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, you who are called by the name of Israel, and have come out of the waters of Judah. You swear by the LORD’s name, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness—
2 Ngoba bazibiza ngokuthi bangabomuzi oyingcwele, beseyama kuNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli; iNkosi yamabandla libizo lakhe.
for they call themselves citizens of the holy city, and rely on the God of Israel; the LORD of Armies is his name.
3 Ngamemezela izinto zamandulo kwasekuqaleni, zaphuma emlonyeni wami, ngazizwakalisa; ngenza masinyane, zafika.
I have declared the former things from of old. Yes, they went out of my mouth, and I revealed them. I did them suddenly, and they happened.
4 Ngoba ngangisazi ukuthi ulukhuni, lentamo yakho ingumsipha wensimbi, lebunzi lakho lilithusi;
Because I knew that you are obstinate, and your neck is an iron sinew, and your brow bronze;
5 ngitsho kwasekuqaleni ngamemezela kuwe, kungakenzakali ngakwenza wakuzwa, hlezi uthi: Isithombe sami sizenzile, lesithombe sami esibaziweyo, lesithombe sami esibunjwe ngokuncibilikisa sikulayile.
therefore I have declared it to you from of old; before it came to pass I showed it to you; lest you should say, ‘My idol has done them. My engraved image and my molten image has commanded them.’
6 Usuzwile, khangela konke lokhu; njalo kaliyikukumemezela yini? Ngikwenze uzwe izinto ezintsha kusukela khathesi, lezinto ezifihlakeleyo obungazazi.
You have heard it. Now see all this. And you, won’t you declare it? “I have shown you new things from this time, even hidden things, which you have not known.
7 Zidalwe khathesi, kungeyisikho ekuqaleni; ngitsho lungakafiki lolusuku ungakezwa ngazo, hlezi uthi: Khangela, bengizazi.
They are created now, and not from of old. Before today, you didn’t hear them, lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them.’
8 Yebo, kawuzwanga; yebo, kawazanga; yebo, kusukela ngalesosikhathi indlebe yakho yayingavulekanga; ngoba bengisazi ukuthi uzakwenza lokwenza ngenkohliso, wabizwa ngokuthi uyisiphambuki kusukela esizalweni.
Yes, you didn’t hear. Yes, you didn’t know. Yes, from of old your ear was not opened, for I knew that you dealt very treacherously, and were called a transgressor from the womb.
9 Ngenxa yebizo lami ngizaphuzisa ulaka lwami, langenxa yodumo lwami ngizibambe ngawe, ukuze ngingakuqumi.
For my name’s sake, I will defer my anger, and for my praise, I hold it back for you so that I don’t cut you off.
10 Khangela, ngikuhlolile, kodwa hatshi ngesiliva, ngikukhethile esithandweni senhlupheko.
Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver. I have chosen 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 do it; for how would my name be profaned? I will not give my glory to another.
12 Ngilalela, Jakobe, lawe Israyeli obiziweyo wami: Nginguye; ngingowokuqala, njalo ngingowokucina.
“Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel my called: I am he. I am the first. I am also the last.
13 Isandla sami laso sabeka isisekelo somhlaba, lesandla sami sokunene sendlale amazulu; lapho ngikubiza, kuyasukuma kanyekanye.
Yes, my hand has laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand has 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 hear! Who among them has declared these things? He whom the LORD loves will do what he likes to Babylon, and his arm will be against the Chaldeans.
15 Mina uqobo ngikhulumile; yebo ngambiza, ngimlethile, njalo uzaphumelelisa indlela yakhe.
I, even I, have spoken. Yes, I have called him. I have brought him and he shall make his way prosperous.
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 and hear this: “From the beginning I have not spoken in secret; from the time that it happened, I was there.” Now the Lord GOD has sent me with his Spirit.
17 Itsho njalo iNkosi, uMhlengi wakho, oNgcwele kaIsrayeli: NgiyiNkosi, uNkulunkulu wakho, ekufundisa okukusizayo, ekukhokhela ngendlela ofanele ukuthi uhambe ngayo.
The LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, says: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit, 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.
Oh that you had listened to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river and your righteousness 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 offspring also would have been as the sand and the descendants of your body like its grains. His name would not be cut off nor destroyed from before me.”
20 Phumani eBhabhiloni, libalekele amaKhaladiya, limemeze ngelizwi lokuhlabelela, likuzwakalise, likuphumisele ngasemkhawulweni womhlaba, lithi: INkosi ihlengile inceku yayo uJakobe.
Leave Babylon! Flee from the Chaldeans! With the sound of joyful shouting announce this, tell it even to the end of the earth; say, “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 didn’t thirst when he led them through the deserts. He caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them. He also split the rock and the waters gushed out.
22 Akulakuthula, itsho INkosi, kwabakhohlakeleyo.
“There is no peace”, says the LORD, “for the wicked.”
