U-Isaya 26
1 Ngalolosuku lingoma izahlatshelwa elizweni lakoJuda ethi: Silomuzi oqinileyo; uNkulunkulu uzamisa usindiso lube yimiduli lezinqaba.
Some day, [people in] Judah will sing this song: Our city [of Jerusalem] is strong! Yahweh protects our city; He is like [MET] a wall that surrounds it.
2 Vulani amasango ukuze singene isizwe esilungileyo esigcina ukuthembeka.
Open the gates of the city for people who are righteous; allow people who faithfully [obey Yahweh] to enter the city.
3 Uzamgcina ekuthuleni okupheleleyo ongqondo yakhe yeyama phezu kwakho, ngoba ethemba kuwe.
Yahweh, those who trust in you, those who firmly resolve to never doubt you, you will enable them to feel perfectly peaceful.
4 Thembani eNkosini kokuphela, ngoba eNkosini uJehova kuLidwala elilaphakade.
[So] always trust in Yahweh, because Yahweh, [our God], is forever [like] [MET] a huge rock [under which we are sheltered/protected/safe].
5 Ngoba ibehlisela phansi abahlala engqongeni; umuzi ophakemeyo, iwehlisela phansi; iwehlisela phansi emhlabathini, iwufikise othulini.
He humbles proud people and destroys cities whose people are arrogant. He causes those cities to collapse into the dust/dirt.
6 Unyawo luzawunyathelela phansi, ngitsho inyawo zabayanga, amanyathela abaswelayo.
[When that happens], poor and oppressed people will trample on the ruins.
7 Indlela yabalungileyo iyikuqonda; wena oqondileyo, uyalinganisa umkhondo wabalungileyo.
[But as for] righteous people, Yahweh, you do what is right; [it is as though] you cause the paths where they walk to be level and smooth.
8 Yebo, endleleni yezahlulelo zakho, Nkosi, sikulindele; isiloyiso somphefumulo wethu sisebizweni lakho lekukukhumbuleni.
Yahweh, by obeying your laws we show that we trust you to help us; and what we desire is that you will be honored/praised/exalted.
9 Ngomphefumulo wami ngikuloyisile ebusuku; yebo, ngomoya wami ophakathi kwami ngizakudinga ngovivi; ngoba lapho izahlulelo zakho zisemhlabeni, abahlali bomhlaba bazafunda ukulunga.
[All] through the night I [SYN] desire to know you better, and each morning I still want to be with you. [Only] when you come to judge [and punish] people who live on the earth will they learn to do what is right.
10 Uba okhohlakeleyo etshengiswa umusa, kube kanti kayikufunda ukulunga; elizweni lobuqotho uzakwenza okubi, njalo kayikubona ubukhosi beNkosi.
[But] your acting kindly toward wicked people does not cause them to do what is good. [Even] in places where people do what is right, the wicked people continue to do what is evil, and they do not realize that you, Yahweh, are great.
11 Nkosi, isandla sakho siphakeme, kabayikubona; kodwa bazabona, babe lenhloni ngokutshisekela kwakho abantu; intukuthelo yomlilo wezitha zakho uzaziqeda.
Yahweh, [it is as though] your fist is raised up [ready to strike them], but they do not realize that. Show them that you are very eager to help your people. If your enemies would realize that, they would be ashamed; allow your fire to burn them up [because they are] your enemies.
12 Nkosi, uzasimisela ukuthula, ngoba lawe usenzele yonke imisebenzi yethu.
Yahweh, [we desire that] you will allow things to go well for us; everything that we have done is what you have enabled us to do.
13 Nkosi Nkulunkulu wethu, amanye amakhosi ngaphandle kwakho ake abusa phezu kwethu; kodwa ngawe kuphela sizakhumbula ibizo lakho.
Yahweh, our God, others have ruled over us, but you [MTY] are the only one whom we honor.
14 Afile, kawayikuphila; ayimimoya efileyo, kawayikuvuka; ngakho uwaphindisele wawachitha, waqeda konke ukukhunjulwa kwawo.
Those who ruled us are [now] gone; they are dead; their spirits have left this earth, and they will not become alive [again]. You punished those rulers and got rid of them, and people do not even remember them any more.
15 Usandisile isizwe, Nkosi, wasandisa isizwe; uyadunyiswa; usisusele khatshana kuyo yonke imikhawulo yomhlaba.
Yahweh, you have enabled our nation to become great; we are more in [now], and we have more land, [so we] thank/praise you.
16 Nkosi, besekuhluphekeni bakwethekelele, bathulula umkhuleko lapho ukujezisa kwakho kuphezu kwabo.
Yahweh, when we were distressed, we asked you [to help us]; when you disciplined/punished us, we were able only to whisper when we prayed to you.
17 Njengowesifazana okhulelweyo sekusondele ukubeletha, esebuhlungwini, ekhala emihelweni yakhe, saba njalo ebusweni bakho, Nkosi.
Like pregnant women writhe and cry out when they are giving birth, we suffered very much, too.
18 Sasikhulelwe, sasisebuhlungwini, kwakungathi sibelethe umoya. Kasenzanga usindiso emhlabeni, njalo abahlali bomhlaba kabawanga.
We had severe pain, but nothing good resulted [MET] from it. We have not rescued our people [from being conquered by our enemies], and we have not given birth to children [who will rule the world correctly] (OR, not defeated the armies [that have attacked other nations].
19 Abafileyo bakho bazaphila, lesidumbu sami, bazavuka. Vukani, limemeze ngentokozo, lina elihlala ethulini; ngoba amazolo akho anjengamazolo emibhida, lomhlaba uzabakhupha imimoya efileyo.
But Yahweh’s people who have died will become alive [again], their corpses will become alive! Those whose bodies lie in graves will rise and shout joyfully! His light will be [like] dew that falls on his people who have died, who are [now] in the place where the dead people are, [and will cause them to become alive again].
20 Hambani bantu bami, lingene emakamelweni enu, livale iminyango yenu ngemva kwenu, licatshe okwesikhatshana, luze ludlule ulaka.
But now, my people/fellow-citizens, go home and lock your doors! Hide for a short time, until [Yahweh] is no longer angry.
21 Ngoba, khangelani, iNkosi iyaphuma endaweni yayo ukuthi iphindisele ububi babahlali bomhlaba phezu kwabo; lomhlaba uzaveza igazi lawo, ungabe usabafihla ababuleweyo bawo.
Listen to this: Yahweh will come from heaven to punish [all] the people on the earth for the sins that they have committed. People will be able to see [PRS] the (blood of those/the people) who have been murdered; their murderers will no longer be able to hide.
