U-Isaya 57

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

The righteous perishes, and no man lays it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.

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

He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.

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

But draw near here, you sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.

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

Against whom do you sport yourselves? against whom make you a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? are you not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood,

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

Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clefts of the rocks?

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

Among the smooth stones of the stream is your portion; they, they are your lot: even to them have you poured a drink offering, you have offered a meat offering. Should I receive comfort in these?

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

On a lofty and high mountain have you set your bed: even thither went you up to offer sacrifice.

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

Behind the doors also and the posts have you set up your remembrance: for you have discovered yourself to another than me, and are gone up; you have enlarged your bed, and made you a covenant with them; you loved their bed where you saw it.

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

And you went to the king with ointment, and did increase your perfumes, and did send your messengers far off, and did debase yourself even to hell. (Sheol h7585)

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

You are wearied in the greatness of your way; yet said you not, There is no hope: you have found the life of your hand; therefore you were not grieved.

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

And of whom have you been afraid or feared, that you have lied, and have not remembered me, nor laid it to your heart? have not I held my peace even of old, and you fear me not?

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

I will declare your righteousness, and your works; for they shall not profit you.

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

When you cry, let your companies deliver you; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he that puts his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain;

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

And shall say, Cast you up, cast you up, prepare the way, take up the stumbling block 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.

For thus says the high and lofty One that inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

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

For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.

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

For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart.

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

I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts to him and to his mourners.

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

I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, says the LORD; and I will heal him.

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

But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.

21 Kakulakuthula, utsho uNkulunkulu wami, kwababi.

There is no peace, says my God, to the wicked.