U-Isaya 1
1 Umbono kaIsaya indodana kaAmozi, awubona ngoJuda leJerusalema, ensukwini zaboUziya, uJothamu, uAhazi, uHezekhiya, amakhosi akoJuda.
The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, that 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, heavens, and give ear, earth; for Yahweh has spoken: “I have nourished and brought up children, but they have rebelled against me.
3 Inkabi iyamazi umniniyo, lobabhemi umkolo womnikazi wakhe; kodwa uIsrayeli kazi, abantu bami kabaqedisisi.
The ox knows his owner, and the donkey his master's feeding trough, but Israel does not know, Israel does not understand.”
4 Hawu, isizwe esonayo, abantu abasindwa yibubi, inzalo yabenzi bobubi, abantwana abonakalisayo! Bayitshiyile iNkosi, bamdelele oNgcwele kaIsrayeli, bahlehlele nyovane.
Woe! Nation, sinners, a people weighed down with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, sons who act corruptly! They have abandoned Yahweh, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they have estranged themselves from him.
5 Lizatshayelwani futhi? Belizaqhubeka livukela; ikhanda lonke liyagula, lenhliziyo yonke ibuthakathaka.
Why are you still being beaten? Why do you rebel more and more? The whole head is sick, the whole heart is weak.
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 to the head there is no part unharmed; only wounds, and bruises, and fresh open wounds; they have not been closed, cleansed, bandaged, nor treated with oil.
7 Ilizwe lakini liyincithakalo, imizi yenu itshiswe ngomlilo, umhlaba wenu abezizwe bawudla phambi kwenu, njalo kulencithakalo, njengokugenqulwa ngabemzini.
Your country is ruined; your cities are burned; your fields—in your presence, strangers are destroying them— abandoned devastation, overthrown by strangers.
8 Indodakazi yeZiyoni isele-ke njengedumba esivinini, njengengalane ensimini yamakhomane, njengomuzi ovinjezelweyo.
The daughter of Zion is left like a hut in a vineyard, like a shed in a garden of cucumbers, like a besieged city.
9 Uba iNkosi yamabandla ibingasitshiyelanga insali eyingcosana, besizakuba njengeSodoma, sifanane leGomora.
If Yahweh of hosts had not left for us a small remnant, we would have been like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah.
10 Zwanini ilizwi leNkosi, babusi beSodoma, libeke indlebe kumlayo kaNkulunkulu wethu, bantu beGomora.
Hear the word of Yahweh, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah:
11 Buyini kimi ubunengi bemihlatshelo yenu? itsho iNkosi. Ngenelisiwe yiminikelo yokutshiswa yezinqama langamahwahwa okunonisiweyo; legazi lamajongosi lelamawundlu lelezimpongo kangithokozi ngalo.
“What is the multitude of your sacrifices to me?” says Yahweh. “I have had enough of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fatted beasts; and in the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats I do not delight.
12 Lapho lisizabonakala phambi kwami, ngubani obize lokhu esandleni senu, ukugxoba amaguma ami?
When you come to appear before me, who has required this of you, to trample my courts?
13 Lingabe lisaletha umnikelo oyize; impepha iyisinengiso kimi; ukuthwasa kwenyanga, lesabatha, ukubizwa kwenhlangano, ngingekumele; kuyisiphambeko, ngitsho umhlangano onzulu.
Bring no more meaningless offerings; incense is an abomination to me; your new moon and Sabbath assemblies—I cannot tolerate these wicked assemblies.
14 Umphefumulo wami uyakuzonda ukuthwasa kwezinyanga zenu lemikhosi yenu emisiweyo; kungumthwalo kimi, sengikhathele yikukuthwala.
I hate your new moons and your appointed feasts; they are a burden to me; I am tired of enduring them.
15 Lalapho liselula izandla zenu ngizalifihlela amehlo ami; njalo nxa lisandisa umkhuleko kangiyikuzwa; izandla zenu zigcwele igazi.
So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even though you offer many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.
16 Gezani, lizihlambulule; susani ububi bezenzo zenu phambi kwamehlo ami; yekelani ukwenza okubi;
Wash, cleanse yourselves; remove the evil of your deeds from my sight; stop being evil;
17 fundani ukwenza okuhle; dingani isahlulelo; sizani ocindezelweyo; yehlulelani intandane; melani umfelokazi.
learn to do good; seek justice, make straight the oppression, give justice to the fatherless, defend 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 reason together,” says Yahweh; “though your sins are like scarlet, they will be white like snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool.
19 Uba livuma lilalela, lizakudla okuhle kwelizwe;
If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good of the land,
20 kodwa uba lisala libe lenkani, lizadliwa yinkemba; ngoba umlomo weNkosi ukhulumile.
but if you refuse and rebel, the sword will devour you,” for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken it.
21 Yeka, umuzi othembekileyo usube liwule! Wawugcwele isahlulelo, ukulunga kwakuhlezi kuwo, kodwa khathesi ababulali.
How the faithful city has become a prostitute! She who was full of justice—she was full of righteousness, but now she is full of murderers.
22 Isiliva sakho sesibe ngamanyele; iwayini lakho laxubana lamanzi.
Your silver has become impure, your wine mixed with water.
23 Iziphathamandla zakho zingabahlamuki labangane bamasela; ngulowo lalowo uthanda isipho, azingele izivalamlomo; kazehluleli izintandane, lendaba yomfelokazi kayifiki kuzo.
Your princes are rebels and companions of thieves; everyone loves bribes and runs after payoffs. They do not defend the fatherless, nor does the widow's legal plea come before them.
24 Ngakho itsho iNkosi, iNkosi yamabandla, oLamandla wakoIsrayeli: E, ngizaziduduza ngezitha zami, ngiziphindisele kwabamelana lami.
Therefore this is the declaration of the Lord Yahweh of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel: “Woe to them! I will take vengeance against my adversaries, and avenge myself against my enemies;
25 Ngizabuyisela isandla sami phezu kwakho, ngicwengisise amanyele akho, ngisuse yonke ingcekeza yokucwengwa kwakho.
I will turn my hand against you, refine away your dross as with lye, and take away all your dross.
26 Ngizabuyisela abahluleli bakho njengekuqaleni, labeluleki bakho njengakuqala; emva kwalokho ubizwe ngokuthi ngumuzi wokulunga, umuzi othembekileyo.
I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning; after that you will be called the city of righteousness, a faithful town.”
27 IZiyoni izahlengwa ngesahlulelo, labaphendukayo bayo ngokulunga.
Zion will be redeemed by justice, and her repentant ones by righteousness.
28 Lokwephulwa kwabaphambuki lokwezoni kuzakuba kanyekanye, labadela iNkosi baqedwe.
Rebels and sinners will be crushed together, and those who abandon Yahweh will be done away with.
29 Ngoba bazakuba lenhloni ngezihlahla zama-okhi elaliziloyisa, liyangeke ngezivande elizikhethileyo.
“For you will be ashamed of the sacred oak trees that you desired, and you will be embarrassed by the gardens that you have chosen.
30 Ngoba lizakuba njengesihlahla se-okhi omahlamvu aso ayabuna, lanjengesivande esingelamanzi.
For you will be like an oak whose leaf fades, and like a garden that has no water.
31 Njalo olamandla uzakuba lifilakisi eliyizibi, lomenzi walo abe yinhlansi; njalo kuzakutsha kokubili kanyekanye, kungabi khona ocitshayo.
The strong man will be like tinder, and his work like a spark; they will both burn together, and no one will quench them.”
