< U-Isaya 65 >

1 “Ngaziveza kulabo abangangicelanga; ngafunyanwa yilabo abangangidinganga. Isizwe esingakhulekanga kimi ngathi kuso, ‘Ngilapha, ngilapha.’
I have heard those that made no supplication; I have been found by those who sought me not; I said, Here I am, here I am, To a people that called not upon my name.
2 Ilanga lonke ngelula izandla zami ebantwini abayiziqholo, abahamba ngezindlela ezingalunganga belandela iminakano yabo,
I have spread out my hands all the day To a rebellious people, That walketh in an evil way, According to their own devices;
3 abantu abahlezi bengicunula bengikhangele, benikela imihlatshelo emasimini, betshisa impepha phezu kwezitina;
To a people that provoke me to my face continually; That sacrifice in gardens, And burn incense on tiles;
4 abahlala emangcwabeni balale besenza imilindelo eyimfihlo ebusuku; abadla inyama yengulube, abambiza zabo zigcina umhluzi wenyama engcolileyo;
That sit in sepulchres, And lodge in caverns; That eat swine's flesh, And have broth of unclean things in their vessels;
5 abathi, ‘Hlala khatshana, ungasondeli phansi kwami, ngoba ngingcwele kulawe!’ Abantu abanjalo banjengentuthu emakhaleni ami, umlilo ovuthayo ilanga lonke.
Who yet say: Stand by thyself! come not near to me, For I am holier than thou! These are a smoke in my nose, A fire that burneth continually.
6 Khangela, kulotshiwe phambi kwami ukuthi: Angiyikuthula, kodwa ngizaphindisela ngokugcweleyo; ngizaphindisela ngokupheleleyo,
Behold, it stands recorded before me; I will not keep silence, but will requite; I will requite it into their bosoms;
7 kokubili izono zenu lezono zabokhokho benu,” kutsho uThixo. “Ngoba batshisa imihlatshelo phezu kwezintaba bangihlambaza phezu kwamaqaqa. Ngizaphindisela kubo ngokugcweleyo ngenxa yezenzo zabo abazenza ngaphambili.”
Your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, saith Jehovah, Who burnt incense on the mountains, And dishonored me on the hills, I will pour the full recompense of their former deeds into their bosom.
8 Nanku akutshoyo uThixo: “Njengalapho umhluzi usatholakala ehlukuzweni lamavini labantu besithi, ungalibhidlizi, kusekhona okuhle kulo, ngizazenzela okunjalo izinceku zami; angiyikuzibhubhisa zonke.
Thus saith Jehovah: As when juice is found in a cluster, Men say, “Destroy it not, for a blessing is in it”; So will I do, for the sake of my servants, and will not destroy the whole;
9 Ngizaletha isizukulwane esivela kuJakhobe, lakoJuda kuvele abazakuba ngabanikazi bezintaba zami; zizakuba yilifa labakhethiweyo bami, izinceku zami zizahlala khona.
I will cause a stem to spring forth from Jacob, And from Judah a possessor of my mountains; My chosen shall possess the land, And my servants shall dwell there.
10 ISharoni izakuba ngamadlelo emihlambi lesiGodi sase-Akhori sibe yindawo yokuphumulela imihlambi, yabantu bami abangidingayo.
And Sharon shall be a fold for flocks, And the valley of Achor a resting-place for herds, For my people that have sought me.
11 Kodwa lina elilahla uThixo likhohlwe intaba yami engcwele; liphakele unkulunkulu uNhlanhla ukudla libuye ligcwalisele unkulunkulu uSimiselo iwayini elixutshiweyo,
But ye, who have forsaken Jehovah, And have forgotten my holy mountain, That prepare a table for Fortune, And fill the cup for Destiny,
12 ngizalimisela inkemba, njalo lonke lizakhothamela ukubulawa, ngoba ngamemeza kodwa kalisabelanga, ngakhuluma kodwa lina kalilalelanga. Lenza okubi phambi kwami lakhetha okungicunulayo.”
Yourselves do I destine to the sword, And all of you shall bow down before the slaughter; Because I called, and ye answered not, I spake, and ye would not hear, But did that which is evil in my sight, And chose that in which I had no delight.
13 Ngakho-ke uThixo Wobukhosi uthi: “Izinceku zami zizakudla, kodwa lina lizalamba; izinceku zami zizanatha, kodwa lina lizakoma; izinceku zami zizathokoza, kodwa lina lizayangiswa.
Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, my servants shall eat, and ye shall be hungry; Behold, my servants shall drink, and ye shall be thirsty; Behold, my servants shall rejoice, and ye shall be confounded;
14 Izinceku zami zizahlabelela ngentokozo yezinhliziyo zazo, kodwa lina lizakhala ngobuhlungu bezinhliziyo njalo lilile ngokudabuka komoya.
Behold, my servants shall sing for gladness of heart, But ye shall shriek for sorrow of heart, And howl for anguish of spirit.
15 Lizatshiya ibizo lenu njengesithuko kwabakhethiweyo bami; uThixo Wobukhosi uzalibulala, kodwa izinceku zakhe uzazinika elinye ibizo.
And ye shall leave your name for a curse to my chosen, And the Lord Jehovah shall slay you; But his servants will he call by another name.
16 Lowo okhulekela isibusiso elizweni uzakwenza lokho ngoNkulunkulu weqiniso; lalowo owenza isifungo elizweni, uzafunga ngoNkulunkulu weqiniso. Ngoba inhlupheko ezedlulayo zizakhohlakala zifihlakale emehlweni ami.”
Whoso blesseth himself in the land Shall bless by the true God; And he that sweareth in the land shall swear by the true God; For the former troubles are forgotten, And they are hid from mine eyes.
17 “Khangelani, ngizadala izulu elitsha lomhlaba omutsha. Izinto zakuqala aziyikukhunjulwa, kumbe zifike engqondweni.
For behold! I create new heavens, and a new earth; The former ones shall not be remembered, Nor shall they be brought to mind any more.
18 Kodwa thabani lijabule kokuphela ngalokho engizakudala, ngoba ngizadala iJerusalema libe yintokozo labantu balo babe yinjabulo.
But ye shall be glad and exult forever In that which I create; For behold! I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, And her people a joy.
19 Ngizathokoza ngeJerusalema njalo ngijabule ngabantu bami; ukulila lokukhala akusayikuzwakala kulo futhi.
And I will exult in Jerusalem, And rejoice in my people; No more shall be heard therein The voice of weeping and the cry of distress.
20 Kulo akusayikuba khona futhi usane oluphila insuku ezilutshwane kumbe umuntu omdala ongaphelelisi iminyaka yakhe; lowo ofa elekhulu leminyaka uzakhangelwa njengomntwana nje; lowo ongafikiyo ekhulwini uzakhangelwa njengoqalekisiweyo.
There shall not be there an infant child, nor an old man, That hath not filled the measure of his years; For he that dieth a hundred years old shall die a youth, And the sinner dying a hundred years old shall be held accursed.
21 Bazakwakha izindlu bahlale kuzo; bazahlanyela izivini badle izithelo zazo.
They shall build houses, and inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them;
22 Kabasayikwakha izindlu zihlalwe ngabanye kumbe bahlanyele, kudle abanye. Ngoba njengezinsuku zesihlahla, zizakuba njalo insuku zabantu bami; abakhethiweyo bami bazakholisa umsebenzi wezandla zabo okwesikhathi eside.
They shall not build, and another inhabit; They shall not plant, and another eat; For as the days of a tree shall be the days of my people, Yea, long shall my chosen enjoy the work of their hands.
23 Kabayikusebenzela ize, kumbe abantwababo bazalelwe ukuhlupheka, ngoba bazakuba ngabantu ababusisiweyo nguThixo, bona kanye lezizukulwane zabo.
They shall not labor in vain, Nor bring forth children for early death; For they are a race blessed by Jehovah, And their offspring shall remain to them.
24 Ngizabaphendula bengakakhuleki; ngibezwe besakhuluma.
Before they call, I will answer; And while they are yet speaking, I will hear.
25 Impisi lewundlu kuzakudla ndawonye, lesilwane sizakudla utshani njengenkomo, kodwa inyoka izakudla uthuli. Kaziyikulimaza kumbe zibhubhise kuyo yonke intaba yami engcwele,” kutsho uThixo.
The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, And the lion shall eat straw like the ox, And dust shall be the food of the serpent. They shall not hurt, nor destroy, in all my holy mountain, Saith Jehovah.

< U-Isaya 65 >