< U-Isaya 8 >
1 INkosi yasisithi kimi: Zithathele isibhebhe esikhulu, ubhale kiso ngepheni yomuntu ukuthi: Maherishalali-Hashibazi.
Then the LORD said to me, “Take a large scroll and write on it with an ordinary stylus: Maher-shalal-hash-baz.
2 Ngasengizifakazisela abafakazi abathembekileyo, oUriya umpristi loZekhariya indodana kaJeberekiya.
And I will appoint for Myself trustworthy witnesses—Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah.”
3 Ngasengisondela kumprofethikazi, wasethatha isisu, wazala indodana. INkosi yasisithi kimi: Umuthe ibizo lokuthi uMaherishalali-Hashibazi.
And I had relations with the prophetess, and she conceived and gave birth to a son. The LORD said to me, “Name him Maher-shalal-hash-baz.
4 Ngoba umntwana engakakwazi ukumemeza athi baba, lokuthi, mama, inotho yeDamaseko lempango yeSamariya kuzathwalelwa phambi kwenkosi yeAsiriya.
For before the boy knows how to cry ‘Father’ or ‘Mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the plunder of Samaria will be carried off by the king of Assyria.”
5 INkosi yasibuya yakhuluma lami futhi isithi:
And the LORD spoke to me further:
6 Ngenxa yokuthi lesisizwe siwalile amanzi eShilowa ahamba kancinyane, njalo kulentokozo kuRezini lendodana kaRemaliya,
“Because this people has rejected the gently flowing waters of Shiloah and rejoiced in Rezin and the son of Remaliah,
7 ngakho-ke, khangela, iNkosi izakwenyusela phezu kwabo amanzi omfula amanengi lalamandla, inkosi yeAsiriya labo bonke ubukhosi bayo; azakwenyukela phezu kwaso yonke imigelo yaso, ahambe phezu kwazo zonke inkumbi zaso,
the Lord will surely bring against them the mighty floodwaters of the Euphrates — the king of Assyria and all his pomp. It will overflow its channels and overrun its banks.
8 aze adlulele koJuda; akhukhule, adlule, afinyelele entanyeni; lokweluleka kwempiko zawo kuzagcwalisa ilizwe lakho, Emanuweli.
It will pour into Judah, swirling and sweeping over it, reaching up to the neck; its spreading streams will cover your entire land, O Immanuel!
9 Zihlanganiseni, zizwe, kodwa liphahlazwe; bekani indlebe, lina lonke abezizwe ezikhatshana; zibhinceni, kodwa liphahlazwe; zibhinceni, kodwa liphahlazwe.
Huddle together, O peoples, and be shattered; pay attention, all you distant lands; prepare for battle, and be shattered; prepare for battle, and be shattered!
10 Cebani icebo, kodwa lizafojiswa; khulumani ilizwi, kodwa kaliyikuma; ngoba uNkulunkulu ulathi.
Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted; state a proposal, but it will not happen. For God is with us.”
11 Ngoba yatsho njalo iNkosi kimi ngesandla esilamandla, yangifundisa ukuthi ngingahambi endleleni yalababantu, isithi:
For this is what the LORD has spoken to me with a strong hand, instructing me not to walk in the way of this people:
12 Lingatsho ukuthi: Ugobe, kukho konke lababantu abathi ngakho: Ugobe; lingesabi ukwesaba kwabo, lingatshaywa luvalo.
“Do not call conspiracy everything these people regard as conspiracy. Do not fear what they fear; do not live in dread.
13 INkosi yamabandla, yona lizayingcwelisa, njalo yona ibe yikwesaba kwenu, njalo yona ibe luvalo lwenu.
The LORD of Hosts is the One you shall regard as holy. Only He should be feared; only He should be dreaded.
14 Njalo izakuba yindawo engcwele, kodwa ibe yilitshe lokukhubekisa, ibe lidwala lokuwisa kuzo zombili izindlu zakoIsrayeli, ibe ngumjibila ibe yisifu kwabakhileyo eJerusalema.
And He will be a sanctuary— but to both houses of Israel a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, to the dwellers of Jerusalem a trap and a snare.
15 Labanengi bazakhubeka phakathi kwabo, bawe, bephuke, bathiywe, bathunjwe.
Many will stumble over these; they will fall and be broken; they will be ensnared and captured.”
16 Bopha ubufakazi, unameke umlayo phakathi kwabafundi bami.
Bind up the testimony and seal the law among my disciples.
17 Ngakho ngizalindela iNkosi efihlela indlu kaJakobe ubuso bayo, ngiyidinge.
I will wait for the LORD, who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob. I will put my trust in Him.
18 Khangela mina labantwana iNkosi enginike bona siyizibonakaliso lezimangaliso koIsrayeli, ezivela eNkosini yamabandla ehlala entabeni yeZiyoni.
Here am I, and the children the LORD has given me as signs and symbols in Israel from the LORD of Hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion.
19 Lalapho bezakuthi kini: Buzani kwabalamadlozi, lakubathakathi abatshaya imilozwi labanyenyezayo: abantu kabayikubuza yini kuNkulunkulu wabo? Abantu babuze yini bemele abaphilayo kwabafileyo?
When men tell you to consult the spirits of the dead and the spiritists who whisper and mutter, shouldn’t a people consult their God instead? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?
20 Kuwo umthetho lakubo ubufakazi! Uba bengakhulumi njengalelilizwi, kungokuthi kakukho ukusa kubo.
To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.
21 Bazadabula kukho, becindezelwe kakhulu belambile; kuzakuthi-ke belambile bezondile, bathuke inkosi yabo loNkulunkulu wabo, bakhangele phezulu.
They will roam the land, dejected and hungry. When they are famished, they will become enraged; and looking upward, they will curse their king and their God.
22 Njalo bazakhangela emhlabeni, khangela-ke, kuzakuba lokuhlupheka lomnyama, ubumnyama benkathazo, njalo axotshelwe emnyameni.
Then they will look to the earth and see only distress and darkness and the gloom of anguish. And they will be driven into utter darkness.