U-Isaya 58

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

Cry aloud, spare not, Lift up thy voice like a trumpet, And show my people their transgression, 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.

Yet they seek me daily, And desire to know my ways, As a nation that hath done righteousness, And hath not forsaken the ordinances of their God; They inquire of me concerning the judgments which bring salvation; They long for the coming of God.

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

“Wherefore do we fast, and thou seest not? Wherefore do we afflict our souls, and thou dost not regard it?” Behold, in the day of your fasts ye pursue your pleasure, And exact all your labors.

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

Behold, ye fast in strife and contention, And smiting with the fist of wickedness. Ye do not fast now So that your voice shall 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 the fast that I approve, A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it that he should bow down his head like a bulrush, And lie down in sackcloth and ashes? Wilt thou call this a fast, And a day acceptable to Jehovah?

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

Is not this the fast that I approve, —To loose the bands of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And to break in pieces every yoke?

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

Is it not to break thy bread to the hungry, And to bring the poor, that are cast out, to thy house? When thou seest the naked, that thou clothe him, And that thou hide not thyself from thine 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 like the morning, And thy health shall spring forth speedily; Thy salvation shall go before thee, And the glory of Jehovah shall bring up thy rear.

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 Jehovah will answer; Thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Lo, here I am! If thou remove from the midst of thee the yoke, The pointing of the finger, and the injurious speech.

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

If thou bring forth thy bread to the hungry, And satisfy the afflicted soul, Then in obscurity shall light arise to thee; Yea, thy darkness shall become as noonday;

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

Jehovah shall lead thee continually, And satisfy thee in the time of drought, And strengthen thy bones; Thou shalt be like a watered garden, and a spring of water, Whose waters never fail.

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

Thy people shall build the ancient desolations, The ruins of many generations shall they restore; Thou shalt be called the repairer of the breach, The restorer of ways for inhabitants.

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 restrain thy foot from the sabbath, From doing thy pleasure on my holy day, If thou shalt call the sabbath a delight, The holy day of Jehovah honorable, And shalt honor it by refraining from thy work, From doing thy pleasure, and speaking vain words,

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

Then shalt thou delight thyself in Jehovah. And I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, And cause thee to enjoy the inheritance of Jacob, thy father; For the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken it.