< U-Isaya 58 >

1 Memeza ngomphimbo, ungayekeli, uphakamise ilizwi lakho njengophondo, utshele abantu bami isiphambeko sabo, lendlu kaJakobe izono zabo.
“Cry aloud, don’t spare. Lift up your voice like a shofar ·ram horn·. Declare to my people their rebellious breach of relationship, and to the house of Jacob [Supplanter] their habitual sins ·missing the marks·.
2 Kanti bayangidinga mina usuku ngosuku, bethokoza ukwazi indlela zami; njengesizwe esenza ukulunga, esingadelanga isimiso sikaNkulunkulu waso, babuza kimi izimiso zokulunga, bathokoza ekusondeleni kuNkulunkulu.
Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways. As a nation that did righteousness, and didn’t forsake the judgments of their God, they ask of me upright judgments. They delight to draw near to God.
3 Besithi: Kungani sizile ukudla, wena-ke ungaboni? Kungani sihluphe umphefumulo wethu, wena-ke ungakwazi? Khangelani, ngosuku lokuzila kwenu ukudla, lithola intokozo, licindezele zonke izisebenzi zenu.
‘Why have we fasted,’ say they, ‘and you don’t see? Why have we afflicted our soul, and you don’t notice?’ “Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and oppress all your laborers.
4 Khangelani, lizila ukudla lisenzela ingxabano lokuphikisana, lokutshaya ngenqindi yenkohlakalo; lingazili ukudla njengalamuhla, ukwenza ilizwi lenu lizwakale phezulu.
Behold, you fast for strife and contention, and to strike with the fist of ethical wickedness. You don’t fast today so as to make your voice to be sh'ma ·heard obeyed· on high.
5 Kunjalo yini ukuzila ukudla engikukhethileyo? Lusuku lokuthi umuntu ahluphe umphefumulo wakhe yini? Ukuthi akhothamise ikhanda lakhe njengomhlanga, endlale phansi kwakhe isaka lomlotha? Lokhu ungakubiza yini ngokuthi yikuzila ukudla, losuku olwemukelekayo eNkosini?
Is this the fast that I have chosen? A day for a man to humble his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under himself? Will you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to Adonai?
6 Kayisikho lokhu yini ukuzila ukudla engikukhethileyo: Ukuthukulula izibopho zobubi, ukukhulula imichilo yejogwe, ukuyekela abacindezelweyo bahambe bekhululekile, lokuthi lephule lonke ijogwe?
“Is not this the fast that I have chosen: to release the bonds of ethical wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?
7 Kayisikho yini ukwabela olambileyo isinkwa sakho, lokungenisa abayanga abayimihambuma endlini, lapho ubona onqunu umembese, lokuthi ungacatsheli inyama yakho?
Is not it to distribute your bread to the hungry, and that you bring the poor who are cast out to your house? When you see the naked, that you cover him; and that you not hide yourself from your own flesh?
8 Khona ukukhanya kwakho kuzaqhamuka njengokusa, lokusila kwakho kuhlume masinyane; lokulunga kwakho kuhambe phambi kwakho; inkazimulo yeNkosi ibe ngumvikeli wakho ngasemuva.
Then your light will break out as the morning, and your healing will appear quickly; then your righteousness shall go before you; and the kavod Yahweh ·weighty glory of He sustains breathing· will be your rear guard.
9 Khona uzabiza, iNkosi iphendule, uzakhala, ibisisithi: Khangela ngilapha. Uba ususa phakathi kwakho ijogwe, ukukhomba ngomunwe, lokukhuluma okubi,
Then you will call, and Adonai will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ “If you take away from among you the yoke, finger pointing, and speaking vain striving of iniquity;
10 ukhuphele olambileyo umphefumulo wakho, usuthise umphefumulo ohluphekileyo, khona ukukhanya kwakho kuzaphuma emnyameni, lobumnyama bakho bube njengemini enkulu.
and if you pour out your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul: then your light will rise in darkness, and your obscurity will be as the noonday;
11 Njalo iNkosi izakukhokhela njalonjalo, isuthise umphefumulo wakho engwaduleni, iqinise amathambo akho, ube njengesivande esithelelwayo, lanjengomthombo wamanzi, omanzi awo angapheliyo.
and Adonai will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in dry places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters don’t fail.
12 Labakho bazakwakha amanxiwa amadala; uzavusa izisekelo zezizukulwana ngezizukulwana; uzabizwa ngokuthi: UMvalisikhala, uMbuyiseli wemikhondo yokuhlala.
Those who shall be of you shall build the old waste places; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called Repairer of the Breach, Restorer of Paths with Dwellings.
13 Uba uphendula unyawo lwakho lusuka kusabatha, ungenzi intokozo yakho ngosuku lwami olungcwele; ulibize isabatha ngokuthi yintokozo, olungcwele lweNkosi, oluhloniphekayo; njalo uluhlonipha, ungenzi indlela zakho, ungatholi intokozo yakho, loba ukhulume ilizwi lakho,
“If you turn away your foot from the Shabath ·Intermission·, from doing your pleasure on my holy day; and call the Shabath ·Intermission· a delight, and the holy of Adonai honorable; and shall honor it, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words:
14 khona uzazithokozisa eNkosini, ngizakugadisa ezindaweni eziphakemeyo zomhlaba, ngizakwenza udle ilifa likaJakobe uyihlo; ngoba umlomo weNkosi ukhulumile.
then you shall delight yourself in Adonai; and I will make you to ride on the high places of the earth; and I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob [Supplanter] your father:” for Adonai’s mouth has spoken it.

< U-Isaya 58 >