U-Isaya 44
1 Kodwa khathesi zwana, Jakobe nceku yami, lawe Israyeli engikukhethileyo.
And now, listen, Jacob, my servant, and Israel, whom I have chosen.
2 Itsho njalo INkosi umenzi wakho lombumbi wakho kusukela esiswini, ezakusiza: Ungesabi, Jakobe, nceku yami, lawe Jeshuruni engikukhethileyo.
Thus says the Lord, who made and formed you, your Helper from the womb: Do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant and my most righteous, whom I have chosen.
3 Ngoba ngizathela amanzi phezu kwakhe owomileyo, lezikhukhula emhlabathini owomileyo; ngizathela umoya wami phezu kwenzalo yakho, lesibusiso sami phezu kwembewu yakho.
For I will pour out waters upon the thirsty ground, and rivers upon the dry land. I will pour out my Spirit upon your offspring, and my benediction upon your stock.
4 Bazahluma phakathi kotshani, njengeminyezane ngasezifuleni zamanzi.
And they will spring up among the plants, like willows beside running waters.
5 Omunye uzakuthi: Mina ngingoweNkosi; lomunye azibize ngebizo likaJakobe, lomunye abhale esandleni sakhe ukuthi: NgingoweNkosi; azibonge ngebizo likaIsrayeli.
This one will say, “I am the Lord’s,” and that one will call himself by the name of Jacob, and yet another will write with his hand, “For the Lord,” and he will take the name Israel.
6 Utsho njalo uJehova, inkosi yakoIsrayeli, loMhlengi wakhe, iNkosi yamabandla: Ngingowokuqala njalo ngingowokucina; njalo ngaphandle kwami kakho uNkulunkulu.
Thus says the Lord, the King and Redeemer of Israel, the Lord of hosts: I am the first, and I am the last, and there is no God apart from me.
7 Njalo ngubani ongabiza njengami, akumemezele, angihlelele khona, kusukela ngimisa abantu bendulo? Lezinto ezizayo, lezizakuza, kabazimemezele kubo.
Who is like me? Let him call out and announce it. And let him explain to me the order of things, since it is I who appointed the ancient people. The things of the near and the distant future, let him announce them.
8 Lingatshaywa luvalo, lingesabi; kangikuzwisanga yini kusukela ngalesosikhathi, ngakumemezela? Njalo lina lingabafakazi bami. Kukhona yini uNkulunkulu ngaphandle kwami? Yebo, kalikho elinye iDwala; kangilazi.
Do not be afraid, and do not be disturbed. From the time when I caused you to listen, I also announced it. You are my witnesses. Is there another God beside me, also a Maker, whom I have not known?
9 Bonke ababumba izithombe ezibaziweyo bayize, lezinto zabo ezithandekayo kazisizi lutho; labo bangabafakazi babo, kababoni, kabazi; ukuze bayangeke.
All of those who create idols are nothing, and their most beloved things will not benefit them. These are their witnesses, for they do not see, and they do not understand, so that they might be confounded.
10 Ngubani obumbe unkulunkulu, loba wabumba ngokuncibilikisa isithombe esibaziweyo esingasizi lutho?
Who has formed a god or cast a molten image, which is useful for nothing?
11 Khangela, bonke abangane bakhe bazayangeka; lababazi bangababantu; kababuthane bonke, basukume; bazakwesaba, bayangeke kanyekanye.
Behold, all those who partake in this will be confounded. For these makers are men. They will all assemble together. They will stand and be terrified. And they will be confounded together.
12 Umkhandi wensimbiukhanda ihloka, asebenze emalahleni, alibumbe ngezando, alisebenze ngamandla engalo yakhe; yebo, alambe, aze aphele amandla; kanathi manzi, aze adinwe.
The maker of iron has wrought with his file. With coals and hammers, he has formed it, and he has wrought with the strength of his arm. He will hunger and grow faint. He will not drink water, and he will become weary.
13 Umbazi welula intambo yokulinganisa, adwebe ngosungulo, asenze ngezancele, asidwebe ngekhampasi, asenze ngomfanekiso womuntu, ngokobuhle bomuntu, ukuze sihlale endlini.
The maker of wood has extended his ruler. He has formed it with a plane. He has made it with corners, and he has smoothed its curves. And he has made the image of a man, a seemingly beautiful man, dwelling in a house.
14 Uzigamulela imisedari, athathe umsayiphuresi lesihlahla se-okhi, aziqinisela zona phakathi kwezihlahla zegusu, ahlanyele ifiri, lezulu liyikhulise.
He has cut down cedars; he has taken the evergreen oak, and the oak that stood among the trees of the forest. He has planted the pine tree, which the rain has nourished.
15 Kuzakuba-ke ngokomuntu ukuthi akubase, njalo uzathatha kukho, othe; yebo akubase, abhake isinkwa; yebo enze unkulunkulu, amkhonze, enze isithombe esibaziweyo, akhothame kuso.
And it is used by men for fuel. He took from it and warmed himself. And he set it on fire and baked bread. But from the remainder, he made a god, and he adored it. He made an idol, and he bowed down before it.
16 Atshise ingxenye yakho emlilweni; ngengxenye yakho adle inyama, ose amawoso asuthe; yebo, uyotha athi: Alala! ngiyakhudumala, ngiwubonile umlilo.
Part of it, he burned with fire, and with part of it, he cooked meat; he boiled food and was filled. And he was warmed, and so he said: “Ah, I am warm. I have gazed at the fire.”
17 Njalo okuseleyo kwakho akwenze kube ngunkulunkulu, kube yisithombe sakhe esibaziweyo; akhothame kuso, akhonze, akhuleke kuso athi: Ngophula, ngoba ungunkulunkulu wami.
But from its remainder, he made a god and a graven image for himself. He bowed down before it, and he adored it, and he prayed to it, saying: “Free me! For you are my god.”
18 Kabazanga, kabaqedisisanga; ngoba ebhade amehlo abo ukuze bangaboni; lenhliziyo zabo ukuze bangaqedisisi.
They have neither known nor understood. For their eyes are obscured, lest they see with their eyes and understand with their heart.
19 Kakho ocabanga enhliziyweni yakhe, njalo kakulalwazi njalo kakulakuqedisisa kokuthi: Ngibasile ingxenye yakho emlilweni, yebo ngibhake isinkwa phezu kwamalahle akho, ngosa inyama, ngayidla; kambe ngizakwenza insali yakho isinengiso yini? Ngizakhothamela okwesihlahla yini?
They do not consider in their mind, nor do they know, nor do they think to say: “I have burned part of it in the fire, and I have baked bread upon its coals. I have cooked flesh and I have eaten. And from its remainder, should I make an idol? Should I fall prostrate before the trunk of a tree?”
20 Udla umlotha; inhliziyo ekhohlisiweyo imphambule, okokuthi angekhulule umphefumulo wakhe njalo kathi: Kakulamanga yini esandleni sami sokunene?
Part of it is ashes. His foolish heart adores it. And he will not liberate his soul, and he will not say, “Perhaps there is a lie in my right hand.”
21 Khumbula lezizinto, Jakobe, lawe Israyeli, ngoba uyinceku yami; ngikubumbile, uyinceku yami. Wena Israyeli, kawuyikukhohlwa yimi.
Remember these things, O Jacob, O Israel. For you are my servant. I have formed you. You are my servant, Israel. Do not forget me.
22 Ngesule iziphambeko zakho njengeyezi elinzima, lanjengeyezi izono zakho; buyela kimi, ngoba ngikuhlengile.
I have wiped away your iniquities like a cloud, and your sins like a mist. Return to me, because I have redeemed you.
23 Hlabelelani, lina mazulu, ngoba iNkosi ikwenzile; memezani, zindawo eziphansi zomhlaba; qhamukani lihlabele, zintaba, gusu, laso sonke isihlahla esiphakathi kwakho; ngoba iNkosi imhlengile uJakobe, yazidumisa koIsrayeli.
Give praise, O heavens! For the Lord has shown mercy. Shout with joy, O ends of the earth! Let the mountains resound with praise, with the forest and all its trees. For the Lord has redeemed Jacob, and Israel will be glorified.
24 Itsho njalo iNkosi, uMhlengi wakho, leyakubumba kwasesiswini: NgiyiNkosi eyenza zonke izinto; eyendlala amazulu, mina ngedwa; eyeneka umhlaba ngokwami;
Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, and your Maker from the womb: I am the Lord, who makes all things, who alone extends the heavens, who makes the earth firm. And there is no one with me.
25 efubisa izibonakaliso zabaqambimanga; yenze izanuse zihlanye; ebuyisela emuva abahlakaniphileyo; yenze ulwazi lwabo lube yibuthutha;
I make the signs of the diviners useless, and I turn the seers to madness. I turn the wise backwards, and make their knowledge into foolishness.
26 eqinisa ilizwi lenceku yayo; ifeze amacebo ezithunywa zayo; ethi kuyo iJerusalema: Uzahlalwa; lemizini yakoJuda: Lizakwakhiwa; futhi ngizavusa amanxiwa ayo;
I lift up the word of my servant, and I fulfill the counsel of my messengers. I say to Jerusalem, “You shall be inhabited,” and to the cities of Judah, “You shall be rebuilt,” and I will lift up its deserts.
27 etshoyo enzikini: Tshana; njalo ngizakomisa imifula yakho;
I say to the depths, “Be desolate,” and, “I will dry up your rivers.”
28 etshoyo ngoKoresi: Ungumelusi wami, uzaphelelisa intokozo yami yonke; ithi lakuJerusalema: Kayakhiwe; lethempelini: Isisekelo sakho kasibekwe.
I say to Cyrus, “You are my shepherd, and you will accomplish all that I will.” I say to Jerusalem, “You shall be built,” and to the Temple, “Your foundations shall be laid.”
