< U-Isaya 28 >
1 Maye kumqhele wokuzigqaja wezidakwa zakoEfrayimi, obuhle benkazimulo yazo buliluba elibunayo, eliphezu kwekhanda lezihotsha ezivundileyo zalabo abatshaywe liwayini.
Woe to the crown of pride, the hirelings of Ephraim, the flower that has fallen from the glory of the top of the fertile mountain, they that are drunken without wine.
2 Khangela, iNkosi ilaye olamandla loqinileyo, ozaphosela emhlabeni ngesandla, njengezulu lesiphepho elilesiqhotho, isiphepho esichithayo, njengempophoma yamanzi alamandla akhukhulayo.
Behold, the anger of the Lord is strong and severe, as descending hail where there is no shelter, violently descending; as a great body of water sweeping away the soil, he shall make rest for the land.
3 Umqhele wokuzigqaja wezidakwa zakoEfrayimi uzanyathelelwa phansi ngezinyawo.
The crown of pride, the hirelings of Ephraim, shall be beaten down with the hands and with the feet.
4 Lobuhle benkazimulo yakhe, obuphezu kwekhanda lesihotsha esivunde kakhulu, buzakuba liluba elibunayo, njengesithelo esivuthwe masinyane kungakafiki ihlobo; okuthi osibonileyo asibone, sisesesandleni sakhe asiginye.
And the fading flower of the glorious hope on the top of the high mountain shall be as the early fig; he that sees it, before he takes it into his hand, will desire to swallow it down.
5 Ngalolosuku iNkosi yamabandla izakuba ngumqhele wenkazimulo, lesidlodlo sobuhle kunsali yabantu bayo,
In that day the Lord of hosts shall be the crown of hope, the woven [crown] of glory, to the remnant of the people.
6 lomoya wesahlulelo kulowo ohlalela isahlulelo, lamandla kulabo ababuyisela impi esangweni.
They shall be left in the spirit of judgement for judgement, and for the strength of them that hinder slaying.
7 Lalaba baduhile ngenxa yewayini, langenxa yokunathwayo okulamandla baphambukile; umpristi lomprofethi baduhile ngenxa yokunathwayo okulamandla, baginywe liwayini, baphambukile ngenxa yokunathwayo okulamandla; bayaduha embonweni, bakhubeke kusahlulelo.
For these have trespassed through wine; they have erred through strong drink: the priest and the prophet are mad through strong drink, they are swallowed up by reason of wine, they have staggered through drunkenness; they have erred: this is [their] vision.
8 Ngoba wonke amatafula agcwele amahlanzo lokungcola, kakulandawo engangcolanga.
A curse shall devour this counsel, for this [is their] counsel for the sake of covetousness.
9 Izafundisa bani ulwazi, njalo izakwenza bani aqedisise umbiko? Abalunyuliweyo echagweni, abakhunyuliweyo emabeleni.
To whom have we reported evils? and to whom have we reported a message? [even to those] that are weaned from the milk, who are drawn from the breast.
10 Ngoba umthetho phezu komthetho, umthetho phezu komthetho; umzila phezu komzila, umzila phezu komzila; lapha okuncinyane, laphayana okuncinyane.
Expect you affliction on affliction, hope upon hope: yet a little, [and] yet a little,
11 Ngoba ngendebe eziklolodayo langolunye ulimi izakhuluma kulababantu,
by reason of the contemptuous [words] of the lips, by means of another language: for they shall speak to this people, saying to them,
12 eyathi kubo: Lokhu yikuphumula, phumuzani abadiniweyo; lalokhu yikuvuselela; kodwa kabathandanga ukuzwa.
This is the rest to him that is hungry, and this is the calamity: but they would not hear.
13 Kodwa ilizwi leNkosi lizakuba kibo ngumthetho phezu komthetho, umthetho phezu komthetho; umzila phezu komzila, umzila phezu komzila; lapha okuncinyane, laphayana okuncinyane; ukuze bahambe, bawe nyovane, bephuke, bathiywe, bathunjwe.
Therefore the oracle of God shall be to them affliction on affliction, hope on hope, yet a little, [and] yet a little, that they may go and fall backward; and they shall be crushed and shall be in danger, and shall be taken.
14 Ngakho zwanini ilizwi leNkosi, bantu abaklolodayo, elibusa lababantu abaseJerusalema.
Therefore hear you the word of the Lord, you afflicted men, and you princes of this people that is in Jerusalem.
15 Ngoba lithe: Sivumelane isivumelwano lokufa, njalo senze isivumelwano lesihogo; lapho isiswepu esiphuphumayo sisedlula, kasiyikufika kithi; ngoba senze amanga aba yisiphephelo sethu, sacatsha ngaphansi kwenkohliso. (Sheol )
Because you have said, We have made a covenant with Hades, and agreements with death; if the rushing storm should pass, it shall not come upon us: we have made falsehood our hope, and by falsehood shall we be protected: (Sheol )
16 Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Khangela, ngibeka eZiyoni ilitshe lesisekelo, ilitshe elihloliweyo, ilitshe lengonsi eliligugu, isisekelo esisekelweyo; okholwayo kayikuphangisa.
Therefore thus says the Lord, [even] the Lord, Behold, I lay for the foundations of Sion a costly stone, a choice, a corner-stone, a precious [stone], for its foundations; and he that believes [on him] shall by no means be ashamed.
17 Isahlulelo laso ngizasibeka entanjeni, lokulunga entanjeni yokuqondisa; lesiqhotho sizakhukhula isiphephelo samanga; lamanzi agabhele indawo yokucatsha.
And I will cause judgement [to be] for hope, and my compassion shall be for [just] measures, and you that trust vainly in falsehood [shall fall]: for the storm shall by no means pass by you,
18 Lesivumelwano senu lokufa sizaphela, lokuvumelana kwenu lesihogo kakuyikuma; lapho isiswepu esikhukhulayo sisedlula, khona lizanyathelelwa phansi yikho. (Sheol )
except it also take away your covenant of death, and your trust in Hades shall by no means stand: if the rushing storm should come upon you, you shall be beaten down by it. (Sheol )
19 Kusukela esikhathini sokwedlula kwaso, sizalithatha; ngoba ukusa ngokusa sizakwedlula, emini lebusuku; njalo kuzakuba ngokwesabisayo kuphela ukuqedisisa umbiko.
Whenever it shall pass by, it shall take you; morning by morning it shall pass by in the day, and in the night there shall be an evil hope. Learn to hear,
20 Ngoba umbheda mfitshane kakhulu ukuthi umuntu azelule kuwo, lengubo yincinyane kakhulu ukuthi umuntu azigoqele ngayo.
you that are distressed; we can’t fight, but we are ourselves too weak for you to be gathered.
21 Ngoba iNkosi izavuka njengentabeni yePerazimi, ithukuthele njengesigodini seGibeyoni, ukuze yenze umsebenzi wayo, umsebenzi wayo ongejwayelekanga, yenze isenzo sayo, isenzo sayo esingejwayelekanga.
The Lord shall rise up as a mountain of ungodly [men], and shall be in the valley of Gabaon; he shall perform his works with wrath, [even] a work of bitterness, and his wrath shall deal strangely, and his destruction shall be strange.
22 Ngakho-ke lingahleki usulu, hlezi izibopho zenu ziqiniswe; ngoba ngizwile eNkosini uJehova wamabandla ngokuqedwa okuqunywe phezu komhlaba wonke.
Therefore do not you rejoice, neither let your bands be made strong; for I have heard of works finished and cut short by the Lord of hosts, which he will execute upon all the earth.
23 Bekani indlebe, lizwe ilizwi lami; lalelani lizwe inkulumo yami.
Listen, and hear my voice; attend, and hear my words.
24 Umlimi ulimela ukuhlanyela lonke usuku yini? Uyavula abhuqe umhlabathi wakhe yini?
Will the ploughman plough all the day? or will he prepare the seed beforehand, before he tills the ground?
25 Kakunjalo yini, esewuhlelembile ubuso bawo, ukuthi aphose amafitshizi, ahlakaze ikhumini, afake phezu kwakho ingqoloyi enhle kakhulu, lebhali emisiweyo, lespelite emngceleni wakho?
Does he not, when he has levelled the surface thereof, then sow the small black poppy, or cumin, and afterward sow wheat, and barley, and millet, and bread-corn in your borders?
26 Ngoba uNkulunkulu wakhe uyamazisa ngendlela, amfundise.
So you shall be chastened by the judgement of your God, and shall rejoice.
27 Ngoba amafitshizi kawabhulwa ngobhulo, levili lenqola kaliphendulwa phezu kwekhumini; kodwa amafitshizi atshaywa ngoswazi, lekhumini ngentonga.
For the black poppy is not cleansed with harsh treatment, nor will a wagon-wheel pass over the cumin; but the black poppy is threshed with a rod, and the cumin shall be eaten with bread;
28 Amabele esinkwa ayachotshozwa; ngoba kayikuhlala ewabhula kokuphela, loba ewachoboza ngevili lenqola yakhe, njalo kawachobozi ngamabhiza akhe.
for I will not be angry with you for ever, neither shall the voice of my anger crush you.
29 Lalokhu kuvela eNkosini yamabandla; iyamangalisa ekwelulekeni, yinkulu ekusebenzeni.
And these signs came forth from the Lord of hosts. Take counsel, exalt vain comfort.