U-Isaya 18

1 Maye elizweni okuhatshaza kulo impiko, elingaphetsheya kwemifula yeEthiyophiya,

Behold, land shadowed [with] wings, That [is] beyond the rivers of Cush,

2 elithuma izithunywa ngolwandle langemikhumbi yemihlanga ebusweni bamanzi! Hambani, zithunywa ezilejubane, liye esizweni eside lesibutshelezi, esizweni esesabekayo kusukela lapho kusiya phambili, isizwe esingumzilamzila esinyathelela phansi, esilizwe laso imifula iyalehlukanisa.

That is sending ambassadors by sea, Even with implements of reed on the face of the waters—Go, swift messengers, To a nation drawn out and peeled, To a people fearful from its beginning and onward, A nation meeting out by line, and treading down, Whose land floods have spoiled.

3 Lina lonke bahlali bomhlaba, lani elihlezi elizweni, bonani lapho kuphakanyiswa uphawu ezintabeni, lizwe lapho kuvuthelwa uphondo.

All you inhabitants of the world, And you dwellers of earth, At the lifting up of an ensign on hills you look, And at the blowing of a horn you hear.

4 Ngoba yatsho njalo iNkosi kimi: Ngizathula ngikhangele ngisendaweni yami emisiweyo, njengokukhanya okutshisayo phezu kwesibane, njengeyezi lamazolo ekutshiseni kwesivuno.

For thus said YHWH to me: “I rest, and I look on My settled place, As a clear heat on an herb. As a thick cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.

5 Ngoba mandulo kwesivuno, ihlumela seliphelele, lesithelo sesivini esingavuthwanga siyavuthwa emva kwamaluba, izaquma amahlumela ngezingqamu zokuthena, isuse izingatsha, iziqume.

For before harvest, when the flower is perfect, And the blossom is producing unripe fruit, Then [One] has cut the sprigs with pruning hooks, And the branches He has turned aside, cut down.

6 Zizatshiywa ndawonye zibe ngezenyoni zezintaba ezidla inyama lezenyamazana zomhlaba. Lenyoni ezidla inyama zizachitha ihlobo phezu kwazo, lenyamazana zonke zomhlaba zichithe ubusika phezu kwazo.

They are left together to the ravenous bird of the mountains, And to the beast of the earth, And the ravenous bird has summered on them, And every beast of the earth winters on them.

7 Ngalesosikhathi kuzalethwa isipho eNkosini yamabandla, isizwe eside lesibutshelezi, lesizweni esesabekayo kusukela lapho kusiya phambili, isizwe esingumzilamzila esinyathelela phansi, esilizwe laso imifula iyalehlukanisa, siye endaweni yebizo leNkosi yamabandla, intaba yeZiyoni.

At that time a present is brought to YHWH of Hosts, A nation drawn out and peeled. Even of a people fearful from the beginning until now, A nation meting out by line, and treading down, Whose land floods have spoiled, To the place of the Name of YHWH of Hosts—Mount Zion!”