< U-Isaya 51 >

1 Lalelani kimi, lina elidingisisa ukulunga, lina elidinga iNkosi; khangelani edwaleni elacezulwa kulo, lemlindini wegodi elagejwa kuwo.
“Listen to me, you who follow after righteousness, you who seek the LORD. Look to the rock you were cut from, and to the quarry you were dug from.
2 Khangelani kuAbrahama uyihlo, lakuSara owalizalayo; ngoba ngambiza eyedwa, ngambusisa, ngamandisa.
Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who bore you; for when he was but one I called him, I blessed him, and made him many.
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.
For the LORD has comforted Zion. He has comforted all her waste places, and has made her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness will be found in them, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.
4 Lalelani kimi, bantu bami, libeke indlebe kimi, sizwe sami; ngoba umlayo uzaphuma kimi, njalo ngizakwenza ukwahlulela kwami kuphumule kube yikukhanya kwabantu.
“Listen to me, my people; and hear me, my nation, for a law will go out from me, and I will establish my justice for a light to the peoples.
5 Ukulunga kwami kuseduze, usindiso lwami luphumile, lengalo zami zizakwehlulela abantu; izihlenge zingilindele, zithembele engalweni yami.
My righteousness is near. My salvation has gone out, and my arms will judge the peoples. The islands will wait for me, and they will trust my arm.
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.
Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens will vanish away like smoke, and the earth will wear out like a garment. Its inhabitants will die in the same way, but my salvation will be forever, and my righteousness will not be abolished.
7 Lalelani kimi, lina elazi ukulunga, abantu abamlayo wami usenhliziyweni yabo; lingesabi ukusola kwabantu, kumbe lethuswe yizithuko zabo.
“Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law. Don’t fear the reproach of men, and don’t be dismayed at their insults.
8 Ngoba inundu izabadla njengesembatho, lempethu ibadle njengoboya bezimvu, kodwa ukulunga kwami kuzakuba laphakade, losindiso lwami esizukulwaneni lezizukulwana.
For the moth will eat them up like a garment, and the worm will eat them like wool; but my righteousness will be forever, and my salvation to all generations.”
9 Vuka, vuka, uzembathise amandla, wena ngalo yeNkosi; vuka njengensukwini zendulo, ezizukulwaneni zaphakade. Kawusuwe yini lowo owaquma iRahabi, wagwaza umgobho?
Awake, awake, put on strength, arm of the LORD! Awake, as in the days of old, the generations of ancient times. Isn’t it you who cut Rahab in pieces, who pierced the monster?
10 Kawusuwe yini lowo owomisa ulwandle, amanzi enziki enkulu, owenza ukujula kolwandle kwaba yindlela yokuchapha kwabahlengiweyo?
Isn’t it you who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep; who made the depths of the sea a way for the redeemed to pass over?
11 Ngakho abahlengiweyo beNkosi bazaphenduka, beze eZiyoni ngokuhlabelela; lentokozo elaphakade izakuba phezu kwekhanda labo; bazazuza intokozo lenjabulo, usizi lokububula kuzabaleka.
Those ransomed by the LORD will return, and come with singing to Zion. Everlasting joy shall be on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy. Sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
12 Mina, mina nginguye oliduduzayo; ungubani wena ozakwesaba umuntu ozakufa, lendodana yomuntu ezakwenziwa ibe njengotshani?
“I, even I, am he who comforts you. Who are you, that you are afraid of man who shall die, and of the son of man who will be made as 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?
Have you forgotten the LORD your Maker, who stretched out the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth? Do you live in fear continually all day because of the fury of the oppressor, when he prepares to destroy? Where is the fury of the oppressor?
14 Isibotshwa esithunjiweyo siyaphangisa ukuze sikhululwe; singafeli emgodini, lokudla kwaso kungasweleki.
The captive exile will speedily be freed. He will not die and go down into the pit. His bread won’t fail.
15 Ngoba ngiyiNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho eyavusa ulwandle ukuze amagagasi alo ahlokome; iNkosi yamabandla libizo layo.
For I am the LORD your God, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar. the LORD of Armies 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 put my words in your mouth and have covered you in the shadow of my hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and tell Zion, ‘You are my people.’”
17 Vuka, vuka, usukume, Jerusalema, wena onathe esandleni seNkosi inkezo yolaka lwayo, wanatha inzece zenkezo yokudengezela, wazikhoca.
Awake, awake! Stand up, Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the LORD’s hand the cup of his wrath. You have drunken the bowl of the cup of staggering, and drained it.
18 Kakho ongayikhokhela kuwo wonke amadodana ewazeleyo; njalo kakho ongayibamba ngesandla kuwo wonke amadodana ewakhulisileyo.
There is no one to guide her among all the sons to whom she has given birth; and there is no one who takes her by the hand among all the sons whom she has brought up.
19 Lokhu kokubili kukwehlele, ngubani ozakuzwela usizi? Incithakalo, lokubhujiswa, lendlala, lenkemba; ngizakududuza ngobani?
These two things have happened to you— who will grieve with you?— desolation and destruction, and famine and the sword. How can I comfort you?
20 Amadodana akho aphelelwe ngamandla, alele esihlokweni sezitalada zonke, njengenkunzi yendle embuleni; agcwele ulaka lweNkosi, ukukhuza kukaNkulunkulu wakho.
Your sons have fainted. They lie at the head of all the streets, like an antelope in a net. They are full of the LORD’s wrath, the rebuke of your God.
21 Ngakho khathesi zwana lokhu, wena ohluphekayo lodakiweyo, kodwa hatshi ngewayini.
Therefore now hear this, you afflicted, and drunken, but not with 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.
Your Lord GOD, your God who pleads the cause of his people, says, “Behold, I have taken out of your hand the cup of staggering, even the bowl of the cup of my wrath. You will not drink it any more.
23 Kodwa ngizayibeka esandleni salabo abakuhluphayo, abathe emphefumulweni wakho: Khothama, ukuze sedlule phezulu; usubeke umhlana wakho njengomhlabathi, lanjengesitalada kwabadlula phezulu.
I will put it into the hand of those who afflict you, who have said to your soul, ‘Bow down, that we may walk over you;’ and you have laid your back as the ground, like a street to those who walk over.”

< U-Isaya 51 >