U-Isaya 31
1 Maye kulabo abaya eGibhithe ukuyafuna usizo, abathemba amabhiza, abathembe ubunengi bezinqola zabo zempi lamandla amakhulu abagadi bamabhiza abo, kodwa bengathembeli koNgcwele ka-Israyeli, kumbe bacele usizo kuThixo.
Woe [to] those going down to Egypt for help, And on horses lean, And trust on chariots, because many, And on horsemen, because very strong, And have not looked on the Holy One of Israel, And Jehovah have not sought.
2 Ikanti laye uhlakaniphile njalo angaletha incithakalo; ilizwi lakhe kalibuyeli emuva. Uzavukela abendlu yababi lalabo abasiza abenza okubi.
And He also [is] wise, and bringeth in evil, And His words He hath not turned aside, And He hath risen against a house of evil doers, And against the help of workers of iniquity.
3 Kodwa amaGibhithe ngabantu kawasiNkulunkulu; amabhiza awo yinyama kawasimoya. Lapho uThixo eselula isandla sakhe, lowo osizayo uzakhubeka, lowo osizwayo uzakuwa, bobabili bazabhubha.
And the Egyptians [are men], and not God, And their horses [are] flesh, and not spirit, And Jehovah stretcheth out His hand, And stumbled hath the helper, And fallen hath the helped one, And together all of them are consumed.
4 Lokhu yikho okutshiwo nguThixo kimi, ukuthi: “Njengesilwane sihwabha; isilwane esikhulu sibhongela esikubambileyo, lanxa ixuku lonke labelusi libizwa ukuba lisihlasele, kasethuswa yikuklabalala kwabo kumbe sithikanyezwe ngumsindo wabo, unjalo-ke uThixo uSomandla uzakwehla ukuba alwe entabeni iZiyoni laseziqongweni zayo.
For thus said Jehovah unto me: 'As growl doth the lion and the young lion over his prey, Called against whom is a multitude of shepherds, From their voice he is not affrighted, And from their noise he is not humbled; So come down doth Jehovah of Hosts To war on mount Zion, and on her height.
5 Njengezinyoni zitshaya amaphiko emoyeni, uThixo uSomandla uzavikela iJerusalema, uzalivikela alikhulule, uzadlula ‘ngaphezu’ kwalo alihlenge.”
As birds flying, so doth Jehovah of Hosts Cover over Jerusalem, covering and delivering, Passing over, and causing to escape.'
6 Awu bantu bako-Israyeli, buyelani kulowo elamhlamukela kakubi.
Turn back to Him from whom sons of Israel Have deepened apostasy.
7 Ngoba ngalolosuku lonke lizazilahla izithombe zenu zesiliva lezegolide elizenze ngezandla zenu ezonayo.
For in that day despise doth each His idols of silver, and his idols of gold, That your hands made to you — a sin.
8 “I-Asiriya izachithwa ngenkemba engesiyabantu, inkemba engasiyo yabantu izababhubhisa. Bazayibalekela inkemba, izinsizwa zabo zizakwenziwa izigqili.
And fallen hath Asshur by sword, not of the high, Yea, a sword — not of the low, doth consume him, And he hath fled for himself from the face of a sword, And his young men become tributary.
9 Inqaba yabo izadilika ngenxa yokwesaba; lapho bebona uphawu lwempi izinduna zabo zempi zizatshaywa luvalo,” kutsho uThixo omlilo wakhe useZiyoni, osithando sakhe siseJerusalema.
And [to] his rock from fear he passeth on, And affrighted by the ensign have been his princes — an affirmation of Jehovah, Who hath a light in Zion, And who hath a furnace in Jerusalem!
