U-Isaya 24
1 Khangela, iNkosi yenza umhlaba ube yize, iwenze ube yincithakalo, yone ubuso bawo, ihlakaze abahlali bawo.
Look, Yahweh is about to empty the earth, to devastate it, mar its surface, and scatter its inhabitants.
2 Kuzakuthi njengabantu kube njalo umpristi; njengesisebenzi kube njalo inkosi yaso; njengencekukazi kube njalo inkosikazi yayo; njengomthengi kube njalo umthengisi; njengombolekisi kube njalo obolekayo; njengomniki wesikwelede kube njalo okweledayo.
It will come about that, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the creditor, so with the debtor; as with the receiver of interest, so with the giver of interest.
3 Umhlaba uzachitheka lokuchitheka, uphangwe lokuphangwa; ngoba iNkosi ilikhulumile lelilizwi.
The earth will be completely devastated and completely stripped; for Yahweh has spoken this word.
4 Umhlaba uyalila, ubune, ilizwe liyadangala, libune; abantu bomhlaba abaphakemeyo bayadangala.
The earth dries up and withers, the world shrivels up and fades away, the prominent people of the earth waste away.
5 Umhlaba lawo ungcolisiwe ngaphansi kwabahlali bawo; ngoba beqile imilayo, baguqula isimiso, bephula isivumelwano esilaphakade.
The earth is polluted by its inhabitants because they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, and broken the everlasting covenant.
6 Ngenxa yalokho isiqalekiso siwuqedile umhlaba, labahlala kuwo bayachitheka; ngakho-ke abahlali bomhlaba batshisiwe, njalo kusale abantu abalutshwana.
Therefore a curse devours the earth, and its inhabitants are found guilty. The inhabitants of the earth burn up, and few people are left.
7 Iwayini elitsha liyalila, ivini lidangale, bonke abanhliziyo ethokozayo bayabubula.
The new wine dries up, the vine withers, all the merry-hearted groan.
8 Injabulo yezigubhu iphelile, umsindo wabajabulayo uphelile, intokozo yechacho iphelile.
The happy sound of the tambourines stops, and the revelry of those who rejoice; the joy of the lyre ceases.
9 Kabayikunatha iwayini ngengoma; okunathwayo okulamandla kuzababa kwabakunathayo.
They no longer drink wine and sing, and the beer is bitter to those who drink it.
10 Umuzi wencithakalo ubhidlikile, yonke indlu ivaliwe ukuze kungangenwa.
The city of chaos has been broken down; every house is closed up and empty.
11 Kukhalelwa iwayini ezitaladeni; intokozo yonke ifiphele, injabulo yomhlaba inyamalele.
There is a crying in the streets because of the wine; all joy is darkened, the gladness of the land has disappeared.
12 Emzini kusele incithakalo, lesango litshayiwe lachithwa.
In the city is left a desolation, and the gate is broken into a ruin.
13 Ngoba kuzakuba njalo phakathi kwelizwe, phakathi kwabantu, njengokunyikinywa kwesihlahla somhlwathi, njengokukhothoza sesiphelile isivuno sezithelo zevini.
For this is how it will be on the whole earth among the nations, as when an olive tree is beaten, as the gleanings when the grape harvest is done.
14 Bona bazaphakamisa ilizwi labo, bazahlabelela ubukhosi beNkosi, bamemeze beselwandle.
They will lift up their voices and shout the majesty of Yahweh, and will joyfully shout from the sea.
15 Ngenxa yalokhu dumisani iNkosi emililweni, ibizo leNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli ezihlengeni zolwandle.
Therefore in the east glorify Yahweh, and in the isles of the sea give glory to the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel.
16 Sizwile amahubo avela emkhawulweni womhlaba, udumo kolungileyo. Kodwa ngathi: Ukucaka kwami, ukucaka kwami! Maye kimi! Abenzi benkohliso benze ngokukhohlisa; yebo abenzi benkohliso benze ngokukhohlisa okukhulu.
From the farthest part of the earth we have heard songs, “Glory to the righteous one!” But I said, “I have wasted away, I have wasted away, woe is me! The treacherous have dealt treacherously; yes, the treacherous have dealt very treacherously.”
17 Ukwesaba lomgodi lomjibila kuphezu kwakho, wena mhlali womhlaba.
Terror, the pit, and the snare are upon you, inhabitants of the earth.
18 Kuzakuthi-ke obalekela umsindo wokwesaba awele emgodini; lowenyuka phakathi komgodi abanjwe ngumjibila; ngoba amawindi aphezulu avulekile, lezisekelo zomhlaba ziyaqhaqhazela.
He who flees from the sound of terror will fall into the pit, and he who comes up out of the middle of the pit will be caught in the snare. The windows of the heavens will be opened, and the foundations of the earth will shake.
19 Umhlaba wephukile lokwephuka, umhlaba udatshudatshuliwe, umhlaba uyanyikinyeka kakhulu.
The earth will be completely broken, the earth ripped apart; the earth will be violently shaken.
20 Umhlaba uzadiyazela lokudiyazela njengesidakwa, uzunguzeke njengedumba; lesiphambeko sawo sizakuba nzima phezu kwawo; uzakuwa, ungabe usavuka futhi.
The earth will stagger like a drunken man and it will sway back and forth like a hut. Its sin will be heavy on it and it will fall and never rise again.
21 Kuzakuthi-ke ngalolosuku iNkosi ijezise ibutho labaphakemeyo abaphezulu, lamakhosi omhlaba phezu komhlaba.
On that day Yahweh will punish the host of the heaven in the heavens, and the kings of the earth on the earth.
22 Bazabuthelwa ndawonye njengezibotshwa zibuthelwa emgodini, bavalelwe entolongweni, langemva kwensuku ezinengi bethekelelwe.
They will be gathered together, prisoners in a pit, and will be shut up in a prison; and after many days they will be punished.
23 Khona inyanga izayangeka, lelanga libe lenhloni, ngoba iNkosi yamabandla iyabusa entabeni iZiyoni laseJerusalema, laphambi kwabadala kuzakuba khona inkazimulo.
Then the moon will be ashamed, and the sun disgraced, for Yahweh of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before his elders in glory.
