< U-Isaya 54 >

1 Hlabelela, nyumba, wena ongazalanga; qhamuka ngokuhlabelela, umemeze, wena ongazange uhelelwe! Ngoba banengi abantwana botshiyiweyo kulabantwana bowendileyo, itsho iNkosi.
“Sing, you barren woman, you who have not given birth; break into joyful singing and cry aloud, you who have never been in birth labor. For the children of the desolate one are more than the children of the married woman,” says Yahweh.
2 Qhelisa indawo yethente lakho, kabatshombulule amakhetheni endawo yakho yokuhlala; ungagodli, yelula izintambo zakho, uqinise izikhonkwane zakho.
“Make your tent larger and spread your tent curtains farther out, unsparingly; lengthen your ropes and strengthen your stakes.
3 Ngoba uzaqhamuka ngakwesokudla langakwesokunene, lenzalo yakho izafuya abezizwe, yenze imizi echithekileyo ihlalwe.
For you will spread out to the right hand and to the left, and your descendants will conquer nations and resettle desolate cities.
4 Ungesabi, ngoba kawuyikuyangeka; njalo ungabi lenhloni, ngoba kawuyikuyangiswa; ngoba uzakhohlwa ihlazo lobutsha bakho, ungabe usakhumbula ukuyangeka kobufelokazi bakho.
Do not fear for you will not be ashamed, nor be discouraged for you will not be disgraced; you will forget the shame of your youth and the disgrace of your abandonment.
5 Ngoba uMenzi wakho ungumyeni wakho, iNkosi yamabandla libizo lakhe; loMhlengi wakho ungoNgcwele kaIsrayeli, uzabizwa ngokuthi nguNkulunkulu womhlaba wonke.
For your Maker is your husband; Yahweh of hosts is his name. The Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of the whole earth.
6 Ngoba iNkosi ikubizile njengomfazi olahliweyo lodabukileyo emoyeni, lomfazi wobutsha, lapho waliwe, kutsho uNkulunkulu wakho.
For Yahweh has called you back as a wife abandoned and grieved in spirit, like a woman married young and rejected,” says your God.
7 Okomzuzwana omncinyane ngakutshiya, kodwa ngezihawu ezinkulu ngizakubutha.
“For a short time I abandoned you, but with great compassion I will gather you.
8 Ngolaka oluncinyane ngakufihlela ubuso bami okomzuzwana, kodwa ngothandolomusa waphakade ngizakuhawukela, itsho iNkosi, uMhlengi wakho.
In a flood of anger I hid my face from you momentarily; but with everlasting covenant faithfulness I will have mercy on you— says Yahweh, the one who rescues you.
9 Ngoba lokhu kunjengamanzi kaNowa kimi, lapho ngafunga ukuthi amanzi kaNowa kawaseyikwedlula emhlabeni; ngokunjalo ngifungile ukuthi kangiyikukuthukuthelela, ngikusole.
For this is like the waters of Noah to me: as I swore that the waters of Noah would never again pass over the earth, so have I sworn that I will not be angry with you or rebuke you.
10 Ngoba izintaba zizasuka, lamaqaqa azamazame, kodwa umusa wami kawuyikusuka kuwe, lesivumelwano sami sokuthula kasiyikuzamazama, itsho iNkosi elesihawu kuwe.
Though the mountains may fall and the hills be shaken, yet my steadfast love will not turn away from you, nor will my covenant of peace be shaken— says Yahweh, who has mercy on you.
11 Wena ohluphekileyo, ophoswe yisiphepho, ongaduduzwanga, khangela, ngizabeka amatshe akho abe mahle, ngibeke isisekelo sakho ngamasafire.
Afflicted one, storm-driven and uncomforted one, look, I will set your pavement in turquoise, and lay your foundations with sapphires.
12 Ngizakwenza imiphotshongo yakho nge-agate, lamasango akho ngama-emeraldi, lawo wonke umngcele wakho ngamatshe entokozo.
I will make your pinnacles of rubies and your gates of sparkling stones, and your outer wall of beautiful stones.
13 Labantwana bakho bonke bazafundiswa yiNkosi, njalo kube kukhulu ukuthula kwabantwana bakho.
Then all your children will be taught by Yahweh; and the peace of your children will be great.
14 Uzaqiniswa ekulungeni; ube khatshana locindezelo, ngoba kawuyikwesaba; levalweni, ngoba kakuyikusondela kuwe.
In righteousness you will be established, and you will be far from oppression, for you will not fear; and from terror, for it will not come near to you.
15 Khangela bazabuthana sibili, kodwa hatshi ngami; loba ngubani ozabuthana emelene lawe uzakuwa ngenxa yakho.
Look, if anyone stirs up trouble, it will not be from me; anyone who stirs up trouble with you will fall in defeat.
16 Khangela mina ngidale umkhandi wensimbi ovuthela amalahle emlilweni, lovezela umsebenzi wakhe isikhali; njalo mina ngidale umchithi ukuthi achithe.
See, I have created the craftsman, who blows the burning coals and forges weapons as his work, and I have created the destroyer to destroy.
17 Kakulasikhali esibunjelwe ukumelana lawe esizaphumelela; lalo lonke ulimi olukuvukelayo ekwehluleleni uzalulahla. Lokhu kuyilifa lezinceku zeNkosi, lokulunga kwazo kuvela kimi, itsho iNkosi.
No weapon that is formed against you will succeed; and you will condemn everyone who accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of Yahweh, and their vindication from me—this is Yahweh's declaration.”

< U-Isaya 54 >

A Dove is Sent Forth from the Ark
A Dove is Sent Forth from the Ark