U-Isaya 23
1 Umthwalo weTire. Qhinqani isililo, mikhumbi yeTarshishi, ngoba ichithiwe, ukuze kungabi lendlu, ukuthi kungabi lokungena. Kuvela elizweni leKitimi kwembuliwe kubo.
A message about Tyre. Howl, people on the ships of Tarshish! Tyre has been destroyed—nothing is left of the houses and the harbor. They heard the news from the people of Cyprus.
2 Thulani, bahlali besihlenge; wena abakugcwalisileyo abathengiselani beSidoni abachapha ulwandle.
Stay shocked into silence, people of the coastlands, merchants of Sidon, and sailors.
3 Langamanzi amakhulu, inzalo yeShihori, isivuno somfula yinzuzo yayo; njalo iyindawo yezizwe yokuthengiselana.
Egyptian grain came across the wide oceans. The Nile's harvest was what made Tyre money; she was the merchant to the nations.
4 Woba lenhloni, Sidoni; ngoba ulwandle lukhulumile, amandla olwandle, lusithi: Kangihelelwa, kangibelethanga, kangikhulisanga amajaha, kangondlanga izintombi ezimsulwa.
Feel the shame, Sidon! For the fortress of the sea says, “I have no children, having never been in labor or given birth. I have not brought up young men or brought up young women.”
5 Njengasembikweni ngeGibhithe bazahelelwa ngombiko weTire.
When the news about Tyre reaches Egypt they will be in agony.
6 Chaphelani eTarshishi, qhinqani isililo, bahlali besihlenge.
Sail across to Tarshish! Howl, people of the coastlands!
7 Yiwo lo yini umuzi wenu ojabulayo, obudala bawo busukela ensukwini zendulo? Inyawo zawo zizawuthwalela khatshana ukuyahlala njengowezizwe.
Is this really your triumphant city, whose beginnings are from the distant past, who has sent out people to colonize faraway places?
8 Ngubani oweluleke lokhu ngeTire, omethesi womqhele, obathengisi bayo bayiziphathamandla, obathengiselani bayo ngabadumileyo emhlabeni?
Who planned this attack on Tyre? Tyre, who created kingdoms, whose merchants were princes, whose traders were honored around the world!
9 INkosi yamabandla ikucebisile lokhu, ukonakalisa ukuzigqaja kodumo lonke, ukwenza badeleleke bonke abadumileyo bomhlaba.
The Lord Almighty planned it, to humble its pride in all its glory, and to bring down all who receive worldly honor.
10 Dabula ilizwe lakho njengomfula, ndodakazi yeTarshishi; akuselamandla.
Work your land, people of Tarshish, as they do beside the Nile, for you don't have a harbor anymore.
11 Yelulele isandla sayo phezu kolwandle, inyikinye imibuso; iNkosi ilayezile imelene leKhanani, ukuchitha inqaba zayo.
The Lord held his hand out over the sea and shook kingdoms. He has condemned Phoenicia, giving the order to destroy their fortresses.
12 Yasisithi: Kawusayikuphinda ujabule, ntombi emsulwa ecindezelweyo, ndodakazi yeSidoni; eKhithimu sukuma uchaphe; lakhona kakuyikuba lokuphumula kuwe.
He said, “Don't celebrate any more, mistreated virgin daughter of Sidon. Go and sail over to Cyprus—however, even there you won't find rest.”
13 Khangela ilizwe lamaKhaladiya; lesisizwe sasingekho; amaSiriya asisekelela bona abahlala enkangala; amisa imiphotshongo yawo yokuvimbezela, abhidliza izigodlo zalo; alenza laba lunxiwa.
Look at the country of the Babylonians, this people that are not as they used to be! The Assyrians have turned it into a place for desert animals. They set up their siege towers, they demolished the fortresses, and ruined the country.
14 Qhinqani isililo, mikhumbi yeTarshishi, ngoba inqaba yenu ichithekile.
Howl, people on the ships of Tarshish because your fortress is destroyed!
15 Kuzakuthi-ke ngalolosuku iTire ikhohlakale okweminyaka engamatshumi ayisikhombisa, njengokwensuku zenkosi eyodwa. Ekupheleni kweminyaka engamatshumi ayisikhombisa kuzakuba khona eTire okunjengengoma yewule.
At that time Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, a king's lifetime, as it were. But at the end of these seventy years, Tyre will be like the song about a prostitute,
16 Thatha ichacho, ubhode umuzi, wule elikhohlakeleyo, utshaye kamnandi, uhlabele ingoma ezinengi, ukuze ukhunjulwe.
“Take a lyre and walk around the city, forgotten prostitute! Play and sing so people will remember you!”
17 Kuzakuthi-ke ekupheleni kweminyaka engamatshumi ayisikhombisa iNkosi iyihambele iTire; njalo izabuyela ekuqhatshweni kobuwule bayo; izawula layo yonke imibuso yomhlaba phezu kobuso bomhlaba.
After seventy years, the Lord will restore Tyre. But then she will go back to hiring herself out as a prostitute, selling herself to all the kingdoms of the world.
18 Lokuthengiselana kwayo lokuqhatshwa kwayo kuzakuba yibungcwele eNkosini; kakuyikulondolozwa kumbe kubuthelelwe, ngoba inzuzo yayo yokuthengiselana izakuba ngeyabahlala phambi kweNkosi, ukuze badle basuthe, babe lezigqoko ezinhle.
However, her profits and what she earns will consecrated to the Lord. They won't be kept or saved up, for her business earnings will go to those who worship the Lord, to provide them with plenty of food and good clothes.
