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.
Hear this, house of Jacob, who are called by the name Israel, and have come from the sperm of Judah; you who swear by the name of Yahweh and invoke the God of Israel, but not sincerely nor in a righteous manner.
2 Ngoba bazibiza ngokuthi bangabomuzi oyingcwele, beseyama kuNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli; iNkosi yamabandla libizo lakhe.
For they call themselves people of the holy city and trust in the God of Israel. Yahweh of hosts is his name.
3 Ngamemezela izinto zamandulo kwasekuqaleni, zaphuma emlonyeni wami, ngazizwakalisa; ngenza masinyane, zafika.
“I have declared the things from long ago; they came out from my mouth, and I made them known; then suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.
4 Ngoba ngangisazi ukuthi ulukhuni, lentamo yakho ingumsipha wensimbi, lebunzi lakho lilithusi;
Because I knew that you were obstinate, your neck muscles tight as iron, and your forehead like bronze,
5 ngitsho kwasekuqaleni ngamemezela kuwe, kungakenzakali ngakwenza wakuzwa, hlezi uthi: Isithombe sami sizenzile, lesithombe sami esibaziweyo, lesithombe sami esibunjwe ngokuncibilikisa sikulayile.
therefore I declared these things to you beforehand; before they happened I informed you, so you could not say, 'My idol has done them,' or 'My carved figure and my cast metal figure has ordained these things.'
6 Usuzwile, khangela konke lokhu; njalo kaliyikukumemezela yini? Ngikwenze uzwe izinto ezintsha kusukela khathesi, lezinto ezifihlakeleyo obungazazi.
You heard about these things; look at all this evidence; and you, will you not admit what I said is true? From now on, I am showing you new things, hidden things that you have not known.
7 Zidalwe khathesi, kungeyisikho ekuqaleni; ngitsho lungakafiki lolusuku ungakezwa ngazo, hlezi uthi: Khangela, bengizazi.
Now, and not from previously, they come into being, and before today you have not heard about them, so you will not be able to say, 'Yes, I knew about them.'
8 Yebo, kawuzwanga; yebo, kawazanga; yebo, kusukela ngalesosikhathi indlebe yakho yayingavulekanga; ngoba bengisazi ukuthi uzakwenza lokwenza ngenkohliso, wabizwa ngokuthi uyisiphambuki kusukela esizalweni.
You never heard; you did not know; these things were not unfolded to your ears beforehand. For I knew that you have been very deceitful, and that you have been a rebel from birth.
9 Ngenxa yebizo lami ngizaphuzisa ulaka lwami, langenxa yodumo lwami ngizibambe ngawe, ukuze ngingakuqumi.
For the sake of my name I will defer my anger, and for my honor I will hold back from destroying you.
10 Khangela, ngikuhlolile, kodwa hatshi ngesiliva, ngikukhethile esithandweni senhlupheko.
Look, I refined you, but not as silver; I have purified you in the furnace of affliction.
11 Ngenxa yami, ngenxa yami ngiyakwenza; ngoba ibizo lami lingangcoliswa njani? Njalo kangiyikunika udumo lwami komunye.
For my own sake, for my own sake I will act; for how can I allow my name to be profaned? I will not give my glory to anyone else.
12 Ngilalela, Jakobe, lawe Israyeli obiziweyo wami: Nginguye; ngingowokuqala, njalo ngingowokucina.
Listen to me, Jacob, and Israel, whom I called: I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.
13 Isandla sami laso sabeka isisekelo somhlaba, lesandla sami sokunene sendlale amazulu; lapho ngikubiza, kuyasukuma kanyekanye.
Yes, my hand laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens; when I call to them, they stand up together.
14 Buthanani lina lonke, lizwe; ngubani phakathi kwabo omemezele lezizinto? INkosi imthandile; izakwenza intando yayo eBhabhiloni, lengalo yayo izakuba phezu kwamaKhaladiya.
Assemble yourselves, all of you, and listen! Who among you has announced these things? Yahweh's ally will accomplish his purpose against Babylon. He will carry out Yahweh's will against the Chaldeans.
15 Mina uqobo ngikhulumile; yebo ngambiza, ngimlethile, njalo uzaphumelelisa indlela yakhe.
I, I have spoken, yes, I have summoned him, I have brought him, and he will succeed.
16 Sondelani kimi, lizwe lokhu; kangikhulumanga ensitha kusukela ekuqaleni; kusukela kulesosikhathi kusenzeka, ngikhona. Khathesi-ke iNkosi uJehova kanye loMoya wayo ingithumile.
Come near to me, listen to this: From the beginning I have not spoken in secret; when it happens, I am there.” Now the Lord Yahweh has sent me, and his Spirit.
17 Itsho njalo iNkosi, uMhlengi wakho, oNgcwele kaIsrayeli: NgiyiNkosi, uNkulunkulu wakho, ekufundisa okukusizayo, ekukhokhela ngendlela ofanele ukuthi uhambe ngayo.
This is what Yahweh, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel says, “I am Yahweh your God, who teaches you how to succeed, who leads you by the way that you should go.
18 Kungathi ngabe walalela imilayo yami! Khona ukuthula kwakho kwakuzakuba njengomfula, lokulunga kwakho njengamagagasi olwandle.
If only you had obeyed my commandments! Then your peace and prosperity would have flowed like a river, and your salvation 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 descendants would have been as numerous as the sand, and the children from your womb as numerous as the grains of sand; their name would not have been cut off nor blotted out from before me.
20 Phumani eBhabhiloni, libalekele amaKhaladiya, limemeze ngelizwi lokuhlabelela, likuzwakalise, likuphumisele ngasemkhawulweni womhlaba, lithi: INkosi ihlengile inceku yayo uJakobe.
Come out from Babylon! Flee from the Chaldeans! With the sound of a ringing cry announce it! Make this known, make it go out to the ends of the earth! Say, 'Yahweh has redeemed his servant Jacob.'
21 Njalo kabomanga lapho ibakhokhela bedabula izinkangala; yenza amanzi abagelezela evela edwaleni, futhi yaqhekeza idwala, lamanzi ampompoza.
They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts; he made the water to flow out of the rock for them; he split open the rock, and the waters gushed out.
22 Akulakuthula, itsho INkosi, kwabakhohlakeleyo.
There is no peace for the wicked—says Yahweh.”
