U-Isaya 49
1 Ngilalelani lina zihlenge; zwanini lokhu lina zizwe ezikude: uThixo wangibiza ngingakazalwa; kusukela ekuzalweni kwami ubelitsho ibizo lami.
Hearken, O isles, unto me; and listen, ye people, from afar: The Lord hath called me from my birth; from my mother's womb hath 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 hath rendered my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hidden me: and he hath rendered me as a polished arrow; in his quiver hath he concealed me;
3 Wathi kimi, “Wena Israyeli uyinceku yami, engizabonakalisa inkazimulo yami ngayo.”
And said unto me, My servant art thou, O Israel, thou on 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.”
But I had indeed said, For no purpose have I labored, for naught and vanity have I spent my strength; yet surely my cause is with the Lord, and the recompense of 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 hath said the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, that Israel may be gathered unto him, that I should be honored in the eyes of the Lord, while my God was 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 too light a thing that thou shouldst be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to bring back the preserved of Israel! but I will [also] appoint thee for a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach as far as 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 hath said the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, his Holy One, to him who is despised by men, to him who is abhorred by nations, to the servant of rulers, Kings shall see it and rise up, princes, and they shall prostrate themselves, for the sake of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who hath made choice of thee.
8 Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: “Ngesikhathi esifaneleyo kimi ngizakuphendula, langosuku lwensindiso ngizakusiza. Ngizakulondoloza ngikwenze ube yisivumelwano sabantu, ukubuyisela ilizwe lokwaba kutsha amafa abo achithekayo,
Thus hath said the Lord, In the time of favor have I answered thee, and on the day of salvation have I helped thee; and I will preserve thee, and I will appoint thee as a people of my covenant to raise up the land, to divide out desolate heritages;
9 uthi kwabathunjiweyo, ‘Phumani,’ kulabo abasemnyameni uthi, ‘Khululekani!’ Bazadlela emaceleni emigwaqo bathole amadlelo kuwo wonke amaqaqa alugwadule.
When I say to the prisoners, Go forth; to those that are in darkness, Show yourselves. On the roads shall they feed, and on all mountain-peaks shall be their pasture.
10 Kabayikulamba kumbe bome, lokutshisa kwasenkangala kumbe okwelanga kabayikukuzwa. Lowo obazwela isihawu uzabakhokhela abase emithonjeni yamanzi.
They shall not be hungry nor thirsty, and neither heat nor sun shall smite them; for he that hath mercy on them will lead them, and by springs of water will he guide them.
11 Izintaba zami zonke ngizazenza zibe yizindlela, imigwaqo yami izaphakamela phezulu.
And I will change all my mountains into a road, and my highways shall be lifted up.
12 Khangelani, bazakuza bevela khatshana, abanye bevela enyakatho, abanye bevela entshonalanga labanye bevela emangweni wase-Asiwani.”
Behold, these shall come from afar; and, lo, 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, O mountains, into song; for the Lord hath comforted his people, and upon his oppressed will he have mercy.
14 Kodwa iZiyoni yathi, “UThixo ungilahlile, uThixo usengikhohliwe.”
Yet Zion said, the Eternal hath forsaken me, and the Lord hath forgotten me.
15 “Owesifazane angamkhohlwa umntanakhe omunyayo na, angabi lesihelo emntwaneni amzeleyo na? Lanxa engamkhohlwa, mina angiyikukukhohlwa!”
Can a woman forget her sucking child, not to have mercy on the son of her body? yea, should these even forget, yet would I not forget thee.
16 Khangela, sengikudwebe ezintendeni zezandla zami; imiduli yakho ihlezi iphambi kwami.
Behold, upon the palms of my hands have I engraved thee; thy walls are continually before me.
17 Amadodana akho aphanga emuva, lalabo abakuchithayo bayasuka kuwe.
Thy children come in haste; thy destroyers and they that laid thee waste shall go away from thee.
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 thy eyes round about, and see; they all are assembled together, they come to thee: as I live, saith the Lord, thou shalt surely clothe thyself with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as a bride.
19 Lanxa nje wadilizwa waba lunxiwa lelizwe lakho lachithwa, khathesi uzakuba mncane kakhulu ebantwini bakho; lalabo abakuchithayo bazakuba khatshana.
For thy ruins and thy desolate places, and thy wasted land, —yea, now shall it be too narrow for thee by reason of the inhabitants, and thy destroyers shall be far away.
20 Abantwana abazalwa ngesikhathi sokufelwa kwakho bazakutsho lawe usizwa bathi, ‘Indawo le incinyane kakhulu kithi; siphe enye njalo indawo yokuhlala.’
Yet again will say before thy ears the children of whom thou wast deprived, The place is too narrow for me; make room for 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?’”
And thou wilt say in thy heart, Who hath born me these, seeing I was bereft of my children, and was solitary, an exile, and outcast? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left entirely alone; these, where have they been?
22 Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: “Khangela, ngizaqhweba abeZizwe. Ngizaphakamisela uphawu lwami ebantwini; bazaletha amadodana akho bewagonile, amadodakazi akho bewathwele ngamahlombe abo.
Thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Behold, I will lift up to the nations my hand, and to the people will I raise up high my standard; and they shall bring thy sons in [their] arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon 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 thy nursing-fathers, and their princesses thy nursing-mothers; with the face toward the earth shall they bow down to thee, and the dust of thy feet shall they lick up: and thou shalt know that I am the Lord, who will not suffer those who hope in me to be ashamed.
24 Amabutho angemukwa impango na, kumbe abathunjiweyo bahlengwe kwabesabekayo na?
Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or shall the captive of the victor escape?
25 Kodwa nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: “Yebo, abathunjiweyo bazathathwa emabuthweni lempango izahluthunwa futhi kwabesabekayo, ngoba ngizamelana lalabo abamelana lawe, abantwabakho ngizabahlenga.
For thus hath said the Lord, Also the captive of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the powerful shall escape; and with those who contend against thee will I contend, and thy children will I indeed save.
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 thy oppressors with their own flesh; and as with new wine shall they be made drunken with their own blood: and all flesh shall know that I the Eternal am thy Saviour, and thy Redeemer the Mighty One of Jacob.
