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:
But the darkness shall not remain where now is distress; Of old he brought the land of Zebulon and the land of Naphtali into contempt; In future times shall he bring the land of the sea beyond Jordan, the circle of the gentiles, into honor.
2 Abantu abahamba emnyameni sebebone ukukhanya okukhulu; kulabo abahlala elizweni lethunzi lokufa ukukhanya sekukhanyisile.
The people that walk in darkness behold a great light; They who dwell in the land of death-like shade, Upon them a light shineth.
3 Usikhulisile isizwe wandisa intokozo yabo, bayathokoza phambi kwakho njengabantu bethokoza ekuvuneni, njengempi ithokoza isaba impango.
Thou enlargest the nation; Thou increasest their joy; They rejoice before thee with the joy of harvest, With the joy of those who divide the spoil.
4 Ngoba njengamhla wokwehlulwa kukaMidiyani usulephule ijogwe elibasindayo, umgoqo onqume emahlombe abo, intonga yomncindezeli wabo.
For thou breakest their heavy yoke, And the rod that smote their backs, And the scourge of the taskmaster, As in the day of Midian.
5 Lonke inyathela lebutho elisetshenziswe empini, kanye lazozonke izigqoko ezigiqwe egazini kuzakuya ekutshisweni; kuzakuba ngokokubasisa umlilo.
For every greave of the warrior in battle, And the war-garment rolled in blood, Shall be burned; yea, it shall be food for the fire.
6 Ngoba sizalelwe umntwana, siphiwe indodana, umbuso uzakuba phezu kwamahlombe akhe. Uzabizwa ngokuthi uMeluleki Omangalisayo, uNkulunkulu uSomandla, uBaba Waphakade, iNkosana yokuThula.
For to us a child is born, To us a son is given, And the government shall be upon his shoulder, And he shall be called Wonderful, counsellor, mighty potentate, Everlasting father, 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.
His dominion shall be great, And peace without end shall be upon the throne of David and his kingdom, To fix and establish it Through justice and equity, Henceforth and forever. The zeal of Jehovah of hosts will do this.
8 INkosi isithumele ilizwi lesixwayiso kuJakhobe lizakwehlela phezu kuka-Israyeli.
The Lord sendeth a word against Jacob; It cometh down to Israel.
9 Abantu bonke bazakwazi u-Efrayimi labakhele eSamariya, abathi ngokuzigqaja langokuzikhukhumeza kwenhliziyo,
His whole people shall feel it, Ephraim, and the inhabitants of Samaria, Who say in pride and arrogance of heart,
10 “Izitina sezidilikele phansi, kodwa sizakwakha njalo ngamatshe abaziweyo; imikhiwa isiganyulelwe phansi, kodwa sizafaka imisedari endaweni yayo.”
“The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones; The sycamores are cut down, but we will replace them with cedars.”
11 Kodwa uThixo usebaqinisele izitha zikaRezini, njalo usetshotshozele izitha zabo.
Jehovah will raise up the enemies of Rezin against them, And will arm their adversaries;
12 Ama-Aramu avela empumalanga lamaFilistiya avela entshonalanga asedle u-Israyeli ngomlomo ovulekileyo. Kodwa kukho konke lokhu, ukuthukuthela kwakhe akupheli, isandla sakhe silokhu siphakanyisiwe.
The Syrians before, the Philistines behind, Who shall devour Israel with wide jaws. For all this his anger is not turned away, But his hand is stretched out still.
13 Kodwa abantu abakabuyeli kuye owabatshayayo. Loba badinge uThixo uSomandla.
The people turn not to him that smiteth them; Neither do they seek Jehovah of hosts.
14 Ngakho uThixo uzaquma ko-Israyeli ikhanda lomsila, ugatsha lwelala lomhlanga ngasuku lunye;
Therefore shall Jehovah cut off from Israel the head and the tail, The palm-branch and the rush, in one day.
15 abadala lezikhulu balikhanda, abaphrofethi abafundisa amanga bangumsila.
[[The aged and the honorable are the head, And the prophet that speaketh falsehood is the tail.]]
16 Labo abakhokhela abantu laba bayabalahlekisa, labo abakhokhelwayo bayedukiswa.
For the leaders of this people lead them astray, And they that are led by them go to destruction.
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 shall the Lord have no joy in their young men, And on their orphans and widows he shall have no compassion; For they are all profane, and evil-doers; Every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, But his hand is stretched out still.
18 Ngeqiniso ububi butshisa njengomlilo, budla ukhula lameva, buthungela izixuku zehlathi zivuthe amalangabi izikhatha zentuthu ziqonga zisiya phezulu.
For wickedness burneth like a fire, It consumeth the briers and thorns, And it kindleth the thicket of the forest, So that it goeth up in columns of smoke.
19 Ngolaka lukaThixo uSomandla ilizwe lizatshiswa, abantu bazakuba zinkuni zomlilo, kakho ozaphephisa umfowabo.
Through the wrath of Jehovah of hosts is the land burned, And the people are food for the fire; No one spareth another.
20 Bazaqeda kwesokudla kodwa babe belokhu belambile; bazakudla kwesokhohlo, kodwa bangasuthi. Omunye lomunye uzakudla abantwabakhe:
They consume on the right hand, and yet are hungry; They devour on the left, and are not satisfied; Every one devoureth the flesh of his arm.
21 UManase uzakudla u-Efrayimi, u-Efrayimi adle uManase; bobabili bazamelana loJuda. Kukho konke lokhu, ukuthukuthela kwakhe akupheli, isandla sakhe silokhu siphakanyisiwe.
Manasseh is against Ephraim, and Ephraim against Manasseh, And both together against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, But his hand is stretched out still.
