U-Isaya 57
1 Olungileyo uyabhubha, njalo kakulamuntu okubeka enhliziyweni; njalo abantu abalomusa bayasuswa, engekho okunanzayo ukuthi olungileyo ususiwe ngaphambi kobubi.
Righteous people [sometimes] die [when they are still young], and no one is concerned about it. Godly people [sometimes] die because of disasters, and no one understands why. They are taken away in order that they will not endure more calamities,
2 Uzangena ekuthuleni. Bazaphumula emibhedeni yabo, ngulowo lalowo ehamba ebuqothweni bakhe.
and now they have peace. They [continually] lived righteously, and [now] they rest [peacefully] in their graves.
3 Kodwa lina sondelani lapha, madodana omthakathikazi, nzalo yesifebe, lawe wule.
[Yahweh says, ] “But you who practice sorcery, come here! You who worship idols [MET], [listen to me]!
4 Lidlala limelene lobani? Livulela bani umlomo ube banzi, likhupha ulimi? Alisibantwana besiphambeko yini, inzalo yenkohliso,
Do you realize [RHQ] whom you are ridiculing, and whom you are insulting? Do you realize [RHQ] to whom you are sticking out your tongues? [You are insulting me, Yahweh]! You are [RHQ] always rebelling against me and always lying.
5 lizitshisa phakathi kwezihlahla zama-okhi ngaphansi kwaso sonke isihlahla esiluhlaza, libulalela abantwana ezihotsheni ngaphansi kwezingoxo zamadwala?
You are eager to have sex under every [big] green tree where you worship your gods. You kill your children as sacrifices [to your idols] in the dry riverbeds, and [also] offer them [as sacrifices to your idols] in the rocky caves.
6 Isabelo sakho siphakathi kwamatshe abutshelezi esifula; wona, wona ayinkatho yakho; njalo kiwo uthululele umnikelo wokunathwayo, waletha umnikelo wokudla. Ngizazisola ngalezizinto yini?
[You take big] smooth stones from the riverbeds and worship them as your gods. You pour out [wine] to be an offering to them, and you bring grain [to burn for] an offering to them. Do you think that I should not punish you for doing all those things?
7 Phezu kwentaba ende lephakemeyo ubekile umbheda wakho; ngitsho lapho wenyukela khona ukuyanikela umhlatshelo.
You have sex [EUP] [with cult prostitutes] on every hill and mountain, and you go there to offer sacrifices [to your gods].
8 Langemva kwesivalo lensika yomnyango wabeka isikhumbuzo sakho; ngoba uzivezile komunye kulakimi, wenyuka, waqhelisa umbheda wakho, wazenzela isivumelwano labo; wathanda umbheda wabo lapho uwubona.
You have put (fetishes/pagan symbols) behind your doors and doorposts, and you have deserted me. You have taken off your clothes [EUP] and climbed into your bed and invited more [of your lovers] to come to bed with you. You have paid them to have sex with you, and you have fondled their sexual organs.
9 Waya enkosini ulamafutha, wandisa amakha akho, wathuma izithunywa zakho khatshana, wazehlisela esihogweni. (Sheol h7585)
You have given [fragrant] oil and lots of perfume to your god Molech, and you sent messengers to distant countries [to find other gods to worship]; you [even tried to] send [messengers] to the place of the dead [to search for new gods]. (Sheol h7585)
10 Wadinwa yibukhulu bendlela yakho, kodwa kawutshongo ukuthi: Kakulathemba; wathola impilo yesandla sakho, ngakho-ke kawuphelanga amandla.
You became weary because of doing all those things, but you never said, ‘It is useless [for us to do that].’ You found new strength for worshiping idols, so you continued to do that [LIT].
11 Njalo wesaba bani watshaywa luvalo, ukuthi uqambe amanga, ungangikhumbuli, ungakufaki enhliziyweni yakho? Kangithulanga yini ngitsho kwasendulo, njalo mina ungangesabi?
Was it because you were afraid [of those idols more than you were afraid of me] that you lied [about what you were doing], and you do not even think about [DOU, RHQ] me? Was it because I did not punish you for a long time that you are not afraid of me [RHQ]?
12 Mina ngizamemezela ukulunga kwakho, lemisebenzi yakho; ngoba kakuyikukusiza.
You [think that] [IRO] the things that you have done are right, but I will tell the truth. It will not help you to do any of those things.
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 out [for help] to your collection of idols, they will not rescue you. The wind will blow them away [DOU]. But those who trust in me will live in the land [of Israel], and [they will worship me on Zion], my sacred hill.”
14 Azakuthi: Buthelelani, buthelelani, lungisani indlela, susani isikhubekiso endleleni yabantu bami.
Yahweh will say, “Prepare [yourselves to receive] me, [like] [MET] people build and prepare a road [for a king to come on]. Get rid of [the things that are causing you to sin] [like] [MET] people remove from a road (obstacles/things that cause people to stumble).
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.
Because this is what [I], Yahweh, who am holy and greatly honored and who live forever, say: I live in the highest heaven, where [everything] is holy, but I also am with those who are humble and who are sorry for the sinful things that they have done. I will greatly encourage [DOU] those who have repented.
16 Ngoba kangiyikulwisa kuze kube phakade, kangiyikuthukuthela njalonjalo; ngoba umoya ungaphela amandla phambi kwami, lemiphefumulo mina engiyenzileyo.
I will not accuse [people] forever; I will not always be angry [with them], because [if I did that], people would become weak/discouraged; all the people whom I created and caused to live would die.
17 Ngenxa yobubi bokufisa kwakhe ngathukuthela, ngamtshaya, ngazifihla, ngathukuthela; kodwa waqhubeka ehlubuka ngendlela yenhliziyo yakhe.
I was angry [with my people] because they sinned by wanting the things that others had. So because I was angry, I punished them and turned away from them, but they continued sinning.
18 Ngizibonile izindlela zakhe, njalo ngizamsilisa, ngimkhokhele, ngibuyisele izinduduzo kuye labalilayo bakhe.
I have seen the evil things that they continually do, but I will restore them and lead them. I will encourage/comfort them. And to those who are mourning,
19 Ngidala izithelo zezindebe; ukuthula, ukuthula kokhatshana loseduze, itsho iNkosi; njalo ngizamsilisa.
I will enable them to sing songs to praise me. I will restore [all my people], those who live near [Jerusalem] and those who live far away, and I will cause things to go well for them.
20 Kodwa ababi banjengolwandle olutshukumayo; ngoba kalulakuphumula, lamanzi alo akhafula udaka lengcekeza.
Wicked [people do not have peace in their inner beings]; they are like [SIM] a sea [whose waves are] always churning up mud,
21 Kakulakuthula, utsho uNkulunkulu wami, kwababi.
and [I], Yahweh, say that things will never (go well/be peaceful) for those who are evil.”
