U-Isaya 58

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

Cry, cease not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their wicked doings, and the house of Jacob their sins.

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.

For they seek me from day to day, sad desire to know my ways, as a nation that hath done justice, and hath not forsaken the judgment of their God: they ask of me the judgments of justice: they are willing to approach 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.

Why have we fasted, and thou hast not regarded: have we humbled our souls, and thou hast not taken notice? Behold in the day of your fast your own will is found, and you exact of all your debtors.

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

Behold you fast for debates and strife. and strike with the fist wickedly. Do not fast as you have done until this day, to make your cry to be heard on high.

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?

Is this such a fast as I have chosen: for a man to afflict his soul for a day? is this it, to wind his head about like a circle, and to spread sackcloth and ashes? wilt thou call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the Lord?

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

Is not this rather the fast that I have chosen? loose the bands of wickedness, undo the bundles that oppress, let them that are broken go free, and break asunder every burden.

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

Deal thy bread to the hungry, and bring the needy and the harbourless into thy house: when thou shalt see one naked, cover him, and despise not thy own flesh.

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 arise, and thy justice shall go before thy face, and the glory of the Lord shall gather thee up.

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

Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall hear: thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou wilt take away the chain out of the midst of thee, and cease to stretch out the finger, and to speak that which profiteth not.

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

When thou shalt pour out thy soul to the hungry, and shalt satisfy the afflicted soul then shall thy light rise up in darkness, and thy darkness shall be as the noonday.

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

And the Lord will give thee rest continually, and will fill thy soul with brightness, and deliver thy bones, and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a fountain of water whose waters shall not fail.

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

And the places that have been desolate for ages shall be built in thee: thou shalt raise up the foundations of generation and generation: and thou shalt be called the repairer of the fences, turning the paths into rest.

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, from doing thy own will in my holy day, and call the sabbath delightful, and the holy of the Lord glorious, and glorify him, while thou dost not thy own ways, and thy own will is not found: to speak a word:

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

Then shalt thou be delighted in the Lord, and I will lift thee up above the high places of the earth, and will feed thee with the inheritance of Jacob thy father. For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.