< U-Isaya 5 >
1 Ake ngihlabelele othandiweyo wami ingoma yomthandwa wami ngesivini sakhe. Othandiweyo wami ulesivini oqaqeni oluvundileyo.
I will sing now for my beloved, the song of my dear one touching his vineyard. A vineyard had my beloved on a rich hill-top;
2 Wasibiyela, wakhupha amatshe kiso, wasihlanyela ngevini elikhethiweyo, wakha umphotshongo phakathi kwaso, wagubha lesikhamelo sewayini kiso; walindela ukuthi sizathela izithelo zevini, kodwa sathela izithelo zevini ezimunyu.
And he fenced it in, and cleared it of stones, and planted it with the choicest vines, and built a tower in its midst, and also a winepress he hewed out therein: and he hoped that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth worthless fruit.
3 Ngakho-ke, bahlali beJerusalema, lani madoda akoJuda, ake lahlulele phakathi kwami lesivini sami.
And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, between me and my vineyard.
4 Ngabe kwenziwani okunye esivinini sami engingakwenzanga kuso? Ngalindelelani ukuthi sizathela izithelo zevini, kodwa sathela izithelo zevini ezimunyu?
What more was to be done to my vineyard, that I had not done in it? Why then did I hope that it should bring forth grapes, while it brought forth worthless fruit?
5 Ngakho-ke, ake ngilitshele engizakwenza esivinini sami: Ngizasusa uthango lwaso ukuze sibe lidlelo, ngidilize umduli waso ukuze sibe ngesokugxotshwa.
And now I will let you know also what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it shall be eaten off; I will break down its wall, and it shall be trodden down;
6 Ngizasenza sibe liganga, singathenwa, singahlakulwa, kodwa kumile ameva lokhula oluhlabayo. Njalo ngizalaya amayezi ukuthi anganisi izulu phezu kwaso.
And I will lay it quite waste; it shall not be pruned, nor hoed around; and it shall be overgrown with briers and thorns; and the clouds will I command that they send down no rain upon it.
7 Ngoba isivini seNkosi yamabandla yindlu kaIsrayeli, labantu bakoJuda bayisithombo sentokozo zayo. Njalo yayilindele isahlulelo, kodwa khangela, ukuchithwa kwegazi; ukulunga, kodwa khangela, ukukhala.
For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are the plant of his delight: and he hoped for justice, but behold injustice; for equity, but behold iniquity.
8 Maye kulabo abahlanganisa indlu lendlu, abasondeza insimu lensimu, kuze kusweleke indawo, lina-ke lihlale lodwa phakathi kwelizwe!
Woe unto those that cause house to join on house, bring field near to field, till there is no more room, so that ye may be left alone as the inhabitants in the midst of the land!
9 Endlebeni zami iNkosi yamabandla yathi: Isibili izindlu ezinengi zizakuba ngamanxiwa, ezinkulu lezinhle zingabi lamhlali.
In my ears [spoke] the Lord of hosts, Truly many houses shall become desolate, yea, great and beautiful ones without an inhabitant.
10 Ngoba indima ezilitshumi zesivini zizathela ibhathi elilodwa, lehomeri lenhlanyelo lithele i-efa.
Yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yield [but] one bath, and a chomer-seed shall yield [but] an ephah.
11 Maye kwabavuka ekuseni kakhulu, bexotshana lokunathwayo okulamandla, balibale kuze kuhlwe, lize iwayini libalumathise!
Woe unto those that rise up early in the morning, that they may run after strong drink; that continue until late in the twilight, till wine inflame them!
12 Njalo ichacho lomhubhe, isigubhu lomhlanga, lewayini kusemadilini abo, kodwa kabananzi isenzo seNkosi, bengaboni umsebenzi wezandla zayo.
And there are harp and psaltery, tambourine and flute, and wine at their drinking-feasts; but the deeds of the Lord they regard not, and the works of his hands they behold not.
13 Ngakho abantu bami bazakuya ekuthunjweni ngenxa yokungabi lolwazi, lamadoda abo odumo alendlala, lenengi labo lizakoma ngumhawu.
Therefore are my people led into exile, for want of knowledge: and their honorable men suffer of famine, and their multitude are panting with thirst.
14 Ngakho ingcwaba lizazinabulula, livule umlomo walo ube banzi ngokungelasilinganiso, kuze kwehle udumo lwabo lobunengi babo lenxokozelo yabo lothokozayo phakathi kwabo. (Sheol )
Therefore hath the deep enlarged her desire, and opened her mouth without measure: and there descend [Jerusalem's] glory, and her multitude, and her noise, and whoever rejoiced therein. (Sheol )
15 Lomuntukazana uzakwehliselwa phansi, lomuntu ophakemeyo athotshiswe, lamehlo abazikhukhumezayo athotshiswe.
And bent down shall be the son of earth, and humbled shall be the man, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled;
16 Kodwa iNkosi yamabandla izaphakanyiswa ngesahlulelo, loNkulunkulu ongcwele uzangcweliswa ngokulunga.
And the Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and the holy God shall be sanctified by [displaying his] righteousness.
17 Lamawundlu azakudla ngokwendlela yawo, labemzini badle amanxiwa abakhulupheleyo.
Then shall the sheep feed according to their wont, and the ruins of the fat ones shall sojourners eat.
18 Maye kwabadonsa isiphambeko ngentambo zeze, lesono njengamagoda enqola!
Woe unto those that draw iniquity with the cords of falsehood, and as with a wagon-rope, sinfulness;
19 Labo abathi: Kaphangise, aphangisise umsebenzi wakhe, ukuze siwubone; lecebo loNgcwele kaIsrayeli kalisondele lize, ukuze silazi.
That say, Let him make speed, let him hasten his work, that we may see it: and let draw nigh and come the counsel of the Holy One of Israel, that we may know it!
20 Maye kwabathi kokubi kuhle, lakokuhle kubi, ababeka umnyama ube yikukhanya, lokukhanya kube ngumnyama, ababeka okubabayo kube mnandi, lokumnandi kube ngokubabayo!
Woe unto those that say of the evil it is good, and of the good it is evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
21 Maye kwabahlakaniphileyo emehlweni abo, labaqedisisayo phambi kobuso babo!
Woe unto those that are wise in their own eyes, and intelligent in their own esteem!
22 Maye kwabangamaqhawe okunatha iwayini, lamadoda alamandla okuhlanganisa okunathwayo okulamandla;
Woe unto those that are heroes to drink wine, and men of might to mingle strong drink;
23 abalungisisa okhohlakeleyo ngenxa yomvuzo, basuse ukulunga kwabalungileyo kubo!
Who justify the wicked in lieu of a bribe, and who deprive the righteous of their right!
24 Ngakho njengolimi lomlilo lusidla isidindi sotshani, lamakhoba edilika ngelangabi, ngokunjalo impande yabo izakuba njengokubola, lempoko yabo iphephuke njengothuli; ngoba bewalile umlayo weNkosi yamabandla, balidelela ilizwi loNgcwele kaIsrayeli.
Therefore as the tongue of the fire devoureth the stubble, and dry hay sinketh before the flame: so shall their root be as rotten things, and their blossom shall fly up as the dust; because they have despised the law of the Lord of hosts, and the word of the Holy One of Israel they have rejected.
25 Ngenxa yalokho ulaka lweNkosi lubavuthele abantu bayo, yelula isandla sayo imelene labo, yabatshaya, izintaba zaze zazamazama, lezidumbu zabo zaba njengengcekeza phakathi kwezitalada. Ngenxa yakho konke lokhu ulaka lwayo kaluphenduki, kodwa isandla sayo silokhu seluliwe.
For this cause is kindled the anger of the Lord against his people, and he stretcheth forth his hand against them, and he smiteth them; and the mountains tremble, and their carcasses lie like sweepings in the midst of the streets: with all this his anger is not turned away, but still is his hand stretched out.
26 Njalo izasiphakamisela isizwe isiboniso ikhatshana, isitshayele ikhwelo isekucineni komhlaba; khangela-ke, sizakuza masinyane ngejubane.
And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from afar, and will call for one of them from the end of the earth; and, behold, with speed, swiftly, it cometh;
27 Kakho ozadinwa, njalo kakho ozakhubeka phakathi kwaso, kakho ozawozela, njalo kakho ozalala, njalo kakho ozakhululelwa ibhanti lokhalo lwakhe, njalo kakho ozaqanyukelwa ngumchilo wamanyathela akhe.
There is none weary, nor stumbling among its men; it slumbereth not, it sleepeth not; not loosened is the girdle of its loins, not broken is the latchet of its shoes;
28 Omitshoko yakhe ibukhali, lomadandili akhe wonke agotshiwe; amasondo amabhiza akhe azabalwa njengelitshe elilukhuni, lamavili akhe njengesivunguzane.
Whose arrows are sharpened, and all whose bows are bent; its horses hoofs are hard like the flint, and its wheels like the whirlwind;
29 Ukubhonga kwakhe kuzakuba njengokwesilwane, njalo uzabhonga njengamabhongo esilwane, abhavume abambe impango, ayilethe ekuvikelekeni, njalo kungekho umemuki.
It hath a roar like the lioness, it roareth like the young lions: yea, it growleth, and layeth hold of the prey, and carrieth it safely off, with none to deliver.
30 Bazakubhavumela ngalolosuku njengokubhavuma kolwandle. Uba umuntu ekhangela emhlabeni, khangela-ke, umnyama, usizi, lokukhanya kwenziwe kwaba mnyama ngamayezi aso.
And it will rage against them on that day like with the raging of the sea: and if one look unto the earth, behold, there is darkness, oppression, and the light is darkened through the darkness of its clouds.