U-Isaya 65
1 Ngadingwa yilabo abangangicelanga; ngatholwa yilabo abangangidinganga. Ngathi: Ngikhangelani, ngikhangelani, esizweni esingabizwa ngebizo lami.
I let myself be consulted by people who weren't even asking me questions; I let myself be found by people who weren't even looking for me. To a nation that wasn't even calling for me, I said, “I'm here, I'm here!”
2 Ngelule izandla zami usuku lonke ebantwini abavukelayo, abahamba ngendlela engalunganga, belandela imicabango yabo;
I spread out my hands all day long, pleading with a stubborn people who follow bad ways, doing whatever they choose.
3 abantu abangithukuthelisayo njalonjalo ebusweni bami, abenza imihlatshelo ezivandeni, betshisa impepha phezu kwezitina;
These people are always making me angry, because they present sacrifices to idols in their sacred gardens, and offer incense on pagan altars made of brick.
4 abahlala emangcwabeni, balale endaweni ezisithekileyo, abadla inyama yengulube, lomhluzi wezinto ezinengekayo emiganwini yabo.
They spend the night among the graves and in caves, eating pork and cooking other unclean meats.
5 Abathi: Xeka wena, ungasondeli kimi; ngoba ngingcwele kulawe. Laba bayintuthu emakhaleni ami, umlilo otshisayo usuku lonke.
They tell others, “Keep your distance! Don't come close to me as I'm too holy to be touched by you!” These people are like smoke in my nostrils, a stink burning all day long!
6 Khangela, kubhaliwe phambi kwami: Kangiyikuthula, kodwa ngizaphindisela, yebo ngiphindisele esifubeni sabo,
Look—it's all written down right in front of me! I'm not going to keep quiet. I'm going to pay them back by throwing their punishment into their laps.
7 iziphambeko zenu, leziphambeko zaboyihlo kanyekanye, itsho iNkosi, abatshise impepha phezu kwezintaba, bangithuka phezu kwamaqaqa; ngakho ngizalinganisa imisebenzi yabo yakuqala esifubeni sabo.
I'm going to pay you back for both your own sins and the sins of your forefathers, says the Lord, because they burned incense on the mountains and ridiculed me on the hills. I'm going to measure into their laps full payment for what they've done.
8 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Njengewayini elitsha litholwa ehlukuzweni, lomunye athi: Ungalibhubhisi, ngoba isibusiso sikulo; ngizakwenza njalo ngenxa yenceku zami, ukuze ngingazibhubhisi zonke.
This is what the Lord says: It's like when there's a bit of juice left in a bunch of grapes and people say, “Don't get rid of it all; there's still some good in it,” I'll do the same for my servants—I won't destroy them all.
9 Njalo ngizaveza inzalo ivela kuJakobe, lakoJuda kuvele indlalifa yezintaba zami; labakhethiweyo bami bazakudla ilifa lazo, lenceku zami zihlale khona.
I will make sure Jacob has descendants, and people from Judah who can take ownership of my mountain. My chosen ones, my servants, will own the land and live there.
10 Njalo iSharoni izakuba yisibaya semihlambi, lesihotsha seAkori sibe yindawo yokulala yenkomo, eyabantu bami abangidingayo.
Sharon will become a pasture for flocks, and the Valley of Achor a place for herds to rest, for my people who follow me.
11 Kodwa lina elidela iNkosi, elikhohlwa intaba yami engcwele, elihlelele leloviyo itafula, njalo eligcwalisele lelonani umnikelo wokunathwayo.
But those of you who desert the Lord and forget about my holy mountain, who prepare feasts for the god of good luck, who fill jugs of mixed wine for the god of destiny,
12 Ngakho ngizalimisela inkemba, njalo lonke lizakhothamela ukuhlatshwa; ngoba ngalibiza, kodwa kaliphendulanga, ngakhuluma, kodwa kalizwanga, kodwa lenza okubi emehlweni ami, lakhetha lokho engingathokozanga ngakho.
I will make sure your destiny is to be killed by the sword. All of you will bow down to be slaughtered, because I called out to you but you didn't answer; I spoke to you, but you didn't listen. Instead you did what's evil in my sight, choosing to do what I hate.
13 Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Khangela, izinceku zami zizakudla, kodwa lina lizalamba; khangela, inceku zami zizanatha, kodwa lina lizakoma; khangela, inceku zami zizathokoza, kodwa lina lizayangeka;
So this is what the Lord says, My servants will eat, but you will go hungry. My servants will drink, but you will go thirsty. My servants will celebrate, but you will feel ashamed.
14 khangela, inceku zami zizahlabela ngentokozo yenhliziyo, kodwa lina lizakhala ngenxa yokudabuka kwenhliziyo, liqhinqe isililo ngenxa yokudabuka komoya.
Listen! My servants will shout because they're so happy inside, but you will cry out in deepest pain, howling because your spirit is broken.
15 Njalo lizatshiya ibizo lenu libe yisiqalekiso kwabakhethiweyo bami, ngoba iNkosi uJehova izalibulala; kodwa izabiza inceku zayo ngelinye ibizo;
Your name will only be used as a curse by my chosen ones, for the Lord God will kill you and give his servants another name.
16 ukuthi lowo ozibusisa emhlabeni uzazibusisa kuNkulunkulu weqiniso, lalowo ofunga emhlabeni uzafunga ngoNkulunkulu weqiniso; ngoba inhlupheko zakuqala sezikhohlakele, njalo ngoba zisithekile emehlweni ami.
Whoever asks a blessing or takes an oath in the land will do so by the one true God, for I have forgotten the troubles of the past—I don't look on them anymore.
17 Ngoba khangela, ngidala amazulu amatsha lomhlaba omutsha; okwakuqala kakusayikukhunjulwa, kumbe kuvele enhliziyweni.
Look! I'm going to create new heavens and a new earth. The former things won't be remembered—they won't cross anyone's mind!
18 Kodwa jabulani, lithokoze kuze kube laphakade ngengikudalayo, ngoba khangela, ngidala iJerusalema ibe yintokozo, labantu bayo babe yinjabulo.
Be glad, and be happy forever and ever in what I'm going to create, for I will make Jerusalem a delightful place, and its people a real joy.
19 Ngizathokoza-ke ngeJerusalema, ngijabule ngabantu bami; njalo kalisayikuzwakala kuyo ilizwi lokulila lelizwi lokukhala.
I will be so happy over Jerusalem; I will celebrate among my people. The sound of weeping and cries for help won't ever be heard there again.
20 Kusukela lapho kakusayikuba khona usane lwezinsuku, kumbe ixhegu elingagcwalisi insuku zalo; ngoba omutsha uzakufa eleminyaka elikhulu, kodwa isoni esileminyaka elikhulu sizaqalekiswa.
No babies will die after just a few days, and no adults will die without having lived a long life. Those who reach a hundred will be thought of as just a child, and anyone who doesn't reach a hundred will be seen as being under a curse.
21 Njalo bazakwakha izindlu, bahlale kuzo; bahlanyele izivini, badle izithelo zazo.
They will build houses and live in them; they will eat the fruit of the vineyards they themselves planted.
22 Kabayikwakha, kuhlale-ke omunye; kabayikuhlanyela, kudle-ke omunye; ngoba insuku zabantu bami zizakuba njengensuku zesihlahla, labakhethwa bami bazakholisa umsebenzi wezandla zabo okwesikhathi eside.
No longer will they build houses for others to live in; no longer will they plant for others to eat. For my people will live as long as trees do; my chosen ones will live long enough to enjoy all they've worked for.
23 Kabayikutshikatshikela ize, loba bazalele uhlupho; ngoba bayinzalo yababusisiweyo beNkosi, lembewu yabo kanye labo.
They won't work for nothing, and they won't have children destined for disaster. For they are people living under the blessing of the Lord, and their children will be too.
24 Kuzakuthi-ke bengakabizi, mina ngiphendule; lapho besakhuluma, mina-ke ngizwe.
I will reply even before they ask me. While they are still speaking, I will answer them!
25 Impisi lewundlu kuzakudla ndawonye, lesilwane sidle amahlanga njengenkomo, lothuli lube yikudla kwenyoka. Kaziyikulimaza kumbe zibhubhise kuyo yonke intaba yami engcwele, itsho iNkosi.
The wolf and the lamb will eat together. The lion will eat straw like the ox. The snakes will eat dust. Nothing will cause any harm or damage anywhere on my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord in the same way that water fills the sea.
