U-Isaya 1
1 Umbono kaIsaya indodana kaAmozi, awubona ngoJuda leJerusalema, ensukwini zaboUziya, uJothamu, uAhazi, uHezekhiya, amakhosi akoJuda.
[I am] Isaiah, the son of Amoz. [Yahweh showed me] visions about Jerusalem and [all the other places in] Judah. He showed me these visions during the years that Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah.
2 Zwanini, mazulu, ubeke indlebe, mhlaba, ngoba iNkosi isikhulumile, yathi: Ngondlile ngakhulisa abantwana, kodwa bona bangivukele.
This is what Yahweh says: “All you [angels in] [APO] heaven and [all you people on] [APO] earth, listen to me! The people that I caused to exist and took care of [DOU] have rebelled against me.
3 Inkabi iyamazi umniniyo, lobabhemi umkolo womnikazi wakhe; kodwa uIsrayeli kazi, abantu bami kabaqedisisi.
Oxen know their owners, and donkeys know who provides food for them, but my Israeli people do not know [me]; they do not realize [that I am the one who takes care of them].”
4 Hawu, isizwe esonayo, abantu abasindwa yibubi, inzalo yabenzi bobubi, abantwana abonakalisayo! Bayitshiyile iNkosi, bamdelele oNgcwele kaIsrayeli, bahlehlele nyovane.
Terrible things will happen to that sinful nation, to those people who are guilty of sinning greatly. They are a group of very evil people, who act very unjustly. They have abandoned Yahweh, the holy one of Israel; they have (abandoned/turned away from) him.
5 Lizatshayelwani futhi? Belizaqhubeka livukela; ikhanda lonke liyagula, lenhliziyo yonke ibuthakathaka.
Why do you [RHQ] continue to [do things for which] you should be punished? Why do you continue to rebel against Yahweh? [You are like] [MET] someone whose head is badly injured and whose mind is sick/corrupt.
6 Kusukela kungaphansi yonyawo kuze kufike ekhanda kakulandawo ephilileyo kukho, kodwa izilonda lemivimvinya lamanxeba ophayo; kakukhanywanga, kakubotshwanga, kakuthanjiswanga ngamafutha.
[It is as though] [MET] from the soles/bottoms of your feet to the [tops of your] heads nothing is healthy; there are only open wounds and cuts and sores that have not been cleaned or bandaged, and no [olive] oil has been put on them [to heal them].
7 Ilizwe lakini liyincithakalo, imizi yenu itshiswe ngomlilo, umhlaba wenu abezizwe bawudla phambi kwenu, njalo kulencithakalo, njengokugenqulwa ngabemzini.
[It is as though] your country is ruined/desolate; your towns have been burned. Foreigners plunder/steal the crops in your fields while you watch; they destroy everything [that they see].
8 Indodakazi yeZiyoni isele-ke njengedumba esivinini, njengengalane ensimini yamakhomane, njengomuzi ovinjezelweyo.
The city of Jerusalem has [already] been abandoned, it is like [SIM] a shelter in a vineyard that has been abandoned by the watchmen; it is like [SIM] a watchman’s hut in a field of melons that has been deserted. It is a city surrounded by its enemies who are waiting to attack it.
9 Uba iNkosi yamabandla ibingasitshiyelanga insali eyingcosana, besizakuba njengeSodoma, sifanane leGomora.
If the Commander of the armies of angels had not allowed a few of us [his people] to (survive/remain alive), we would have [all] been [destroyed], like [the cities of] Sodom and Gomorrah [were destroyed].
10 Zwanini ilizwi leNkosi, babusi beSodoma, libeke indlebe kumlayo kaNkulunkulu wethu, bantu beGomora.
You [leaders of Judah are as wicked as] the rulers of Sodom were, and you [other people in Jerusalem areas are as wicked as] the people in Gomorrah [were]. Listen to this message from Yahweh, [all of you]!
11 Buyini kimi ubunengi bemihlatshelo yenu? itsho iNkosi. Ngenelisiwe yiminikelo yokutshiswa yezinqama langamahwahwa okunonisiweyo; legazi lamajongosi lelamawundlu lelezimpongo kangithokozi ngalo.
He says, “You continue to bring many sacrifices to me, but I do not [RHQ] want them [because you do not worship me sincerely]! You bring me many offerings to be completely burned [on the altar], [but] I (am tired/do not want any more) of your burning all those offerings, the burning rams and the fat from fat cattle. I am not pleased with the blood of bulls and lambs and goats that [the priest] pours [against the altar].
12 Lapho lisizabonakala phambi kwami, ngubani obize lokhu esandleni senu, ukugxoba amaguma ami?
When you come to my temple to worship me, no one [RHQ] told you to trample on my courtyard while you perform all those rituals.
13 Lingabe lisaletha umnikelo oyize; impepha iyisinengiso kimi; ukuthwasa kwenyanga, lesabatha, ukubizwa kwenhlangano, ngingekumele; kuyisiphambeko, ngitsho umhlangano onzulu.
Stop bringing to me those offerings, because they are useless [to me]; I am disgusted with the incense that [the priests burn]. And [your feasts to celebrate] the new moon [each month] and your (Sabbath [days]/days of rest) and your [other] festivals— I detest them because of the wicked things [that you do].
14 Umphefumulo wami uyakuzonda ukuthwasa kwezinyanga zenu lemikhosi yenu emisiweyo; kungumthwalo kimi, sengikhathele yikukuthwala.
I [SYN] hate [all] your celebrations of each new moon and the [other] festivals that you celebrate each year. They are [like] [MET] a heavy burden that I am tired of carrying.
15 Lalapho liselula izandla zenu ngizalifihlela amehlo ami; njalo nxa lisandisa umkhuleko kangiyikuzwa; izandla zenu zigcwele igazi.
[So], when you lift up your hands when you pray [to me], I will not [even] look at you. Even if you pray [to me very] frequently, I will not listen [to you], [because it is as though] your hands are covered with the blood [of people whom you have killed].
16 Gezani, lizihlambulule; susani ububi bezenzo zenu phambi kwamehlo ami; yekelani ukwenza okubi;
Cleanse your inner beings, and become [spiritually] clean! Stop your evil behavior! Stop doing things that are wrong!
17 fundani ukwenza okuhle; dingani isahlulelo; sizani ocindezelweyo; yehlulelani intandane; melani umfelokazi.
Learn to do [things that are] good! [Try to] cause people to do what is just. Help people who are (oppressed/treated cruelly). Defend orphans and widows [when people take them to court].”
18 Wozani khathesi, siqondisane, itsho iNkosi; loba izono zenu zinjengokubomvu gebhu, zizakuba mhlophe njengeliqhwa elikhithikileyo; loba zibomvu njengokubomvu kakhulu, zizakuba njengoboya bezimvu.
Yahweh says, “You need to think about the results of what you do. Even though [the guilt of] your sins be [as evident and as difficult to get rid of] as [SIM] red [stains on a white garment] [DOU], [I will get rid of them completely] [like someone who can make that stained garment] become as white as snow or wool [DOU].
19 Uba livuma lilalela, lizakudla okuhle kwelizwe;
If you are willing to obey [me], [I will enable] you to have plenty to eat.
20 kodwa uba lisala libe lenkani, lizadliwa yinkemba; ngoba umlomo weNkosi ukhulumile.
But, if you turn away [from me and] rebel against me, you will be killed [by your enemies’] swords. [That will surely happen, because I, ] Yahweh, have said it.”
21 Yeka, umuzi othembekileyo usube liwule! Wawugcwele isahlulelo, ukulunga kwakuhlezi kuwo, kodwa khathesi ababulali.
“[You people of Jerusalem previously] faithfully [worshiped only] me, but now you have become like [MET] prostitutes [who are not faithful to any husband]. Previously, people there always acted justly/fairly and righteously, but now your city [is full of] murderers.
22 Isiliva sakho sesibe ngamanyele; iwayini lakho laxubana lamanzi.
Previously, you were [like] [MET] pure silver, but now you have become [like] [MET] the scum that is left [when silver is purified]. Previously you were [like pure] wine, but you have become [like] [MET] wine that has [a lot of] water mixed with it.
23 Iziphathamandla zakho zingabahlamuki labangane bamasela; ngulowo lalowo uthanda isipho, azingele izivalamlomo; kazehluleli izintandane, lendaba yomfelokazi kayifiki kuzo.
Your leaders are rebels; they spend time with thieves. They all want to get bribes and force others to give them gifts [in order that they do good things for them]. They do not defend orphans [in court], and they do not do all they can to enable widows to get what they should receive.
24 Ngakho itsho iNkosi, iNkosi yamabandla, oLamandla wakoIsrayeli: E, ngizaziduduza ngezitha zami, ngiziphindisele kwabamelana lami.
Therefore [I, ] the Commander of the armies of angels, the mighty God of Israel, say to my enemies, ‘will get revenge on you; you will not cause me any more trouble. And I will pay you back for the evil things that you did.
25 Ngizabuyisela isandla sami phezu kwakho, ngicwengisise amanyele akho, ngisuse yonke ingcekeza yokucwengwa kwakho.
I will raise my fist to strike you. I will [punish you severely] [MET], as though [MET] you were silver [and I needed to heat you very greatly to] melt you and get rid of the impurities.
26 Ngizabuyisela abahluleli bakho njengekuqaleni, labeluleki bakho njengakuqala; emva kwalokho ubizwe ngokuthi ngumuzi wokulunga, umuzi othembekileyo.
[After that happens, ] I will give you good judges like you had previously; you will have [wise] counselors like you had long ago. Then people will call your city “a city where people [act] righteously, a city where people are loyal to me.”'”
27 IZiyoni izahlengwa ngesahlulelo, labaphendukayo bayo ngokulunga.
Because the people of Jerusalem will do what is fair/just, their city will be restored; those who repent [will be saved] because of [their acting] righteously.
28 Lokwephulwa kwabaphambuki lokwezoni kuzakuba kanyekanye, labadela iNkosi baqedwe.
But rebels and sinners will be crushed by Yahweh, and those who forsake him will disappear.
29 Ngoba bazakuba lenhloni ngezihlahla zama-okhi elaliziloyisa, liyangeke ngezivande elizikhethileyo.
You will be ashamed because [you worshiped] idols under the oak trees [that you considered to be] sacred; you will be disgraced because [you worshiped idols] in the gardens where you chose [to worship them].
30 Ngoba lizakuba njengesihlahla se-okhi omahlamvu aso ayabuna, lanjengesivande esingelamanzi.
You will be like [SIM] a very large tree which has withered leaves, like [SIM] a garden that [is dried up because] it has no water.
31 Njalo olamandla uzakuba lifilakisi eliyizibi, lomenzi walo abe yinhlansi; njalo kuzakutsha kokubili kanyekanye, kungabi khona ocitshayo.
Those among you who are [very] strong will become [like] [MET] dry wood, and the work they do will be [like] [MET] a spark; both they and the evil things that they do will burn up completely, and no one will be able to put out the fire.
