U-Isaya 1
1 Umbono kaIsaya indodana kaAmozi, awubona ngoJuda leJerusalema, ensukwini zaboUziya, uJothamu, uAhazi, uHezekhiya, amakhosi akoJuda.
The visions of Isaiah, the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
2 Zwanini, mazulu, ubeke indlebe, mhlaba, ngoba iNkosi isikhulumile, yathi: Ngondlile ngakhulisa abantwana, kodwa bona bangivukele.
Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For Jehovah speaketh: “I have nourished and brought up children, And they have rebelled against me.
3 Inkabi iyamazi umniniyo, lobabhemi umkolo womnikazi wakhe; kodwa uIsrayeli kazi, abantu bami kabaqedisisi.
The ox knoweth his owner, And the ass his master's crib; But Israel doth not know; My people do not consider.”
4 Hawu, isizwe esonayo, abantu abasindwa yibubi, inzalo yabenzi bobubi, abantwana abonakalisayo! Bayitshiyile iNkosi, bamdelele oNgcwele kaIsrayeli, bahlehlele nyovane.
Ah, sinful nation! a people laden with iniquity! A race of evil-doers! degenerate children! They have forsaken Jehovah; they have despised the Holy One of Israel; They have gone backward.
5 Lizatshayelwani futhi? Belizaqhubeka livukela; ikhanda lonke liyagula, lenhliziyo yonke ibuthakathaka.
Where can ye be smitten again, Since ye renew your rebellion? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint;
6 Kusukela kungaphansi yonyawo kuze kufike ekhanda kakulandawo ephilileyo kukho, kodwa izilonda lemivimvinya lamanxeba ophayo; kakukhanywanga, kakubotshwanga, kakuthanjiswanga ngamafutha.
From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it; It is all bruises, and stripes, and flesh wounds, Neither pressed, nor bound up, nor softened with ointment.
7 Ilizwe lakini liyincithakalo, imizi yenu itshiswe ngomlilo, umhlaba wenu abezizwe bawudla phambi kwenu, njalo kulencithakalo, njengokugenqulwa ngabemzini.
Your country is desolate; Your cities are burnt with fire; Your ground, strangers devour it before your eyes; It is become desolate, destroyed by an enemy.
8 Indodakazi yeZiyoni isele-ke njengedumba esivinini, njengengalane ensimini yamakhomane, njengomuzi ovinjezelweyo.
And the daughter of Zion is left as a shed in a vineyard, As a hut in a garden of cucumbers, As a besieged city.
9 Uba iNkosi yamabandla ibingasitshiyelanga insali eyingcosana, besizakuba njengeSodoma, sifanane leGomora.
Had not Jehovah of hosts left us a small remnant, We had soon become as Sodom; We had been like to Gomorrah.
10 Zwanini ilizwi leNkosi, babusi beSodoma, libeke indlebe kumlayo kaNkulunkulu wethu, bantu beGomora.
Hear ye the word of Jehovah, ye princes of Sodom! Give ear to the instruction of our God, ye people of Gomorrah!
11 Buyini kimi ubunengi bemihlatshelo yenu? itsho iNkosi. Ngenelisiwe yiminikelo yokutshiswa yezinqama langamahwahwa okunonisiweyo; legazi lamajongosi lelamawundlu lelezimpongo kangithokozi ngalo.
What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? saith Jehovah; I am satiated with burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; In the blood of bullocks and of lambs and of goats I have no delight.
12 Lapho lisizabonakala phambi kwami, ngubani obize lokhu esandleni senu, ukugxoba amaguma ami?
When ye come to appear before me, Who hath required this of you, to tread my courts?
13 Lingabe lisaletha umnikelo oyize; impepha iyisinengiso kimi; ukuthwasa kwenyanga, lesabatha, ukubizwa kwenhlangano, ngingekumele; kuyisiphambeko, ngitsho umhlangano onzulu.
Bring no more false oblations! Incense is an abomination to me, The new moon also, and the sabbath, and the calling of the assembly; Iniquity and festivals I cannot endure.
14 Umphefumulo wami uyakuzonda ukuthwasa kwezinyanga zenu lemikhosi yenu emisiweyo; kungumthwalo kimi, sengikhathele yikukuthwala.
Your new moons and your feasts my soul hateth; They are a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.
15 Lalapho liselula izandla zenu ngizalifihlela amehlo ami; njalo nxa lisandisa umkhuleko kangiyikuzwa; izandla zenu zigcwele igazi.
When ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; Yea, when ye multiply prayers, I will not hear: Your hands are full of blood!
16 Gezani, lizihlambulule; susani ububi bezenzo zenu phambi kwamehlo ami; yekelani ukwenza okubi;
Wash you; make you clean; Put away your evil doings from before mine eyes;
17 fundani ukwenza okuhle; dingani isahlulelo; sizani ocindezelweyo; yehlulelani intandane; melani umfelokazi.
Cease to do evil; Learn to do well; Seek justice; relieve the oppressed; Defend the fatherless; plead for the widow!
18 Wozani khathesi, siqondisane, itsho iNkosi; loba izono zenu zinjengokubomvu gebhu, zizakuba mhlophe njengeliqhwa elikhithikileyo; loba zibomvu njengokubomvu kakhulu, zizakuba njengoboya bezimvu.
Come, now, and let us argue together, saith Jehovah. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they be red as crimson, they shall be like wool.
19 Uba livuma lilalela, lizakudla okuhle kwelizwe;
If ye be willing and obedient, Ye shall consume the good of the land.
20 kodwa uba lisala libe lenkani, lizadliwa yinkemba; ngoba umlomo weNkosi ukhulumile.
But if ye refuse, and be rebellious, The sword shall consume you; For the mouth of Jehovah hath said it.
21 Yeka, umuzi othembekileyo usube liwule! Wawugcwele isahlulelo, ukulunga kwakuhlezi kuwo, kodwa khathesi ababulali.
How is the faithful city become a harlot, She that was full of equity! Once justice dwelt in her, but now murderers!
22 Isiliva sakho sesibe ngamanyele; iwayini lakho laxubana lamanzi.
Thy silver is become dross; Thy wine is adulterated with water.
23 Iziphathamandla zakho zingabahlamuki labangane bamasela; ngulowo lalowo uthanda isipho, azingele izivalamlomo; kazehluleli izintandane, lendaba yomfelokazi kayifiki kuzo.
Thy princes are faithless, companions of thieves; Every one of them loveth gifts, and seeketh rewards; They render not justice to the fatherless, And the cause of the widow cometh not before them.
24 Ngakho itsho iNkosi, iNkosi yamabandla, oLamandla wakoIsrayeli: E, ngizaziduduza ngezitha zami, ngiziphindisele kwabamelana lami.
Wherefore, thus saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel: Ha! I will ease me of mine adversaries, And avenge me of mine enemies.
25 Ngizabuyisela isandla sami phezu kwakho, ngicwengisise amanyele akho, ngisuse yonke ingcekeza yokucwengwa kwakho.
And I will again turn my hand toward thee, And wholly purge away thy dross, And take away all thy alloy.
26 Ngizabuyisela abahluleli bakho njengekuqaleni, labeluleki bakho njengakuqala; emva kwalokho ubizwe ngokuthi ngumuzi wokulunga, umuzi othembekileyo.
And I will restore thee judges, as at the first, And counsellors, as at the beginning. Then shalt thou be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.
27 IZiyoni izahlengwa ngesahlulelo, labaphendukayo bayo ngokulunga.
Through justice shall Zion be delivered, And her reformed sons through righteousness.
28 Lokwephulwa kwabaphambuki lokwezoni kuzakuba kanyekanye, labadela iNkosi baqedwe.
But destruction shall fall at once on the rebels and sinners; Yea, they that forsake Jehovah shall be consumed.
29 Ngoba bazakuba lenhloni ngezihlahla zama-okhi elaliziloyisa, liyangeke ngezivande elizikhethileyo.
For ye shall be ashamed of the terebinths in which ye delighted; Ye shall blush for the gardens which ye loved;
30 Ngoba lizakuba njengesihlahla se-okhi omahlamvu aso ayabuna, lanjengesivande esingelamanzi.
And ye shall be as a terebinth-tree whose leaves are withered, And as a garden in which is no water.
31 Njalo olamandla uzakuba lifilakisi eliyizibi, lomenzi walo abe yinhlansi; njalo kuzakutsha kokubili kanyekanye, kungabi khona ocitshayo.
The strong shall become tow, And his work a spark of fire; Both shall burn together, And none shall quench them.
