< U-Isaya 52 >

1 Vuka, vuka, wena Ziyoni, uzembese ngamandla! Gqoka izigqoko zakho zenkazimulo, wena Jerusalema, muzi ongcwele. Ongasokanga longcolileyo akayikungena kuwe futhi.
Awake! awake! put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful robes, O Jerusalem, the holy town: for from now there will never again come into you the unclean and those without circumcision.
2 Thintitha uthuli lwakho; sukuma, uhlale ebukhosini, wena Jerusalema. Zikhulule izibopho ezisentanyeni yakho, wena Ndodakazi ethunjiweyo yaseZiyoni.
Make yourself clean from the dust; up! and take the seat of your power, O Jerusalem: the bands of your neck are loose, O prisoned daughter of Zion.
3 Ngoba nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: “Lathengiswa ngeze, njalo lizahlengwa kungekho mali.”
For the Lord says, You were given for nothing, and you will be made free without price.
4 Ngoba nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: “Ekuqaleni abantu bami baya eGibhithe besiyahlala khona; muva i-Asiriya yabancindezela.
For the Lord God says, My people went down at first into Egypt, to get a place for themselves there: and the Assyrian put a cruel yoke on them without cause.
5 Khathesi kuyini engilakho lapha?” kubuza uThixo. “Ngoba abantu bami bathunjwa kungekho sizatho, njalo labo abababusayo bayakloloda,” kutsho uThixo. “Ilanga lonke ibizo lami lihlanjazwa kokuphela.
Now then, what have I here? says the Lord, for my people are taken away without cause; they are made waste and give cries of sorrow, says the Lord, and all the day the nations put shame on my name.
6 Ngakho-ke abantu bami bazalazi ibizo lami, ngakho-ke ngalolosuku bazakwazi ukuthi yimi engamemezela lokho ngaphambilini. Yebo, yimi.”
For this cause I will make my name clear to my people; in that day they will be certain that it is my word which comes to them; see, here am I.
7 Yeka ubuhle phezu kwezintaba, bezinyawo zalabo abaletha izindaba ezinhle, abamemezela ukuthula, abaletha izindaba ezinhle, abamemezela insindiso, abathi kulo iZiyoni, “UNkulunkulu wakho uyabusa!”
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who comes with good news, who gives word of peace, saying that salvation is near; who says to Zion, Your God is ruling!
8 Lalela! Abalindi bakho baphakamisa amazwi abo, bonke bahlaba umkhosi ngokuthokoza. Lapho uThixo ebuyela eZiyoni bazayibona iZiyoni ngamehlo abo.
The voice of your watchmen! their voices are loud in song together; for they will see him, eye to eye, when the Lord comes back to Zion.
9 Hlokomani ndawonye ngezingoma zokuthokoza, lina manxiwa aseJerusalema, ngoba uThixo usebaduduzile abantu bakhe, uselihlengile iJerusalema.
Give sounds of joy, make melody together, waste places of Jerusalem: for the Lord has given comfort to his people, he has taken up the cause of Jerusalem.
10 UThixo uzaveza ingalo yakhe engcwele phambi kwezizwe zonke, njalo yonke imikhawulo yomhlaba izabona insindiso kaNkulunkulu wethu.
The Lord has let his holy arm be seen by the eyes of all nations; and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.
11 Sukani, sukani, phumani lapho! Lingathinti lutho olungcolileyo! Phumani kulo libe ngabahlambulukileyo, lina eliphatha izitsha zikaThixo.
Away! away! go out from there, touching no unclean thing; go out from among her; be clean, you who take up the vessels of the Lord.
12 Kodwa kaliyikusuka ngokuphangisa, kumbe libaleka; ngoba uThixo uzahamba phambi kwenu, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uzakuba ngumvikeli wenu emva kwenu.
For you will not go out suddenly, and you will not go in flight: for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will come after you to keep you.
13 Khangelani, inceku yami izakwenza ngokuhlakanipha, izaphakanyiswa ikhwezwe, iphiwe lodumo olukhulu.
See, my servant will do well in his undertakings, he will be honoured, and lifted up, and be very high.
14 Njengoba babebanengi abanengwayo yiyo, ubuso bayo babulimele okudlula okwabantu bonke, lesimo sayo sonakele singase njengesomuntu,
As peoples were surprised at him, And his face was not beautiful, so as to be desired: his face was so changed by disease as to be unlike that of a man, and his form was no longer that of the sons of men.
15 ngakho-ke izachela izizwe ezinengi, amakhosi azavala imilomo yawo ngenxa yayo. Ngoba lokho abangakutshelwanga bazakubona, labangakuzwanga, bazakuqedisisa.
So will nations give him honour; kings will keep quiet because of him: for what had not been made clear to them they will see; and they will give their minds to what had not come to their ears.

< U-Isaya 52 >