U-Isaya 13
1 Umthwalo weBhabhiloni awubonayo uIsaya indodana kaAmozi.
A declaration about Babylon, that Isaiah son of Amoz received:
2 Phakamisani uphawu entabeni eligceke, libaphakamisele ilizwi, liqhwebe ngesandla, ukuze bangene eminyango yeziphathamandla.
On the bare mountain set up a signal flag, cry aloud to them, wave your hand for them to go into the gates of the nobles.
3 Mina ngibalayile abangcwelisiweyo bami, ngibizile lamaqhawe ami kuntukuthelo yami, abathokozayo ngobukhosi bami.
I have commanded my holy ones, yes, I have called my mighty men to execute my anger, even 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 in the mountains, as of many people! The noise of a tumult of the kingdoms like many nations gathered together! Yahweh 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 way over the horizon. It is Yahweh with his instruments of judgment, to destroy the whole land.
6 Qhinqani isililo, ngoba usuku lweNkosi lusondele; njengokuchitheka okuvela kuSomandla luzafika.
Howl, for the day of Yahweh is near; it comes with destruction from the Almighty.
7 Ngenxa yalokhu izandla zonke zizaxega, lenhliziyo yonke yomuntu incibilike;
Therefore all hands hang limp, and every heart melts.
8 babesebetshaywa luvalo; imihelo lobuhlungu kubabambe; bafuthelwe njengowesifazana obelethayo; bamangale ngulowo ngomakhelwane wakhe; ubuso babo buyibuso bamalangabi.
They will be terrified; pain and agony will seize them, like a woman in labor. They will look in astonishment at one another; their faces will be aflame.
9 Khangelani, usuku lweNkosi luyeza, lulesihluku lokufutheka lolaka oluvuthayo, ukubeka umhlaba ube yincithakalo; ibhubhise izoni zawo zisuke kuwo.
See, the day of Yahweh comes with cruel wrath and overflowing anger, to make the land a desolation and to destroy the sinners from it.
10 Ngoba inkanyezi zamazulu lemithala yazo kaziyikukhanyisa ukukhanya kwazo; ilanga lizakuba mnyama ekuphumeni kwalo, lenyanga kayiyikukhanyisa ukukhanya kwayo.
The stars of heaven and the constellations will not give their light. The sun will be darkened even from dawn, and the moon will not shine.
11 Ngoba ngizaphindisela ububi phezu komhlaba, laphezu kwabakhohlakeleyo izono zabo; ngiqede ukuzigqaja kwabazikhukhumezayo; ngithobise ukuzikhukhumeza kwabalesihluku.
I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity. I will put an end to the arrogance of the proud and will bring down the arrogance of the ruthless.
12 Ngizakwenza ukuthi indoda ibe ligugu elikhulu kulegolide elicwengekileyo, lomuntu kulegolide leOfiri.
I will make men more rare than fine gold and mankind harder to find 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, by the fury of Yahweh of hosts, and on the day of his fierce anger.
14 Njalo kuzakuba njengomziki oxotshwayo, lanjengezimvu okungelamuntu oziqoqayo; bazaphenduka ngulowo lalowo ebantwini bakibo, babalekele ngulowo lalowo elizweni lakhe.
Like a hunted gazelle or like a sheep with no shepherd, every man will turn toward his own people and will flee to his own land.
15 Wonke ozatholakala uzagwazwa, laye wonke ozabanjwa uzakuwa ngenkemba.
Every one who is found will be killed, and every one who is captured will die 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 plundered and their wives raped.
17 Khangela, ngizabavusela amaMede, angakhathaleli isiliva, legolide, angathokozi ngalo.
Look, I am about to stir up the Medes to attack them, who will not be concerned about silver, nor do they delight in gold.
18 Lamadandili awo azachoboza amajaha; njalo kawayikuba lesihawu ngesithelo sesizalo; ilihlo lawo kaliyikuhawukela abantwana.
Their bows will strike down the young men; they will have no mercy on infants and they will not look with pity on children.
19 LeBhabhiloni, udumo lwemibuso, ubuhle bokuziqhenya kwamaKhaladiya, izakuba njengokugenqulwa nguNkulunkulu kweSodoma leGomora.
Then Babylon, the most admired of kingdoms, the splendor of Chaldean pride, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah.
20 Kakuyikuba lendawo yokuhlala kuze kube nininini, njalo kayiyikuhlalwa kusizukulwana lesizukulwana; lomArabhiya kayikumisa ithente khona, labelusi kabayikulalisa umhlambi khona.
It will not be inhabited or lived in from generation to generation. The Arab will not pitch his tent there, nor will shepherds have their flocks rest 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. Their houses will be full of owls; and ostriches and wild goats will skip about there.
22 Lezimpisi zizaphendulana emanxiweni ayo, lemigobho ezigodlweni ezilentokozo. Lesikhathi sayo siseduze ukufika, lezinsuku zayo kaziyikuphuziswa.
Hyenas will cry in their fortresses, and jackals in the beautiful palaces. Her time is near, and her days will not be delayed.
