Isaiah 59
1 Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
Khangela isandla seNkosi kasifinyezwanga ukuthi singasindisi, lendlebe yayo kayinzima ukuthi ingezwa.
2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
Kodwa iziphambeko zenu zehlukanisile phakathi kwenu loNkulunkulu wenu, lezono zenu zibusithile ubuso bakhe kini, ukuthi angezwa.
3 For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue has muttered perverseness.
Ngoba izandla zenu zingcoliswe ngegazi, leminwe yenu ngenkohlakalo; indebe zenu zikhulume amanga, lolimi lwenu lungunguna ububi.
4 None calls for justice, nor any pleads for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.
Kakho omemeza ngokulunga, njalo kakho olabhela ngeqiniso; bathemba okuyize, bakhulume amanga; bamitha ububi, bazale isiphambeko.
5 They hatch cockatrice’ eggs, and weave the spider’s web: he that eats of their eggs dies, and that which is crushed breaks out into a viper.
Bachamusela amaqanda enhlangwana, beluke ubulembu besayobe; odla okwamaqanda awo uyafa; lelichotshoziweyo liqhamuka lilibululu.
6 Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands.
Ubulembu babo kabuyikuba yizembatho, njalo kabayikuzembesa ngemisebenzi yabo. Imisebenzi yabo yimisebenzi yobubi, lesenzo sodlakela sisezandleni zabo.
7 Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths.
Inyawo zabo zigijimela ebubini; baphangisa ukuchitha igazi elingelacala; imicabango yabo yimicabango yobubi; ukubhubhisa lokuchitha kusezindleleni zabo.
8 The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whoever goes therein shall not know peace.
Indlela yokuthula kabayazi; njalo kakulasahlulelo emikhondweni yabo; bazenzela izindlela zabo ezimazombazombe; loba ngubani ohamba kuzo kayikwazi ukuthula.
9 Therefore is judgment far from us, neither does justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness.
Ngakho-ke isahlulelo sikhatshana lathi, lokulunga kakusifinyeleli. Silindela ukukhanya, kodwa khangela, ubumnyama; silindela ukukhazimula, kodwa sihamba emnyameni omkhulu.
10 We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noon day as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.
Siphumputha umduli njengeziphofu, siphumputhe kwangathi kasilamehlo; sikhubeke emini enkulu kwangathi kukusihlwa, sisendaweni ezichithekileyo njengabafileyo.
11 We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us.
Sonke siyabhonga njengamabhere, silile lokulila njengamajuba; silindela isahlulelo, kodwa kasikho; losindiso, kodwa lukhatshana lathi.
12 For our transgressions are multiplied before you, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them;
Ngoba iziphambeko zethu zandile phambi kwakho, lezono zethu zifakaza zimelene lathi; ngoba iziphambeko zethu zilathi, lobubi bethu siyabazi;
13 In transgressing and lying against the LORD, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.
ukuphambuka, lokuqambela iNkosi amanga, lokusuka ekulandeleni uNkulunkulu wethu, ukukhuluma incindezelo lokuhlamuka, ukukhulelwa lokukhuluma amazwi amanga aphuma enhliziyweni.
14 And judgment is turned away backward, and justice stands afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.
Ngakho isahlulelo sibuyiselwa emuva, lokulunga kumi khatshana; ngoba iqiniso liyakhubeka esitaladeni, lobuqotho kabulakungena.
15 Yes, truth fails; and he that departs from evil makes himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.
Yebo, iqiniso liyasilela, lowehlukana lobubi uzenza impango. INkosi yasikubona, njalo kwaba kubi emehlweni ayo ukuthi kakulasahlulelo.
16 And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation to him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.
Yasibona ukuthi kwakungelamuntu, yamangala kakhulu ukuthi kwakungelamlamuli; ngakho ingalo yayo yaletha usindiso kuye, lokulunga kwayo khona kwamsekela.
17 For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation on his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak.
Ngoba yembatha ukulunga njengebhatshi lensimbi, lengowane yosindiso ekhanda layo; yembatha izembatho zempindiselo njengesembatho, yazembesa ukutshiseka njengejazi.
18 According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompense to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompense.
Njengokwezenzo, ngokunjalo izaphindisela, ulaka kwabamelana layo, umvuzo ezitheni zayo; ezihlengeni uzabuyisela umvuzo.
19 So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.
Ngokunjalo bazalesaba ibizo leNkosi kusukela entshonalanga, lodumo lwayo kusukela lapho okuphuma khona ilanga. Lapho isitha sizangena njengomfula, uMoya weNkosi uzaphakamisa isiboniso esimelene laso.
20 And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and to them that turn from transgression in Jacob, says the LORD.
LoMhlengi uzafika eZiyoni, lakulabo abaphenduka eziphambekweni koJakobe, itsho iNkosi.
21 As for me, this is my covenant with them, says the LORD; My spirit that is on you, and my words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, nor out of the mouth of your seed, nor out of the mouth of your seed’s seed, says the LORD, from now on and for ever.
Mina-ke, lesi yisivumelwano sami labo, itsho iNkosi: UMoya wami ophezu kwakho, lamazwi ami engiwafake emlonyeni wakho, kawayikusuka emlonyeni wakho, lemlonyeni wenzalo yakho, lemlonyeni wenzalo yenzalo yakho, itsho iNkosi, kusukela khathesi kuze kube phakade.
