< U-Isaya 16 >
1 Thumelani iwundlu kumbusi welizwe lilisusa eSela lisiya enkangala, entabeni yendodakazi yeZiyoni.
Send lambs as tribute to the ruler of the land, from Sela through the desert, to the mountain of the daughter of Zion.
2 Ngoba kuzakuthi, njengenyoni ezulazulayo exotshwe esidlekeni, azakuba njalo amadodakazi akoMowabi emazibukweni eArinoni.
The Moabite women at the fords of the Arnon are like birds fluttering around when their nest is destroyed.
3 Lethani iseluleko, lenze isinqumo; wenze isithunzi sakho sibe njengobusuku phakathi kwemini, ufihle abaxotshiweyo, ungavezi obalekayo.
Think about it and make a decision. Make your shadow as invisible at midday as during the night. Hide the refugees; don't betray them as they run away.
4 Abaxotshiweyo bami kabahlale njengabezizwe phakathi kwakho, Mowabi; ube yisiphephelo kibo ebusweni bomchithi; ngoba umcindezeli usekucineni, ukuchitheka sekunyamalele, lonyathezela phansi usephelile elizweni.
Let my refugees stay among you, Moab. Hide them from our enemies until the destroyer is no more, the destruction is over, and the aggressive invaders have gone.
5 Njalo kuzamiswa isihlalo sobukhosi ngomusa, njalo ahlale kiso ngobuqotho ethenteni likaDavida, esahlulela, lodinga isahlulelo, lophangisisa ukulunga.
Then a kingdom will be set up based on trustworthy love, and on its throne will sit a faithful king from the line of David. He will judge fairly, and will be passionately committed to doing what is right.
6 Sizwile ngokuziphakamisa kukaMowabi, uyazigqaja kakhulu; ukuzikhukhumeza kwakhe, lokuziqhenya kwakhe, lolaka lwakhe, ukuwumana kwakhe kakunjalo.
We know all about the pride of the Moabites, how terribly vain and conceited they are, completely arrogant! But their boasting is false.
7 Ngakho uMowabi uzaqhinqela uMowabi isililo, bonke baqhinqe isililo; libubulele izisekelo zeKiri-Haresethi; isibili batshayiwe.
All the Moabites grieve for Moab. They all mourn the loss of the raisin cakes of Kir-hareseth, all of them destroyed.
8 Ngoba amasimu eHeshiboni ayabuna, ivini leSibima; amakhosi ezizwe atshayele phansi amahlukuzo evini awo; afinyelele eJazeri, azulazule enkangala, ingatsha zawo zeluliwe, zachapha ulwandle.
Heshbon's fields have dried up, as have Sibmah's grapevines. The rulers of the nations have trampled down the vines that once branched out to Jazer and east towards the desert, and west as far as the sea.
9 Ngenxa yalokho ngizakhala inyembezi ngokukhala kweJazeri ngevini leSibima; ngikuthambise ngezinyembezi zami, Heshiboni, lawe Eleyale; ngoba ukujabulela izithelo zakho zehlobo lesivuno sakho sekuwile.
So I cry with Jazer for Sibmah's vines; I soak Heshbon and Elealeh with my tears. Nobody shouts in celebration over your summer fruit and your harvest any more.
10 Intokozo lenjabulo sekususiwe ensimini ethelayo, lezivinini kakuhlatshelwa ngoma; kakulakumemeza; kakulamnyatheli onyathela iwayini ezikhamelweni zewayini; ngimisile ukumemeza kwenjabulo.
Joy and happiness are gone. Nobody celebrates in the harvest fields or the vineyards; nobody shouts happily. Nobody treads grapes in the winepresses. I have stopped their cheering.
11 Ngenxa yalokho imibilini yami iyakhala njengechacho ngoMowabi, lengaphakathi yami ngeKiri-Haresi.
Heartbroken I cry for Moab like sad music on a harp; deep inside I weep for Kir-hareseth.
12 Kuzakuthi sekubonakele ukuthi uMowabi uzidinisile endaweni ephakemeyo, khona ezangena endlini yakhe engcwele ukukhuleka, kodwa kayikuphumelela.
The Moabites go and wear themselves out worshiping at their high places. They go to their shrines to pray, but it does them no good.
13 Leli yilizwi iNkosi elikhulume ngoMowabi kusukela kulesosikhathi.
This is the message that the Lord has already delivered about Moab.
14 Kodwa khathesi iNkosi ikhuluma isithi: Phakathi kweminyaka emithathu, njengeminyaka yoqhatshiweyo, udumo lukaMowabi luzadelelwa, elaleloxuku lonke elikhulu; lensali izakuba nlutshwana, incane, ingelamandla.
But now the Lord speaks again, and says, In three years, just as a contract worker precisely counts years, Moab's glory will turn into something to be laughed at. Despite there being so many Moabites now, soon there will only be a few feeble people left.