U-Isaya 43

1 Kodwa khathesi itsho njalo iNkosi eyakudalayo, wena Jakobe, leyakubumbayo, wena Israyeli: Ungesabi, ngoba ngikuhlengile, ngakubiza ngebizo lakho; ungowami.

But now thus hath said the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not; for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; mine art thou.

2 Lapho udabula emanzini ngizakuba lawe, lemifuleni, kayiyikukukhukhula; lapho uhamba udabula emlilweni, kawuyikutsha, lelangabi kaliyikukulumathisa.

Whenever thou passest through the waters, I am with thee; and through the rivers, —they shall not overflow thee: whenever thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be scorched; neither shall the flame burn on thee.

3 Ngoba ngiyiNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho, oNgcwele kaIsrayeli, uMsindisi wakho. Nginikele iGibhithe libe lihlawulo lokuthula lakho, iEthiyophiya leSeba esikhundleni sakho.

For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour; I have given Egypt for thy ransom, Cush and Seba in place of thee.

4 Njengoba wawuligugu emehlweni ami, wawudumile, njalo mina ngikuthandile. Ngakho ngizanika abantu esikhundleni sakho, lezizwe endaweni yempilo yakho.

Since thou art precious in my eyes, art honorable, and I indeed do love thee: therefore will I give men in place of thee, and nations instead of thy soul.

5 Ungesabi, ngoba ngilawe; ngizaletha inzalo yakho ivela empumalanga, ngikubuthe uvela entshonalanga;

Fear not, for I am with thee; from the east will I bring thy seed, and from the west will I gather thee.

6 ngizakutsho kuyo inyakatho: Phana; lakuningizimu: Ungagodli; lethani amadodana ami akhatshana, lamadodakazi ami asemkhawulweni womhlaba,

I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Withhold not: 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.

Every one that is called by my name, and whom I have created for my glory; whom I have formed; yea, whom I have made.

8 Khuphani abantu abayiziphofu abalamehlo, lezacuthe ezilendlebe.

Bring forward the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears.

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.

Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can announce this? and cause us to hear former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth.

10 Lingabafakazi bami, kutsho iNkosi, lenceku yami engiyikhethileyo; ukuze lazi, lingikholwe, liqedisise ukuthi nginguye; ngaphambi kwami kakubunjwanga unkulunkulu, langemva kwami kayikuba khona.

Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: in order that ye may know and believe me, and understand, that I am he; before me there was no god formed, and after me there will be none.

11 Mina, mina ngiyiNkosi; langaphandle kwami kakulamsindisi.

I, I am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour.

12 Ngimemezele, ngasindisa, ngazwakalisa, kungakabikho unkulunkulu wezizwe phakathi kwenu; ngakho lingabafakazi bami, kutsho iNkosi, ukuthi nginguNkulunkulu.

I myself have announced it, and I have saved, and I have let it be heard, and there was no strange [god] among you; and ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and I am God.

13 Yebo, kungakabi khona usuku, mina nginguye; njalo kakho ongakhulula esandleni sami; ngizasebenza, njalo ngubani ongakubuyisela emuva?

Yea, from the [first] day am I he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: if I will work, is there one that can hinder it?

14 Itsho njalo iNkosi, uMhlengi wenu, oNgcwele kaIsrayeli: Ngenxa yenu ngithumele eBhabhiloni, ngehlisele phansi bonke ababalekayo babo, lamaKhaladiya okukhala kwawo kusemikhunjini.

Thus hath said the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, For your sake did I send to Babylon, and in swift vessels brought I them all down, and the Chaldeans, in the ships of their joyful song.

15 NgiyiNkosi, oNgcwele wenu, uMdali kaIsrayeli, inkosi yenu.

I am the Lord, the Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.

16 Itsho njalo iNkosi, eyenza indlela olwandle, lomkhondo emanzini alamandla,

Thus hath said the Lord, who maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;

17 ekhupha inqola lebhiza, ibutho lamandla; kuzalala ndawonye, kakuyikuvuka; kuzaphela du, kucitshe njengentambo yesibane.

Who bringeth forth chariot and horse, army and power: together shall they lie down, they shall not rise up again; they are extinct, like a wick are they quenched.

18 Lingakhumbuli izinto zakuqala, linganakani ngezinto zendulo.

Remember not the former things, and ancient events regard no more.

19 Khangelani, ngizakwenza into entsha; khathesi izahluma, kaliyikuyazi yini? Yebo, ngizakwenza indlela enkangala, imifula ogwaduleni.

Behold, I will do a new thing; now shall it spring forth; will ye not acknowledge it? I will even make in the wilderness a way, and in the desert rivers.

20 Inyamazana zeganga zizangidumisa, imigobho lamadodakazi ezintshe; ngoba nginika amanzi enkangala, imifula ogwaduleni, ukunathisa abantu bami, abakhethiweyo bami.

The beasts of the field shall honor me, the monsters and the ostriches; because I give waters in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my elect;

21 Lababantu ngizibumbele bona; bazalandisa udumo lwami.

This people which I have formed for myself; my praise shall they relate.

22 Kanti kawungibizanga, Jakobe, kodwa udiniwe ngami, Israyeli.

But on me hast thou not called, O Jacob; for thou art become weary of me, O Israel.

23 Kawulethanga kimi izimvu zomnikelo wakho wokutshiswa, kawungihloniphanga ngemihlatshelo yakho. Kangikwenzanga wakhonza ngomnikelo, kangikudinisanga ngempepha.

Thou hast not brought unto me the lamb of thy burnt-offerings; and with thy sacrifices hast thou not honored me: I have not troubled thee with meat-offerings, nor wearied thee with frankincense.

24 Kawungithengelanga umhlanga olephunga elimnandi ngemali, njalo kawungisuthisanga ngamahwahwa emihlatshelo yakho; kodwa ungenze ngasebenza ngezono zakho, wangidinisa ngeziphambeko zakho.

Thou hast not bought for me sweet cane, and with the fat of thy sacrifices hast thou not satisfied me; but thou hast troubled me with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thy iniquities.

25 Mina, mina nginguye owesula iziphambeko zakho ngenxa yami, kangiyikuzikhumbula izono zakho.

I, it is I that blot out thy transgressions for my own sake, and thy sins I will not remember.

26 Ngikhumbuza; kasehlulelane; landisa wena, ukuze ulungisiswe.

Put me in remembrance; let us plead together: relate thou, in order that thou mayest be justified.

27 Uyihlo wokuqala wona, labachasisi bakho baphambukile bemelene lami.

Thy first father did sin, and they that plead for thee transgressed against me.

28 Ngakho ngingcolise iziphathamandla zendlu engcwele, nganikela uJakobe ekutshabalalisweni, loIsrayeli ekuthukweni.

Therefore do I profane the holy princes, and I give up Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches.