U-Isaya 8
1 UThixo wathi kimi, “Thatha isibhebhedu selitshe esikhulu ulobe kuso ngolimi olujwayelekileyo ukuthi: Maheri-Shalali-Hashi-Bhazi (okutsho ukuthi: abaphanga ukuhuquluza okuphangiweyo).
And the Lord said to me: “Take up for yourself a large book, and with a man’s pen write in it: ‘Take away the spoils quickly; plunder swiftly.’”
2 Ngizabiza u-Uriya umphristi loZakhariya indodana kaJebherekhiya njengabofakazi bami abathembekileyo.”
And I summoned to myself faithful witnesses: Uriah, the priest, and Zechariah, the son of Berechiah.
3 Ngemva kwalokho ngaya kumphrofethikazi, wathatha isisu, wazala indodana. UThixo wasesithi kimi, “Mbize ngokuthi nguMaheri-Shalali-Hashi-Bhazi.
And I joined with the prophetess, and she conceived and gave birth to a son. And the Lord said to me: “Call his name: ‘Rush to take away the spoils; Hurry to be plundered.’
4 Kuzakuthi umfana engakakwazi ukuthi ‘Ubaba’ loba ‘Umama,’ inotho yaseDamaseko lempahla ethunjwe eSamariya kuzathathwa yinkosi yase-Asiriya.”
For before the boy knows how to call to his father and his mother, the strength of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria will be taken away, in the sight of the king of the Assyrians.”
5 UThixo wakhuluma kimi futhi wathi:
And the Lord spoke to me further, saying:
6 “Ngenxa yokuthi abantu laba sebewalile amanzi ageleza kuhle aseShilowa bethokozela uRezini lendodana kaRemaliya,
“Because this people has cast aside the waters of Shiloah, which go forth silently, and has instead chosen Rezin and the son of Remaliah,
7 ngakho-ke iNkosi isiseduze ukubalethela izikhukhula zamanzi ezilamandla, eziyinkosi yase-Asiriya lobukhosi bayo bonke, zivela eYufrathe. Azachithekela ngaphandle kwayo yonke imigelo yawo, ageleze phezu kwamakhumbi ayo wonke,
for this reason, behold, the Lord will lead over them the waters of a river, strong and plentiful: the king of the Assyrians with all his glory. And he will rise up throughout all his streams, and he will overflow all his banks.
8 afohlele koJuda, agcwale kulo, adlule phakathi kwalo efika entanyeni. Impiko zawo ezeluliweyo zizakwembesa ububanzi belizwe lakho, Awu, Emanuweli!”
And he will pass through Judah, inundating it, and he will cross over and arrive, even at its neck. And he will extend his wings, filling the breadth of your land, O Immanuel.”
9 Hlabani umkhosi wempi lina zizwe, lichithwe! Lalelani lonke lina mazwe akude. Lungiselani impi, lichithwe! Lungiselani impi lichithwe!
O people, gather together, and be conquered! All distant lands, listen! Be strengthened, and be conquered! Gird yourselves, and be conquered!
10 Lungisani icebo lenu, kodwa kalisoze liphumelele: bumbani isu lenu, kodwa kaliyikuma, ngoba uNkulunkulu ulathi.
Undertake a plan, and it will be dissipated! Speak a word, and it will not be done! For God is with us.
11 UThixo wakhuluma kimi isandla sakhe esilamandla siphezu kwami, engixwayisa ukuba ngingalandeli indlela yalababantu. Wathi:
For the Lord said this to me, and he has instructed this to me with a strong hand, lest I go forth in the way of this people, saying:
12 “Ungabokuthi kungamacebo amabi konke abantu laba abathi kungamacebo amabi; ungakwesabi abakwesabayo njalo ungakuqhuqhi.
“You should not say ‘It is conspiracy!’ For all that this people speaks is a conspiracy. And you should not be frightened or alarmed with their fear.
13 UThixo uSomandla nguye okumele limazi engongcwele, nguye okumele limesabe, nguye okumele limqhuqhe.
Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself. Let him be your dread, and let him be your fear.
14 Uzakuba yisiphephelo; kodwa kuzo zombili izindlu zako-Israyeli uzakuba yilitshe elikhubekisa abantu ledwala elibenza bawe. Ebantwini baseJerusalema uzakuba yisifu lomjibila.
And so shall he be a sanctification to you. But he will be a stone of offense and a rock of scandal to the two houses of Israel, and a snare and a ruin to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
15 Inengi labo lizakhubeka; bazakuwa bephuke, bazathiywa bathunjwe.”
And very many of them will stumble and fall, and they will be broken and entangled and seized.
16 Bopha ubufakazi besixwayiso, uqinise umthetho phakathi kwabafundi bakaNkulunkulu.
Bind the testimony, seal the law, among my disciples.”
17 Ngizamlindela uThixo, ofihlela indlu kaJakhobe ubuso bakhe. Ngizabeka ithemba lami kuye.
And I will wait for the Lord, who has concealed his face from the house of Jacob, and I will stand before him.
18 Mina ngilapha, kanye labantwana uThixo angiphe bona. Siyizibonakaliso lempawu ku-Israyeli ezivela kuThixo uSomandla, ohlala entabeni iZiyoni.
Behold: I and my children, whom the Lord has given to me as a sign and a portent, in Israel, from the Lord of hosts, who lives on Mount Zion.
19 Nxa abantu bekutshela ukuthi buza abalamadlozi labalemimoya yobuthakathi, labanyenyezayo bengunguza, kambe abantu akumelanga babuzisise uNkulunkulu wabo na? Kungani abaphilayo libabuzela kwabafayo na?
And though they say to you, “Seek from seers and diviners,” they who hiss in their incantations, should not the people seek from their God, for the sake of the living, and not from the dead?
20 Emthethweni lakubo ubufakazi! Nxa bengakhulumi ngokumayelana lelizwi leli, kabalakho ukukhanya kokusa.
And this is, moreover, for the sake of the law and the testimony. But if they do not speak according to this Word, then he will not have the morning light.
21 Bazazula lelizwe behlulukelwe, belambile. Lapho sebephalwe yindlala, bazathukuthela, bathuke inkosi yabo loNkulunkulu wabo bekhangele phezulu.
And he will pass by it; he will fall and become hungry. And when he is hungry, he will become angry, and he will speak evil against his king and his God, and he will lift himself upward.
22 Emva kwalokho bazakhangela emhlabeni babone usizi kuphela, lomnyama owesabekayo, njalo bazaphoselwa emnyameni opheleleyo.
And he will gaze downward to the earth, and behold: tribulation and darkness, dissolution and distress, and a pursuing gloom. For he will not be able to fly away from its distress.
