U-Isaya 9
1 Kodwa umnyama kawuyikuba njengenkathazo yalo; njengesikhathini samandulo wakwenza kwaba lula elizweni lakoZebuluni lelizweni lakoNafithali; kodwa emva kwalokhu wakwenza kwaba nzima ngendlela yolwandle, phetsheya kweJordani, eGalili lezizwe.
But the darkness shall not remain where now is distress; Of old he brought the land of Zebulon and the land of Naphtali into contempt; In future times shall he bring the land of the sea beyond Jordan, the circle of the gentiles, into honor.
2 Abantu ababehamba emnyameni babonile ukukhanya okukhulu; ababehlala elizweni lethunzi lokufa, ukukhanya kubakhanyisele.
The people that walk in darkness behold a great light; They who dwell in the land of death-like shade, Upon them a light shineth.
3 Wandisile isizwe, wakhulisa intokozo yaso; bayathokoza phambi kwakho njengentokozo ekuvuneni, njengoba bethokoza ekwehlukaniselaneni kwabo impango.
Thou enlargest the nation; Thou increasest their joy; They rejoice before thee with the joy of harvest, With the joy of those who divide the spoil.
4 Ngoba wephulile ijogwe lomthwalo waso, loswazi lwehlombe laso, intonga yomcindezeli waso, njengasosukwini lukaMidiyani.
For thou breakest their heavy yoke, And the rod that smote their backs, And the scourge of the taskmaster, As in the day of Midian.
5 Ngoba wonke umsindo wempi usenhlokomeni, lesigqoko sigiqwe egazini; njalo kuzakuba ngesokutshiswa, kube zinkuni zomlilo.
For every greave of the warrior in battle, And the war-garment rolled in blood, Shall be burned; yea, it shall be food for the fire.
6 Ngoba sizalelwe umntwana, sinikwe indodana; lombuso uzakuba sehlombe layo, lebizo lakhe lizathiwa: OMangalisayo, uMeluleki, uNkulunkulu olamandla, uBaba wephakade, iNkosana yokuthula.
For to us a child is born, To us a son is given, And the government shall be upon his shoulder, And he shall be called Wonderful, counsellor, mighty potentate, Everlasting father, prince of peace;
7 Ukwanda kombuso lokuthula kakuyikuphela, phezu kwesihlalo sobukhosi sikaDavida laphezu kombuso wakhe, ukuwumisa, lokuwuqinisa ngesahlulelo langokulunga, kusukela khathesi kuze kube nininini. Ukutshiseka kweNkosi yamabandla kuzakwenza lokhu.
His dominion shall be great, And peace without end shall be upon the throne of David and his kingdom, To fix and establish it Through justice and equity, Henceforth and forever. The zeal of Jehovah of hosts will do this.
8 INkosi ithumele ilizwi koJakobe, lawela koIsrayeli.
The Lord sendeth a word against Jacob; It cometh down to Israel.
9 Labo bonke abantu bazakwazi, uEfrayimi lomhlali weSamariya, ngokuzigqaja langokuzikhukhumeza kwenhliziyo, besithi:
His whole people shall feel it, Ephraim, and the inhabitants of Samaria, Who say in pride and arrogance of heart,
10 Izitina ziwile, kodwa sizakwakha ngamatshe abaziweyo; imikhiwa yesikhamore iganyuliwe, kodwa sizayiguqula ibe yimisedari.
“The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones; The sycamores are cut down, but we will replace them with cedars.”
11 Ngakho iNkosi izaphakamisa abacindezeli bakaRezini phezu kwakhe, itshotshozele izitha zakhe;
Jehovah will raise up the enemies of Rezin against them, And will arm their adversaries;
12 amaSiriya ngaphambili lamaFilisti ngemuva, azakudla uIsrayeli ngomlomo wonke. Kukho konke lokhu intukuthelo yayo kayiphenduki, kodwa isandla sayo silokhu seluliwe.
The Syrians before, the Philistines behind, Who shall devour Israel with wide jaws. For all this his anger is not turned away, But his hand is stretched out still.
13 Ngoba abantu kabaphendukeli kulowo owabatshayayo, futhi kabayidingi iNkosi yamabandla.
The people turn not to him that smiteth them; Neither do they seek Jehovah of hosts.
14 Ngakho iNkosi izaquma kusuke koIsrayeli inhloko lomsila, ugatsha lomhlanga, ngasuku lunye.
Therefore shall Jehovah cut off from Israel the head and the tail, The palm-branch and the rush, in one day.
15 Omdala lowemukelwa ngobuso, uyinhloko, kodwa umprofethi ofundisa amanga, ungumsila.
[[The aged and the honorable are the head, And the prophet that speaketh falsehood is the tail.]]
16 Ngoba abakhokheli balababantu bayaduhisa, labakhokhelwa yibo bayaginywa.
For the leaders of this people lead them astray, And they that are led by them go to destruction.
17 Ngenxa yalokho iNkosi kayiyikuthokoza ngamajaha abo, kayiyikuba lasihawu ngezintandane zabo labafelokazi babo; ngoba bonke bangabazenzisi labenzi bobubi, lomlomo wonke ukhuluma ubuthutha. Kukho konke lokhu intukuthelo yayo kayiphenduki, kodwa isandla sayo silokhu seluliwe.
Therefore shall the Lord have no joy in their young men, And on their orphans and widows he shall have no compassion; For they are all profane, and evil-doers; Every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, But his hand is stretched out still.
18 Ngoba inkohlakalo itshisa njengomlilo; izakudla ameva lokhula oluhlabayo, ithungele izixuku zehlathi, ziziphakamise njengokuphakama kwentuthu.
For wickedness burneth like a fire, It consumeth the briers and thorns, And it kindleth the thicket of the forest, So that it goeth up in columns of smoke.
19 Ngolaka lweNkosi yamabandla ilizwe liyafiphazwa, labantu bazakuba njengokudla komlilo; umuntu kayikuyekela umfowabo.
Through the wrath of Jehovah of hosts is the land burned, And the people are food for the fire; No one spareth another.
20 Njalo uzahluthuna ngakwesokunene, kodwa alambe; adle ngakwesokhohlo, kodwa angasuthi; ngulowo lalowo adle inyama yengalo yakhe;
They consume on the right hand, and yet are hungry; They devour on the left, and are not satisfied; Every one devoureth the flesh of his arm.
21 uManase uEfrayimi, loEfrayimi uManase; bazamelana loJuda kanyekanye. Kukho konke lokhu intukuthelo yayo kayiphenduki, kodwa isandla sayo silokhu seluliwe.
Manasseh is against Ephraim, and Ephraim against Manasseh, And both together against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, But his hand is stretched out still.
