U-Isaya 57

1 Olungileyo uyabhubha, njalo kakulamuntu okubeka enhliziyweni; njalo abantu abalomusa bayasuswa, engekho okunanzayo ukuthi olungileyo ususiwe ngaphambi kobubi.

See how the just man has perished, and no one lays [it] to heart: and righteous men are taken away, and no one considers: for the righteous has been removed out of the way of injustice.

2 Uzangena ekuthuleni. Bazaphumula emibhedeni yabo, ngulowo lalowo ehamba ebuqothweni bakhe.

His burial shall be in peace: he has been removed out of the way.

3 Kodwa lina sondelani lapha, madodana omthakathikazi, nzalo yesifebe, lawe wule.

But draw ye near hither, ye lawless children, the seed of adulterers and the harlot.

4 Lidlala limelene lobani? Livulela bani umlomo ube banzi, likhupha ulimi? Alisibantwana besiphambeko yini, inzalo yenkohliso,

Wherein have ye been rioting? and against whom have ye opened your mouth, and against whom have ye loosed your tongue? are ye not children of perdition? a lawless seed?

5 lizitshisa phakathi kwezihlahla zama-okhi ngaphansi kwaso sonke isihlahla esiluhlaza, libulalela abantwana ezihotsheni ngaphansi kwezingoxo zamadwala?

who call upon idols under the leafy trees, slaying your children in the valleys among the rocks?

6 Isabelo sakho siphakathi kwamatshe abutshelezi esifula; wona, wona ayinkatho yakho; njalo kiwo uthululele umnikelo wokunathwayo, waletha umnikelo wokudla. Ngizazisola ngalezizinto yini?

That is thy portion, this is thy lot: and to them hast thou poured forth drink-offerings, and to these hast thou offered meat-offerings. Shall I not therefore be angry for these things?

7 Phezu kwentaba ende lephakemeyo ubekile umbheda wakho; ngitsho lapho wenyukela khona ukuyanikela umhlatshelo.

On a lofty and high mountain, there is thy bed, and thither thou carriedst up thy meat-offerings:

8 Langemva kwesivalo lensika yomnyango wabeka isikhumbuzo sakho; ngoba uzivezile komunye kulakimi, wenyuka, waqhelisa umbheda wakho, wazenzela isivumelwano labo; wathanda umbheda wabo lapho uwubona.

and behind the posts of thy door thou didst place thy memorials. Didst thou think that if thou shouldest depart from me, thou wouldest gain? thou hast loved those that lay with thee;

9 Waya enkosini ulamafutha, wandisa amakha akho, wathuma izithunywa zakho khatshana, wazehlisela esihogweni. (Sheol h7585)

and thou hast multiplied thy whoredom with them, and thou hast increased the number of them that are far from thee, and hast sent ambassadors beyond thy borders, and hast been debased even to hell. (Sheol h7585)

10 Wadinwa yibukhulu bendlela yakho, kodwa kawutshongo ukuthi: Kakulathemba; wathola impilo yesandla sakho, ngakho-ke kawuphelanga amandla.

Thou has wearied thyself with thy many ways; yet thou saidst not, I will cease to strengthen myself: for thou has done these things; therefore thou has not supplicated me.

11 Njalo wesaba bani watshaywa luvalo, ukuthi uqambe amanga, ungangikhumbuli, ungakufaki enhliziyweni yakho? Kangithulanga yini ngitsho kwasendulo, njalo mina ungangesabi?

Through dread of whom hast thou feared, and lied against me, and has not remembered, nor considered me, nor regarded me, yea, though when I see thee I pass thee by, yet thou has not feared me.

12 Mina ngizamemezela ukulunga kwakho, lemisebenzi yakho; ngoba kakuyikukusiza.

And I will declare thy righteousness, and thy sins, which shall not profit thee.

13 Lapho ukhala, amaxuku akho kawakukhulule! Kanti umoya uzawaphephula wonke, ize lizawathatha. Kodwa othemba kimi uzakudla ilifa lelizwe, adle ilifa lentaba yami engcwele.

When thou criest out, let them deliver thee in thine affliction: for all these the wind shall take, and the tempest shall carry [them] away: but they that cleave to me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain.

14 Azakuthi: Buthelelani, buthelelani, lungisani indlela, susani isikhubekiso endleleni yabantu bami.

And they shall say, Clear the ways before him, and take up the stumbling-blocks out of the way of my people.

15 Ngoba utsho njalo ophezulu lophakemeyo, ohlala ephakadeni, obizo lakhe lingoNgcwele, uthi: Ngihlala endaweni ephakemeyo lengcwele, njalo kanye laye olomoya odabukileyo lozithobayo, ukuvuselela umoya wabathobekileyo, lokuvuselela inhliziyo yabadabukileyo.

Thus saith the Most High, who dwells on high for ever, Holy in the holies, is his name, the Most High resting in the holies, and giving patience to the faint-hearted, and giving life to the broken-hearted:

16 Ngoba kangiyikulwisa kuze kube phakade, kangiyikuthukuthela njalonjalo; ngoba umoya ungaphela amandla phambi kwami, lemiphefumulo mina engiyenzileyo.

I will not take vengeance on you for ever, neither will I be always angry with you: for my Spirit shall go forth from me, and I have created all breath.

17 Ngenxa yobubi bokufisa kwakhe ngathukuthela, ngamtshaya, ngazifihla, ngathukuthela; kodwa waqhubeka ehlubuka ngendlela yenhliziyo yakhe.

On account of sin for a little while I grieved him, and smote him, and turned away my face from him; and he was grieved, and he went on sorrowful in his ways.

18 Ngizibonile izindlela zakhe, njalo ngizamsilisa, ngimkhokhele, ngibuyisele izinduduzo kuye labalilayo bakhe.

I have seen his ways, and healed him, and comforted him, and given him true comfort;

19 Ngidala izithelo zezindebe; ukuthula, ukuthula kokhatshana loseduze, itsho iNkosi; njalo ngizamsilisa.

peace upon peace to them that are far off, and to them that are nigh: and the Lord has said, I will heal them.

20 Kodwa ababi banjengolwandle olutshukumayo; ngoba kalulakuphumula, lamanzi alo akhafula udaka lengcekeza.

But the unrighteous shall be tossed as troubled waves, and shall not be able to rest.

21 Kakulakuthula, utsho uNkulunkulu wami, kwababi.

There is no joy to the ungodly, said God.