U-Isaya 51
1 Lalelani kimi, lina elidingisisa ukulunga, lina elidinga iNkosi; khangelani edwaleni elacezulwa kulo, lemlindini wegodi elagejwa kuwo.
Listen to me, those of you who follow what is right, and who worship the Lord. Think about the rock from which you were cut, and to the quarry from which you were chiseled.
2 Khangelani kuAbrahama uyihlo, lakuSara owalizalayo; ngoba ngambiza eyedwa, ngambusisa, ngamandisa.
Look back at Abraham your father, and Sarah who gave birth to you. When I called him, he was only one man, but then I blessed him and he had many descendants.
3 Ngoba iNkosi izayiduduza iZiyoni, iduduze wonke amanxiwa ayo, njalo izakwenza inkangala yayo ifanane leEdeni, logwadule lwayo lufanane lensimu yeNkosi; injabulo lentokozo kuzatholakala kuyo, ukubonga lelizwi lokuhlabelela.
The Lord will care for Zion and feel sorry about all her ruined places. He will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert areas like the garden of the Lord. People there will have joy and happiness, giving thanks and singing sweet songs.
4 Lalelani kimi, bantu bami, libeke indlebe kimi, sizwe sami; ngoba umlayo uzaphuma kimi, njalo ngizakwenza ukwahlulela kwami kuphumule kube yikukhanya kwabantu.
Pay attention to me, my people; listen to me, my nation: I will send out my law, and my justice will be a light to the nations.
5 Ukulunga kwami kuseduze, usindiso lwami luphumile, lengalo zami zizakwehlulela abantu; izihlenge zingilindele, zithembele engalweni yami.
My rule of right will arrive soon. My salvation is coming. My power will bring judgment to the nations. The distant lands are waiting for me and my power.
6 Phakamiselani amehlo enu emazulwini, likhangele emhlabeni phansi; ngoba amazulu azanyamalala njengentuthu, lomhlaba uguge njengesembatho, labahlezi kuwo bafe ngokunjalo; kodwa usindiso lwami luzakuba phakade, lokulunga kwami kakuyikuchithwa.
Look up at the heavens, and look down at the earth beneath. The heavens will disappear like smoke, the earth will wear out like old clothes. The people living there will die like flies, but my salvation will last forever, and my way of goodness and right will never be destroyed.
7 Lalelani kimi, lina elazi ukulunga, abantu abamlayo wami usenhliziyweni yabo; lingesabi ukusola kwabantu, kumbe lethuswe yizithuko zabo.
Listen to me, you who know what's right, and who have really accepted my teachings. Don't be afraid of people's insults—they're just human—or be terrified by their abusive language.
8 Ngoba inundu izabadla njengesembatho, lempethu ibadle njengoboya bezimvu, kodwa ukulunga kwami kuzakuba laphakade, losindiso lwami esizukulwaneni lezizukulwana.
Moths will eat them up like clothing; bugs will chew through them like wool. But my goodness will last forever, my salvation will endure for all generations.
9 Vuka, vuka, uzembathise amandla, wena ngalo yeNkosi; vuka njengensukwini zendulo, ezizukulwaneni zaphakade. Kawusuwe yini lowo owaquma iRahabi, wagwaza umgobho?
Please wake up, wake up! Use your strength, powerful Lord! Act as you used to in olden days, in former generations. Weren't you the one who cut Rahab to pieces, who killed that sea monster?
10 Kawusuwe yini lowo owomisa ulwandle, amanzi enziki enkulu, owenza ukujula kolwandle kwaba yindlela yokuchapha kwabahlengiweyo?
Weren't you the one who dried up the sea, making a way through the deep waters for the redeemed to cross over?
11 Ngakho abahlengiweyo beNkosi bazaphenduka, beze eZiyoni ngokuhlabelela; lentokozo elaphakade izakuba phezu kwekhanda labo; bazazuza intokozo lenjabulo, usizi lokububula kuzabaleka.
Those the Lord has set free will return, singing as they enter Jerusalem, wearing crowns of everlasting joy. They are overcome with thankfulness and happiness; sorrow and sadness simply disappear.
12 Mina, mina nginguye oliduduzayo; ungubani wena ozakwesaba umuntu ozakufa, lendodana yomuntu ezakwenziwa ibe njengotshani?
It's me, yes, I am the one who comforts you. Why should you be afraid of mortals who die just like grass?
13 Ubusukhohlwa iNkosi, umenzi wakho, eyendlala amazulu, yabeka izisekelo zomhlaba, uqhubeka usesaba usuku lonke ngenxa yentukuthelo yomcindezeli, kungathi uzimisele ukuchitha? Ingaphi-ke intukuthelo yomcindezeli?
You have forgotten the Lord, your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and who laid the foundations of the earth! That's why you shake with fear all day long, because you're threatened by the anger of those who oppress you, wanting to destroy you. But where are your oppressors and their anger now?
14 Isibotshwa esithunjiweyo siyaphangisa ukuze sikhululwe; singafeli emgodini, lokudla kwaso kungasweleki.
The prisoners that are bowed down will soon be set free. They're not going to die; they won't go on being hungry.
15 Ngoba ngiyiNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho eyavusa ulwandle ukuze amagagasi alo ahlokome; iNkosi yamabandla libizo layo.
For I am the Lord your God who whips up the sea so its waves roar. The Lord Almighty is his name.
16 Njalo ngifakile amazwi ami emlonyeni wakho, ngakusibekela emthunzini wesandla sami, ukuze ngihlanyele amazulu, ngibeke izisekelo zomhlaba, ngithi kuyo iZiyoni: Wena uyisizwe sami.
I have told you what to say, and I have protected you with my hand. I created the heavens and founded the earth, and told Zion, “You are my people.”
17 Vuka, vuka, usukume, Jerusalema, wena onathe esandleni seNkosi inkezo yolaka lwayo, wanatha inzece zenkezo yokudengezela, wazikhoca.
Wake up, wake up! Get up, Jerusalem! You have drunk from the cup of the Lord's anger he handed to you. You have drained it down to the bottom of the cup, the drink that makes people stagger around.
18 Kakho ongayikhokhela kuwo wonke amadodana ewazeleyo; njalo kakho ongayibamba ngesandla kuwo wonke amadodana ewakhulisileyo.
Of all your children you had, there's not one left to guide you. Of all the children you raised, there's not one to take you by the hand.
19 Lokhu kokubili kukwehlele, ngubani ozakuzwela usizi? Incithakalo, lokubhujiswa, lendlala, lenkemba; ngizakududuza ngobani?
Two tragedies have struck you: devastation caused by famine, and destruction caused by war. Who is going to sympathize with you? Who is going to comfort you?
20 Amadodana akho aphelelwe ngamandla, alele esihlokweni sezitalada zonke, njengenkunzi yendle embuleni; agcwele ulaka lweNkosi, ukukhuza kukaNkulunkulu wakho.
Your children have collapsed, lying in every street like antelopes caught in a trap. They experienced the full anger of the Lord, the condemnation of your God.
21 Ngakho khathesi zwana lokhu, wena ohluphekayo lodakiweyo, kodwa hatshi ngewayini.
So please listen to this, you poor people, sitting there in a drunken state, but not from drinking wine.
22 Itsho njalo iNkosi yakho, uJehova loNkulunkulu wakho olabhelela udaba lwabantu bakhe: Khangela, ngisusile esandleni sakho inkezo yokudengezela, inzece zenkezo yolaka lwami, kawusayikuyinatha futhi.
This is what your Lord God says, your God, who defends his people's cause: Look! I have taken away from you the cup that made you stagger around. You will never again have to drink from that cup, the cup of my anger.
23 Kodwa ngizayibeka esandleni salabo abakuhluphayo, abathe emphefumulweni wakho: Khothama, ukuze sedlule phezulu; usubeke umhlana wakho njengomhlabathi, lanjengesitalada kwabadlula phezulu.
Instead I will give that cup to the people who tormented you, to those who said to you, “Lie face down so we can walk all over you.” You had to make your backs like the ground, like a street to be walked on.
