U-Isaya 49
1 Ngilalelani, zihlenge; lizwe, lina bantu abakhatshana: INkosi ingibizile ngisesiswini; ngisemibilini kamama yaqamba ibizo lami.
Hearken, O isles, unto me; and listen, ye people, from afar: The Lord hath called me from my birth; from my mother's womb hath he made mention of my name.
2 Yasisenza umlomo wami waba njengenkemba ebukhali, yangifihla ngaphansi komthunzi wesandla sayo; yangenza ngibe ngumtshoko ololiweyo, yangifihla esambeni sayo semitshoko.
And he hath rendered my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hidden me: and he hath rendered me as a polished arrow; in his quiver hath he concealed me;
3 Yathi kimi: Uyinceku yami, Israyeli, engizazidumisa ngayo.
And said unto me, My servant art thou, O Israel, thou on whom I will be glorified.
4 Ngasengisithi mina: Ngitshikatshikele ize, amandla ami ngiwachithele okungelutho lokuyize; qiniso, isahlulelo sami siseNkosini, lomvuzo wami ukuNkulunkulu wami.
But I had indeed said, For no purpose have I labored, for naught and vanity have I spent my strength; yet surely my cause is with the Lord, and the recompense of my work with my God.
5 Khathesi-ke itsho iNkosi, eyangibumba kwasesiswini ukuba yinceku yayo yokubuyisela uJakobe kuyo; lanxa uIsrayeli engabuthwanga, kube kanti ngizadunyiswa emehlweni eNkosi; njalo uNkulunkulu wami uzakuba ngamandla ami.
And now hath said the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, that Israel may be gathered unto him, that I should be honored in the eyes of the Lord, while my God was my strength, —
6 Yasisithi: Kuyinto encane ukuthi ube yinceku yami yokuvusa izizwe zikaJakobe, lokubuyisela abalondoloziweyo bakoIsrayeli; ngizakupha futhi ube yikukhanya kwabezizwe, ukuze ube lusindiso lwami kuze kube semkhawulweni womhlaba.
And he said, It is too light a thing that thou shouldst be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to bring back the preserved of Israel! but I will [also] appoint thee for a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach as far as the end of the earth.
7 Itsho njalo iNkosi, uMhlengi kaIsrayeli, oNgcwele wakhe, kumphefumulo odelelwayo, kuye onengwa yisizwe, kunceku yababusi: Amakhosi azabona asukume, iziphathamandla lazo zizakhonza, ngenxa yeNkosi ethembekileyo, oNgcwele kaIsrayeli, ekukhethileyo.
Thus hath said the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, his Holy One, to him who is despised by men, to him who is abhorred by nations, to the servant of rulers, Kings shall see it and rise up, princes, and they shall prostrate themselves, for the sake of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who hath made choice of thee.
8 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Ngesikhathi esemukelekayo ngikuphendulile, langosuku losindiso ngikusizile; njalo ngizakulondoloza, ngikunike ube yisivumelwano sabantu, ukuvuselela umhlaba, ukubenza badle amafa achithekileyo,
Thus hath said the Lord, In the time of favor have I answered thee, and on the day of salvation have I helped thee; and I will preserve thee, and I will appoint thee as a people of my covenant to raise up the land, to divide out desolate heritages;
9 ukuze uthi kuzibotshwa: Phumani; kwabasemnyameni: Zivezeni. Bazakudla ezindleleni, ledlelo labo libe semadundulwini wonke.
When I say to the prisoners, Go forth; to those that are in darkness, Show yourselves. On the roads shall they feed, and on all mountain-peaks shall be their pasture.
10 Kabayikulamba, kumbe bome, njalo ukutshisa kumbe ilanga kakuyikubatshaya, ngoba yena olesihawu kibo uzabakhokhela, lemithonjeni yamanzi uzabaqondisa.
They shall not be hungry nor thirsty, and neither heat nor sun shall smite them; for he that hath mercy on them will lead them, and by springs of water will he guide them.
11 Njalo ngizakwenza zonke intaba zami zibe yindlela, lemigwaqo yami iphakame.
And I will change all my mountains into a road, and my highways shall be lifted up.
12 Khangela laba bazavela khatshana, njalo khangela laba ngasenyakatho langasentshonalanga, lalaba elizweni leSinimi.
Behold, these shall come from afar; and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.
13 Hlabelelani, mazulu, uthokoze, lawe mhlaba, lihlokome ngokuhlabela, lani zintaba, ngoba iNkosi ibaduduzile abantu bayo, izakuba lesihawu kwabahluphekileyo bayo.
Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth, O mountains, into song; for the Lord hath comforted his people, and upon his oppressed will he have mercy.
14 Kodwa iZiyoni yathi: UJehova ungidelile, njalo iNkosi yami ingikhohliwe.
Yet Zion said, the Eternal hath forsaken me, and the Lord hath forgotten me.
15 Owesifazana angamkhohlwa yini umntanakhe omunyayo, ukuba angabi lasihawu kuyo indodana yesisu sakhe? Yebo, bona bangakhohlwa, kodwa mina kangiyikukukhohlwa.
Can a woman forget her sucking child, not to have mercy on the son of her body? yea, should these even forget, yet would I not forget thee.
16 Khangela, ngikubhale ngokugubha ezintendeni zezandla; imiduli yakho ihlezi iphambi kwami.
Behold, upon the palms of my hands have I engraved thee; thy walls are continually before me.
17 Abantwana bakho bazaphangisa; abachithi bakho labakumotshayo bazaphuma kuwe.
Thy children come in haste; thy destroyers and they that laid thee waste shall go away from thee.
18 Phakamisa amehlo akho inhlangothi zonke, ukhangele; bonke laba bayabuthana, beze kuwe. Kuphila kwami, itsho iNkosi, isibili, uzazigqokisa ngabo bonke njengesiceciso, uzibhince ngabo njengomakoti.
Lift up thy eyes round about, and see; they all are assembled together, they come to thee: as I live, saith the Lord, thou shalt surely clothe thyself with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as a bride.
19 Ngoba indawo zakho ezichithekileyo lamanxiwa akho, lelizwe lencithakalo yakho, isibili khathesi lizaminyana kakhulu ngenxa yabahlali; lalabo abakuginyayo bazakuba khatshana.
For thy ruins and thy desolate places, and thy wasted land, —yea, now shall it be too narrow for thee by reason of the inhabitants, and thy destroyers shall be far away.
20 Abantwana bokufelwa kwakho bazakuthi futhi endlebeni zakho: Lindawo iminyene kakhulu kimi; ngivulela indawo ukuze ngihlale!
Yet again will say before thy ears the children of whom thou wast deprived, The place is too narrow for me; make room for me that I may dwell.
21 Khona uzakuthi enhliziyweni yakho: Ngubani ongizalele laba, njengoba ngafelwa ngabantwana, ngaba njengenyumba, ngingumthunjwa, ngisiwa le lale? Njalo ngubani okhulise laba? Khangela mina ngangisele ngedwa; laba babengaphi?
And thou wilt say in thy heart, Who hath born me these, seeing I was bereft of my children, and was solitary, an exile, and outcast? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left entirely alone; these, where have they been?
22 Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Khangela, ngizaphakamisela izizwe isandla sami, ngimise uphawu lwami ebantwini; njalo bazaletha amadodana akho esifubeni, lamadodakazi akho bewetshete.
Thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Behold, I will lift up to the nations my hand, and to the people will I raise up high my standard; and they shall bring thy sons in [their] arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon shoulders.
23 Lamakhosi azakuba ngabondli bakho, lezindlovukazi zawo zibe ngabalizane bakho. Bazakukhothamela ngobuso emhlabathini, bakhothe uthuli lwezinyawo zakho. Njalo uzakwazi ukuthi mina ngiyiNkosi, ngoba abangithembayo kabayikuyangeka.
And kings shall be thy nursing-fathers, and their princesses thy nursing-mothers; with the face toward the earth shall they bow down to thee, and the dust of thy feet shall they lick up: and thou shalt know that I am the Lord, who will not suffer those who hope in me to be ashamed.
24 Impango izathathwa yini kolamandla, kumbe umthunjwa ngokomthetho akhululwe?
Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or shall the captive of the victor escape?
25 Kodwa itsho njalo iNkosi: Yebo, abathunjiweyo beqhawe bazathathwa, lempango yabesabekayo izakophulwa; ngoba mina ngizalwisana laye olwisana lawe, mina-ke ngisindise abantwana bakho.
For thus hath said the Lord, Also the captive of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the powerful shall escape; and with those who contend against thee will I contend, and thy children will I indeed save.
26 Njalo ngizadlisa abacindezeli bakho eyabo inyama, badakwe ngelabo igazi kungathi ngewayini elimnandi. Njalo yonke inyama izakwazi ukuthi mina Nkosi nginguMsindisi wakho, loMhlengi wakho, oLamandla kaJakobe.
And I will feed thy oppressors with their own flesh; and as with new wine shall they be made drunken with their own blood: and all flesh shall know that I the Eternal am thy Saviour, and thy Redeemer the Mighty One of Jacob.
