U-Isaya 28
1 Maye kumqhele wokuzigqaja wezidakwa zakoEfrayimi, obuhle benkazimulo yazo buliluba elibunayo, eliphezu kwekhanda lezihotsha ezivundileyo zalabo abatshaywe liwayini.
Woe to the proud garland crown that is worn by each of the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower of its glorious beauty, the garland that is set on the head of the lush Valley of those who 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 sends one who is mighty and strong; like a storm of hail and a destructive windstorm, like a driving rain and overflowing waters; and he will throw each garland crown down to the ground.
3 Umqhele wokuzigqaja wezidakwa zakoEfrayimi uzanyathelelwa phansi ngezinyawo.
The proud garland of the drunkards of Ephraim will be trodden underfoot.
4 Lobuhle benkazimulo yakhe, obuphezu kwekhanda lesihotsha esivunde kakhulu, buzakuba liluba elibunayo, njengesithelo esivuthwe masinyane kungakafiki ihlobo; okuthi osibonileyo asibone, sisesesandleni sakhe asiginye.
The fading flower of his glorious beauty, that is on the head of the rich valley, will be as the first ripe fig before the summer, that, when someone sees it, while it is yet in his hand, he gulps it down.
5 Ngalolosuku iNkosi yamabandla izakuba ngumqhele wenkazimulo, lesidlodlo sobuhle kunsali yabantu bayo,
In that day Yahweh of hosts will become a beautiful crown and a diadem of beauty for the remainder of his people,
6 lomoya wesahlulelo kulowo ohlalela isahlulelo, lamandla kulabo ababuyisela impi esangweni.
a spirit of justice for him who sits in judgment, and strength for those who turn back their enemies at their gates.
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 even these reel with wine, and stagger with strong drink. The priest and the prophet reel with strong drink, and they are swallowed up by wine. They stagger with strong drink, staggering in vision and reeling in decision.
8 Ngoba wonke amatafula agcwele amahlanzo lokungcola, kakulandawo engangcolanga.
Truly, all tables are covered with vomit, so that there is no clean place.
9 Izafundisa bani ulwazi, njalo izakwenza bani aqedisise umbiko? Abalunyuliweyo echagweni, abakhunyuliweyo emabeleni.
To whom will he teach knowledge, and to whom will he explain the message? To those who are weaned from milk or to those just taken from the breasts?
10 Ngoba umthetho phezu komthetho, umthetho phezu komthetho; umzila phezu komzila, umzila phezu komzila; lapha okuncinyane, laphayana okuncinyane.
For it is command upon command, command upon command; rule upon rule, rule upon rule; here a little, there a little.
11 Ngoba ngendebe eziklolodayo langolunye ulimi izakhuluma kulababantu,
Indeed, with mocking lips and a foreign tongue he will speak to this people.
12 eyathi kubo: Lokhu yikuphumula, phumuzani abadiniweyo; lalokhu yikuvuselela; kodwa kabathandanga ukuzwa.
In the past he said to them “This is the rest, give rest to him who is weary; and this is the refreshing,” but they would not listen.
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.
So the word of Yahweh will be to them command upon command, command upon command; rule upon rule, rule upon rule; here a little, there a little; so that they may go and fall backward, and be broken, ensnared, and captured.
14 Ngakho zwanini ilizwi leNkosi, bantu abaklolodayo, elibusa lababantu abaseJerusalema.
So listen to the word of Yahweh, you who mock, you who rule over this people who are 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)
This will happen because you said, “We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we have reached an agreement. So when the overwhelming whip passes through, it will not reach us. For we have made a lie our refuge, and taken shelter in falsehood.” (Sheol h7585)
16 Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Khangela, ngibeka eZiyoni ilitshe lesisekelo, ilitshe elihloliweyo, ilitshe lengonsi eliligugu, isisekelo esisekelweyo; okholwayo kayikuphangisa.
Therefore the Lord Yahweh says, “See, I will lay in Zion a foundation stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation. He who believes will not be ashamed.
17 Isahlulelo laso ngizasibeka entanjeni, lokulunga entanjeni yokuqondisa; lesiqhotho sizakhukhula isiphephelo samanga; lamanzi agabhele indawo yokucatsha.
I will make justice the measuring stick, and righteousness the plumbline. Hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and the floodwaters will overwhelm the hiding place.
18 Lesivumelwano senu lokufa sizaphela, lokuvumelana kwenu lesihogo kakuyikuma; lapho isiswepu esikhukhulayo sisedlula, khona lizanyathelelwa phansi yikho. (Sheol h7585)
Your covenant with death will be dissolved, and your agreement with Sheol will not stand. When the raging flood passes through, you will be overwhelmed by it. (Sheol h7585)
19 Kusukela esikhathini sokwedlula kwaso, sizalithatha; ngoba ukusa ngokusa sizakwedlula, emini lebusuku; njalo kuzakuba ngokwesabisayo kuphela ukuqedisisa umbiko.
Whenever it passes through, it will overwhelm you, and morning by morning it will pass through and by day and night it will come. When the message is understood, it will cause terror.
20 Ngoba umbheda mfitshane kakhulu ukuthi umuntu azelule kuwo, lengubo yincinyane kakhulu ukuthi umuntu azigoqele ngayo.
For the bed is too short for a man to stretch out on, and the blanket too narrow for him to wrap himself in.”
21 Ngoba iNkosi izavuka njengentabeni yePerazimi, ithukuthele njengesigodini seGibeyoni, ukuze yenze umsebenzi wayo, umsebenzi wayo ongejwayelekanga, yenze isenzo sayo, isenzo sayo esingejwayelekanga.
Yahweh will rise up as on Mount Perazim; he will rouse himself as in the Valley of Gibeon to do his work, his strange work, and perform his strange deed.
22 Ngakho-ke lingahleki usulu, hlezi izibopho zenu ziqiniswe; ngoba ngizwile eNkosini uJehova wamabandla ngokuqedwa okuqunywe phezu komhlaba wonke.
Now therefore do not mock, or your bonds will be tightened. I have heard from the Lord Yahweh of hosts, a decree of destruction on the earth.
23 Bekani indlebe, lizwe ilizwi lami; lalelani lizwe inkulumo yami.
Pay attention and listen to my voice; be attentive and listen to my words.
24 Umlimi ulimela ukuhlanyela lonke usuku yini? Uyavula abhuqe umhlabathi wakhe yini?
Does a farmer who plows all day to sow, only plow the ground? Does he continually break up and harrow the field?
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 prepared the ground, does he not scatter caraway seed, sow the cumin, put in the wheat in rows and the barley in the right place, and the spelt at its edges?
26 Ngoba uNkulunkulu wakhe uyamazisa ngendlela, amfundise.
His God instructs him; he teaches him wisely.
27 Ngoba amafitshizi kawabhulwa ngobhulo, levili lenqola kaliphendulwa phezu kwekhumini; kodwa amafitshizi atshaywa ngoswazi, lekhumini ngentonga.
Moreover, the caraway seed is not threshed with a sledge, nor is a cartwheel rolled over the cumin; but caraway is beaten with a stick, and cumin with a rod.
28 Amabele esinkwa ayachotshozwa; ngoba kayikuhlala ewabhula kokuphela, loba ewachoboza ngevili lenqola yakhe, njalo kawachobozi ngamabhiza akhe.
Grain is ground for bread but not too finely, and though the wheels of his cart and his horses scatter it, his horses do not crush it.
29 Lalokhu kuvela eNkosini yamabandla; iyamangalisa ekwelulekeni, yinkulu ekusebenzeni.
This too comes from Yahweh of hosts, who is wonderful in instruction and excellent in wisdom.
