U-Isaya 44
1 Kodwa khathesi zwana, Jakobe nceku yami, lawe Israyeli engikukhethileyo.
Yet now hear, O 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 saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, [which] will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, 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 water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:
4 Bazahluma phakathi kotshani, njengeminyezane ngasezifuleni zamanzi.
And they shall spring up [as] among the grass, as willows by the water courses.
5 Omunye uzakuthi: Mina ngingoweNkosi; lomunye azibize ngebizo likaJakobe, lomunye abhale esandleni sakhe ukuthi: NgingoweNkosi; azibonge ngebizo likaIsrayeli.
One shall say, I [am] the LORD’s; and another shall call [himself] by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe [with] his hand unto the LORD, and surname [himself] by the name of Israel.
6 Utsho njalo uJehova, inkosi yakoIsrayeli, loMhlengi wakhe, iNkosi yamabandla: Ngingowokuqala njalo ngingowokucina; njalo ngaphandle kwami kakho uNkulunkulu.
Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I [am] the first, and I [am] the last; and beside me [there is] no God.
7 Njalo ngubani ongabiza njengami, akumemezele, angihlelele khona, kusukela ngimisa abantu bendulo? Lezinto ezizayo, lezizakuza, kabazimemezele kubo.
And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them.
8 Lingatshaywa luvalo, lingesabi; kangikuzwisanga yini kusukela ngalesosikhathi, ngakumemezela? Njalo lina lingabafakazi bami. Kukhona yini uNkulunkulu ngaphandle kwami? Yebo, kalikho elinye iDwala; kangilazi.
Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared [it]? ye [are] even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, [there is] no God; I know not [any].
9 Bonke ababumba izithombe ezibaziweyo bayize, lezinto zabo ezithandekayo kazisizi lutho; labo bangabafakazi babo, kababoni, kabazi; ukuze bayangeke.
They that make a graven image [are] all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they [are] their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.
10 Ngubani obumbe unkulunkulu, loba wabumba ngokuncibilikisa isithombe esibaziweyo esingasizi lutho?
Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image [that] is profitable for nothing?
11 Khangela, bonke abangane bakhe bazayangeka; lababazi bangababantu; kababuthane bonke, basukume; bazakwesaba, bayangeke kanyekanye.
Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they [are] of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; [yet] they shall fear, [and] they shall be ashamed together.
12 Umkhandi wensimbiukhanda ihloka, asebenze emalahleni, alibumbe ngezando, alisebenze ngamandla engalo yakhe; yebo, alambe, aze aphele amandla; kanathi manzi, aze adinwe.
The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint.
13 Umbazi welula intambo yokulinganisa, adwebe ngosungulo, asenze ngezancele, asidwebe ngekhampasi, asenze ngomfanekiso womuntu, ngokobuhle bomuntu, ukuze sihlale endlini.
The carpenter stretcheth out [his] rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.
14 Uzigamulela imisedari, athathe umsayiphuresi lesihlahla se-okhi, aziqinisela zona phakathi kwezihlahla zegusu, ahlanyele ifiri, lezulu liyikhulise.
He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish [it].
15 Kuzakuba-ke ngokomuntu ukuthi akubase, njalo uzathatha kukho, othe; yebo akubase, abhake isinkwa; yebo enze unkulunkulu, amkhonze, enze isithombe esibaziweyo, akhothame kuso.
Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth [it], and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth [it; ] he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.
16 Atshise ingxenye yakho emlilweni; ngengxenye yakho adle inyama, ose amawoso asuthe; yebo, uyotha athi: Alala! ngiyakhudumala, ngiwubonile umlilo.
He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth [himself], and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire:
17 Njalo okuseleyo kwakho akwenze kube ngunkulunkulu, kube yisithombe sakhe esibaziweyo; akhothame kuso, akhonze, akhuleke kuso athi: Ngophula, ngoba ungunkulunkulu wami.
And the residue thereof he maketh a god, [even] his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth [it], and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou [art] my god.
18 Kabazanga, kabaqedisisanga; ngoba ebhade amehlo abo ukuze bangaboni; lenhliziyo zabo ukuze bangaqedisisi.
They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; [and] their hearts, that they cannot understand.
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?
And none considereth in his heart, neither [is there] knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten [it: ] and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?
20 Udla umlotha; inhliziyo ekhohlisiweyo imphambule, okokuthi angekhulule umphefumulo wakhe njalo kathi: Kakulamanga yini esandleni sami sokunene?
He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, [Is there] not a lie in my right hand?
21 Khumbula lezizinto, Jakobe, lawe Israyeli, ngoba uyinceku yami; ngikubumbile, uyinceku yami. Wena Israyeli, kawuyikukhohlwa yimi.
Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou [art] my servant: I have formed thee; thou [art] my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.
22 Ngesule iziphambeko zakho njengeyezi elinzima, lanjengeyezi izono zakho; buyela kimi, ngoba ngikuhlengile.
I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
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.
Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done [it: ] shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.
24 Itsho njalo iNkosi, uMhlengi wakho, leyakubumba kwasesiswini: NgiyiNkosi eyenza zonke izinto; eyendlala amazulu, mina ngedwa; eyeneka umhlaba ngokwami;
Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I [am] the LORD that maketh all [things; ] that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;
25 efubisa izibonakaliso zabaqambimanga; yenze izanuse zihlanye; ebuyisela emuva abahlakaniphileyo; yenze ulwazi lwabo lube yibuthutha;
That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise [men] backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;
26 eqinisa ilizwi lenceku yayo; ifeze amacebo ezithunywa zayo; ethi kuyo iJerusalema: Uzahlalwa; lemizini yakoJuda: Lizakwakhiwa; futhi ngizavusa amanxiwa ayo;
That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof:
27 etshoyo enzikini: Tshana; njalo ngizakomisa imifula yakho;
That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers:
28 etshoyo ngoKoresi: Ungumelusi wami, uzaphelelisa intokozo yami yonke; ithi lakuJerusalema: Kayakhiwe; lethempelini: Isisekelo sakho kasibekwe.
That saith of Cyrus, [He is] my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.
