U-Isaya 1
1 Umbono omayelana ngoJuda leJerusalema owabonwa ngu-Isaya indodana ka-Amozi ensukwini zokubusa kuka-Uziya, loJothamu, lo-Ahazi loHezekhiya amakhosi akoJuda.
The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
2 Zwanini, mazulu! Lalelani, mhlaba! Ngoba uThixo usekhulumile: “Ngondla abantwana ngabakhulisa, kodwa sebengihlamukele.
Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD has spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.
3 Inkabi iyamazi umniniyo, lobabhemi uyasazi isibaya somnikazi wakhe, kodwa u-Israyeli kazi, abantu bami kabaqedisisi.”
The ox knows his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel does not know, my people does not consider.
4 Maye kuso isizwe esonayo, abantu abathwele amacala, inzalo yabenza okubi, abantwana abaxhwalileyo! Sebemlahlile uThixo; bamdelele oNgcwele ka-Israyeli, bamfulathela.
Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel to anger, they are gone away backward.
5 Kungani kumele litshaywe futhi? Kungani liqhubeka ngokuhlamuka? Ikhanda lakho lonke lilimele, yonke inhliziyo yakho ihlukuluziwe.
Why should you be stricken any more? you will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.
6 Kusukela ngaphansi kwentende yonyawo lwakho kusiya esicholo sekhanda lakho akukho kuphelela, kodwa izilonda lemvivinya kuphela, kanye lamanxeba; akugeziswanga, akubotshwanga kumbe kwathanjiswa ngamafutha.
From the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.
7 Ilizwe lenu lichithekile, amadolobho enu atshiswa ngomlilo, umhlaba wenu uphundlwa ngabezizweni, phambi kwenu uqobo, uchitheka njengalapho udilizwa ngabezizweni.
Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.
8 Indodakazi yaseZiyoni isele njengedumba esivinini, njengendlwana ensimini yamajodo, njengedolobho elihonqolozelweyo.
And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.
9 Aluba uThixo uSomandla kasitshiyelanga abalutshwana abasindayo, sasizakuba njengeSodoma; sasizafana leGomora.
Except the LORD of hosts had left to us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like to Gomorrah.
10 Zwanini ilizwi likaThixo, lina babusi baseSodoma, lalelani umthetho kaNkulunkulu wethu, lina bantu baseGomora!
Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom; give ear to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah.
11 “Ubunengi bemihlatshelo yenu buyini kimi?” kutsho uThixo. “Ngileminikelo yokutshiswa edlula efunekayo, eyenqama lamahwahwa ezifuyo ezinonisiweyo; igazi lenkunzi, lelamawundlu lelembuzi kalingithokozisi.
To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to me? says the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.
12 Lapho lisiza phambi kwami, ngubani othe linyathele amaguma ami na?
When you come to appear before me, who has required this at your hand, to tread my courts?
13 Yekelani ukuletha iminikelo eyize! Impepha yenu iyisinengiso kimi. Angingeke ngibekezelele imbuthano yenu yobubi, eyokuThwasa kweNyanga, amaSabatha lemihlangano.
Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination to me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.
14 Umphefumulo wami uyawazonda amadili enu okuthwasa kwezinyanga lemikhosi yenu emisiweyo. Sekube ngumthwalo kimi; sengikhathele ngokukuthwala.
Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates: they are a trouble to me; I am weary to bear them.
15 Lapho lichaya izandla zenu likhuleka, ngizalifihlela amehlo ami; loba selikhuleka imikhuleko eminengi, angiyikulalela. Izandla zenu zigcwele igazi!
And when you spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you: yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.
16 Gezani libe ngabahlambulukileyo. Susani izenzo zenu ezimbi phambi kobuso bami; yekelani ukwenza okubi.
Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil;
17 Fundani ukwenza okulungileyo; funani ukwahlulela okuhle. Khuthazani abancindezelweyo. Vikelani izintandane; lamulelani umfelokazi.
Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
18 Wozani, siqondisane sindawonye,” kutsho uThixo. “Lanxa izono zenu zibomvu gebhu, zizakuba mhlophe njengonqwaqwane, loba zibomvu njengegazi, zizakuba njengoboya bezimvu.
Come now, and let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
19 Nxa livuma njalo lilalela, lizakudla okuhle kwelizwe;
If you be willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land:
20 kodwa nxa linqaba, lihlamuka, lizadliwa yinkemba.” Ngoba umlomo kaThixo usukhulumile.
But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD has spoken it.
21 Khangelani ukuthi idolobho elithembekileyo seliphenduke laba yisifebe kanjani! Lake lagcwala ngokufaneleyo; ukulunga kwakuhlala kulo, kodwa khathesi sekuhlala ababulali!
How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.
22 Isiliva senu sesingamanyele, iwayini lenu elihle selihlanganiswe lamanzi.
Your silver is become dross, your wine mixed with water:
23 Ababusi benu bangabahlamuki, abangane bamasela; bonke bathanda izivalamlomo, bafune izipho. Izintandane kabazivikeli; indaba yomfelokazi kayifiki kibo.
Your princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loves gifts, and follows after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither does the cause of the widow come to them.
24 Ngakho-ke iNkosi, uThixo uSomandla, uMninimandla ka-Israyeli, uthi: “Yebo! Ngizabhodlisela ezitheni zami, ngibuye ngiphindisele kwabayizitha zami.
Therefore says the LORD, the LORD of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of my adversaries, and avenge me of my enemies:
25 Ngizaphakamisela isandla sami kini; ngizawahlambulula ngokupheleleyo amanyele enu, ngisuse lakho konke ukungcola kwenu.
And I will turn my hand on you, and purely purge away your dross, and take away all your tin:
26 Ngizabuyisa abehluleli benu njengezinsukwini zakudala, labeluleki benu njengasekuqaleni. Muva uzabizwa ngokuthi iDolobho Lokulunga, iDolobho Elithembekileyo.”
And I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counsellors as at the beginning: afterward you shall be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city.
27 IZiyoni izahlengwa ngemfanelo, abaphendukayo bayo bahlengwe ngokulunga.
Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness.
28 Kodwa abahlamuki lezoni bazachithwa, lalabo abalahla uThixo bazabhubha.
And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed.
29 “Lizayangeka ngenxa yezihlahla zomʼokhi ezingcwele elazithokozisa ngazo. Lizadana ngamasimu elawakhethayo.
For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which you have desired, and you shall be confounded for the gardens that you have chosen.
30 Lizafana lomʼokhi olamahlamvu asebuna, lanjengensimu engelamanzi.
For you shall be as an oak whose leaf fades, and as a garden that has no water.
31 Indoda elamandla izafana lencwathi, umsebenzi wayo ufane lenhlansi; kokubili kuzakutsha kanyekanye, kungekho ozacitsha umlilo.”
And the strong shall be as wick, and the maker of it as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.
