< U-Isaya 9 >

1 Kodwa umnyama kawuyikuba njengenkathazo yalo; njengesikhathini samandulo wakwenza kwaba lula elizweni lakoZebuluni lelizweni lakoNafithali; kodwa emva kwalokhu wakwenza kwaba nzima ngendlela yolwandle, phetsheya kweJordani, eGalili lezizwe.
Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her distress, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations.
2 Abantu ababehamba emnyameni babonile ukukhanya okukhulu; ababehlala elizweni lethunzi lokufa, ukukhanya kubakhanyisele.
The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.
3 Wandisile isizwe, wakhulisa intokozo yaso; bayathokoza phambi kwakho njengentokozo ekuvuneni, njengoba bethokoza ekwehlukaniselaneni kwabo impango.
Thou hast multiplied the nation, and to him increased the joy: they rejoice before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
4 Ngoba wephulile ijogwe lomthwalo waso, loswazi lwehlombe laso, intonga yomcindezeli waso, njengasosukwini lukaMidiyani.
For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian.
5 Ngoba wonke umsindo wempi usenhlokomeni, lesigqoko sigiqwe egazini; njalo kuzakuba ngesokutshiswa, kube zinkuni zomlilo.
For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire.
6 Ngoba sizalelwe umntwana, sinikwe indodana; lombuso uzakuba sehlombe layo, lebizo lakhe lizathiwa: OMangalisayo, uMeluleki, uNkulunkulu olamandla, uBaba wephakade, iNkosana yokuthula.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
7 Ukwanda kombuso lokuthula kakuyikuphela, phezu kwesihlalo sobukhosi sikaDavida laphezu kombuso wakhe, ukuwumisa, lokuwuqinisa ngesahlulelo langokulunga, kusukela khathesi kuze kube nininini. Ukutshiseka kweNkosi yamabandla kuzakwenza lokhu.
Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
8 INkosi ithumele ilizwi koJakobe, lawela koIsrayeli.
The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel.
9 Labo bonke abantu bazakwazi, uEfrayimi lomhlali weSamariya, ngokuzigqaja langokuzikhukhumeza kwenhliziyo, besithi:
And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart,
10 Izitina ziwile, kodwa sizakwakha ngamatshe abaziweyo; imikhiwa yesikhamore iganyuliwe, kodwa sizayiguqula ibe yimisedari.
The bricks have fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycamores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars.
11 Ngakho iNkosi izaphakamisa abacindezeli bakaRezini phezu kwakhe, itshotshozele izitha zakhe;
Therefore the LORD shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies together;
12 amaSiriya ngaphambili lamaFilisti ngemuva, azakudla uIsrayeli ngomlomo wonke. Kukho konke lokhu intukuthelo yayo kayiphenduki, kodwa isandla sayo silokhu seluliwe.
The Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
13 Ngoba abantu kabaphendukeli kulowo owabatshayayo, futhi kabayidingi iNkosi yamabandla.
For the people turn not to him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the LORD of hosts.
14 Ngakho iNkosi izaquma kusuke koIsrayeli inhloko lomsila, ugatsha lomhlanga, ngasuku lunye.
Therefore the LORD will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day.
15 Omdala lowemukelwa ngobuso, uyinhloko, kodwa umprofethi ofundisa amanga, ungumsila.
The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.
16 Ngoba abakhokheli balababantu bayaduhisa, labakhokhelwa yibo bayaginywa.
For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led by them are destroyed.
17 Ngenxa yalokho iNkosi kayiyikuthokoza ngamajaha abo, kayiyikuba lasihawu ngezintandane zabo labafelokazi babo; ngoba bonke bangabazenzisi labenzi bobubi, lomlomo wonke ukhuluma ubuthutha. Kukho konke lokhu intukuthelo yayo kayiphenduki, kodwa isandla sayo silokhu seluliwe.
Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
18 Ngoba inkohlakalo itshisa njengomlilo; izakudla ameva lokhula oluhlabayo, ithungele izixuku zehlathi, ziziphakamise njengokuphakama kwentuthu.
For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the rising of smoke.
19 Ngolaka lweNkosi yamabandla ilizwe liyafiphazwa, labantu bazakuba njengokudla komlilo; umuntu kayikuyekela umfowabo.
Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother.
20 Njalo uzahluthuna ngakwesokunene, kodwa alambe; adle ngakwesokhohlo, kodwa angasuthi; ngulowo lalowo adle inyama yengalo yakhe;
And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm:
21 uManase uEfrayimi, loEfrayimi uManase; bazamelana loJuda kanyekanye. Kukho konke lokhu intukuthelo yayo kayiphenduki, kodwa isandla sayo silokhu seluliwe.
Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: and they together shall be against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

< U-Isaya 9 >