U-Isaya 9
1 Kodwa-ke akusayikuba khona ukudangala kulabo ababesosizini. Ensukwini ezedlulayo walithobisa ilizwe likaZebhuluni lelizwe likaNafithali. Kodwa ensukwini ezizayo uzayipha udumo iGalile yabezizweni, eNdleleni eya oLwandle elandela iJodani:
For [there will be] no gloom on her who [is] distressed as at the former time. The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, So the latter has honored the way of the sea, Beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
2 Abantu abahamba emnyameni sebebone ukukhanya okukhulu; kulabo abahlala elizweni lethunzi lokufa ukukhanya sekukhanyisile.
The people who are walking in darkness Have seen a great light, Dwellers in a land of death-shade, Light has shone on them.
3 Usikhulisile isizwe wandisa intokozo yabo, bayathokoza phambi kwakho njengabantu bethokoza ekuvuneni, njengempi ithokoza isaba impango.
You have multiplied the nation, You have made its joy great, They have rejoiced before You as the joy in harvest, As [men] rejoice in their apportioning spoil.
4 Ngoba njengamhla wokwehlulwa kukaMidiyani usulephule ijogwe elibasindayo, umgoqo onqume emahlombe abo, intonga yomncindezeli wabo.
Because the yoke of its burden, And the staff of its shoulder, the rod of its exactor, You have broken as [in] the day of Midian.
5 Lonke inyathela lebutho elisetshenziswe empini, kanye lazozonke izigqoko ezigiqwe egazini kuzakuya ekutshisweni; kuzakuba ngokokubasisa umlilo.
For every battle of a warrior [is] with rushing, and raiment rolled in blood, And it has been for burning—fuel of fire.
6 Ngoba sizalelwe umntwana, siphiwe indodana, umbuso uzakuba phezu kwamahlombe akhe. Uzabizwa ngokuthi uMeluleki Omangalisayo, uNkulunkulu uSomandla, uBaba Waphakade, iNkosana yokuThula.
For a Child has been born to us, A Son has been given to us, And the dominion is on His shoulder, And He calls His Name Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace.
7 Ukwanda kombuso wakhe lokuthula akuyikuba lomkhawulo. Uzabusa esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavida laphezu kombuso wakhe, ewumisa njalo ewuqinisa ngokufaneleyo langokulunga, kusukela ngalesisikhathi kuze kube nini lanini. Ukutshiseka kukaThixo uSomandla kuzakufeza lokhu.
Of the increase of [His] dominion, And of peace, there is no end, On the throne of David, and on His kingdom, To establish it, and to support it, In judgment and in righteousness, From now on, even for all time, The zeal of YHWH of Hosts does this.
8 INkosi isithumele ilizwi lesixwayiso kuJakhobe lizakwehlela phezu kuka-Israyeli.
The Lord has sent a word into Jacob, And it has fallen in Israel.
9 Abantu bonke bazakwazi u-Efrayimi labakhele eSamariya, abathi ngokuzigqaja langokuzikhukhumeza kwenhliziyo,
And the people have known—all of it, Ephraim, and the inhabitant of Samaria, In pride and in greatness of heart, saying,
10 “Izitina sezidilikele phansi, kodwa sizakwakha njalo ngamatshe abaziweyo; imikhiwa isiganyulelwe phansi, kodwa sizafaka imisedari endaweni yayo.”
“Bricks have fallen, and we build hewn work, Sycamores have been cut down, and we renew cedars.”
11 Kodwa uThixo usebaqinisele izitha zikaRezini, njalo usetshotshozele izitha zabo.
And YHWH sets the adversaries of Rezin on high above him, And he joins his enemies together,
12 Ama-Aramu avela empumalanga lamaFilistiya avela entshonalanga asedle u-Israyeli ngomlomo ovulekileyo. Kodwa kukho konke lokhu, ukuthukuthela kwakhe akupheli, isandla sakhe silokhu siphakanyisiwe.
Aram from before, and Philistia from behind, And they devour Israel with the whole mouth. With all this His anger has not turned back, And His hand is still stretched out.
13 Kodwa abantu abakabuyeli kuye owabatshayayo. Loba badinge uThixo uSomandla.
And the people has not turned back to Him who is striking it, And they have not sought YHWH of Hosts.
14 Ngakho uThixo uzaquma ko-Israyeli ikhanda lomsila, ugatsha lwelala lomhlanga ngasuku lunye;
And YHWH cuts off head and tail from Israel, Branch and reed—the same day.
15 abadala lezikhulu balikhanda, abaphrofethi abafundisa amanga bangumsila.
Elderly and accepted of faces—he [is] the head, And prophet teaching falsehood—he [is] the tail.
16 Labo abakhokhela abantu laba bayabalahlekisa, labo abakhokhelwayo bayedukiswa.
And the eulogists of this people are causing to err, And its eulogized ones are consumed.
17 Ngakho iNkosi kayiyikuthokoza ngezinsizwa zabo, izintandane labafelokazi kayiyikuba lozwelo kubo, ngoba bonke bayameyisa uNkulunkulu, njalo babi; imilomo yonke ikhuluma amanyala. Kodwa kukho konke lokhu, ukuthukuthela kwayo akupheli, isandla sayo silokhu siphakanyisiwe.
Therefore, the Lord does not rejoice over its young men, And He does not pity its orphans and its widows, For everyone [is] profane, and an evildoer, And every mouth is speaking folly. With all this His anger has not turned back, And His hand is still stretched out.
18 Ngeqiniso ububi butshisa njengomlilo, budla ukhula lameva, buthungela izixuku zehlathi zivuthe amalangabi izikhatha zentuthu ziqonga zisiya phezulu.
For wickedness has burned as a fire, It devours brier and thorn, And it kindles in thickets of the forest, And they lift themselves up, an exaltation of smoke!
19 Ngolaka lukaThixo uSomandla ilizwe lizatshiswa, abantu bazakuba zinkuni zomlilo, kakho ozaphephisa umfowabo.
In the wrath of YHWH of Hosts The land has been consumed, And the people is as fuel of fire; A man has no pity on his brother,
20 Bazaqeda kwesokudla kodwa babe belokhu belambile; bazakudla kwesokhohlo, kodwa bangasuthi. Omunye lomunye uzakudla abantwabakhe:
And cuts down on the right, and has been hungry, And he devours on the left, And they have not been satisfied, They each devour the flesh of his own arm.
21 UManase uzakudla u-Efrayimi, u-Efrayimi adle uManase; bobabili bazamelana loJuda. Kukho konke lokhu, ukuthukuthela kwakhe akupheli, isandla sakhe silokhu siphakanyisiwe.
Manasseh—Ephraim, and Ephraim—Manasseh, Together they [are] against Judah, With all this His anger has not turned back. And His hand is still stretched out!
