U-Isaya 65
1 “Ngaziveza kulabo abangangicelanga; ngafunyanwa yilabo abangangidinganga. Isizwe esingakhulekanga kimi ngathi kuso, ‘Ngilapha, ngilapha.’
[This is what Yahweh said]: “I was ready to reply [to my people], but no one requested me [to help them]. I was ready to help [even] those who did not call out to me. I continued to say, ‘I am here [to help you]!’
2 Ilanga lonke ngelula izandla zami ebantwini abayiziqholo, abahamba ngezindlela ezingalunganga belandela iminakano yabo,
[It is as though] I have continually held out my arms [to show that I am ready to help] my people who rebel [against me], and who [continually] do the evil things that they want to do.
3 abantu abahlezi bengicunula bengikhangele, benikela imihlatshelo emasimini, betshisa impepha phezu kwezitina;
They boldly continue to do things that cause me to be angry: They offer sacrifices [to their idols] in their gardens, and they burn incense [to them] on [altars made of] bricks.
4 abahlala emangcwabeni balale besenza imilindelo eyimfihlo ebusuku; abadla inyama yengulube, abambiza zabo zigcina umhluzi wenyama engcolileyo;
They secretly remain awake at night in burial caves, [talking with the spirits of] ([dead people/their ancestors]). They eat the meat of pigs, and their pots are full of [other] meat that is [also] unacceptable to me.
5 abathi, ‘Hlala khatshana, ungasondeli phansi kwami, ngoba ngingcwele kulawe!’ Abantu abanjalo banjengentuthu emakhaleni ami, umlilo ovuthayo ilanga lonke.
[Then] they say [to others], ‘Stay away from me; do not come near me, because I am very holy, [with the result that you should not touch me].’ People like that are [like] [MET] smoke in my nose [from] a fire that burns continually.
6 Khangela, kulotshiwe phambi kwami ukuthi: Angiyikuthula, kodwa ngizaphindisela ngokugcweleyo; ngizaphindisela ngokupheleleyo,
I have written [a record of all the evil things that they have done]. And I will not do nothing about all those things; I will certainly punish them
7 kokubili izono zenu lezono zabokhokho benu,” kutsho uThixo. “Ngoba batshisa imihlatshelo phezu kwezintaba bangihlambaza phezu kwamaqaqa. Ngizaphindisela kubo ngokugcweleyo ngenxa yezenzo zabo abazenza ngaphambili.”
for the sins that they and their ancestors have committed. They have mocked/insulted me by burning incense [to their idols] on the hilltops. So I will punish them like they deserve for doing those things.”
8 Nanku akutshoyo uThixo: “Njengalapho umhluzi usatholakala ehlukuzweni lamavini labantu besithi, ungalibhidlizi, kusekhona okuhle kulo, ngizazenzela okunjalo izinceku zami; angiyikuzibhubhisa zonke.
This is [also] what Yahweh said: “When there is a cluster of nice grapes on a vine, people do not throw them away, because they know that there is good juice in those grapes. Similarly, because there are some people [in Judah] who faithfully serve/worship me, I will not get rid of all of them.
9 Ngizaletha isizukulwane esivela kuJakhobe, lakoJuda kuvele abazakuba ngabanikazi bezintaba zami; zizakuba yilifa labakhethiweyo bami, izinceku zami zizahlala khona.
I will spare some of the descendants of Jacob who are living on the hills of Judah. I have chosen them, and they will possess that land; they will worship/serve me, and they will live there.
10 ISharoni izakuba ngamadlelo emihlambi lesiGodi sase-Akhori sibe yindawo yokuphumulela imihlambi, yabantu bami abangidingayo.
[Then all the land from the] Sharon [Plain near the Mediterranean Sea] and [as far east as] Achor Valley [near Jericho] will become pastureland where their cattle and sheep will rest.
11 Kodwa lina elilahla uThixo likhohlwe intaba yami engcwele; liphakele unkulunkulu uNhlanhla ukudla libuye ligcwalisele unkulunkulu uSimiselo iwayini elixutshiweyo,
But [it will be different] for you who have abandoned me, you who do not worship me on [Zion], my sacred hill, you who worship Gad and Meni, [the gods who you think will bring you] good luck and good fortune.
12 ngizalimisela inkemba, njalo lonke lizakhothamela ukubulawa, ngoba ngamemeza kodwa kalisabelanga, ngakhuluma kodwa lina kalilalelanga. Lenza okubi phambi kwami lakhetha okungicunulayo.”
[It is I, not Meni, who will decide/say what will happen to you]; you will all [be slaughtered by] swords. [That will happen] because you did not answer when I called out to you. I spoke to you, but you did not pay attention. Instead, you did things that I said are evil; you chose to do things that do not please me.
13 Ngakho-ke uThixo Wobukhosi uthi: “Izinceku zami zizakudla, kodwa lina lizalamba; izinceku zami zizanatha, kodwa lina lizakoma; izinceku zami zizathokoza, kodwa lina lizayangiswa.
I, Yahweh the Lord, will give to those who worship and obey me things to eat and drink, and they will be happy; but [all] you evil people will be hungry and thirsty, and you will be [sad and] disgraced.
14 Izinceku zami zizahlabelela ngentokozo yezinhliziyo zazo, kodwa lina lizakhala ngobuhlungu bezinhliziyo njalo lilile ngokudabuka komoya.
Those who worship and obey me will sing joyfully, but you [evil people] will wail loudly because you will be suffering in your inner beings.
15 Lizatshiya ibizo lenu njengesithuko kwabakhethiweyo bami; uThixo Wobukhosi uzalibulala, kodwa izinceku zakhe uzazinika elinye ibizo.
Those whom I have chosen will use your names when they curse people; [I], Yahweh the Lord, will get rid of you. But I will give to those who worship and obey me a new name [that they will use when they bless people].
16 Lowo okhulekela isibusiso elizweni uzakwenza lokho ngoNkulunkulu weqiniso; lalowo owenza isifungo elizweni, uzafunga ngoNkulunkulu weqiniso. Ngoba inhlupheko ezedlulayo zizakhohlakala zifihlakale emehlweni ami.”
The people in this land have had many troubles, but I will cause those troubles to occur no more. Therefore those who ask me to bless them and those who solemnly promise to do something should never forget that I am God, who faithfully [do what I promise to do].”
17 “Khangelani, ngizadala izulu elitsha lomhlaba omutsha. Izinto zakuqala aziyikukhunjulwa, kumbe zifike engqondweni.
“Note this: [Some day] I will create a new heaven and a new earth. [They will be very wonderful, with the result that] you will no longer think about all [the troubles] you had previously.
18 Kodwa thabani lijabule kokuphela ngalokho engizakudala, ngoba ngizadala iJerusalema libe yintokozo labantu balo babe yinjabulo.
Be glad and always rejoice because of what I will do: Jerusalem will be a place where [people] rejoice; the people who live there will always be happy.
19 Ngizathokoza ngeJerusalema njalo ngijabule ngabantu bami; ukulila lokukhala akusayikuzwakala kulo futhi.
I will rejoice about Jerusalem, and I will be delighted with my people. [People] will no longer weep or cry because of being distressed.
20 Kulo akusayikuba khona futhi usane oluphila insuku ezilutshwane kumbe umuntu omdala ongaphelelisi iminyaka yakhe; lowo ofa elekhulu leminyaka uzakhangelwa njengomntwana nje; lowo ongafikiyo ekhulwini uzakhangelwa njengoqalekisiweyo.
No child will die when it is still an infant; all people will live until they are very old. [People will consider that] anyone who is 100 years old is still young; [they will consider that] anyone who dies who is younger than that has been cursed.
21 Bazakwakha izindlu bahlale kuzo; bazahlanyela izivini badle izithelo zazo.
My people will build houses and [then] live in them. They will plant vineyards and then eat grapes from those vineyards.
22 Kabasayikwakha izindlu zihlalwe ngabanye kumbe bahlanyele, kudle abanye. Ngoba njengezinsuku zesihlahla, zizakuba njalo insuku zabantu bami; abakhethiweyo bami bazakholisa umsebenzi wezandla zabo okwesikhathi eside.
As for the houses that they build, no one will [take those houses away from them and] live in them. No one will take a vineyard away from its owner. My chosen people will live a long time, like trees do, and they will enjoy what they have accomplished— [the houses that they have built and the crops that they have planted].
23 Kabayikusebenzela ize, kumbe abantwababo bazalelwe ukuhlupheka, ngoba bazakuba ngabantu ababusisiweyo nguThixo, bona kanye lezizukulwane zabo.
They will not work hard in vain, and their children will not die from some (calamity/terrible thing happening to them). I will [certainly] bless their children and their grandchildren.
24 Ngizabaphendula bengakakhuleki; ngibezwe besakhuluma.
Before they call to me [to help them], I will answer; I will answer their prayers while they are still praying [for me to do something for them].
25 Impisi lewundlu kuzakudla ndawonye, lesilwane sizakudla utshani njengenkomo, kodwa inyoka izakudla uthuli. Kaziyikulimaza kumbe zibhubhise kuyo yonke intaba yami engcwele,” kutsho uThixo.
No one will be harmed or injured anywhere on [Zion], my sacred hill: Wolves and lambs will eat grass together [peacefully]; lions will eat hay like oxen do, [and they will not attack people]. Snakes will [not hurt anyone; they will lie on the ground and] eat [only] dirt. [That is surely what it will be like because I], Yahweh, have said it.”
