U-Isaya 66
1 Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: “Izulu liyisihlalo sami sobukhosi, lomhlaba uyisenabelo sami. Ingaphi indlu elizangakhela yona na? Indawo yami yokuphumula izakuba ngaphi na?
The Lord says, Heaven is the seat of my power, and earth is the resting-place for my feet: what sort of house will you make for me, and what place will be my resting-place?
2 Isandla sami kasizenzanga zonke lezizinto ukuze zibe khona na?” kutsho uThixo. “Engimbukayo ngulo: lowo othobekileyo ozisolayo emoyeni, olesabayo ilizwi lami.
For all these things my hand has made, and they are mine, says the Lord; but to this man only will I give attention, to him who is poor and broken in spirit, fearing my word.
3 Kodwa lowo onikela ngenkunzi ufana lomuntu obulala omunye umuntu, lalowo onikela ngewundlu, ufana lowephula intamo yenja; lowo onikela ngamabele ufana lonikela ngegazi lengulube, lalowo otshisa impepha yesikhumbuzo ufana lokhonza isithombe. Sebekhethe izindlela zabo, lemiphefumulo yabo ithokoziswa yizinengiso zabo;
He who puts an ox to death puts a man to death; he who makes an offering of a lamb puts a dog to death; he who makes a meal offering makes an offering of pig's blood; he who makes an offering of perfumes for a sign gives worship to an image: as they have gone after their desires, and their soul takes pleasure in their disgusting things;
4 ngakho-ke lami ngizakhetha ukubaphatha kalukhuni, ngibehlisele lokho abakwesabayo. Ngoba kwathi lapho ngibiza, kakho owasabelayo, lapho ngikhuluma, kakho owalalelayo. Benza okubi phambi kwami, bakhetha okungicunulayo.”
So I will go after trouble for them, and will send on them what they are fearing: because no one made answer to my voice, or gave ear to my word; but they did what was evil in my eyes, going after that in which I took no pleasure.
5 Zwanini ilizwi likaThixo lina elilesabayo ilizwi lakhe. Uthi, “Abafowenu abalizondayo, labalixwayayo ngenxa yebizo lami, sebethe, kadunyiswe uThixo ukuze sibone intokozo yenu! Kodwa bazayangiswa.”
Give ear to the word of the Lord, you who are in fear at his word: your countrymen, hating you, and driving you out because of my name, have said, Let the Lord's glory be made clear, so that we may see your joy; but they will be put to shame.
6 Zwanini ukuxokozela okusedolobheni, zwanini umsindo osethempelini! Ngumsindo kaThixo ephindisela ezitheni zakhe ngakho konke okuzifaneleyo.
There is a noise of war from the town, a sound from the Temple, the voice of the Lord giving punishment to his haters.
7 “Uthi engakahelelwa, abelethe; ubuhlungu bungakamfikeli, azale indodana.
Before her pains came, she gave birth; before her pains, she gave birth to a man-child.
8 Ngubani owake wezwa into enje na? Ngubani owake wabona izinto ezinje na? Ilizwe lingazalwa ngelanga elilodwa loba isizwe sizalwe ngesikhatshana na? Ikanti iZiyoni ithi ngokuhelelwa nje ihle ibazale abantwana bayo.
When has such a story come to men's ears? who has seen such things? will a land come to birth in one day? will a nation be given birth in a minute? For when Zion's pains came on her, she gave birth to her children straight away.
9 Kambe ngifikisa esikhathini sokukhululeka ngingabe ngisabelethisa na?” kutsho uThixo. “Ngiyasivala na isibeletho ngesikhathi sengibelethisa na?” kutsho uThixo
Will I by whom the birth was started, not make it complete? says the Lord. Will I who make children come to birth, let them be kept back? says your God.
10 “Thokozani leJerusalema lilithabele, lonke lina elilithandayo; thokozani kakhulu lalo lonke lina elilililelayo.
Have joy with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all you her lovers: take part in her joy, all you who are sorrowing for her:
11 Ngoba lizamunya lisuthe emabeleni alo aduduzayo; lizanatha kakhulu, lithokoze ngenala yalo enengi.”
So that you may take of the comfort flowing from her breasts, and be delighted with the full measure of her glory.
12 Ngoba lokhu yikho okutshiwo nguThixo: “Ngizaletha ukuthula kini okugeleza njengesifula esigcweleyo lomnotho wezizwe njengesifula esithelayo, limunye liphethwe ngengalo yazo njalo lidlaliswe emathangazini azo.
For the Lord says, See, I will make her peace like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream, and she will take her children in her arms, gently caring for them on her knees.
13 Njengomama eduduza umntanakhe, kanjalo lami ngizaliduduza, njalo lizaduduzeka eJerusalema.”
As to one who is comforted by his mother, so will I give you comfort: and you will be comforted in Jerusalem.
14 Lapho libona lokhu, inhliziyo zenu zizathokoza, lani likhule njengotshani; isandla sikaThixo sizakwazakala ezincekwini zakhe kodwa ulaka lwakhe luzabonakaliswa ezitheni zakhe.
And you will see it and your heart will be glad, and your bones will get new strength, like young grass: and the hand of the Lord will be seen at work for his servants, and his wrath against his haters.
15 Khangelani, uThixo uza ngomlilo, izinqola zakhe zempi zinjengesivunguzane; ulaka lwakhe uzalwehlisela phansi ngokufuthelana, lokukhuza kwakhe kwehle ngamalangabi omlilo.
For the Lord is coming with fire, and his war-carriages will be like the storm-wind; to give punishment in the heat of his wrath, and his passion is like flames of fire.
16 Ngoba ngomlilo langenkemba yakhe uThixo uzakwahlulela abantu bonke, njalo abanengi bazakuba yilabo ababulewe nguThixo.
For with fire and sword will the Lord come, judging all the earth, and his sword will be on all flesh: and great numbers will be put to death by him.
17 “Labo abazahlukanisayo, bazihlambulule ukungena emasimini belandela lowo ophakathi kwalabo abadla inyama yengulube lamagundwane kanye lezinye izinto ezinengisayo, isiphetho sabo sizafika sikhathi sinye,” kutsho uThixo.
As for those who keep themselves separate, and make themselves clean in the gardens, going after one in the middle, taking pig's flesh for food, and other disgusting things, such as the mouse: their works and their thoughts will come to an end together, says the Lord.
18 Ngenxa yezenzo zabo lemicabango yabo, sekuseduze ukuthi ngizebutha izizwe zonke lezindimi zonke; njalo bazakuza babone inkazimulo yami.
And I am coming to get together all nations and tongues: and they will come and will see my glory.
19 “Ngizabeka isibonakaliso phakathi kwabo, ngithumele abanye balabo abasalayo ezizweni zeThashishi, kumaLibhiya, lamaLudi (alodumo ekusebenziseni imitshoko), eThubhali leGrisi lasezihlengeni ezikhatshana ezingakaluzwa udumo lwami kumbe zibone inkazimulo yami. Bazamemezela udumo lwami phakathi kwezizwe.
And I will put a sign among them, and I will send those who are still living to the nations, to Tarshish, Put, and Lud, Meshech and Rosh, Tubal and Javan, to the sea-lands far away, who have not had word of me, or seen my glory; and they will give the knowledge of my glory to the nations.
20 Njalo bazababuyisa bonke abafowenu entabeni yami engcwele eJerusalema njengomnikelo kuThixo bevela ezizweni zonke, bephezu kwamabhiza, izinqola zempi, imbongolo lamakamela,” kutsho uThixo. “Bazababuyisa njengabako-Israyeli beletha iminikelo yabo yamabele ethempelini likaThixo ngezitsha ezihlambulukileyo ngokomkhuba.
And they will take your countrymen out of all the nations for an offering to the Lord, on horses, and in carriages, and in carts, and on asses, and on camels, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the Lord, as the children of Israel take their offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord.
21 Ngizakhetha abanye babo ukuba labo babe ngabaphristi labaLevi,” kutsho uThixo.
And some of them will I take for priests and Levites, says the Lord.
22 “Njengamazulu amatsha lomhlaba omutsha engikwenzayo kuzakuma kokuphela phambi kwami,” kutsho uThixo, “ngokunjalo ibizo lakho lenzalo yakho izakuma kokuphela.
For as the new heaven and the new earth which I will make will be for ever before me, says the Lord, so will your seed and your name be for ever.
23 Kusukela ekuThwaseni kwenye iNyanga kusiya ekuthwaseni kwenye, njalo kusukela kwelinye iSabatha kusiya kwelinye abantu bonke bazakuza bakhothame phambi kwami,” kutsho uThixo.
And it will be, that from new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh will come to give worship before me, says the Lord.
24 “Bazaphuma babone izidumbu zabantu abangihlamukelayo; impethu yazo kayiyikufa, lomlilo wazo kawuyikucitshwa, njalo zizakwenyanyeka ebantwini bonke.”
And they will go out to see the dead bodies of the men who have done evil against me: for their worm will ever be living, and their fire will never be put out, and they will be a thing of fear to all flesh.
