Isaiah 26
1 At that time, this will be the song that is sung in the land of Judah: “Ours is a strong city! Its walls and defenses are our salvation!
Ngalolosuku lingoma izahlatshelwa elizweni lakoJuda ethi: Silomuzi oqinileyo; uNkulunkulu uzamisa usindiso lube yimiduli lezinqaba.
2 Open the gates so the nation who follows the right can come in, the nation that stays faithful.
Vulani amasango ukuze singene isizwe esilungileyo esigcina ukuthembeka.
3 You will keep in complete peace those who keep their minds focused on you, because they trust in you.
Uzamgcina ekuthuleni okupheleleyo ongqondo yakhe yeyama phezu kwakho, ngoba ethemba kuwe.
4 Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.
Thembani eNkosini kokuphela, ngoba eNkosini uJehova kuLidwala elilaphakade.
5 He brings down those who live so high and mighty; he demolishes the proud city with its high walls, bringing it down to the ground, into the dust.
Ngoba ibehlisela phansi abahlala engqongeni; umuzi ophakemeyo, iwehlisela phansi; iwehlisela phansi emhlabathini, iwufikise othulini.
6 The poor tread it underfoot; the oppressed walk on top of it.
Unyawo luzawunyathelela phansi, ngitsho inyawo zabayanga, amanyathela abaswelayo.
7 You God, do what is right, and you straighten out the way for those who live right; you smooth out their path.
Indlela yabalungileyo iyikuqonda; wena oqondileyo, uyalinganisa umkhondo wabalungileyo.
8 Yes, we follow your instructions, Lord, we put our hope in you. What we most want is to remember you and your wonderful character.
Yebo, endleleni yezahlulelo zakho, Nkosi, sikulindele; isiloyiso somphefumulo wethu sisebizweni lakho lekukukhumbuleni.
9 I look for you in the night; deep inside me I long for you. When your laws are shown to the earth, then the people of the world learn what is right.
Ngomphefumulo wami ngikuloyisile ebusuku; yebo, ngomoya wami ophakathi kwami ngizakudinga ngovivi; ngoba lapho izahlulelo zakho zisemhlabeni, abahlali bomhlaba bazafunda ukulunga.
10 Though grace is shown to the wicked, they don't learn to do right. Even in a country where people do what's right, they continue to do evil and they don't think about how great the Lord is.
Uba okhohlakeleyo etshengiswa umusa, kube kanti kayikufunda ukulunga; elizweni lobuqotho uzakwenza okubi, njalo kayikubona ubukhosi beNkosi.
11 Lord, you are holding your hand up, but they don't see it. Let them see your passionate commitment for your people, and be embarrassed; may the fire reserved for your enemies destroy them!
Nkosi, isandla sakho siphakeme, kabayikubona; kodwa bazabona, babe lenhloni ngokutshisekela kwakho abantu; intukuthelo yomlilo wezitha zakho uzaziqeda.
12 Lord, you give us peace and prosperity; everything we've achieved you have done for us.
Nkosi, uzasimisela ukuthula, ngoba lawe usenzele yonke imisebenzi yethu.
13 Lord our God, there have been other lords besides you who have ruled us, but you are the only one we worship.
Nkosi Nkulunkulu wethu, amanye amakhosi ngaphandle kwakho ake abusa phezu kwethu; kodwa ngawe kuphela sizakhumbula ibizo lakho.
14 They are dead, they will not live again; they will not rise from the grave. Lord, you punished them and destroyed them—even wiping out every memory about them.
Afile, kawayikuphila; ayimimoya efileyo, kawayikuvuka; ngakho uwaphindisele wawachitha, waqeda konke ukukhunjulwa kwawo.
15 You have made the nation grow, Lord, you have made the nation grow. You have expanded our borders of the land, and we honored you.
Usandisile isizwe, Nkosi, wasandisa isizwe; uyadunyiswa; usisusele khatshana kuyo yonke imikhawulo yomhlaba.
16 Lord, when we were suffering we came to you, pouring out our prayers like whispers as you disciplined us.
Nkosi, besekuhluphekeni bakwethekelele, bathulula umkhuleko lapho ukujezisa kwakho kuphezu kwabo.
17 Just as a pregnant woman giving birth tosses about and cries out in pain, that's what we were like in your presence, Lord.
Njengowesifazana okhulelweyo sekusondele ukubeletha, esebuhlungwini, ekhala emihelweni yakhe, saba njalo ebusweni bakho, Nkosi.
18 However, even though we became pregnant and we tossed about in pain, we gave birth to nothing but air. We did not bring about the salvation of the earth, and the people of the world have not become alive.
Sasikhulelwe, sasisebuhlungwini, kwakungathi sibelethe umoya. Kasenzanga usindiso emhlabeni, njalo abahlali bomhlaba kabawanga.
19 But those who died in you, Lord, will live! Their bodies will rise again! Wake up, and sing for joy, you people sleeping in the dust, for the dew you receive is like the dew of the morning giving life to those in the grave.
Abafileyo bakho bazaphila, lesidumbu sami, bazavuka. Vukani, limemeze ngentokozo, lina elihlala ethulini; ngoba amazolo akho anjengamazolo emibhida, lomhlaba uzabakhupha imimoya efileyo.
20 My people, go inside your homes and close your doors behind you. Hide there for a little while until the fury has passed.
Hambani bantu bami, lingene emakamelweni enu, livale iminyango yenu ngemva kwenu, licatshe okwesikhatshana, luze ludlule ulaka.
21 Watch out! The Lord is coming from where he lives to punish the people of the earth for their sins. The earth will reveal the blood that has been shed on it; the earth won't hide those who have been killed any no longer.”
Ngoba, khangelani, iNkosi iyaphuma endaweni yayo ukuthi iphindisele ububi babahlali bomhlaba phezu kwabo; lomhlaba uzaveza igazi lawo, ungabe usabafihla ababuleweyo bawo.
