U-Isaya 58

1 “Memeza kakhulu, ungathuli. Phakamisa ilizwi lakho njengecilongo. Tshela abantu bami ngokuhlamuka kwabo, lendlu kaJakhobe uyitshele ngezono zabo.

Cry aloud, and spare not; lift up thy voice as with a trumpet, and declare to my people their sins, and to the house of Jacob their iniquities.

2 Ngoba usuku ngosuku bayangidinga; bafuna ukwazi izindlela zami, sengathi bayisizwe esenza okulungileyo esingalahlanga imilayo kaNkulunkulu waso. Bacela izinqumo ezilungileyo kimi bafune ukuthi uNkulunkulu asondele kubo.

They seek me day by day, and desire to know my ways, as a people that had done righteousness, and had not forsaken the judgment of their God: they now ask of me righteous judgment, and desire to draw nigh to God,

3 Bathi, ‘Kungani sizilile, kodwa wena wangakuboni na? Kungani sizithobile kodwa wangakunaki na?’ Ikanti ngosuku lokuzila kwenu lenza elikuthandayo, lincindezele lezisebenzi zenu zonke.

saying, Why have we fasted, and thou regardest not? [why] have we afflicted our souls, and thou didst not know it? Nay, in the days of your fasts ye find your pleasures, and all them that are under your power ye wound.

4 Ukuzila kwenu kucina ngengxabano lokulwa, langokutshayana kubi ngenqindi. Alingeke lizile njengelikwenzayo lamhla lithembe ukuthi ilizwi lenu lizazwakala phezulu.

If ye fast for quarrels and strifes, and smite the lowly with [your] fists, wherefore do ye fast to me as [ye do] this day, so that your voice may be heard in crying?

5 Lokhu yikho ukuzila engikukhethileyo na, ukuthi umuntu azithobe okosuku olulodwa nje? Yikuthi umuntu akhothamise ikhanda lakhe njengomhlanga nje, lokulala esakeni lemlotheni na? Lokho yikho elithi yikuzila, usuku olwamukelekayo kuThixo na?

I have not chosen this fast, nor [such] a day for a man to afflict his soul; neither though thou shouldest bend down thy neck as a ring, and spread under thee sackcloth and ashes, neither thus shall ye call a fast acceptable.

6 Lokhu akusikho yini ukuzila engikukhethileyo: ukukhulula izibopho zokungalungi lokuthukulula imichilo yejogwe, kukhululwe abancindezelweyo, kwephulwe amajogwe wonke na?

I have not chosen such a fast, saith the Lord; but do thou loose every burden of iniquity, do thou untie the knots of hard bargains, set the bruised free, and cancel every unjust account.

7 Akusikwabela abalambayo ukudla kwakho lokunika umnyanga ongumhambuma indawo yokuhlala, lapho ubona abanqunu ubagqokise, lokungafulatheli izihlobo zakho zegazi na?

Break thy bread to the hungry, and lead the unsheltered poor to thy house: if thou seest one naked, clothe [him], and thou shalt not disregard the relations of thine own seed.

8 Lapho-ke ukukhanya kwakho kuzavela njengokusa, lokusila kwakho kuzabonakala masinyane, kuthi ukulunga kwakho kuhambe phambi kwakho, inkazimulo kaThixo izakuba yisivikelo ngemva kwakho.

Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy health shall speedily spring forth: and thy righteousness shall go before thee, and the glory of God shall compass thee.

9 Lapho-ke uzabiza, uThixo asabele; uzacela usizo, yena uzakuthi: Ngilapha. Nxa ungalahla ijogwe lokuncindezela lokukhomba ngomunwe kanye lezinkulumo ezimbi;

Then shalt thou cry, and God shall hearken to thee; while thou art yet speaking he will say, Behold, I am here. If thou remove from thee the band, and the stretching forth of the hands, and murmuring speech;

10 njalo nxa unika abalambayo ukudla kwakho, wanelise lenswelo zabancindezelweyo, ukukhanya kwakho kuzavela emnyameni, ubusuku bakho buzakuba njengemini.

and [if] thou give bread to the hungry from thy heart, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light spring up in darkness, and thy darkness [shall be] as noon-day:

11 UThixo uzakukhokhela kokuphela; uzakwanelisa inswelo zakho elizweni elitshiswa lilanga, aqinise amathambo akho. Uzakuba njengesivande esithelezelwa kuhle, lanjengomthombo olamanzi angacitshiyo.

and thy God shall be with thee continually, and thou shalt be satisfied according as thy soul desires; and thy bones shall be made fat, and shall be as a well-watered garden, and as a fountain [from] which the water has not failed.

12 Abantu bakho bazawavusa amanxiwa amadala, bavuse lezisekelo zakudala. Uzabizwa ngokuthi uMakhi Wemiduli Eyadilikayo, loMvuseleli wemiGwaqo leMizi.

And thy old waste desert [places] shall be built up, and thy foundations shall last through all generations; and thou shalt be called a repairer of breaches, and thou shalt cause thy paths between to be in peace.

13 Nxa ugcina inyawo zakho zingephuli iSabatha, njalo ungenzi intando yakho ngosuku lwami olungcwele, nxa iSabatha ulibiza ngokuthi yintokozo njalo usuku lukaThixo olungcwele usithi lulodumo, njalo nxa uluhlonipha ngokungahambi ngendlela yakho, langokungenzi intando yakho loba ukukhuluma amazwi ayize,

If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, so as not to do thy pleasure on the holy days, and shalt call the sabbaths delightful, holy to God; [if] thou shalt not lift up thy foot to work, nor speak a word in anger out of thy mouth,

14 lapho-ke uzathola intokozo kuThixo, njalo ngizakukhweza emiqolweni yelizwe, ngikwenze udle ilifa likayihlo uJakhobe.” Umlomo kaThixo usukhulumile.

then shalt thou trust on the Lord; and he shall bring thee up to the good places of the land, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord has spoken this.