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, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine!
2 Khangela, iNkosi ilaye olamandla loqinileyo, ozaphosela emhlabeni ngesandla, njengezulu lesiphepho elilesiqhotho, isiphepho esichithayo, njengempophoma yamanzi alamandla akhukhulayo.
Behold, the Lord has a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand.
3 Umqhele wokuzigqaja wezidakwa zakoEfrayimi uzanyathelelwa phansi ngezinyawo.
The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under 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 glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fading flower, and as the hasty fruit before the summer; which when he that looks upon it sees, while it is yet in his hand he eats it up.
5 Ngalolosuku iNkosi yamabandla izakuba ngumqhele wenkazimulo, lesidlodlo sobuhle kunsali yabantu bayo,
In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people,
6 lomoya wesahlulelo kulowo ohlalela isahlulelo, lamandla kulabo ababuyisela impi esangweni.
And for a spirit of judgment to him that sits in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.
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.
But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they go astray in vision, they stumble in judgment.
8 Ngoba wonke amatafula agcwele amahlanzo lokungcola, kakulandawo engangcolanga.
For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.
9 Izafundisa bani ulwazi, njalo izakwenza bani aqedisise umbiko? Abalunyuliweyo echagweni, abakhunyuliweyo emabeleni.
Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
10 Ngoba umthetho phezu komthetho, umthetho phezu komthetho; umzila phezu komzila, umzila phezu komzila; lapha okuncinyane, laphayana okuncinyane.
For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
11 Ngoba ngendebe eziklolodayo langolunye ulimi izakhuluma kulababantu,
For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
12 eyathi kubo: Lokhu yikuphumula, phumuzani abadiniweyo; lalokhu yikuvuselela; kodwa kabathandanga ukuzwa.
To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith all of you may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet 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.
But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
14 Ngakho zwanini ilizwi leNkosi, bantu abaklolodayo, elibusa lababantu abaseJerusalema.
Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, all of you scornful men, that rule this people which 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 h7585)
Because all of you have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves: (Sheol h7585)
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 GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believes shall not make haste.
17 Isahlulelo laso ngizasibeka entanjeni, lokulunga entanjeni yokuqondisa; lesiqhotho sizakhukhula isiphephelo samanga; lamanzi agabhele indawo yokucatsha.
Judgment also will I apply to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.
18 Lesivumelwano senu lokufa sizaphela, lokuvumelana kwenu lesihogo kakuyikuma; lapho isiswepu esikhukhulayo sisedlula, khona lizanyathelelwa phansi yikho. (Sheol h7585)
And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then all of you shall be trodden down by it. (Sheol h7585)
19 Kusukela esikhathini sokwedlula kwaso, sizalithatha; ngoba ukusa ngokusa sizakwedlula, emini lebusuku; njalo kuzakuba ngokwesabisayo kuphela ukuqedisisa umbiko.
From the time that it goes forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.
20 Ngoba umbheda mfitshane kakhulu ukuthi umuntu azelule kuwo, lengubo yincinyane kakhulu ukuthi umuntu azigoqele ngayo.
For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.
21 Ngoba iNkosi izavuka njengentabeni yePerazimi, ithukuthele njengesigodini seGibeyoni, ukuze yenze umsebenzi wayo, umsebenzi wayo ongejwayelekanga, yenze isenzo sayo, isenzo sayo esingejwayelekanga.
For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be angry as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.
22 Ngakho-ke lingahleki usulu, hlezi izibopho zenu ziqiniswe; ngoba ngizwile eNkosini uJehova wamabandla ngokuqedwa okuqunywe phezu komhlaba wonke.
Now therefore be all of you not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.
23 Bekani indlebe, lizwe ilizwi lami; lalelani lizwe inkulumo yami.
Give all of you ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech.
24 Umlimi ulimela ukuhlanyela lonke usuku yini? Uyavula abhuqe umhlabathi wakhe yini?
Does the plowman plow all day to sow? does he open and break the clods of his ground?
25 Kakunjalo yini, esewuhlelembile ubuso bawo, ukuthi aphose amafitshizi, ahlakaze ikhumini, afake phezu kwakho ingqoloyi enhle kakhulu, lebhali emisiweyo, lespelite emngceleni wakho?
When he has made plain the face thereof, does he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the spelt in their place?
26 Ngoba uNkulunkulu wakhe uyamazisa ngendlela, amfundise.
For his God does instruct him to discretion, and does teach him.
27 Ngoba amafitshizi kawabhulwa ngobhulo, levili lenqola kaliphendulwa phezu kwekhumini; kodwa amafitshizi atshaywa ngoswazi, lekhumini ngentonga.
For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod.
28 Amabele esinkwa ayachotshozwa; ngoba kayikuhlala ewabhula kokuphela, loba ewachoboza ngevili lenqola yakhe, njalo kawachobozi ngamabhiza akhe.
Bread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen.
29 Lalokhu kuvela eNkosini yamabandla; iyamangalisa ekwelulekeni, yinkulu ekusebenzeni.
This also comes forth from the LORD of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.
