< 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 in which King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne high and lifted up, 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.
Around him stood seraphs; each one of them had six wings; with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he did fly.
3 Elinye lamemezela kwelinye lisithi: “Ungcwele, ungcwele, ungcwele uThixo uSomandla, umhlaba wonke ugcwele inkazimulo yakhe.”
And one called to another, and said: Holy, holy, holy is Jehovah of hosts; The whole earth is full of his glory.
4 Ekuzwakaleni kwamazwi awo imigubazi lombundu kwanyikinyeka, kwathi ithempeli lagcwala intuthu.
And the foundations of the thresholds were shaken with the voice of their cry. 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, Alas for me! I am undone! For I am a man of unclean lips, and dwell among a people of unclean lips, and mine eyes have seen the King, Jehovah of hosts.
6 Lapho-ke elinye lamaserafimu laphaphela kimi liphethe ilahle elivuthayo esandleni salo elalilithethe ngodlawu e-alithareni.
Then flew one of the seraphs to me, having in his hands a glowing stone, which he had taken with the tongs from the altar.
7 Lathinta umlomo wami ngalo lathi, “Khangela, lokhu sekuthinte izindebe zakho; icala lakho selisusiwe, njalo lesono sakho sesihlawulelwe.”
And he touched my mouth, and said, Behold, this toucheth thy lips, and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin is expiated.
8 Ngasengisizwa ilizwi leNkosi lisithi, “Ngizathuma bani na? Ngubani na ozasihambela?” Mina ngathi, “Ngilapha. Ngithuma!”
And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? And I said: Behold, here am I; send me!
9 Yasisithi, “Hamba uyetshela abantu uthi: ‘Zwanini kokuphela, kodwa lingaqedisisi; libone kokuphela, kodwa lingabonisisi.’
And he said: Go, and say thou to this people, Hear ye, indeed, but understand not; See ye, indeed, but perceive not!
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 heart of this people gross; Make their ears dull, and blind their eyes; That they may not see with their eyes, nor hear with their ears, Nor perceive 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 said I, How long, Lord? He said: Until the cities be laid waste, so that there be no inhabitant, And the houses, so that there be no man, And the land be left utterly desolate;
12 uThixo aze axotshele umuntu wonke khatshana njalo ilizwe lidelwe ngokupheleleyo.
Until Jehovah have removed the men far away, And there be great desolation in the land.
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 there be a tenth part remaining in it, Even this shall again be destroyed; Yet as when the terebinth and the oak are cut down, Their stem remaineth alive, So shall a holy race be the stem of the nation.

< U-Isaya 6 >