Isaiah 54
1 “Sing, barren, you who didn’t give birth! Break out into singing, and cry aloud, you who didn’t travail with child! For more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife,” says Yahweh.
“Hlabela wena mfazi oyinyumba, wena ongazange uzale umntwana; susa ingoma, umemeze ngentokozo, wena ongakaze uhelelwe ngoba abantwana bomfazi olahliweyo banengi kulabalowo olendoda,” kutsho uThixo.
2 “Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your habitations; don’t spare; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes.
Qhelisa indawo yethente lakho, yelula amakhetheni ethente lakho abe banzi, ungathikazi, yelula izintambo zakho, uqinise izikhonkwane zakho.
3 For you will spread out on the right hand and on the left; and your offspring will possess the nations and settle in desolate cities.
Ngoba uzaqhela usiya kwesokudla lesenxele; inzalo yakho izazixotsha izizwe yakhe emadolobheni azo adilikayo.
4 “Don’t be afraid, for you will not be ashamed. Don’t be confounded, for you will not be disappointed. For you will forget the shame of your youth. You will remember the reproach of your widowhood no more.
“Ungesabi, ngoba awuyikwehlelwa lihlazo. Ungesabi ukuyangeka, ngoba awuyikudumazeka. Uzalikhohlwa ihlazo lasebutsheni bakho, ungakhumbuli lesithuko sobufelokazi bakho.
5 For your Maker is your husband; Yahweh of Armies is his name. The Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer. He will be called the God of the whole earth.
Ngoba uMenzi wakho engumyeni wakho, uThixo uSomandla libizo lakhe oNgcwele ka-Israyeli unguMhlengi wakho; ubizwa ngokuthi nguNkulunkulu womhlaba wonke.
6 For Yahweh has called you as a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit, even a wife of youth, when she is cast off,” says your God.
UThixo uzakubiza njengowesifazane olahliweyo, odabukileyo emoyeni, owesifazane owenda esesemncane, waphanga waliwa,” kutsho uNkulunkulu wakho.
7 “For a small moment I have forsaken you, but I will gather you with great mercies.
“Ngakutshiya okomzuzwana omncane, kodwa ngesihawu esikhulu ngizakubuyisa.
8 In overflowing wrath I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting loving kindness I will have mercy on you,” says Yahweh your Redeemer.
Ngomfutho wokuthukuthela, ngakufihlela ubuso bami okomzuzwana, kodwa ngothando olungapheliyo, ngizakuba lesihawu kuwe,” kutsho uThixo uMhlengi wakho.
9 “For this is like the waters of Noah to me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah will no more go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you, nor rebuke you.
“Kimi lokhu kunjengasezinsukwini zikaNowa, lapho engafunga khona ngathi amanzi kaNowa kawayikugcwala umhlaba futhi. Ngakho khathesi sengifungile ngathi angiyikukuthukuthelela futhi; angiyikukusola njalo.
10 For the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed, but my loving kindness will not depart from you, and my covenant of peace will not be removed,” says Yahweh who has mercy on you.
Lanxa izintaba zinganyikinyiswa, lamaqaqa asuswe, kodwa uthando lwami olungapheliyo kuwe kaluyikunyikinyiswa, kumbe isivumelwano sami sokuthula sisuswe,” kutsho uThixo olesihawu kuwe.
11 “You afflicted, tossed with storms, and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in beautiful colors, and lay your foundations with sapphires.
Wena dolobho elihluphekileyo, elitshaywa yiziphepho alaze laduduzwa, ngizakwakha ngamatshe amahle, izisekelo zakho ngizakhe ngamasafire.
12 I will make your pinnacles of rubies, your gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious stones.
Izakhiwo zakho zokuvikela ngizazenza ngamarubhi, amasango akho ngiwenze ngamatshe akhazimulayo, yonke imithangala yakho ngiyenze ngamatshe aligugu.
13 All your children will be taught by Yahweh, and your children’s peace will be great.
Wonke amadodana akho azafundiswa nguThixo, njalo kuzakuba kukhulu ukuthula kwabantwana bakho.
14 You will be established in righteousness. You will be far from oppression, for you will not be afraid, and far from terror, for it shall not come near you.
Uzaqiniswa ngokulunga: uchuku luzakuba khatshana lawe, awuyikwesaba lutho. Ukwesaba kuzasuselwa khatshana, akuyikusondela phansi kwakho.
15 Behold, they may gather together, but not by me. Whoever gathers together against you will fall because of you.
Nxa ekhona ozakuhlasela, kobe kungayisimi; loba ngubani okuhlaselayo uzazinikela kuwe.
16 “Behold, I have created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame, and forges a weapon for his work; and I have created the destroyer to destroy.
“Khangela, yimi engadala umkhandi wensimbi ovuthela amalahle abe lilangabi, akhande isikhali esilungele umsebenzi waso. Njalo yimi engadala umchithi ukuba enze umonakalo;
17 No weapon that is formed against you will prevail; and you will condemn every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of Yahweh’s servants, and their righteousness is of me,” says Yahweh.
akulasikhali esikhandelwe wena esizaphumelela, njalo bonke abakumangalelayo uzabehlula. Leli yilifa lezinceku zikaThixo, lokhu yikho ukwenaniswa kwazo yimi,” kutsho uThixo.
A Dove is Sent Forth from the Ark
