U-Isaya 31
1 Maye kulabo abehlela usizo eGibhithe, abeyama emabhizeni, bethemba izinqola ngoba zizinengi, labagadi bamabhiza ngoba belamandla kakhulu, kodwa bengakhangeli koNgcwele kaIsrayeli, njalo bengadingi iNkosi!
Woe [to] those going down to Egypt for help, And [who] lean on horses, And trust on chariots, because [they are] many, And on horsemen, because [they are] very strong, And have not looked on the Holy One of Israel, And have not sought YHWH.
2 Kanti layo ihlakaniphile, izaletha ububi, njalo kayiyikuwabuyisa amazwi ayo; kodwa izavukela indlu yabenzi bobubi, njalo imelene losizo lwabenzi beziphambeko.
And He [is] also wise, and brings in evil, And He has not turned aside His words, And He has risen against a house of evildoers, And against the help of workers of iniquity.
3 Ngoba amaGibhithe angabantu, kabasuNkulunkulu, lamabhiza awo ayinyama, kawayisimoya. Lapho iNkosi izakwelula isandla sayo, osizayo uzakhubeka losizwayo uzakuwa phansi, njalo bonke baphele kanyekanye.
And the Egyptians [are men], and not God, And their horses [are] flesh, and not spirit, And YHWH stretches out His hand, And the helper has stumbled, And the helped one has fallen, And together all of them are consumed.
4 Ngoba iNkosi itsho njalo kimi: Njengesilwane lebhongo lesilwane kubhongela phezu kwempango yakho, lapho ixuku labelusi libizelwe ukumelana laso, kasiyikwesaba ilizwi labo, njalo kasiyikuzithoba ngenxa yomsindo wabo; ngokunjalo iNkosi yamabandla izakwehla ukulwela intaba yeZiyoni loqaqa lwayo.
For thus said YHWH to me: “As the lion and the young lion growl over his prey, Against whom a multitude of shepherds is called, He is not frightened from their voice, And he is not humbled from their noise; So YHWH of Hosts comes down To war on Mount Zion, and on her height.
5 Njengenyoni eziphaphayo, ngokunjalo iNkosi yamabandla izavikela iJerusalema; ivikela, izayophula; isedlula, iyikhulule.
As birds flying, so does YHWH of Hosts Cover over Jerusalem, covering and delivering, Passing over, and causing to escape.”
6 Phendukelani kuyo okuyo abantwana bakoIsrayeli bahlubuke ngokujulileyo.
Turn back to Him from whom sons of Israel Have deepened apostasy.
7 Ngoba ngalolosuku bazalahla, wonke umuntu izithombe zakhe zesiliva lezithombe zakhe zegolide, ozandla zenu zilenzele zona ukuba yisono.
For in that day each despises His idols of silver, and his idols of gold, That your hands made to you—a sin.
8 ISiriya izakuwa-ke ngenkemba engeyisiyo yomuntu olamandla, lenkemba engeyisiyo yomuntukazana izayiqeda; kodwa izabalekela inkemba, lamajaha ayo abe yizibhalwa.
And Asshur has fallen by sword, not of the high, Indeed, a sword—not of the low, consumes him, And he has fled for himself from the face of a sword, And his young men become tributary.
9 Izakwedlulela edwaleni layo ngokwesaba, leziphathamandla zayo zesabe uphawu, itsho iNkosi, omlilo wayo useZiyoni, lesithando sayo siseJerusalema.
And he passes on [to] his rock from fear, And his princes have been frightened by the ensign—a declaration of YHWH, Who has a light in Zion, And who has a furnace in Jerusalem!
