U-Isaya 6
1 Ngomnyaka inkosi u-Uziya eyafa ngawo, ngabona uThixo ehlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi esiphezulu esiphakemeyo, injobo yesembatho sakhe igcwele ithempeli.
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted; and the train of His robe filled the temple.
2 Ngaphezu kwakhe kwakulamaserafimu, elinye lelinye lilempiko eziyisithupha. Ayegubuzele ubuso bawo ngezimpiko ezimbili, egubuzele inyawo zawo ngezimbili, ephapha ngezimbili.
Above Him stood seraphim, each having six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.
3 Elinye lamemezela kwelinye lisithi: “Ungcwele, ungcwele, ungcwele uThixo uSomandla, umhlaba wonke ugcwele inkazimulo yakhe.”
And they were calling out to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts; all the earth is full of His glory.”
4 Ekuzwakaleni kwamazwi awo imigubazi lombundu kwanyikinyeka, kwathi ithempeli lagcwala intuthu.
At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook, and the temple was filled with smoke.
5 Mina ngakhala ngathi, “Maye mina! Sengibhujisiwe! Ngoba ngingumuntu olezindebe ezingcolileyo, njalo ngihlala phakathi kwabantu abalezindebe ezingcolileyo, lamehlo ami asebone iNkosi, uThixo uSomandla.”
Then I said: “Woe is me, for I am ruined, because I am a man of unclean lips dwelling among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Hosts.”
6 Lapho-ke elinye lamaserafimu laphaphela kimi liphethe ilahle elivuthayo esandleni salo elalilithethe ngodlawu e-alithareni.
Then one of the seraphim flew to me, and in his hand was a glowing coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar.
7 Lathinta umlomo wami ngalo lathi, “Khangela, lokhu sekuthinte izindebe zakho; icala lakho selisusiwe, njalo lesono sakho sesihlawulelwe.”
And with it he touched my mouth and said: “Now that this has touched your lips, your iniquity is removed and your sin is atoned for.”
8 Ngasengisizwa ilizwi leNkosi lisithi, “Ngizathuma bani na? Ngubani na ozasihambela?” Mina ngathi, “Ngilapha. Ngithuma!”
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying: “Whom shall I send? Who will go for Us?” And I said: “Here am I. Send me!”
9 Yasisithi, “Hamba uyetshela abantu uthi: ‘Zwanini kokuphela, kodwa lingaqedisisi; libone kokuphela, kodwa lingabonisisi.’
And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’
10 Yenza inhliziyo yalababantu ibe lukhuni; wenze indlebe zabo zibe buthundu, uvale amehlo abo. Hlezi babone ngamehlo abo, bezwe ngezindlebe zabo, baqedisise ngezinhliziyo zabo, baphenduke basiliswe.”
Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”
11 Ngasengisithi, “Koze kube nini, Nkosi?” Yona yaphendula yathi: “Amadolobho aze achitheke njalo kungaselabantu kuwo, izindlu zize zisale zingaselabantu, lamasimu ephundleke abhuquzeka,
Then I asked: “How long, O Lord?” And He replied: “Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left unoccupied and the land is desolate and ravaged,
12 uThixo aze axotshele umuntu wonke khatshana njalo ilizwe lidelwe ngokupheleleyo.
until the LORD has driven men far away and the land is utterly forsaken.
13 Lanxa ingxenye eyodwa etshumini isala elizweni izachithwa futhi. Kodwa njengezihlahla zetherebhinti lemi-okhi zitshiya izidindi lapho seziganyulwe, ngokunjalo inhlanyelo engcwele izakuba yisidindi elizweni.”
And though a tenth remains in the land, it will be burned again. As the terebinth and oak leave stumps when felled, so the holy seed will be a stump in the land.”
