U-Isaya 34
1 Sondelani, zizwe, ukuze lizwe; lani bantu, lilalele; umhlaba kawuzwe, lokugcwala kwawo; ilizwe, lakho konke okuvela kilo.
Draw near, O ye nations, and hear! Attend, O ye people! Let the earth hear, and all that is therein; The world, and all that springs from it!
2 Ngoba intukuthelo yeNkosi iphezu kwazo zonke izizwe, lolaka phezu kwawo wonke amabutho azo; izitshabalalisile, izinikele ekubulaweni.
For the wrath of Jehovah is kindled against all the nations, And his fury against all their armies; He hath devoted them to destruction; He hath given them up to slaughter.
3 Ababuleweyo bazo labo bazaphoselwa phandle, levumba labo lizakwenyuka ezidunjini zabo, lezintaba zizancibilika ngegazi labo.
Their slain shall be cast out; From their carcasses their stench shall ascend, And the mountains shall flow down with their blood.
4 Lalo lonke ibutho lamazulu lizabola; lamazulu agoqwe njengomqulu; lalo lonke ibutho labo liwele phansi, njengehlamvu liwohloka evinini, lanjengomkhiwa owohlokayo esihlahleni somkhiwa.
And all the hosts of heaven shall melt away; And the heavens shall be rolled up like a scroll, And all their host shall fall down, As the withered leaf faileth from the vine, As the blighted fruit from the fig-tree.
5 Ngoba inkemba yami izacwila emazulwini; khangela, izakwehlela phezu kukaEdoma laphezu kwabantu bokutshabalalisa kwami ngesigwebo.
For my sword hath become drunk in heaven; Behold, upon Edom shall it descend, Upon the people under my curse, for vengeance.
6 Inkemba yeNkosi igcwele igazi, inoniswe ngamafutha, ngegazi lamawundlu lelezimbuzi, ngamahwahwa ezinso zezinqama; ngoba iNkosi ilomhlatshelo eBhozira, lokubulala okukhulu elizweni leEdoma.
The sword of Jehovah is full of blood; It is covered with fat, With the blood of lambs and goats, With the fat of the kidneys of rams; For Jehovah holdeth a sacrifice in Bozrah, And a great slaughter in the land of Edom.
7 Lezinyathi zizakwehla kanye lazo, lamajongosi kanye lezinkunzi. Njalo ilizwe labo lizacwila egazini, lothuli lwabo lunoniswe ngamahwahwa.
The wild buffaloes shall fall down with them. And the bullocks with the bulls; The hind shall be drunk with blood, And the ground enriched with fat.
8 Ngoba kulusuku lwempindiselo yeNkosi, umnyaka wokubuyiselwa kwempikisano yeZiyoni.
For Jehovah holdeth a day of vengeance, A year of recompense in the cause of Zion.
9 Lezifula zabo zizaphendulwa zibe yingcino, lothuli lwabo lube yisibabule; lelizwe labo lizakuba yingcino etshayo.
Her streams shall be turned into pitch, And her dust into brimstone, And her whole land shall become burning pitch.
10 Kaliyikucitshwa ubusuku lemini; intuthu yalo izakwenyuka laphakade; kusukela esizukulwaneni kusiya kusizukulwana lizakuba yinkangala; kakho ozadabula phakathi kwalo kuze kube nini lanini.
Day and night it shall not be quenched; Its smoke shall ascend forever; From generation to generation it shall lie waste; None shall pass through it for ever and ever.
11 Kodwa iwunkwe lenhloni kuzakudla ilifa lalo; isikhova laso lewabayi kuzahlala kulo. Njalo izakwelula phezu kwalo intambo yencithakalo, lamatshe onxiwa.
The pelican and the hedgehog shall possess it; The heron and the raven shall dwell in it; Over it will he draw the measuring-line of destruction. And the plummet of desolation.
12 Bazabizela izikhulu zalo embusweni, kodwa kakho ozakuba khona, leziphathamandla zalo zonke zizakuba yinto engelutho.
Her nobles — none are there, who may proclaim a kingdom, And all her princes have come to naught.
13 Lameva azakhula ezigodlweni zalo, imbabazane lokhula oluhlabayo ezinqabeni zalo; njalo libe yindawo yokuhlala yemigobho, umuzi wamadodakazi ezintshe.
Thorns shall spring up in her palaces; Nettles and thistles in her strongholds. She shall become a habitation for jackals, A court for ostriches.
14 Izilo zenkangala lazo zizahlangana lezilo ezihlaba umkhulungwane, legogo lizakhalela umngane walo; lesikhova esikhalayo sizaphumula khona, sizitholele indawo yokuphumula.
The wild-cats shall fall upon the wolves, And the satyr shall call to his fellow; There also shall the night-spectre light, And find a place of rest.
15 Lapho isikhova esikhulu sizakwakha isidleke, sibekele, sichamisele, sifukamele ngaphansi komthunzi waso; amanqe lawo azabuthana lapho, yilelo lalelo lomngane walo.
There also shall the arrow-snake make her nest, and lay her eggs; She shall hatch them, and gather her young under her shadow: There also shall the vultures be gathered together, Every one with her mate.
16 Dingani egwalweni lweNkosi, lifunde; kakukho lokukodwa kwalokhu okuzasilela, kakukho okuzaswela umngane wakho; ngoba umlomo wami ngokwawo ulayile, lomoya wayo ngokwawo ukubuthanisile.
Search ye the book of Jehovah, and read! Not one of these shall fail; Not one shall want her mate; For His mouth, it shall command, And His spirit, it shall gather them.
17 Ngoba yona ibenzele inkatho yokuphosa, lesandla sayo sibehlukanisele ngentambo; lizakuba yilifa labo kuze kube phakade, kusukela kusizukulwana kuze kube sesizukulwaneni bazahlala kulo.
He shall cast the lot for them; His hand shall divide it for them with a line; They shall possess it forever; From generation to generation shall they dwell therein.
