< U-Isaya 22 >

1 Umthwalo wesigodi sombono. Kutheni kuwe khathesi, ukuthi ngulowo lalowo wakho akhwele empahleni zezindlu?
A declaration about the Valley of Vision: What is the reason that you have all gone up to the housetops?
2 Wena ogcwele imisindo, muzi oxokozelayo, dolobho elilentokozo, ababuleweyo bakho kababulawanga ngenkemba, kabafelanga empini.
Is it so you may hear a city full of noises, a town full of revelry? Your dead were not killed with the sword, and they did not die in battle.
3 Bonke ababusi bakho babaleke kanyekanye, babotshwe ngabatshoki, bonke abatholakala kuwe, babotshiwe kanyekanye, babaleke besuka khatshana.
All your rulers fled away together, but they were captured without using a bow; all of them were captured together, though they had fled far away.
4 Ngenxa yalokhu ngathi: Susani amehlo kimi; kangikhale kabuhlungu; ungaphangisi ukungiduduza ngenxa yokuchitheka kwendodakazi yabantu bakithi.
Therefore I said, “Do not look at me, I will weep bitterly; do not try to comfort me concerning the destruction of the daughter of my people.”
5 Ngoba kulusuku lokusanganiseka, lolokunyathelela phansi, lolokuphithizela kweNkosi uJehova wamabandla esigodini sombono, lokudilizela phansi umduli, lolokuhlaba umkhosi kuze kube sentabeni.
For there is a day of tumult, treading down, and confusion for the Lord Yahweh of hosts, in the Valley of Vision, a breaking down of the walls, and people crying out to the mountains.
6 IElamu yathatha-ke isikhwama semitshoko, kanye lenqola, abantu, abagadi bamabhiza; leKiri yembula isihlangu.
Elam takes up the quiver, with chariots of men and horsemen, and Kir lays the shield bare.
7 Kuzakuthi-ke izigodi zakho ezikhethekileyo zigcwala izinqola, labagadi bamabhiza bazihlele lokuzihlela ngasesangweni.
It will come about that your choicest valleys will be full of chariots, and the horsemen will take their positions at the gate.
8 Njalo yena uzakwembula isimbombozo sakoJuda; langalolosuku wena uzakhangela izikhali zendlu yehlathi.
He took away the protection of Judah; and you looked in that day to the weapons in the Palace of the Forest.
9 Njalo lizabona imikenke yomuzi kaDavida, ukuthi minengi, liqoqe amanzi echibini elingaphansi.
You saw the breaches of the city of David, that they were many, and you collected the water of the lower pool.
10 Lizabala izindlu zeJerusalema, lidilize izindlu ukuze liqinise umduli.
You counted the houses of Jerusalem, and you tore down the houses to fortify the wall.
11 Lizakwenza ichibi phakathi kwemiduli yomibili lisenzela amanzi omgodi omdala. Kodwa kaliyikukhangela kowakwenzayo, kalimnanzanga owakubumbayo kudala.
You made a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the old pool. But you did not consider the city's maker, who had planned it long ago.
12 Langalolosuku iNkosi uJehova wamabandla izamemezela ukulila, lokukhala, lokuphucwa kwamakhanda, lokugqokwa kwesaka.
The Lord Yahweh of hosts called on that day for weeping, for mourning, for shaved heads, and the wearing of sackcloth.
13 Kodwa khangela, injabulo lokuthaba, ukubulawa kwenkomo, lokuhlatshwa kwezimvu, ukudliwa kwenyama, lokunathwa kwewayini; lathi: Asidleni sinathe, ngoba kusasa sizakufa.
But look, instead, celebration and gladness, killing cattle and slaughtering sheep, eating meat and drinking wine; let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we will die.
14 Kodwa iNkosi yamabandla yembula endlebeni zami isithi: Isibili lesisono kaliyikusenzelwa inhlawulo yokuthula lize life, kutsho iNkosi uJehova wamabandla.
This was revealed in my ears by Yahweh of hosts: “Surely this iniquity will not be forgiven you, even when you die,” says the Lord Yahweh of hosts.
15 Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova wamabandla: Hamba uye kulo umphathi, kuShebina, ophezu kwendlu, uthi:
The Lord Yahweh of hosts, says this, “Go to this administrator, to Shebna, who is over the house, and say,
16 Ulani lapha, njalo ulobani lapha, ukuthi uzigebhele ingcwaba lapha, njengozigebhela ingcwaba lakhe phezulu, ozigubhela indawo yokuhlala edwaleni?
'What are you doing here and who gave you permission to cut out a tomb for yourself, hewing out a grave on the heights and carving out a resting place in the rock?'”
17 Khangela, iNkosi izakujikijela khatshana ngokujika kwendoda; izakugoqela ngokukugoqela,
See, Yahweh is about to throw you, a mighty man, about to throw you down; he will grasp you tightly.
18 ikuthandele lokukuthandela njengebhola eligoqelwayo; njengebhola izakuphosela elizweni elibanzi; lalapho uzafela, lalapho izinqola zodumo lwakho zizakuba lihlazo, olwendlu yenkosi yakho!
He will surely wind you round and round, and toss you like a ball into a vast country. There you will die, and there your glorious chariots will be; you will be the shame of your master's house!
19 Njalo ngizakusunduza usuke esikhundleni sakho, ikuwise ekumeni kwakho.
“I will thrust you from your office and from your station. You will be pulled down.
20 Kuzakuthi-ke ngalolosuku ngibize inceku yami uEliyakhimi indodana kaHilikhiya;
It will come about on that day that I will call my servant Eliakim son of Hilkiah.
21 ngizamgqokisa isigqoko sakho, ngimqinise ngebhanti lakho, nginikeze umbuso wakho esandleni sakhe; njalo yena uzakuba nguyise kubahlali beJerusalema lendlini yakoJuda.
I will clothe him with your tunic and put on him your sash, and I will transfer your authority into his hand. He will be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.
22 Ngizabeka-ke isihluthulelo sendlu kaDavida ehlombe lakhe; yena uzavula kungavali muntu, avale kungavuli muntu.
I will place the key of the house of David on his shoulder; he will open, and none will shut; he will shut, and none will open.
23 Ngizambethela njengesikhonkwane endaweni eqinileyo; njalo uzakuba yisihlalo sobukhosi esilodumo endlini kayise.
I will fasten him, a peg in a secure place, and he will become a seat of glory for his father's house.
24 Njalo bazaphanyeka phezu kwakhe udumo lonke lwendlu kayise, inzalo lembewu, zonke izitsha ezincinyane, kusukela ezitsheni zenkezo kusiya kuzo zonke izitsha zeziphiso.
They will hang on him all the glory of his father's house, the offspring and descendants, every small container from the cups to all the jugs.
25 Ngalolosuku, itsho iNkosi yamabandla, isikhonkwane esabethelwa endaweni eqinileyo sizasuswa, siganyulwe siwe; lomthwalo obuphezu kwaso uzaqunywa; ngoba iNkosi ikhulumile.
On that day—this is the declaration of Yahweh of hosts—the peg driven in a firm place will give way, break off, and fall, and the weight that was on it will be cut off—for Yahweh has spoken.

< U-Isaya 22 >