< U-Isaya 13 >

1 Umthwalo weBhabhiloni awubonayo uIsaya indodana kaAmozi.
The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw:
2 Phakamisani uphawu entabeni eligceke, libaphakamisele ilizwi, liqhwebe ngesandla, ukuze bangene eminyango yeziphathamandla.
Set up a banner on the bare mountain. Lift up your voice to them. Wave your hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.
3 Mina ngibalayile abangcwelisiweyo bami, ngibizile lamaqhawe ami kuntukuthelo yami, abathokozayo ngobukhosi bami.
I have commanded my consecrated ones; I have also called my mighty men to carry out my anger, my proudly exulting ones.
4 Ukuxokozela kwexuku ezintabeni, kungathi ngokwabantu abanengi, umsindo wokuxokozela kwemibuso, kwezizwe ezibutheneyo; iNkosi yamabandla ibutha ibutho lempi.
The noise of a multitude is in the mountains, as of a great people; the noise of an uproar of the kingdoms of the nations gathered together. The LORD of hosts is mustering the army for the battle.
5 Bavela elizweni elikhatshana, emkhawulweni wamazulu, iNkosi kanye lezikhali zentukuthelo yayo, ukuchitha ilizwe lonke.
They come from a far country, from the uttermost part of heaven, even the LORD, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.
6 Qhinqani isililo, ngoba usuku lweNkosi lusondele; njengokuchitheka okuvela kuSomandla luzafika.
Wail; for the day of the LORD is at hand. It will come as destruction from Shaddai.
7 Ngenxa yalokhu izandla zonke zizaxega, lenhliziyo yonke yomuntu incibilike;
Therefore all hands will be feeble, and everyone's heart will melt.
8 babesebetshaywa luvalo; imihelo lobuhlungu kubabambe; bafuthelwe njengowesifazana obelethayo; bamangale ngulowo ngomakhelwane wakhe; ubuso babo buyibuso bamalangabi.
They will be dismayed. Pangs and sorrows will seize them. They will be in pain like a woman in labor. They will look in amazement one at another. Their faces will be faces of flame.
9 Khangelani, usuku lweNkosi luyeza, lulesihluku lokufutheka lolaka oluvuthayo, ukubeka umhlaba ube yincithakalo; ibhubhise izoni zawo zisuke kuwo.
Look, the day of the LORD comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger; to make the land a desolation, and to destroy its sinners out of it.
10 Ngoba inkanyezi zamazulu lemithala yazo kaziyikukhanyisa ukukhanya kwazo; ilanga lizakuba mnyama ekuphumeni kwalo, lenyanga kayiyikukhanyisa ukukhanya kwayo.
For the stars of the sky and its constellations will not give their light. The sun will be darkened in its going forth, and the moon will not cause its light to shine.
11 Ngoba ngizaphindisela ububi phezu komhlaba, laphezu kwabakhohlakeleyo izono zabo; ngiqede ukuzigqaja kwabazikhukhumezayo; ngithobise ukuzikhukhumeza kwabalesihluku.
I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity. I will cause the arrogance of the proud to cease, and will humble the haughtiness of the terrible.
12 Ngizakwenza ukuthi indoda ibe ligugu elikhulu kulegolide elicwengekileyo, lomuntu kulegolide leOfiri.
I will make people more rare than fine gold, even a person than the pure gold of Ophir.
13 Ngenxa yalokhu ngizazamazamisa amazulu, lomhlaba uzanyikinyeka usuke endaweni yawo, entukuthelweni yeNkosi yamabandla, losukwini lokuvutha kolaka lwayo.
Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken out of its place in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.
14 Njalo kuzakuba njengomziki oxotshwayo, lanjengezimvu okungelamuntu oziqoqayo; bazaphenduka ngulowo lalowo ebantwini bakibo, babalekele ngulowo lalowo elizweni lakhe.
It will happen that like a hunted gazelle, and like sheep that no one gathers, they will each turn to their own people, and will each flee to their own land.
15 Wonke ozatholakala uzagwazwa, laye wonke ozabanjwa uzakuwa ngenkemba.
Everyone who is found will be thrust through. Everyone who is captured will fall by the sword.
16 Labantwana babo bazachotshozwa phambi kwamehlo abo, izindlu zabo ziphangwe, labomkabo badlwengulwe.
Their infants also will be dashed in pieces before their eyes. Their houses will be ransacked, and their wives raped.
17 Khangela, ngizabavusela amaMede, angakhathaleli isiliva, legolide, angathokozi ngalo.
Look, I will stir up the Medes against them, who will not value silver, and as for gold, they will not delight in it.
18 Lamadandili awo azachoboza amajaha; njalo kawayikuba lesihawu ngesithelo sesizalo; ilihlo lawo kaliyikuhawukela abantwana.
Their bows will dash the young men in pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb. Their eyes will not spare children.
19 LeBhabhiloni, udumo lwemibuso, ubuhle bokuziqhenya kwamaKhaladiya, izakuba njengokugenqulwa nguNkulunkulu kweSodoma leGomora.
Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldeans' pride, will be like when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
20 Kakuyikuba lendawo yokuhlala kuze kube nininini, njalo kayiyikuhlalwa kusizukulwana lesizukulwana; lomArabhiya kayikumisa ithente khona, labelusi kabayikulalisa umhlambi khona.
It will never be inhabited, neither will it be lived in from generation to generation. The Arabian will not pitch a tent there, neither will shepherds make their flocks lie down there.
21 Kodwa izilo zeganga zizalala khona, lezindlu zayo zizagcwala izilo ezikhonyayo; lamadodakazi ezintshe azahlala khona, lamagogo aqolotshe khona.
But wild animals of the desert will lie there, and their houses will be full of jackals. Ostriches will dwell there, and wild goats will frolic there.
22 Lezimpisi zizaphendulana emanxiweni ayo, lemigobho ezigodlweni ezilentokozo. Lesikhathi sayo siseduze ukufika, lezinsuku zayo kaziyikuphuziswa.
Wolves will cry in their fortresses, and jackals in the pleasant palaces. Her time is near to come, and her days will not be prolonged.

< U-Isaya 13 >