< U-Isaya 43 >
1 Kodwa khathesi itsho njalo iNkosi eyakudalayo, wena Jakobe, leyakubumbayo, wena Israyeli: Ungesabi, ngoba ngikuhlengile, ngakubiza ngebizo lakho; ungowami.
Now this is what the LORD says— He who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine!
2 Lapho udabula emanzini ngizakuba lawe, lemifuleni, kayiyikukukhukhula; lapho uhamba udabula emlilweni, kawuyikutsha, lelangabi kaliyikukulumathisa.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you go through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched; the flames will not set you ablaze.
3 Ngoba ngiyiNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho, oNgcwele kaIsrayeli, uMsindisi wakho. Nginikele iGibhithe libe lihlawulo lokuthula lakho, iEthiyophiya leSeba esikhundleni sakho.
For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your place.
4 Njengoba wawuligugu emehlweni ami, wawudumile, njalo mina ngikuthandile. Ngakho ngizanika abantu esikhundleni sakho, lezizwe endaweni yempilo yakho.
Because you are precious and honored in My sight, and because I love you, I will give men in exchange for you and nations in place of your life.
5 Ungesabi, ngoba ngilawe; ngizaletha inzalo yakho ivela empumalanga, ngikubuthe uvela entshonalanga;
Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east and gather you from the west.
6 ngizakutsho kuyo inyakatho: Phana; lakuningizimu: Ungagodli; lethani amadodana ami akhatshana, lamadodakazi ami asemkhawulweni womhlaba,
I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back!’ Bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth—
7 wonke obizwa ngebizo lami; ngoba ngimdalele udumo lwami, ngimbumbile, yebo ngimenzile.
everyone called by My name and created for My glory, whom I have indeed formed and made.”
8 Khuphani abantu abayiziphofu abalamehlo, lezacuthe ezilendlebe.
Bring out a people who have eyes but are blind, and who have ears but are deaf.
9 Izizwe zonke kazibuthane ndawonye, labantu bahlangane. Ngubani phakathi kwabo ongamemezela lokhu, asenze sizwe izinto zamandulo? Kabalethe abafakazi babo, ukuze balungisiswe, kumbe bezwe bathi: Kuliqiniso.
All the nations gather together and the peoples assemble. Who among them can declare this, and proclaim to us the former things? Let them present their witnesses to vindicate them, so that others may hear and say, “It is true.”
10 Lingabafakazi bami, kutsho iNkosi, lenceku yami engiyikhethileyo; ukuze lazi, lingikholwe, liqedisise ukuthi nginguye; ngaphambi kwami kakubunjwanga unkulunkulu, langemva kwami kayikuba khona.
“You are My witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may consider and believe Me and understand that I am He. Before Me no god was formed, and after Me none will come.
11 Mina, mina ngiyiNkosi; langaphandle kwami kakulamsindisi.
I, yes I, am the LORD, and there is no Savior but Me.
12 Ngimemezele, ngasindisa, ngazwakalisa, kungakabikho unkulunkulu wezizwe phakathi kwenu; ngakho lingabafakazi bami, kutsho iNkosi, ukuthi nginguNkulunkulu.
I alone decreed and saved and proclaimed— I, and not some foreign god among you. So you are My witnesses,” declares the LORD, “that I am God.
13 Yebo, kungakabi khona usuku, mina nginguye; njalo kakho ongakhulula esandleni sami; ngizasebenza, njalo ngubani ongakubuyisela emuva?
Even from eternity I am He, and none can deliver out of My hand. When I act, who can reverse it?”
14 Itsho njalo iNkosi, uMhlengi wenu, oNgcwele kaIsrayeli: Ngenxa yenu ngithumele eBhabhiloni, ngehlisele phansi bonke ababalekayo babo, lamaKhaladiya okukhala kwawo kusemikhunjini.
Thus says the LORD your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “For your sake, I will send to Babylon and bring them all as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, in the ships in which they rejoice.
15 NgiyiNkosi, oNgcwele wenu, uMdali kaIsrayeli, inkosi yenu.
I am the LORD, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, and your King.”
16 Itsho njalo iNkosi, eyenza indlela olwandle, lomkhondo emanzini alamandla,
Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea and a path through the surging waters,
17 ekhupha inqola lebhiza, ibutho lamandla; kuzalala ndawonye, kakuyikuvuka; kuzaphela du, kucitshe njengentambo yesibane.
who brings out the chariots and horses, the armies and warriors together, to lie down, never to rise again; to be extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:
18 Lingakhumbuli izinto zakuqala, linganakani ngezinto zendulo.
“Do not call to mind the former things; pay no attention to the things of old.
19 Khangelani, ngizakwenza into entsha; khathesi izahluma, kaliyikuyazi yini? Yebo, ngizakwenza indlela enkangala, imifula ogwaduleni.
Behold, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert.
20 Inyamazana zeganga zizangidumisa, imigobho lamadodakazi ezintshe; ngoba nginika amanzi enkangala, imifula ogwaduleni, ukunathisa abantu bami, abakhethiweyo bami.
The beasts of the field will honor Me, the jackals and the ostriches, because I provide water in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My chosen people.
21 Lababantu ngizibumbele bona; bazalandisa udumo lwami.
The people I formed for Myself will declare My praise.
22 Kanti kawungibizanga, Jakobe, kodwa udiniwe ngami, Israyeli.
But you have not called on Me, O Jacob, because you have grown weary of Me, O Israel.
23 Kawulethanga kimi izimvu zomnikelo wakho wokutshiswa, kawungihloniphanga ngemihlatshelo yakho. Kangikwenzanga wakhonza ngomnikelo, kangikudinisanga ngempepha.
You have not brought Me sheep for burnt offerings, nor honored Me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with offerings, nor wearied you with frankincense.
24 Kawungithengelanga umhlanga olephunga elimnandi ngemali, njalo kawungisuthisanga ngamahwahwa emihlatshelo yakho; kodwa ungenze ngasebenza ngezono zakho, wangidinisa ngeziphambeko zakho.
You have not bought Me sweet cane with your silver, nor satisfied Me with the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened Me with your sins; you have wearied Me with your iniquities.
25 Mina, mina nginguye owesula iziphambeko zakho ngenxa yami, kangiyikuzikhumbula izono zakho.
I, yes I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake and remembers your sins no more.
26 Ngikhumbuza; kasehlulelane; landisa wena, ukuze ulungisiswe.
Remind Me, let us argue the matter together. State your case, so that you may be vindicated.
27 Uyihlo wokuqala wona, labachasisi bakho baphambukile bemelene lami.
Your first father sinned, and your spokesmen rebelled against Me.
28 Ngakho ngingcolise iziphathamandla zendlu engcwele, nganikela uJakobe ekutshabalalisweni, loIsrayeli ekuthukweni.
So I will disgrace the princes of your sanctuary, and I will devote Jacob to destruction and Israel to reproach.”