and you shall know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.
24 Amabutho angemukwa impango na, kumbe abathunjiweyo bahlengwe kwabesabekayo na?
Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?
25 Kodwa nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: “Yebo, abathunjiweyo bazathathwa emabuthweni lempango izahluthunwa futhi kwabesabekayo, ngoba ngizamelana lalabo abamelana lawe, abantwabakho ngizabahlenga.
But thus says the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contends with you, and I will save your children.
26 Ngizakwenza abancindezeli bakho badle inyama yemizimba yabo; bazadakwa ngelabo igazi njengewayini. Lapho-ke izizwe zonke zizakwazi ukuthi mina Thixo, nginguMsindisi wakho, uMhlengi wakho, uMninimandla kaJakhobe.”
And I will feed them that oppress you with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the LORD am your Savior and your Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.
