U-Isaya 58

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

“Cry aloud, don’t spare. Lift up your voice like a shofar ·ram horn·. Declare to my people their rebellious breach of relationship, and to the house of Jacob [Supplanter] their habitual sins ·missing the marks·.

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 delight to know my ways. As a nation that did righteousness, and didn’t forsake the judgments of their God, they ask of me upright judgments. They delight to draw near 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,’ say they, ‘and you don’t see? Why have we afflicted our soul, and you don’t notice?’ “Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and oppress all your laborers.

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

Behold, you fast for strife and contention, and to strike with the fist of ethical wickedness. You don’t fast today so as to make your voice to be sh'ma ·heard obeyed· 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 have chosen? A day for a man to humble his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under himself? Will you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to Adonai?

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 have chosen: to release the bonds of ethical wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?

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

Is not it to distribute your bread to the hungry, and that you bring the poor who are cast out to your house? When you see the naked, that you cover him; and that you not hide yourself from your 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 your light will break out as the morning, and your healing will appear quickly; then your righteousness shall go before you; and the kavod Yahweh ·weighty glory of He sustains breathing· will be your rear guard.

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

Then you will call, and Adonai will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ “If you take away from among you the yoke, finger pointing, and speaking vain striving of iniquity;

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

and if you pour out your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul: then your light will rise in darkness, and your obscurity will 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 Adonai will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in dry places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters don’t fail.

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

Those who shall be of you shall build the old waste places; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called Repairer of the Breach, Restorer of Paths with Dwellings.

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 you turn away your foot from the Shabath ·Intermission·, from doing your pleasure on my holy day; and call the Shabath ·Intermission· a delight, and the holy of Adonai honorable; and shall honor it, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words:

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

then you shall delight yourself in Adonai; and I will make you to ride on the high places of the earth; and I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob [Supplanter] your father:” for Adonai’s mouth has spoken it.