U-Isaya 59
1 Khangela isandla seNkosi kasifinyezwanga ukuthi singasindisi, lendlebe yayo kayinzima ukuthi ingezwa.
Look, Jehovah's hand is not shortened, that it can't save; neither his ear heavy, that it can't hear:
2 Kodwa iziphambeko zenu zehlukanisile phakathi kwenu loNkulunkulu wenu, lezono zenu zibusithile ubuso bakhe kini, ukuthi angezwa.
but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.
3 Ngoba izandla zenu zingcoliswe ngegazi, leminwe yenu ngenkohlakalo; indebe zenu zikhulume amanga, lolimi lwenu lungunguna ububi.
For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue mutters wickedness.
4 Kakho omemeza ngokulunga, njalo kakho olabhela ngeqiniso; bathemba okuyize, bakhulume amanga; bamitha ububi, bazale isiphambeko.
None sues in righteousness, and none pleads in truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.
5 Bachamusela amaqanda enhlangwana, beluke ubulembu besayobe; odla okwamaqanda awo uyafa; lelichotshoziweyo liqhamuka lilibululu.
They hatch adders' eggs, and weave the spider's web: he who eats of their eggs dies; and that which is crushed breaks out into a viper.
6 Ubulembu babo kabuyikuba yizembatho, njalo kabayikuzembesa ngemisebenzi yabo. Imisebenzi yabo yimisebenzi yobubi, lesenzo sodlakela sisezandleni zabo.
Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands.
7 Inyawo zabo zigijimela ebubini; baphangisa ukuchitha igazi elingelacala; imicabango yabo yimicabango yobubi; ukubhubhisa lokuchitha kusezindleleni zabo.
Their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; destruction and calamity are in their paths.
8 Indlela yokuthula kabayazi; njalo kakulasahlulelo emikhondweni yabo; bazenzela izindlela zabo ezimazombazombe; loba ngubani ohamba kuzo kayikwazi ukuthula.
The way of peace they do not know; and there is no justice in their goings: they have made them crooked paths; whoever goes in it does not know peace.
9 Ngakho-ke isahlulelo sikhatshana lathi, lokulunga kakusifinyeleli. Silindela ukukhanya, kodwa khangela, ubumnyama; silindela ukukhazimula, kodwa sihamba emnyameni omkhulu.
Therefore is justice far from us, neither does righteousness overtake us: we look for light, but, look, darkness; for brightness, but we walk in obscurity.
10 Siphumputha umduli njengeziphofu, siphumputhe kwangathi kasilamehlo; sikhubeke emini enkulu kwangathi kukusihlwa, sisendaweni ezichithekileyo njengabafileyo.
We grope for the wall like the blind; yes, we grope as those who have no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the twilight; among those who are lusty we are as dead men.
11 Sonke siyabhonga njengamabhere, silile lokulila njengamajuba; silindela isahlulelo, kodwa kasikho; losindiso, kodwa lukhatshana lathi.
We roar all like bears, and moan bitterly like doves: we look for justice, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us.
12 Ngoba iziphambeko zethu zandile phambi kwakho, lezono zethu zifakaza zimelene lathi; ngoba iziphambeko zethu zilathi, lobubi bethu siyabazi;
For our transgressions are multiplied before you, and our sins testify against us; for our transgressions are with us, and as for our iniquities, we know them:
13 ukuphambuka, lokuqambela iNkosi amanga, lokusuka ekulandeleni uNkulunkulu wethu, ukukhuluma incindezelo lokuhlamuka, ukukhulelwa lokukhuluma amazwi amanga aphuma enhliziyweni.
transgressing and denying Jehovah, and turning away from following our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.
14 Ngakho isahlulelo sibuyiselwa emuva, lokulunga kumi khatshana; ngoba iqiniso liyakhubeka esitaladeni, lobuqotho kabulakungena.
Justice is turned away backward, and righteousness stands afar off; for truth is fallen in the street, and uprightness can't enter.
15 Yebo, iqiniso liyasilela, lowehlukana lobubi uzenza impango. INkosi yasikubona, njalo kwaba kubi emehlweni ayo ukuthi kakulasahlulelo.
Yes, truth is lacking; and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. Jehovah saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice.
16 Yasibona ukuthi kwakungelamuntu, yamangala kakhulu ukuthi kwakungelamlamuli; ngakho ingalo yayo yaletha usindiso kuye, lokulunga kwayo khona kwamsekela.
He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his own arm brought salvation to him; and his righteousness, it upheld him.
17 Ngoba yembatha ukulunga njengebhatshi lensimbi, lengowane yosindiso ekhanda layo; yembatha izembatho zempindiselo njengesembatho, yazembesa ukutshiseka njengejazi.
He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head; and he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a mantle.
18 Njengokwezenzo, ngokunjalo izaphindisela, ulaka kwabamelana layo, umvuzo ezitheni zayo; ezihlengeni uzabuyisela umvuzo.
According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, wrath to his adversaries, recompense to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompense.
19 Ngokunjalo bazalesaba ibizo leNkosi kusukela entshonalanga, lodumo lwayo kusukela lapho okuphuma khona ilanga. Lapho isitha sizangena njengomfula, uMoya weNkosi uzaphakamisa isiboniso esimelene laso.
So shall they fear the name of Jehovah from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun; for he will come as a rushing stream, which the breath of Jehovah drives.
20 LoMhlengi uzafika eZiyoni, lakulabo abaphenduka eziphambekweni koJakobe, itsho iNkosi.
"A Redeemer will come from Zion, and he will turn away transgression from Jacob," says Jehovah.
21 Mina-ke, lesi yisivumelwano sami labo, itsho iNkosi: UMoya wami ophezu kwakho, lamazwi ami engiwafake emlonyeni wakho, kawayikusuka emlonyeni wakho, lemlonyeni wenzalo yakho, lemlonyeni wenzalo yenzalo yakho, itsho iNkosi, kusukela khathesi kuze kube phakade.
"As for me, this is my covenant with them," says Jehovah. "My Spirit who is on you, and my words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, nor out of the mouth of your children, nor out of the mouth of your children's children," says Jehovah, "from now on and forever."
