Isaiah 28
1 Woe to the crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fertile valley of those who are overcome with wine!
Maye kulowomqhele wamaluba, iqhono lezidakwa zako-Efrayimi, kuluba elibunayo, ubuhle obukhazimulayo, obubekwe ngaphezulu kwesigodi esivundileyo, kulelodolobho, iqhono lalabo asebelaliswe liwayini phansi!
2 Behold, the Lord has one who is mighty and strong. Like a storm of hail, a destroying storm, and like a storm of mighty waters overflowing, he will cast them down to the earth with his hand.
Khangelani, uThixo ulaye olamandla oqinileyo. Njengesiqhotho lomoya odilizayo, njengezulu lesiphepho lesihlambi esilamandla, uzakuphosa phansi ngamandla amakhulu.
3 The crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim will be trodden under foot.
Umqhele lowo wamaluba, iqhono lezidakwa zako-Efrayimi kuzanyathelwa ngaphansi kwezinyawo.
4 The fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fertile valley, shall be like the first-ripe fig before the summer, which someone picks and eats as soon as he sees it.
Leliyaluba elibunayo, ubuhle bakhe obukhazimulayo, kuhlanyelwe ngaphezu kwesigodi esivundileyo, lizakuba njengomkhiwa ovuthiweyo kungakavunwa okuthi khonokho nje omunye ewubona awukhe ngesandla awuginye.
5 In that day, Yahweh of Armies will become a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty to the residue of his people,
Ngalolosuku uThixo uSomandla uzakuba ngumqhele okhazimulayo, umqhele wamaluba omuhle kulabo abayizinsalela zabantu bakhe.
6 and a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.
Uzakuba ngumoya wokulunga kulowo owahlulelayo, umthombo wamandla kulabo ababuyisela impi emuva isisesangweni.
7 They also reel with wine, and stagger with strong drink. The priest and the prophet reel with strong drink. They are swallowed up by wine. They stagger with strong drink. They err in vision. They stumble in judgment.
Lalaba bayadiyazela ngenxa yewayini, babhadazele ngenxa yotshwala. Abaphristi labaphrofethi bayadiyazela ngenxa yotshwala, njalo baphambene ngenxa yewayini; bayabhadazela ngenxa yotshwala, bayadiyazela, lapho bebona imibono, bayakhininda lapho besenza izinqumo.
8 For all tables are completely full of filthy vomit and filthiness.
Amatafula wonke agcwele amahlanzo njalo akulandawo engelamanyala.
9 Whom will he teach knowledge? To whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts?
“Ngubani lowo ozama ukumfundisa? Umbiko wakhe uwuchazela bani na? Abantwana abangasamunyi, kumbe abalunyuliweyo na?
10 For it is precept on precept, precept on precept; line on line, line on line; here a little, there a little.
Ngoba kumi kanje: Yenza lokhu, yenza lokhuya, umthetho walokhu, umthetho walokhuya; ingcosana lapha, lengconsana laphayana.”
11 But he will speak to this nation with stammering lips and in another language,
Kungasenani, ngezindebe zabezizweni langolimi olungaziwayo, uNkulunkulu uzakhuluma lalababantu,
12 to whom he said, “This is the resting place. Give rest to the weary,” and “This is the refreshing;” yet they would not hear.
atshoyo kubo wathi, “Le yindawo yokuphumula, abadiniweyo kabaphumule”; njalo, “Le yindawo yokucambalala,” kodwa kabalalelanga.
13 Therefore Yahweh’s word will be to them precept on precept, precept on precept; line on line, line on line; here a little, there a little; that they may go, fall backward, be broken, be snared, and be taken.
Ngakho ilizwi likaThixo kubo lizakuba ngelithi: Yenza lokhu, yenza lokhuya, umthetho walokhu, umthetho walokhuya, ingcosana lapha, ingcosana laphaya, ukuze bahambe bawe nyovane, balimale, bathiywe, bathunjwe.
14 Therefore hear Yahweh’s word, you scoffers, that rule this people in Jerusalem:
Ngakho-ke zwanini ilizwi likaThixo lina bantu abaklolodayo, ababusa abantu laba eJerusalema.
15 “Because you have said, ‘We have made a covenant with death, and we are in agreement with Sheol. When the overflowing scourge passes through, it won’t come to us; for we have made lies our refuge, and we have hidden ourselves under falsehood.’” (Sheol h7585)
Lizitshaya izifuba lisithi, “Senze isivumelwano lokufa, senza isivumelwano lethuna. Nxa isijeziso esikhulu sifika, kasiyikusithinta, ngoba senze amanga aba yisiphephelo sethu lenkohliso yaba yindawo yethu yokucatsha.” (Sheol h7585)
16 Therefore the Lord Yahweh says, “Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone of a sure foundation. He who believes shall not act hastily.
Ngakho lokhu yikho okutshiwo nguThixo woBukhosi: “Khangelani, ngibeka ilitshe eZiyoni, ilitshe elihloliweyo, ilitshe lengosi eliligugu; elesisekelo esiqinisekileyo, lowo othembayo akayikuphela amandla.
17 I will make justice the measuring line, and righteousness the plumb line. The hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters will overflow the hiding place.
Ngizakwenza okufaneleyo kube yintambo yokulinganisa, ukulunga kube yintambo yokuqondisa; isiqhotho sizakhukhula isiphephelo senu, amanga, lamanzi azagabhela indawo yenu yokucatsha.
18 Your covenant with death shall be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol shall not stand. When the overflowing scourge passes through, then you will be trampled down by it. (Sheol h7585)
Isivumelwano senu lokufa sizakwesulwa; isivumelwano senu lengcwaba kasiyikuma. Lapho isijeziso esikhulu sifika sizalilahla phansi. (Sheol h7585)
19 As often as it passes through, it will seize you; for morning by morning it will pass through, by day and by night; and it will be nothing but terror to understand the message.”
Ngazozonke izikhathi esizafika ngazo sizalithatha; ukusa ngokusa, emini lebusuku, sizalikhukhula.” Ukulizwisisa ilizwi leli kuzaletha ukwesaba khona ngokwakho.
20 For the bed is too short to stretch out on, and the blanket is too narrow to wrap oneself in.
Umbheda mfitshane kakhulu ukuba unabe kuwo, ingubo incane kakhulu ukuba ugoqelwe ngayo.
21 For Yahweh will rise up as on Mount Perazim. He will be angry as in the valley of Gibeon; that he may do his work, his unusual work, and bring to pass his act, his extraordinary act.
UThixo uzavuka njengalokho akwenzayo entabeni iPherazimu; uzathukuthela njengaseSigodini seGibhiyoni, ukuba enze umsebenzi wakhe, umsebenzi oyisimanga, enze umsebenzi wakhe, umsebenzi ongaziwayo.
22 Now therefore don’t be scoffers, lest your bonds be made strong; for I have heard a decree of destruction from the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, on the whole earth.
Khathesi-ke yekelani ukukloloda kwenu funa amaketane elibotshwe ngawo alisinde kakhulu; iNkosi, uThixo uSomandla usengitshele ngesimiso sokutshabalalisa ilizwe lonke.
23 Give ear, and hear my voice! Listen, and hear my speech!
Lalelani lizwe ilizwi lami; lalelani lizwe engikutshoyo.
24 Does he who plows to sow plow continually? Does he keep turning the soil and breaking the clods?
Lapho umlimi elima ukuba ahlanyele, ulima kokuphela na? Uqhubeka elima umhlabathi ewubhuqa kokuphela na?
25 When he has leveled its surface, doesn’t he plant the dill, and scatter the cumin seed, and put in the wheat in rows, the barley in the appointed place, and the spelt in its place?
Nxa umhlabathi esewendlale kuhle, kahlanyeli ikharawayi ahlanyele lekhumini na? Kahlanyeli ingqoloyi endaweni yayo; ibhali ensimini yayo, lespelithi ensimini yaso na?
26 For his God instructs him in right judgment and teaches him.
UNkulunkulu wakhe uyamfundisa, amfundise indlela eqondileyo.
27 For the dill isn’t threshed with a sharp instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned over the cumin; but the dill is beaten out with a stick, and the cumin with a rod.
Ikharawayi kayibhulwa ngesileyi; lenqola kayihanjiswa phezu kwekhumini, kodwa ikharawayi ibhulwa ngentonga, kuthi ikhumini ibhulwe ngombhulo.
28 Bread flour must be ground; so he will not always be threshing it. Although he drives the wheel of his threshing cart over it, his horses don’t grind it.
Amabele kumele acholwe ukuba kwenziwe isinkwa, ngakho umuntu kawabhuli kokuphela. Lanxa ehambisa inqola yakhe yokubhula phezu kwawo, amabhiza akhe kawawacholi.
29 This also comes out from Yahweh of Armies, who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in wisdom.
Konke lokhu lakho kuvela kuThixo uSomandla omangalisayo ngokweluleka, njalo olenhlakanipho emangalisayo.
