U-Isaya 7
1 Kwasekusithi ensukwini zikaAhazi indodana kaJothamu, indodana kaUziya inkosi yakoJuda, uRezini inkosi yeSiriya kanye loPheka indodana kaRemaliya inkosi yakoIsrayeli wenyukela eJerusalema ukuya empini emelene layo, kodwa kabangalakho ukulwa layo ngokuphumelelayo.
It was during the reign of Ahaz son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin, king of Aram, marched to attack Jerusalem. Pekah, son of Remaliah, king of Israel, joined in the attack, but they couldn't conquer the city.
2 Kwasekubikwa endlini kaDavida ukuthi iSiriya ihlangene loEfrayimi; inhliziyo yakhe lenhliziyo yabantu bakhe zasezinyikinyeka njengezihlahla zegusu zinyikinywa ngumoya.
When the royal family of Judah was told, “Aram and Ephraim have an alliance,” Ahaz and his people were terrified and they shook like trees in the forest tossed about by the wind.
3 INkosi yasisithi kuIsaya: Ake uphume uyehlangabeza uAhazi, wena loSheyari-Yashubi indodana yakho, ekucineni komfolo wechibi elingaphezulu, emgwaqweni omkhulu wensimu yomwatshi,
Then the Lord told Isaiah, “Take your son Shear-jashub with you and go and meet Ahaz. He'll be at the end of the aqueduct of the upper pool, by the road to the laundry field.
4 uthi kuye: Nanzelela, uthule, ungesabi, lenhliziyo yakho ingabi buthakathaka ngenxa yemisila emibili yalezizikhuni ezithunqayo, ngenxa yokuvutha kolaka lukaRezini leSiriya, lendodana kaRemaliya.
Tell him, ‘Calm down and keep quiet. Don't be afraid or scared over a couple of smoldering bits of firewood, over the burning anger of Rezin and Aram, and of Remaliah's son.
5 Ngenxa yokuthi iSiriya, uEfrayimi, lendodana kaRemaliya, bacebise okubi ngawe, besithi:
Aram has plotted to destroy you together with Ephraim and Remaliah's son saying,
6 Asenyukele koJuda, simesabise, sizifohlelele kuye, sibeke inkosi phakathi kwakhe, indodana kaTabeyeli.
Let's go and attack Judah! We'll terrorize it and conquer it for ourselves, and make Tabeel's son its king.”
7 Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Kakuyikuma, njalo kakuyikwenzeka.
But this is what the Lord God says, “This plan won't materialize—it just won't happen!
8 Ngoba inhloko yeSiriya yiDamaseko, lenhloko yeDamaseko nguRezini; laphakathi kuseleminyaka engamatshumi ayisithupha lanhlanu uEfrayimi uzakwephulwa, angabi yisizwe.
For the head of Aram is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin. In addition, within sixty-five years Israel as a nation will be destroyed.
9 Njalo inhloko kaEfrayimi yiSamariya, lenhloko yeSamariya yindodana kaRemaliya. Uba lingakholwa, isibili kaliyikuqiniswa.
The head of Israel is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah's son. If you don't trust in me, then you won't survive.”
10 INkosi yasiqhubeka ikhuluma kuAhazi isithi:
Later the Lord sent another message to Ahaz,
11 Zicelele isibonakaliso eNkosini uNkulunkulu wakho; cela ekujuleni loba ekuphakameni phezulu. (Sheol h7585)
“Ask the Lord your God for a sign, whether as deep as where people are buried or as high as heaven.” (Sheol h7585)
12 Kodwa uAhazi wathi: Kangiyikucela, kangiyikulinga iNkosi.
“No, I'm not going to ask,” Ahaz replied. “I refuse to put the Lord to the test.”
13 Wasesithi: Zwana-ke, ndlu kaDavida; kuyinto encinyane kakhulu kuwe yini ukuthi udinise abantu, ukuthi udinise loNkulunkulu wami?
Then Isaiah said, “Listen, royal family of Judah! Isn't it enough for you to wear people out? Do you have to wear my God out too?
14 Ngakho iNkosi uqobo izalinika isibonakaliso: Khangela, intombi emsulwa izathatha isisu, ibelethe indodana, ibize ibizo layo ngokuthi nguEmanuweli.
This is why the Lord himself is going to give you a sign. Look! The virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and she will call him Immanuel.
15 Uzakudla amasi loluju, aze azi ukwala okubi lokukhetha okuhle.
He will eat curds and honey until the time he knows to refuse evil and choose the good.
16 Ngoba umntwana engakakwazi ukwala okubi lokukhetha okuhle, ilizwe onengwa yilo lizatshiywa ngamakhosi alo amabili.
For before the boy knows to refuse evil and choose the good, the land of the two kings you're afraid of will be deserted.
17 INkosi izaletha phezu kwakho laphezu kwabantu bakho laphezu kwendlu kayihlo insuku ezingezanga kusukela osukwini uEfrayimi asuka ngalo koJuda; yinkosi yeAsiriya.
The Lord will make you, your people, and the royal family experience a time unlike anything since the day Ephraim split from Judah. He will bring the king of Assyria to attack you!”
18 Kuzakuthi-ke ngalolosuku iNkosi itshaye ikhwelo empukaneni esephethelweni lwemifula yeGibhithe, lenyosini eselizweni leAsiriya.
At that time the Lord will whistle to call flies from the distant rivers of Egypt and bees from the country of Assyria.
19 Zizakuza-ke, ziphumule zonke ezigodini zamawa, lezingoxweni zamadwala, lezihlahleni zonke zameva, lemadlelweni wonke.
They will all come and descend on the steep valleys and rock crevices, on all the thorn bushes and waterholes.
20 Ngalolosuku iNkosi izaphuca ngensingo eyebolekwe, phetsheya komfula, ngenkosi yeAsiriya, ikhanda loboya bezinyawo, futhi ihluthune lendevu.
At that time the Lord will use a razor hired from beyond the Euphrates River, the king of Assyria, to shave you from head to toe, including your beards.
21 Kuzakuthi-ke ngalolosuku umuntu uzagcina kuphila ithokazi lezimvu ezimbili;
At that time a someone who manages to keep a young cow and two sheep alive
22 kuzakuthi-ke ngenxa yobunengi bochago ezilwehlisayo adle amasi; yebo, wonke oseleyo phakathi kwelizwe uzakudla amasi loluju.
will eat curds, because they produce so much milk—for everyone who survives in the land will eat curds and honey.
23 Kuzakuthi-ke ngalolosuku, yonke indawo lapho okwakukhona amavini ayinkulungwane ngenhlamvu zesiliva eziyinkulungwane, kube ngokwameva lokhula oluhlabayo.
At that time everywhere that once had a thousand vines worth a thousand shekels will only have brambles and thorns.
24 Bazakuya khona ngemitshoko langedandili, ngoba ilizwe lonke lizakuba ngameva lokhula oluhlabayo.
People will go hunting there with bows and arrows because the land will be covered with brambles and thorns.
25 Lazo zonke izintaba ezazilinywa ngekhuba kabayikuya kuzo ngokwesaba ameva lokhula oluhlabayo; kodwa kuzakuba ngokokungenisa inkabi lokokunyathelwa yizimvu.
In fact, all the hills that were once tilled by the hoe you won't want to go to because you'll worry about the brambles and thorns there. They'll just be where cattle are let loose and where sheep roam.
