U-Isaya 7

1 Kwathi u-Ahazi indodana kaJothamu, indodana ka-Uziya, eyinkosi yakoJuda, uRezini inkosi yase-Aramu loPhekha indodana kaRemaliya inkosi yako-Israyeli basuka bayahlasela iJerusalema, kodwa kabalinqobanga.

And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Aram, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to war against it; but could not prevail against it.

2 Indlu kaDavida yatshelwa kwathiwa, “I-Aramu isimanyene lo-Efrayimi,” inhliziyo ka-Ahazi lezabantu bakhe zanyikinyeka njengezihlahla zegusu zinyikinywa ngumoya.

And it was told the house of David, saying: 'Aram is confederate with Ephraim.' And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the forest are moved with the wind.

3 UThixo wasesithi ku-Isaya, “Hamba wena lendodana yakho uSheyari-Jashubi ukuba lihlangabeze u-Ahazi ekucineni komgelo wamanzi oweChibi Elingaphezulu, emgwaqweni oya Ensimini Yomgezisi.

Then said the LORD unto Isaiah: 'Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shear-jashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool, in the highway of the fullers' field;

4 Lithi kuye, ‘Nanzelela, hlala ngokuthula, njalo ungesabi. Inhliziyo yakho kayingadeli ngenxa yolaka olwesabekayo lukaRezini lo-Aramu lolwendodana kaRemaliya.’”

and say unto him: Keep calm, and be quiet; fear not, neither let thy heart be faint, because of these two tails of smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram, and of the son of Remaliah.

5 U-Aramu lo-Efrayimi lendodana kaRemaliya sebecebe ukukutshabalalisa besithi,

Because Aram hath counselled evil against thee, Ephraim also, and the son of Remaliah, saying:

6 “Kasihlaseleni ilizwe lakoJuda; kasilidabuleni phakathi silabelane, senze indodana kaThabheli ibe yinkosi yalo.”

Let us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set up a king in the midst of it, even the son of Tabeel;

7 Kodwa-ke lokhu yikho okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi ukuthi: “‘Akuyikuphumelela, akuyikwenzakala,

thus saith the Lord GOD: It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass.

8 ngoba inhloko ye-Aramu yiDamaseko, inhloko yeDamaseko nguRezini kuphela. Phakathi kweminyaka engamatshumi ayisithupha lanhlanu u-Efrayimi uzakuba esetshabalele engaseyiso sizwe.

For the head of Aram is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people;

9 Inhloko ka-Efrayimi yiSamariya, inhloko yeSamariya yindodana kaRemaliya kuphela. Nxa lingami liqine okholweni lwenu alisoze livele lime.’”

And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah's son. If ye will not have faith, surely ye shall not be established.'

10 UThixo wakhuluma njalo ku-Ahazi wathi,

And the LORD spoke again unto Ahaz, saying:

11 “Cela isibonakaliso kuThixo uNkulunkulu wakho, ingabe ekujuleni kwezulu loba phezulu engqongweni.” (Sheol h7585)

'Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God: ask it either in the depth, or in the height above.' (Sheol h7585)

12 Kodwa u-Ahazi wathi, “Angiyikucela. Angiyikulinga uThixo.”

But Ahaz said: 'I will not ask, neither will I try the LORD.'

13 U-Isaya wasesithi, “Khathesi-ke zwana wena lendlu kaDavida. Akwenelanga na ukulinga ukubekezela kwabantu? Uzalinga lokubekezela kukaNkulunkulu wami njalo na?

And he said: 'Hear ye now, O house of David: Is it a small thing for you to weary men, that ye will weary my God also?

14 Ngakho-ke iNkosi ngokwayo izanika isibonakaliso: Intombi egcweleyo izakhulelwa izale indodana bayibize ngokuthi ngu-Emanuweli.

Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign: behold, the young woman shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

15 Uzakudla amasi loluju lapho eselolwazi olwaneleyo ukuba ale okubi akhethe okulungileyo.

Curd and honey shall he eat, when he knoweth to refuse the evil, and choose the good.

16 Kodwa-ke umfana engakazi okwaneleyo ukuba ale okubi akhethe okulungileyo, ilizwe lamakhosi amabili owesabayo lizachithwa.

Yea, before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land whose two kings thou hast a horror of shall be forsaken.

17 UThixo uzakwehlisela phezu kwakho laphezu kwabantu bakho, laphezu kwendlu kayihlo, isikhathi esingafani lesinye kusukela u-Efrayimi ebhazuka kuJuda, uzaletha inkosi yase-Asiriya.”

The LORD shall bring upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon thy father's house, days that have not come, from the day that Ephraim departed from Judah; even the king of Assyria.'

18 Ngalelolanga uThixo uzatshaya ikhwelo ebiza impukane ezisekudabukeni kwezifula zaseGibhithe lezinyosi eziselizweni lase-Asiriya.

And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria.

19 Zizakuza zonke zihlale ezingoxweni ezingamawa, ezimbalwini zamadwala, ezihlahleni zonke zameva kuwo wonke amagodi amanzi.

And they shall come, and shall rest all of them in the rugged valleys, and in the holes of the rocks, and upon all thorns, and upon all brambles.

20 Ngalolosuku iNkosi izasebenzisa impuco ebolekwe enkosini yase-Asiriya ngaphetsheya koMfula iYufrathe ukuphuca ikhanda lakho loboya obusembaleni yakho, lokugunda indevu zakho lazo.

In that day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired in the parts beyond the River, even with the king of Assyria, the head and the hair of the feet; and it shall also sweep away the beard.

21 Ngalolosuku umuntu uzafuya ithokazi elilodwa lembuzi ezimbili.

And it shall come to pass in that day, that a man shall rear a young cow, and two sheep;

22 Ngenxa yobunengi bochago oluzavela kuzo, uzakuba lamasi azawadla. Bonke abazasala elizweni bazakudla amasi loluju.

and it shall come to pass, for the abundance of milk that they shall give, he shall eat curd; for curd and honey shall every one eat that is left in the midst of the land.

23 Ngalolosuku, ezindaweni zonke lapho okwakulamavini ayinkulungwane alingana amashekeli esiliva ayinkulungwane, kuzakuba lokhula lameva kuphela.

And it shall come to pass in that day, that every place, where there were a thousand vines at a thousand silverlings, shall even be for briers and thorns.

24 Abantu bazakuya khona belamadandili lemitshoko ngoba ilizwe lizakuba seligcwele ukhula lameva.

With arrows and with bow shall one come thither; because all the land shall become briers and thorns.

25 Emaqaqeni wonke ake alinywa ngekhuba kawusayikuya khona ngenxa yokwesaba ukhula lameva, azakuba yindawo yokwelusela inkomo lamadlelo ezimvu.

And all the hills that were digged with the mattock, thou shalt not come thither for fear of briers and thorns, but it shall be for the sending forth of oxen, and for the treading of sheep.