Isaiah 46
1 Bel has been broken. Nebo has been crushed. Their idols have been placed upon beasts and cattle, your grievous heavy burdens, even unto exhaustion.
UBheli uyakhothama, uNebho uyaguqa; izithombe zabo zithwelwe yizifuyo zokuthwala. Izifanekiso ezithwelweyo ziyasinda, umthwalo osindayo kodiniweyo.
2 They have been melted down, or have been smashed together. They were not able to save the one who carried them, and their life will go into captivity.
Bayakhothama baguqe ndawonye; benganelisi ukuhlenga umthwalo, labo uqobo baya khona ekuthunjweni.
3 Listen to me, house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who are carried in my bosom, who were born from my womb.
“Ngilalela wena ndlu kaJakhobe, lonke lina eliseleyo abendlu ka-Israyeli, lina engalisekelayo selokhu lemulwayo, ngalithwala selokhu lazalwayo.
4 Even to your old age, I am the same. And even with your grey hairs, I will carry you. I have made you, and I will sustain you. I will carry you, and I will save you.
Lasebudaleni benu, inwele zenu sezimhlophe, mina nginguye, nginguye ozaliqinisa. Sengilenzile njalo ngizalithwala; ngizaliqinisa ngilihlenge.
5 To whom would you liken me, or equate me, or compare me, or consider me to be similar?
Ngubani elingangilinganisa laye kumbe limbale njengolingana lami na? Ngubani elingangifananisa laye ukuba siqathaniswe na?
6 You take gold from a bag, and you weigh silver on a scale, so as to hire a goldsmith to make a god. And they fall prostrate and adore.
Abanye bathulula igolide emigodleni yabo balinganise isiliva ezikalini; baqhatshe abakhandi begolide ukuba benze unkulunkulu ngalo, bakhothame, bamkhonze.
7 They carry him on their shoulders, supporting him, and they set him in his place. And he will stand still and will not move from his place. But even when they will cry out to him, he will not hear. He will not save them from tribulation.
Bayamphakamisela emahlombe abo bamthwale; bayambeka endaweni yakhe, ame khonapho. Angeke asuke kuleyondawo. Lanxa umuntu ememeza, kaphenduli; angeke amsize ekuhluphekeni kwakhe.
8 Remember this, and be confounded. Return, you transgressors, to the heart.
Khumbulani lokhu, likufake ezingqondweni zenu, kukhumbuleni lina bahlamuki.
9 Remember the past ages. For I am God, and there is no other god. There is no one like me.
Khumbulani izinto zakuqala ezendulo. Mina nginguNkulunkulu, kakho omunye; mina nginguNkulunkulu, kakho onjengami.
10 From the beginning, I announce the last things, and from the start, the things that have not yet been done, saying: My plan will stand firm, and my entire will shall be done.
Mina ngenza isiphetho sazakale kusukela ekuqaleni lokuzakwenzakala, kusukela ezikhathini zasendulo. Ngithi: ‘Injongo yami izakuma kokuphela, njalo ngizakwenza konke engikufunayo.’
11 I call a bird from the east, and from a far away land, the man of my will. And I have spoken it, and I will carry it out. I have created, and I will act.
Empumalanga ngibiza inyoni edla ezinye; elizweni elikhatshana ngibiza umuntu ukuba afeze injongo yami. Lokho engikutshiloyo ngizakufeza; lokho engikucebileyo ngizakwenza.
12 Hear me, you who are hard of heart, who are far from justice!
Ngilalelani lina elilezinhliziyo ezilukhuni, lina elikhatshana lokulunga.
13 I have brought my justice near. It will not be far away, and my salvation will not be delayed. I will grant salvation in Zion, and my glory in Israel.
Ngiletha ukulunga kwami eduzane, akukho khatshana; lokusindisa kwami akuyikuphuziswa. IZiyoni ngizayinika ukusindiswa, u-Israyeli inkazimulo yami.”
