U-Isaya 51
1 “Lalelani kimi lina elilandela ukulunga lidinga loThixo: Khangelani edwaleni elacezulwa kulo lasegodini lamatshe elambiwa kulo;
“Listen to Me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the LORD: Look to the rock from which you were cut, and to the quarry from which you were hewn.
2 khangelani ku-Abhrahama, uyihlo, lakuSara owalizalayo. Ekumbizeni kwami wayemunye, ngambusisa ngamandisa.
Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who gave you birth. When I called him, he was but one; then I blessed him and multiplied him.
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 the LORD will comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; He will make her wilderness like Eden and her desert like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and melodious song.
4 Lalelani kimi, bantu bami; ungizwe lawe sizwe sami: Kuzaphuma umthetho uvela kimi; ukulunga kwami kuzakuba yikukhanya ezizweni.
Pay attention to Me, My people, and listen to Me, My nation; for a law will go out from Me, and My justice will become a light to the nations; I will bring it about quickly.
5 Ukulunga kwami kusondela ngokuphangisa, insindiso yami iyeza, ingalo yami izaletha ukulunga ezizweni. Izihlenge zizakhangela kimi, zilinde zithembe amandla ami.
My righteousness draws near, My salvation is on the way, and My arms will bring justice to the nations. The islands will look for Me and wait in hope for My arm.
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 at the earth below; for the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and its people will die like gnats. But My salvation will last forever, and My righteousness will never fail.
7 Ngizwani lina elikwaziyo okulungileyo lina bantu abagcina umthetho wami ezinhliziyweni zenu: Lingakwesabi ukugconwa ngabantu, kumbe lethuswe yizithuko zabo.
Listen to Me, you who know what is right, you people with My law in your hearts: Do not fear the scorn of men; do not be broken by their insults.
8 Ngoba inondo izabadla njengesigqoko; impethu ibadle njengewulu. Kodwa ukulunga kwami kuzakuba khona kuze kube nininini; lensindiso yami ikhona kuzizukulwane zonke.”
For the moth will devour them like a garment, and the worm will eat them like wool. But My righteousness will last forever, My salvation through 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 the LORD. Wake up as in days past, as in generations of old. Was it not You who cut Rahab to pieces, who pierced through the dragon?
10 Kawusuwe yini owomisa ulwandle, amanzi atshona kakhulu, wenza umgwaqo ezinzikini zolwandle ukuze abahlengiweyo bachaphe na?
Was it not You who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, who made a road in the depths of the sea for the redeemed to cross over?
11 Labahlengiweyo bakaThixo bazabuyela. Bazangena eZiyoni behlabelela, intokozo engapheliyo izakuba ngumqhele emakhanda abo. Bazakuba lokuthula lenjabulo, usizi lokububula kuzaphela.
So the redeemed of the LORD will return and enter Zion with singing, crowned with everlasting joy. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee.
12 “Mina, mina uqobo, nginguye oliduduzayo. Ungubani wena ukuba wesabe abantu abafayo, amadodana abantu, abutshani nje,
“I, even I, am He who comforts you. Why should you be afraid of mortal man, of a son of man who withers like 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?
But you have forgotten the LORD, your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth. You live in terror all day long because of the fury of the oppressor who is bent on destruction. But where is the fury of the oppressor?
14 Izibotshwa ezitshotshobeleyo zizakhululwa masinyazana, aziyikufela emajele azo, kumbe ziswele ukudla.
The captive will soon be freed; he will not die in the dungeon, and his bread will not be lacking.
15 Ngoba mina nginguThixo uNkulunkulu wakho, ophehla ulwandle ukuze amagagasi alo ahlokome, ibizo lakhe nguThixo uSomandla.
For I am the LORD your God who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar— the LORD 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.’”
I have put My words in your mouth, and covered you with the shadow of My hand, to establish the heavens, to found the earth, and to say to Zion, ‘You 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! Rise up, O Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the hand of the LORD the cup of His fury; you who have drained the goblet to the dregs— the cup that makes men stagger.
18 Kuwo wonke amadodana eliwazeleyo, kayikho eyayingalikhokhela; kuwo wonke amadodana elawondlayo, kayikho eyayingalibamba ngesandla.
Among all the sons she bore, there is no one to guide her; among all the sons she brought up, there is no one to take her hand.
19 Lezizingozi ezimbili zikwehlele; ngubani ongakududuza na? Incithakalo lokubhujiswa, indlala lenkemba, ngubani ongakududuza na?
These pairs have befallen you: devastation and destruction, famine and sword. Who will grieve for you? Who can comfort you?
20 Amadodana akho asephele amandla, aselala ezihlokweni zemigwaqo yonke njengebhalabhala elibanjwe ngumambule. Agcwele ulaka lukaThixo lokukhuza kukaNkulunkulu wakho.
Your sons have fainted; they lie at the head of every street, like an antelope in a net. They are full of the wrath of the LORD, the rebuke of your God.
21 Ngakho-ke zwana lokhu wena ohluphekayo, lodakisiweyo kodwa kungasingewayini.
Therefore now hear this, you afflicted one, 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 your Lord, the LORD, even your God, who defends His people: “See, I have removed from your hand the cup of staggering. From that goblet, the cup of My fury, you will never drink again.
23 Ngizayibeka ezandleni zabakuhluphayo, abathi kuwe, ‘Cambalala ukuze sihambe phezu kwakho.’ Wena-ke wenza umhlane wakho waba njengenhlabathi, lanjengomgwaqo okungahanjwa kuwo.”
I will place it in the hands of your tormentors, who told you: ‘Lie down, so we can walk over you,’ so that you made your back like the ground, like a street to be traversed.”
