< U-Isaya 47 >

1 Yehla, uhlale othulini, ntombi emsulwa, ndodakazi yeBhabhiloni; hlala emhlabathini; akulasihlalo sobukhosi, ndodakazi yamaKhaladiya; ngoba kawusayikubizwa ngokuthi uthambile njalo ubuthakathaka.
Come down, sit on the ground, O virgin daughter of Babylon: sit on the ground, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and luxurious.
2 Thatha amatshe okuchola, uchole impuphu, wembule isimbombozo sakho, ukhwince ilogwe, uveze umlenze, uchaphe imifula.
Take a millstone, grind meal: remove thy veil, uncover thy white hairs, make bare the leg, pass through the rivers.
3 Ubunqunu bakho buzakwembulwa, yebo, ihlazo lakho libonakale. Ngizaphindisela, ngingahlangani lawe njengomuntu.
Thy shame shall be uncovered, thy reproaches shall be brought to light: I will exact of thee due vengeance, I will no longer deliver thee to men.
4 UMhlengi wethu, iNkosi yamabandla libizo lakhe, oyiNgcwele kaIsrayeli.
Thy deliverer is the Lord of hosts, the Holy One of Israel is his name.
5 Hlala ngokuthula, ungene emnyameni, ndodakazi yamaKhaladiya; ngoba kawusayikubizwa ngokuthi: Nkosikazi yemibuso.
Sit thou down pierced with woe, go into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans: thou shalt no more be called the strength of a kingdom.
6 Ngabathukuthelela abantu bami, ngangcolisa ilifa lami, ngabanikela esandleni sakho; kawubenzelanga izihawu; walenza laba nzima kakhulu ijogwe lakho phezu komdala.
I have been provoked with my people; thou hast defiled mine inheritance: I gave them into thy hand, but thou didst not extend mercy to them: thou madest the yoke of the aged man very heavy,
7 Wena wathi: Ngizakuba yinkosikazi njalonjalo; kawukabeki lezizinto enhliziyweni yakho, kawukhumbulanga isiphetho sakho.
and saidst, I shall be a princess for ever: thou didst not perceive these things in thine heart, nor didst thou remember the latter end.
8 Khathesi-ke zwana lokhu, wena ozithokozisayo, ohlezi uvikelekile, othi enhliziyweni yakho: Yimi, njalo kakho omunye ngaphandle kwami; kangiyikuhlala okomfelokazi, kangiyikwazi ukufelwa ngabantwana.
But now hear these words, thou luxurious one, [who art] the one that sits [at ease], that is secure, that says in her heart, I am, and there is not another; I shall not sit a widow, neither shall I know bereavement.
9 Kodwa lezizinto ezimbili zizakwehlela ngokucwayiza kwelihlo ngasuku lunye: Ukufelwa ngabantwana lobufelokazi; kuzakwehlela phezu kwakho ngokuphelela kwakho, ngenxa yobunengi bobuthakathi bakho, ngenxa yobunengi obukhulu bamalumbo akho.
But now these two things shall come upon thee suddenly in one day, the loss of children and widowhood shall come suddenly upon thee, for thy sorcery, for the strength of thine enchantments,
10 Ngoba wathembela ebubini bakho, wathi: Kakho ongibonayo. Inhlakanipho yakho lolwazi lwakho khona kwakuphambula, wathi enhliziyweni yakho: Yimi, njalo kakho omunye ngaphandle kwami.
for thy trusting in wickedness: for thou saidst, I am, and there is not another: know thou, the understanding of these things and thy harlotry shall be thy shame; for thou saidst in thy heart, I am, and there is not another.
11 Ngakho ububi buzakwehlela, kawusoze wazi lapho obenyuka khona; lengozi izakwehlela, ongelakho ukwenza inhlawulo yokuthula ngayo; lencithakalo ihle yehlele phezu kwakho, ungazi.
And destruction shall come upon thee, and thou shalt not be aware; [there shall be a] pit, and thou shalt fall into it: and grief shall come upon thee, and thou shalt not be able to be clear; and destruction shall come suddenly upon thee, and thou shalt not know.
12 Mana khathesi ngamalumbo akho langobunengi bobuthakathi bakho otshikatshike kukho kusukela ebutsheni bakho; mhlawumbe uzakuba lakho ukuba lenzuzo, mhlawumbe unqobe.
Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the abundance of thy sorcery, which thou hast learned from thy youth; if thou canst be profited.
13 Udiniwe ebunengini bamacebo akho; kakuthi basukume khathesi abahloli bamazulu, abakhangela izinkanyezi, abazisa ngezinyanga, bakusindise kwezizakwehlela.
Thou art wearied in thy counsels. Let now the astrologers of the heaven stand and deliver thee, let them that see the stars tell thee what is about to come upon thee.
14 Khangela, bazakuba njengamabibi; umlilo uzabatshisa; kabayikuzophula emandleni elangabi; lingabikho ilahle lokotha, umlilo wokuhlala phambi kwawo.
Behold, they all shall be burnt up as sticks in the fire; neither shall they at all deliver their life from the flame. Because thou hast coals of fire, sit thou upon them;
15 Bazakuba njalo kuwe labo owatshikatshika labo, owathengiselana labo kusukela ebutsheni bakho; bazazulazula, ngulowo lalowo ngendlela yakhe; kakuyikuba lomsindisi wakho.
these shall be thy help. Thou hast wearied thyself with traffic from thy youth: every man has wandered to his own home, but thou shalt have no deliverance.

< U-Isaya 47 >