U-Isaya 46
1 UBeli uyakhothama, uNebo uyazithoba; izithombe zabo zazingezezifuyo, njalo zazingezezinkomo; imithwalo yenu ethwelweyo ingumthwalo enyamazaneni ediniweyo.
[It is as though] Bel and Nebo, the statues of the gods [of Babylonia], are bowing down as those statues are put on animals and carried away! The statues are heavy burdens and will cause the animals to become tired [SAR]!
2 Bayaguqa, bakhothame kanyekanye, kabalakophula umthwalo, kodwa bona ngokwabo baya ekuthunjweni.
[It seems like] both gods are bowing down; not only can they not save themselves, but they themselves are being (exiled/taken to another country)!
3 Ngilalela, ndlu kaJakobe, lensali yonke yendlu kaIsrayeli, abathwalwa yimi kwasesibelethweni, abasingathwe kwasesizalweni.
[Yahweh says], “You descendants of Jacob who were exiled, [I am not like the gods of Babylonia that must be carried]; [instead, it is as though] I have carried you since you first became a nation [MET]. I carried you [even] before you became a nation.
4 Kuze kube sekugugeni nginguye; yebo, kuze kube sebumpungeni mina ngizalithwala; mina ngenzile, mina-ke ngizaphakamisa, ngitsho mina ngithwale, ngikhulule.
I will be your God, and I will carry you for many years, until [it is as though] [MET] your nation is an old man with gray hair. I caused [you to become a nation], and I will sustain you and rescue you.
5 Lizangifananisa, lingilinganise, lingiqathanise lobani ukuze sifanane?
There is certainly [RHQ] no one to whom I can be compared. There is [RHQ] no one who is equal to me [DOU].
6 Bathulula igolide esikhwameni, balinganise isiliva esilinganisweni, baqhatshe umkhandi akwenze unkulunkulu; bathi mbo phansi, yebo, bakhonze.
[So it is stupid/ridiculous that] some people pour out gold and silver from their bags and weigh it on a scale. [Then] they hire a man who makes things from gold to make an idol from it. [After he makes an idol], they bow down and worship it!
7 Bametshata ehlombe, bamthwale, bambeke endaweni yakhe, ame; angasuki endaweni yakhe. Yebo, umuntu ememeza kuye, kodwa kaphenduli, kamsindisi enkathazweni yakhe.
They lift it up and carry it on their shoulders. They put it in a [special] place, and it stays there. It cannot move! And when someone prays to it, it does not answer. So [obviously] it cannot rescue anyone from his troubles!
8 Khumbulani lokhu, lizibonakalise liqinile; kubuyiseleni enhliziyweni, lina bahlamuki.
[You people of Judah], do not forget this; keep thinking about it, you sinful people!
9 Khumbulani izinto zakuqala zendulo; ngoba nginguNkulunkulu, njalo kakho omunye; nginguNkulunkulu, njalo kakho ofanana lami;
Think about the things [that I did] long ago. Only I am God; I am God, and there is no one like me.
10 engimemezela isiphetho kwasekuqaleni, njalo kusukela endulo izinto ezingakenziwa, ngisithi: Icebo lami lizakuma, njalo ngizakwenza yonke intokozo yami;
Only I can tell what will happen in the future before it occurs; I tell it long before it happens. I will accomplish everything that I plan to accomplish, and I will do everything that I want to do.
11 engibiza inyoni edla inyama ivela empumalanga, umuntu wecebo lami evela elizweni elikhatshana; yebo, ngikhulumile, yebo, ngizakufeza; ngikumisile, yebo, ngizakwenza.
So I will summon [someone to come] from the east [like a swift and powerful] eagle; he will come from a distant country. He will accomplish what I want him to. [He is the one who] will do what I have said that I want him to do, what I have planned.
12 Ngilalelani, lina abalenhliziyo eziqinileyo, lina elikhatshana lokulunga.
You stubborn people [of Israel], [you think that] it will be a long time before you are allowed to return to your own country.
13 Ngiyasondeza ukulunga kwami, kakuyikuba khatshana; losindiso lwami kaluyikuphuza; kodwa ngizanika usindiso eZiyoni, udumo lwami koIsrayeli.
But I will rescue you, and it will not be a long time [before that happens]. I will do it soon. I will rescue Jerusalem and show to you Israeli [people] that I am glorious.”
