U-Isaya 8

1 INkosi yasisithi kimi: Zithathele isibhebhe esikhulu, ubhale kiso ngepheni yomuntu ukuthi: Maherishalali-Hashibazi.

And the Lord said unto me, Take thyself a large table, and write on it with distinct letters, Lemaher-shalal-chash-bas.

2 Ngasengizifakazisela abafakazi abathembekileyo, oUriya umpristi loZekhariya indodana kaJeberekiya.

And I was to summon for myself trustworthy witnesses, Uriyah the priest, and Zecharyahu the son of Yeberechyahu.

3 Ngasengisondela kumprofethikazi, wasethatha isisu, wazala indodana. INkosi yasisithi kimi: Umuthe ibizo lokuthi uMaherishalali-Hashibazi.

And I came near unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bore a son. Then said the Lord to me, Call his name Maher-shalal-chash-bas.

4 Ngoba umntwana engakakwazi ukumemeza athi baba, lokuthi, mama, inotho yeDamaseko lempango yeSamariya kuzathwalelwa phambi kwenkosi yeAsiriya.

For before yet the boy shall know to call, My father, and my mother, the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be carried away before the king of Assyria.

5 INkosi yasibuya yakhuluma lami futhi isithi:

And the Lord continued to speak unto me again, saying,

6 Ngenxa yokuthi lesisizwe siwalile amanzi eShilowa ahamba kancinyane, njalo kulentokozo kuRezini lendodana kaRemaliya,

Forasmuch as this people despiseth the waters of Shiloach that flow softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remalyahu's son:

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,

Yea therefore behold, the Lord bringeth up over them the strong and many waters of the river, —the king of Assyria, and all his glory; and he shall come up over all his channels, and step over all his banks;

8 aze adlulele koJuda; akhukhule, adlule, afinyelele entanyeni; lokweluleka kwempiko zawo kuzagcwalisa ilizwe lakho, Emanuweli.

And he shall penetrate into Judah, overflow and flood over, even to the neck shall he reach; and his outstretched wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O 'Immanu-el.

9 Zihlanganiseni, zizwe, kodwa liphahlazwe; bekani indlebe, lina lonke abezizwe ezikhatshana; zibhinceni, kodwa liphahlazwe; zibhinceni, kodwa liphahlazwe.

Associate yourselves, O ye people, yet shall ye be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of the far portions of the earth: gird yourselves, yet shall ye be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, yet shall ye be broken in pieces.

10 Cebani icebo, kodwa lizafojiswa; khulumani ilizwi, kodwa kaliyikuma; ngoba uNkulunkulu ulathi.

Take counsel together, yet shall it come to naught; speak the word, and it shall not stand firm; for with us is God.

11 Ngoba yatsho njalo iNkosi kimi ngesandla esilamandla, yangifundisa ukuthi ngingahambi endleleni yalababantu, isithi:

For thus said the Lord to me with the strength of prophecy, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying,

12 Lingatsho ukuthi: Ugobe, kukho konke lababantu abathi ngakho: Ugobe; lingesabi ukwesaba kwabo, lingatshaywa luvalo.

Call ye not a conspiracy all that this people may call a conspiracy, and what it feareth shall ye not fear, and be not terrified [thereat].

13 INkosi yamabandla, yona lizayingcwelisa, njalo yona ibe yikwesaba kwenu, njalo yona ibe luvalo lwenu.

The Lord of hosts, him shall ye sanctify; and let him be your fear, and let him be your terror.

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 for a sanctuary; but also for a stone of stumbling and for a rock to fall over unto both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

15 Labanengi bazakhubeka phakathi kwabo, bawe, bephuke, bathiywe, bathunjwe.

And many shall stumble over them, and fall, and be broken, and snared, and be caught.

16 Bopha ubufakazi, unameke umlayo phakathi kwabafundi bami.

Bind up the testimony, seal up the law among my disciples.

17 Ngakho ngizalindela iNkosi efihlela indlu kaJakobe ubuso bayo, ngiyidinge.

And I will wait for the Lord, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope for him.

18 Khangela mina labantwana iNkosi enginike bona siyizibonakaliso lezimangaliso koIsrayeli, ezivela eNkosini yamabandla ehlala entabeni yeZiyoni.

Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for tokens in Israel, from the Lord of hosts who dwelleth on mount Zion.

19 Lalapho bezakuthi kini: Buzani kwabalamadlozi, lakubathakathi abatshaya imilozwi labanyenyezayo: abantu kabayikubuza yini kuNkulunkulu wabo? Abantu babuze yini bemele abaphilayo kwabafileyo?

And when they shall say unto you, “Inquire of those that have familiar spirits, and of the wizards, that whisper, and that mutter:” should not a people inquire of their God? [should we then] in behalf of the living [inquire] of the dead?

20 Kuwo umthetho lakubo ubufakazi! Uba bengakhulumi njengalelilizwi, kungokuthi kakukho ukusa kubo.

[Hold] to the law and to the testimony: if they are not to speak according to this word, in which there is no light.

21 Bazadabula kukho, becindezelwe kakhulu belambile; kuzakuthi-ke belambile bezondile, bathuke inkosi yabo loNkulunkulu wabo, bakhangele phezulu.

And the [people] shall pass through [the land], hard oppressed and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they will become enraged, and curse their king and their god, and turn toward on high [for aid].

22 Njalo bazakhangela emhlabeni, khangela-ke, kuzakuba lokuhlupheka lomnyama, ubumnyama benkathazo, njalo axotshelwe emnyameni.

And they will look unto the earth; and behold there are trouble and darkness, dimness of oppression, and they shall be scattered into obscurity.