U-Isaya 49
1 Ngilalelani, zihlenge; lizwe, lina bantu abakhatshana: INkosi ingibizile ngisesiswini; ngisemibilini kamama yaqamba ibizo lami.
Sh'ma ·Hear obey·, islands, to me. Listen, you peoples, from afar: Adonai has called me from the womb; from the inside of my mother he has mentioned my name.
2 Yasisenza umlomo wami waba njengenkemba ebukhali, yangifihla ngaphansi komthunzi wesandla sayo; yangenza ngibe ngumtshoko ololiweyo, yangifihla esambeni sayo semitshoko.
He has made my mouth like a sharp sword. He has hidden me in the shadow of his hand. He has made me a polished shaft. He has kept me close in his quiver.
3 Yathi kimi: Uyinceku yami, Israyeli, engizazidumisa ngayo.
He said to me, “You are my servant; Israel [God prevails], in 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 said, “I have labored in vain. I have spent my strength in vain for nothing; yet surely the mishpat ·justice· due to me is with Adonai, and my reward 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.
Now Adonai says, he who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob [Supplanter] again to him, and to gather Israel [God prevails] to him, for I am honorable in Adonai’s eyes, and my God has become 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.
Indeed, he says, “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob [Supplanter], and to restore the preserved of Israel [God prevails]? I will also give you as a light to the nations, that you may be my yishu'ah ·salvation·to 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.
Adonai, the Go'eil Isra'el [Redeemer of God prevails], and his Holy One, says to him whom man despises, to him whom the nation abhors, to a servant of rulers: “Kings shall see and rise up; princes, and they shall hawa ·bow low, prostrate· to worship; because of Adonai who is faithful, even haKadosh Isra'el [the Holy One of God prevails], who has chosen you.”
8 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Ngesikhathi esemukelekayo ngikuphendulile, langosuku losindiso ngikusizile; njalo ngizakulondoloza, ngikunike ube yisivumelwano sabantu, ukuvuselela umhlaba, ukubenza badle amafa achithekileyo,
Adonai says, “In an acceptable time I have answered you, and in a day of yishu'ah ·salvation· I have helped you. I will preserve you, and give you for a covenant ·binding contract between two or more parties· of the people, to raise up the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritage:
9 ukuze uthi kuzibotshwa: Phumani; kwabasemnyameni: Zivezeni. Bazakudla ezindleleni, ledlelo labo libe semadundulwini wonke.
saying to those who are bound, ‘Come out!’; to those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves!’ “They shall feed along the paths, and their pasture shall be on all treeless heights.
10 Kabayikulamba, kumbe bome, njalo ukutshisa kumbe ilanga kakuyikubatshaya, ngoba yena olesihawu kibo uzabakhokhela, lemithonjeni yamanzi uzabaqondisa.
They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun strike them: for he who has racham ·merciful love· towards them will lead them. He will guide them by springs of water.
11 Njalo ngizakwenza zonke intaba zami zibe yindlela, lemigwaqo yami iphakame.
I will make all my mountains a road, and my highways shall be exalted.
12 Khangela laba bazavela khatshana, njalo khangela laba ngasenyakatho langasentshonalanga, lalaba elizweni leSinimi.
Behold, these shall come from afar; and behold, 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, heavens; and be joyful, earth; and break out into singing, mountains: for Adonai has comforted his people, and will have racham ·compassionate love· on his afflicted.
14 Kodwa iZiyoni yathi: UJehova ungidelile, njalo iNkosi yami ingikhohliwe.
But Zion [Mountain ridge, Marking] said, “Adonai has forsaken me, and 'Adonay [Lord] has 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 nursing child, that she should not have racham ·compassionate love· on the son of her womb? Yes, these may forget, yet I will not forget you!
16 Khangela, ngikubhale ngokugubha ezintendeni zezandla; imiduli yakho ihlezi iphambi kwami.
Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. Your walls are continually before me.
17 Abantwana bakho bazaphangisa; abachithi bakho labakumotshayo bazaphuma kuwe.
Your children hurry. Your destroyers and those who devastated you will leave you.
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 your eyes all around, and see: all these gather themselves together, and come to you. As I live,” says Adonai, “you shall surely clothe yourself with them all as with an ornament, and dress yourself with them, like a bride.
19 Ngoba indawo zakho ezichithekileyo lamanxiwa akho, lelizwe lencithakalo yakho, isibili khathesi lizaminyana kakhulu ngenxa yabahlali; lalabo abakuginyayo bazakuba khatshana.
“For, as for your waste and your desolate places, and your land that has been destroyed, surely now that land will be too small for the inhabitants, and those who swallowed you up will be far away.
20 Abantwana bokufelwa kwakho bazakuthi futhi endlebeni zakho: Lindawo iminyene kakhulu kimi; ngivulela indawo ukuze ngihlale!
The children of your bereavement will say in your ears, ‘This place is too small for me. Give me a place to live in.’
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?
Then you will say in your heart, ‘Who has conceived these for me, since I have been bereaved of my children, and am solitary, an exile, and wandering back and forth? Who has brought these up? Behold, I was left alone. Where were these?’”
22 Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Khangela, ngizaphakamisela izizwe isandla sami, ngimise uphawu lwami ebantwini; njalo bazaletha amadodana akho esifubeni, lamadodakazi akho bewetshete.
Thus says 'Adonay Adonai [Lord Yahweh], “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations, and lift up my banner to the peoples; and they shall bring your sons in their bosom, and your daughters shall be carried on their 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.
Kings shall be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow down to you with their faces to the earth, and lick the dust of your feet; Then you will know that I am Adonai; and those who wait for me shall not be disappointed.”
24 Impango izathathwa yini kolamandla, kumbe umthunjwa ngokomthetho akhululwe?
Shall the plunder be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captives be delivered?
25 Kodwa itsho njalo iNkosi: Yebo, abathunjiweyo beqhawe bazathathwa, lempango yabesabekayo izakophulwa; ngoba mina ngizalwisana laye olwisana lawe, mina-ke ngisindise abantwana bakho.
But Adonai says, “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the plunder retrieved from the fierce; for I will contend with him who contends with you, and I will save your children.
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.
I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh; and they will be drunk on their own blood, as with sweet wine. Then all flesh shall know that I, Adonai, am the One who saves you, and your Redeemer, the 'Avir Ya'akov [Mighty One of Supplanter].”
