< U-Isaya 51 >
1 “Lalelani kimi lina elilandela ukulunga lidinga loThixo: Khangelani edwaleni elacezulwa kulo lasegodini lamatshe elambiwa kulo;
Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye were hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye were digged.
2 khangelani ku-Abhrahama, uyihlo, lakuSara owalizalayo. Ekumbizeni kwami wayemunye, ngambusisa ngamandisa.
Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare 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 the LORD hath comforted Zion: he hath comforted all her waste places, and hath made her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; 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 unto me, O my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall go forth from me, and I will make my judgment to rest 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 is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the peoples; the isles shall wait for me, and on mine arm shall they 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 wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, 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 unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither 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 for ever, and my salvation unto 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; awake, as in the days of old, the generations of ancient times. Art thou not it that cut Rahab in pieces, that pierced the dragon?
10 Kawusuwe yini owomisa ulwandle, amanzi atshona kakhulu, wenza umgwaqo ezinzikini zolwandle ukuze abahlengiweyo bachaphe na?
Art thou not it which dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep; that 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 the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto 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 that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou art afraid of man that shall die, and of the son of man which 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 hast forgotten the LORD thy Maker, that stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and fearest continually all the day because of the fury of the oppressor, when he maketh 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 [and go down] into the pit, neither shall his bread fail.
15 Ngoba mina nginguThixo uNkulunkulu wakho, ophehla ulwandle ukuze amagagasi alo ahlokome, ibizo lakhe nguThixo uSomandla.
For I am the LORD thy God, which stirreth up the sea, that the waves thereof 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.’”
And I have put my words in thy mouth, and have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art 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, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken 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 hath brought forth; neither is there any that taketh her by the hand of all the sons that she hath brought up.
19 Lezizingozi ezimbili zikwehlele; ngubani ongakududuza na? Incithakalo lokubhujiswa, indlala lenkemba, ngubani ongakududuza na?
These two things are 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 top of all the streets, as an antelope in a net; they are full of the fury of the LORD, 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 saith thy Lord the LORD, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of staggering, even the bowl of the cup of my fury; thou shalt 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 them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy back as the ground, and as the street, to them that go over.