U-Isaya 51
1 “Lalelani kimi lina elilandela ukulunga lidinga loThixo: Khangelani edwaleni elacezulwa kulo lasegodini lamatshe elambiwa kulo;
Hearken to me, ye who follow after righteousness, ye who seek Jehovah. Look to the rock from where ye were hewn, and to the hold of the pit from where ye were dug.
2 khangelani ku-Abhrahama, uyihlo, lakuSara owalizalayo. Ekumbizeni kwami wayemunye, ngambusisa ngamandisa.
Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who bore you. For when he was but one I called him, and I blessed him, and made him many.
3 Ngeqiniso uThixo uzaduduza iZiyoni abe lesihawu kuwo wonke amanxiwa alo; uzakwenza izinkangala zalo zibe njenge-Edeni, amazwe alo alugwadule afane lesivande sikaThixo. Ukuthaba lentokozo kuzafunyanwa kulo, kanye lokubonga lelizwi lokuhlabela.
For Jehovah has comforted Zion. He has comforted all her waste places, and has made her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of Jehovah. Joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.
4 Lalelani kimi, bantu bami; ungizwe lawe sizwe sami: Kuzaphuma umthetho uvela kimi; ukulunga kwami kuzakuba yikukhanya ezizweni.
Attend to me, O my people, and give ear to me, O my nation. For a law shall go forth from me, and I will establish my justice for a light of the peoples.
5 Ukulunga kwami kusondela ngokuphangisa, insindiso yami iyeza, ingalo yami izaletha ukulunga ezizweni. Izihlenge zizakhangela kimi, zilinde zithembe amandla ami.
My righteousness is near. My salvation has gone forth, and my arms shall judge the peoples. The isles shall wait for me, and on my arm they shall trust.
6 Phakamiselani amehlo enu phezulu emazulwini, likhangele lasemhlabeni phansi; amazulu azanyamalala njengentuthu; umhlaba uzaguga njengesigqoko abakhe kuwo bafe njengempukane. Kodwa insindiso yami izakuba khona kuze kube nininini, ukulunga kwami akuyikuphela.
Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath. For the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall grow old like a garment, and those who dwell in it shall die in like manner. But my salvation shall be forever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.
7 Ngizwani lina elikwaziyo okulungileyo lina bantu abagcina umthetho wami ezinhliziyweni zenu: Lingakwesabi ukugconwa ngabantu, kumbe lethuswe yizithuko zabo.
Hearken to me, ye who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law. Fear ye not the reproach of men, nor be ye dismayed at their revilings.
8 Ngoba inondo izabadla njengesigqoko; impethu ibadle njengewulu. Kodwa ukulunga kwami kuzakuba khona kuze kube nininini; lensindiso yami ikhona kuzizukulwane zonke.”
For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool. But my righteousness shall be forever, and my salvation to all generations.
9 Vuka, vuka, wena ngalo kaThixo; uzigqokise ngamandla akho! Vuka njengasezinsukwini zendulo, lanjengakuzizukulwane zakudala. Kayisuwe yini owaquma uRahabi waba yiziqa, wagwaza lesilo lesiyana na?
Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of Jehovah. Awake, as in the days of old, the generations of ancient times. Is it not thou who cut Rahab in pieces, who pierced the monster?
10 Kawusuwe yini owomisa ulwandle, amanzi atshona kakhulu, wenza umgwaqo ezinzikini zolwandle ukuze abahlengiweyo bachaphe na?
Is it not thou who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, who made the depths of the sea a way for the redeemed to pass over?
11 Labahlengiweyo bakaThixo bazabuyela. Bazangena eZiyoni behlabelela, intokozo engapheliyo izakuba ngumqhele emakhanda abo. Bazakuba lokuthula lenjabulo, usizi lokububula kuzaphela.
And the ransomed of Jehovah shall return, and come with singing to Zion, and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads. They shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
12 “Mina, mina uqobo, nginguye oliduduzayo. Ungubani wena ukuba wesabe abantu abafayo, amadodana abantu, abutshani nje,
I, even I, am he who comforts you. Who are thou, that thou are afraid of man who shall die, and of the son of man who shall be made as grass,
13 uze ukhohlwe uThixo, uMenzi wakho, owendlala amazulu wabeka lezisekelo zomhlaba, ukuthi uhlale ngokwesaba okungapheliyo nsuku zonke ngenxa yolaka lomncindezeli, ohlose ukuchitha na? Ngoba lungaphi na ulaka lomncindezeli?
and have forgotten Jehovah thy maker, who stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth, and fear continually all the day because of the fury of the oppressor, when he makes ready to destroy? And where is the fury of the oppressor?
14 Izibotshwa ezitshotshobeleyo zizakhululwa masinyazana, aziyikufela emajele azo, kumbe ziswele ukudla.
The captive exile shall speedily be loosed, and he shall not die in the pit, nor shall his bread fail.
15 Ngoba mina nginguThixo uNkulunkulu wakho, ophehla ulwandle ukuze amagagasi alo ahlokome, ibizo lakhe nguThixo uSomandla.
For I am Jehovah thy God, who stirs up the sea so that the waves of it roar. Jehovah of hosts is his name.
16 Ngifake amazwi ami emlonyeni wakho ngakwembesa ngomthunzi wesandla sami, mina engabeka amazulu endaweni yawo, ngabeka izisekelo zomhlaba, njalo othi kuZiyoni, ‘Lina lingabantu bami.’”
And I have put my words in thy mouth, and have covered thee in the shadow of my hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say to Zion, Thou are my people.
17 Vuka, vuka! Phakama wena Jerusalema, wena onathe enkezweni esandleni sikaThixo inkezo yolaka lwakhe, wena oyikhoce wafika enzeceni zayo; inkezo eyenza amadoda adiyazele.
Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, who have drunk at the hand of Jehovah the cup of his wrath. Thou have drunk the bowl of the cup of staggering, and drained it.
18 Kuwo wonke amadodana eliwazeleyo, kayikho eyayingalikhokhela; kuwo wonke amadodana elawondlayo, kayikho eyayingalibamba ngesandla.
There is none to guide her among all the sons whom she has brought forth, nor is there any who takes her by the hand among all the sons that she has brought up.
19 Lezizingozi ezimbili zikwehlele; ngubani ongakududuza na? Incithakalo lokubhujiswa, indlala lenkemba, ngubani ongakududuza na?
These two things have befallen thee (Who shall bemoan thee?): Desolation and destruction, and the famine and the sword. How shall I comfort thee?
20 Amadodana akho asephele amandla, aselala ezihlokweni zemigwaqo yonke njengebhalabhala elibanjwe ngumambule. Agcwele ulaka lukaThixo lokukhuza kukaNkulunkulu wakho.
Thy sons have fainted. They lie at the head of all the streets, as an antelope in a net. They are full of the wrath of Jehovah, the rebuke of thy God.
21 Ngakho-ke zwana lokhu wena ohluphekayo, lodakisiweyo kodwa kungasingewayini.
Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine.
22 Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi bakho, uNkulunkulu wakho ovikela abantu bakhe: “Khangela, sengiyisusile esandleni sakho inkezo ekwenza udiyazele; leyonkezo engeyolaka lwami, awuyikunatha ngayo futhi.
Thus says thy lord Jehovah, and thy God who pleads the cause of his people: Behold, I have taken out of thy hand the cup of staggering, even the bowl of the cup of my wrath. Thou shall no more drink it again.
23 Ngizayibeka ezandleni zabakuhluphayo, abathi kuwe, ‘Cambalala ukuze sihambe phezu kwakho.’ Wena-ke wenza umhlane wakho waba njengenhlabathi, lanjengomgwaqo okungahanjwa kuwo.”
And I will put it into the hand of those who afflict thee, who have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over, and thou have laid thy back as the ground, and as the street, to those who go over.
