< U-Isaya 45 >

1 Itsho njalo iNkosi kogcotshiweyo wayo, kuKoresi, osandla sakhe sokunene ngisibambile ukuze ngehlisele phansi izizwe phambi kwakhe; ngithukulule izinkalo zamakhosi, ukuvula phambi kwakhe amasango alezivalo ezimbili, lamasango angavalwa.
Thus hath said the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whom I have taken hold of by his right hand, to subdue nations before him, even the loins of kings will I ungird, to open before him [city-]doors, and gates that they shall not be shut;
2 Mina ngizahamba phambi kwakho, ngenze indawo ezigobileyo ziqonde, ngiphahlaze izivalo zethusi, ngiqume phakathi imigoqo yensimbi.
I myself will go before thee, and proud eminences will I level: doors of brass will I break in pieces, and bolts of iron will I cut asunder.
3 Ngizakunika okuligugu kobumnyama, lenotho ethukuziweyo yezindawo ezisithekileyo, ukuze wazi ukuthi mina Nkosi, engikubiza ngebizo lakho, nginguNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli.
And I will give unto thee the treasures of darkness, and riches hidden in secret places; in order that thou mayest know that I am the Lord, who call thee by thy name, the God of Israel;
4 Ngenxa yenceku yami uJakobe, loIsrayeli umkhethwa wami, ngikubizile ngitsho ngebizo lakho, ngakunika isibongo, lanxa ungangazanga.
For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my elect; and I have called thee by thy name: I have designated thee, though thou hast not known me.
5 NgiyiNkosi, njalo kakho omunye, ngaphandle kwami kakulaNkulunkulu; ngikubhincisile lanxa ungangazanga.
I am the Lord, and there is none else, beside me there is no god; I assisted thee, though thou hast not known me.
6 Ukuze bazi kusukela lapho eliphuma khona ilanga, njalo kusukela entshonalanga, ukuthi kakho omunye ngaphandle kwami; ngiyiNkosi, njalo kakho omunye.
In order that they may know from the rising of the sun, and from its setting, that there is nothing without me. I am the Lord, and there is no one else;
7 Ngibumba ukukhanya, ngidale umnyama; ngenza ukuthula, ngidale ububi; mina Nkosi ngenza zonke lezizinto.
Forming the light, and creating darkness; making peace, and creating evil: I the Lord do all these things.
8 Thontisani, mazulu, kuvela phezulu, lamayezi athulule ukulunga; umhlaba kawuvuleke, njalo kuthele usindiso, njalo kakuthi ukulunga kumile kanyekanye; mina Nkosi ngikudalile.
Drop down ye heavens, and let the skies distil blessing; let the earth open and let them [all] be fruitful of prosperity, and let righteousness spring up likewise: I the Lord have created it.
9 Maye kuye ophikisana loMbumbi wakhe, udengezi lezindengezi zomhlabathi! Ibumba lizakutsho yini kolibumbayo ukuthi: Wenzani? kumbe: Umsebenzi wakho, kawulazandla yini?
Woe unto him that contendeth with the one who formed him—a potsherd among the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?
10 Maye kuye othi kuyise: Uzalani? kumbe kowesifazana: Ubeletheni?
Woe unto him that saith unto [his] father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What bringest thou forth?
11 Itsho njalo iNkosi, oNgcwele kaIsrayeli, loMbumbi wakhe: Buzani kimi ngezinto ezizayo, ngamadodana ami, langomsebenzi wezandla zami liyangilaya.
Thus hath said the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and he who hath formed him, About events to come will you ask me? concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands will ye command me?
12 Mina ngiwenzile umhlaba, ngadala umuntu phezu kwawo; mina, izandla zami zendlale amazulu, ngalawula amabutho awo wonke.
[When] I myself have made the earth, and created man upon it; [when] I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and I have ordained all their host.
13 Mina ngimvusile ngokulunga, njalo ngizaqondisa zonke izindlela zakhe; yena uzakwakha umuzi wami, akhulule abathunjiweyo bami, hatshi ngentengo njalo hatshi ngesivalamlomo, kutsho iNkosi yamabandla.
I myself have waked him up in righteousness, and all his ways will I make straight: he shall build my city, and my exiles shall he dismiss free, not for purchase-money nor for presents, saith the Lord of hosts.
14 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Umsebenzi weGibhithe, lokuthengiswayo kweEthiyophiya lokwamaShebha, amadoda amade, kuzadlulela kuwe, kuzakuba ngokwakho; bazakulandela, bedlule besemaketaneni, bakhothame kuwe, balabhele kuwe besithi: Isibili uNkulunkulu ukuwe, njalo kakho omunye, kakho omunye uNkulunkulu.
Thus hath said the Lord, The labor of Egypt, and the merchandise of Ethiopia, and of the Sabeans, men of high stature, shall pass over unto thee, and thine shall they be: behind thee shall they walk; in chains shall they pass along, and unto thee shall they bow, unto thee shall they pray, [saying] Yea, only among thee is God; and there is no one else beside God.
15 Isibili unguNkulunkulu ozifihlayo, uNkulunkulu wakoIsrayeli, uMsindisi.
Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour.
16 Bazayangeka, ngitsho babe lenhloni, bonke; bazahamba belehlazo kanyekanye ababazi bezithombe.
They are ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: together shall they go to confusion that are makers of idols.
17 Kodwa uIsrayeli uzasindiswa eNkosini ngosindiso olulaphakade; kaliyikuyangeka, kaliyikuba lenhloni, kuze kube nini lanini.
[But] Israel shall be helped by the Lord with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed and not be confounded unto all eternity.
18 Ngoba itsho njalo iNkosi eyadala amazulu, yona enguNkulunkulu, eyabumba umhlaba yawenza; yona yawumisa, ingawudalelanga ize, yawubumbela ukuze kuhlalwe kuwo: NgiyiNkosi, njalo kakho omunye.
For thus hath said the Lord the creator of the heavens; he, the God that formed the earth and made it; he that hath established it, —not for naught did he create it, to be inhabited did he form it: I am the Lord; and there is no one else.
19 Kangikhulumelanga ekusithekeni, endaweni emnyama yomhlaba; kangitshongo kuyo inzalo kaJakobe ukuthi: Ngidingani ngeze. Mina Nkosi ngikhuluma iqiniso, ngimemezela izinto eziqotho.
Not on a secret spot have I spoken, in a dark place of the earth; I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me for naught; [but] I the Lord speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.
20 Buthanani libuye; sondelani kanyekanye, lina elaphunyuka ezizweni; abathwala izigodo zezithombe zabo ezibaziweyo kabazi, abakhuleka kunkulunkulu ongelakusindisa.
Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye escaped fugitives of the nations! They have no knowledge that carry the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.
21 Tshelani, libasondeze; yebo kabacebisane kanyekanye: Ngubani owazwakalisa lokhu kwasendulo? Owakukhulumayo kusukela kulesosikhathi na? Kakusimi iNkosi yini? Njalo kakho omunye uNkulunkulu ngaphandle kwami, uNkulunkulu olungileyo loMsindisi; kakho ngaphandle kwami.
Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: Who hath announced this in ancient times? told it from the beginning? is it not I the Lord? and there is no other god without me, a just god and a saviour; there is none beside me.
22 Khangelani kimi, lisindiswe, lina lonke mikhawulo yomhlaba; ngoba nginguNkulunkulu, njalo kakho omunye.
Turn unto me, so that ye may be helped, all ye ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no one else.
23 Ngizifungile mina, ilizwi liphumile emlonyeni wami ngokulunga, njalo kaliyikuphenduka, elithi: Kimi lonke idolo lizaguqa, lonke ulimi luzafunga.
By myself have I sworn, righteousness is gone out of my mouth, a word [which] shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bend, every tongue shall swear.
24 Ngeqiniso, omunye uzakuthi: ENkosini ngilokulunga lamandla; kuyo bazakuza; kodwa bonke abayithukuthelelayo bazayangeka.
Only in the Lord, —shall men say of me, —there are righteousness and strength. Unto him shall come and be ashamed all that are incensed against him.
25 ENkosini yonke inzalo yakoIsrayeli izalungisiswa, izincome.
In the Lord shall be justified, and shall glory themselves all the seed of Israel.

< U-Isaya 45 >