U-Isaya 48
1 Zwanini lokhu, lina ndlu kaJakobe, elabizwa ngebizo likaIsrayeli, elaphuma emanzini akoJuda, elifunga ngebizo leNkosi, elikhumbuza ngoNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, kodwa kungeyisikho ngeqiniso, njalo kungeyisikho ngokulunga.
Listen to this, descendants of Jacob, called by the name of Israel, and who come from the lineage of Judah. Listen, you people who swear by the name of the Lord, or who invoke the God of Israel, but not truly or sincerely.
2 Ngoba bazibiza ngokuthi bangabomuzi oyingcwele, beseyama kuNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli; iNkosi yamabandla libizo lakhe.
You say you're from the “Holy City,” and claim you're trusting in the God of Israel, whose name is the Lord Almighty.
3 Ngamemezela izinto zamandulo kwasekuqaleni, zaphuma emlonyeni wami, ngazizwakalisa; ngenza masinyane, zafika.
I predicted long ago what was going to happen—I said it and let people know. Then suddenly I decided to act, and it all came true.
4 Ngoba ngangisazi ukuthi ulukhuni, lentamo yakho ingumsipha wensimbi, lebunzi lakho lilithusi;
I know how stubborn you are, with necks as unbending as iron and foreheads as hard as bronze.
5 ngitsho kwasekuqaleni ngamemezela kuwe, kungakenzakali ngakwenza wakuzwa, hlezi uthi: Isithombe sami sizenzile, lesithombe sami esibaziweyo, lesithombe sami esibunjwe ngokuncibilikisa sikulayile.
I predicted these things to you long ago, before they happened. I explained them to you so that you couldn't say “My idol did this,” or “My image and my metal god ordered this to happen.”
6 Usuzwile, khangela konke lokhu; njalo kaliyikukumemezela yini? Ngikwenze uzwe izinto ezintsha kusukela khathesi, lezinto ezifihlakeleyo obungazazi.
You've heard all I predicted, and seen it happen. Won't you admit it? Now I'm going to tell you new things, secrets you don't know anything about.
7 Zidalwe khathesi, kungeyisikho ekuqaleni; ngitsho lungakafiki lolusuku ungakezwa ngazo, hlezi uthi: Khangela, bengizazi.
These are brand-new, not something from the past. Before today you won't have heard anything about them, so you can't say, “Oh yes, I know about that.”
8 Yebo, kawuzwanga; yebo, kawazanga; yebo, kusukela ngalesosikhathi indlebe yakho yayingavulekanga; ngoba bengisazi ukuthi uzakwenza lokwenza ngenkohliso, wabizwa ngokuthi uyisiphambuki kusukela esizalweni.
No, you've never heard that, and you've never known that! Nobody's told you about that before! I know how deviously you operate—you're called “rebels from birth”!
9 Ngenxa yebizo lami ngizaphuzisa ulaka lwami, langenxa yodumo lwami ngizibambe ngawe, ukuze ngingakuqumi.
But because of my nature I am delaying my punishment; and because of my reputation, I'm not going to destroy you.
10 Khangela, ngikuhlolile, kodwa hatshi ngesiliva, ngikukhethile esithandweni senhlupheko.
Look how I've refined you, but not like silver—I chose you in the furnace of trouble.
11 Ngenxa yami, ngenxa yami ngiyakwenza; ngoba ibizo lami lingangcoliswa njani? Njalo kangiyikunika udumo lwami komunye.
The reason I'm doing this is because of who I am, yes, because of my very nature. I won't let my reputation be damaged—I won't let anyone else have it.
12 Ngilalela, Jakobe, lawe Israyeli obiziweyo wami: Nginguye; ngingowokuqala, njalo ngingowokucina.
Listen to me, Jacon, and Israel, the one I called. Only I am God. I am the first, and I am the last.
13 Isandla sami laso sabeka isisekelo somhlaba, lesandla sami sokunene sendlale amazulu; lapho ngikubiza, kuyasukuma kanyekanye.
I laid the foundations of the earth with my own hands; I personally spread out the heavens. When I call the stars, they all take their positions.
14 Buthanani lina lonke, lizwe; ngubani phakathi kwabo omemezele lezizinto? INkosi imthandile; izakwenza intando yayo eBhabhiloni, lengalo yayo izakuba phezu kwamaKhaladiya.
Everyone gather round and listen. Which of your “gods” told you anything like this? The one the Lord loves will carry out the Lord's wishes against Babylon—he will attack the Babylonians.
15 Mina uqobo ngikhulumile; yebo ngambiza, ngimlethile, njalo uzaphumelelisa indlela yakhe.
I myself have spoken. I have called him to do this, and he will be successful in what he does.
16 Sondelani kimi, lizwe lokhu; kangikhulumanga ensitha kusukela ekuqaleni; kusukela kulesosikhathi kusenzeka, ngikhona. Khathesi-ke iNkosi uJehova kanye loMoya wayo ingithumile.
Come close to me, and listen to this. From the very beginning I haven't spoken in secret; I am always there right when it happens. Now the Lord God and his Spirit has sent me to tell you this:
17 Itsho njalo iNkosi, uMhlengi wakho, oNgcwele kaIsrayeli: NgiyiNkosi, uNkulunkulu wakho, ekufundisa okukusizayo, ekukhokhela ngendlela ofanele ukuthi uhambe ngayo.
This is what the Lord says, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, I am the Lord your God. I am the one who teaches you what is good for you, who leads you along the way you should go.
18 Kungathi ngabe walalela imilayo yami! Khona ukuthula kwakho kwakuzakuba njengomfula, lokulunga kwakho njengamagagasi olwandle.
If you had only listened carefully to what I told you! Then your blessings would have flowed like a river, and goodness would have washed over you like the waves of the sea.
19 Inzalo yakho layo yayizakuba njengetshebetshebe, lembewu yemibilini yakho njengezinhlamvu zalo; ibizo lawo belingayikuqunywa kumbe lichithwe lisuke phambi kwami.
Your children, your descendants, would have been like all those grains of sand. They wouldn't have had to be destroyed, wiped out before me.
20 Phumani eBhabhiloni, libalekele amaKhaladiya, limemeze ngelizwi lokuhlabelela, likuzwakalise, likuphumisele ngasemkhawulweni womhlaba, lithi: INkosi ihlengile inceku yayo uJakobe.
Leave Babylon! Run away from Babylonia with happy shouts! Let everyone know, telling the whole earth, “The Lord has redeemed his servant Jacob!”
21 Njalo kabomanga lapho ibakhokhela bedabula izinkangala; yenza amanzi abagelezela evela edwaleni, futhi yaqhekeza idwala, lamanzi ampompoza.
They weren't thirsty when he led them through the desert—he made water come out of the rock for them. He split the rock open and water poured out.
22 Akulakuthula, itsho INkosi, kwabakhohlakeleyo.
The wicked have no peace, says the Lord.
