Esias 45
1 Thus says the Lord God to my anointed Cyrus, whose right hand I have held, that nations might be obedient before him; and I will break through the strength of kings; I will open doors before him, and cities shall not be closed.
“Nanku akutshoyo uThixo kogcotshiweyo wakhe, uKhurosi, engibamba isandla sakhe sokudla ukuba nginqobe izizwe eziphambi kwakhe, ngithathele amakhosi izihlangu zawo, ngivule iminyango phambi kwakhe ukuze amasango angavaleki:
2 I will go before you, and will level mountains: I will break to pieces brazen doors, and burst iron bars.
Ngizahamba phambi kwakho ngenze izintaba zendlaleke. Ngizadiliza amasango ethusi, ngifohle emigoqweni yensimbi.
3 And I will give you the treasures of darkness, I will open to you hidden, unseen [treasures], that you may know that I, the Lord your God, that call you by name, am the God of Israel.
Ngizakupha inotho yobumnyama, lenotho egcinwe ezindaweni ezifihlakeleyo ukuze wazi ukuthi mina nginguThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, okubiza ngebizo.
4 For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel mine elect, I will call you by your name, and accept you: but you have not known me.
Ngenxa kaJakhobe inceku yami, lo-Israyeli okhethiweyo wami, ngikubiza ngebizo ngikunike ibizo lokuhlonipha, lanxa wena unganginakanga.
5 For I am the Lord God, and there is no other God beside me; I strengthened you, and you have not known me.
Mina nginguThixo, njalo kakho omunye; ngaphandle kwami akulaNkulunkulu. Ngizakuqinisa, lanxa wena unganginakanga,
6 That they that [come] from the east and they that [come] from the west may know that there is no God but me. I am the Lord God, and there is none beside.
ukuze kuthi kusukela empumalanga kusiya entshonalanga, abantu bakwazi ukuthi kakho omunye ngaphandle kwami. Mina nginguThixo, njalo kakho omunye.
7 I am he that prepared light, and formed darkness; who make peace, and create evil; I am the Lord God, that does all these things.
Ngenza ukukhanya njalo ngidale umnyama, ngiletha ukuphumelela njalo ngidale incithakalo; mina Thixo ngiyazenza zonke lezizinto.
8 Let the heaven rejoice from above, and let the clouds rain righteousness: let the earth bring forth, and blossom [with] mercy, and bring forth righteousness likewise: I am the Lord that created you.
Lina mazulu angaphezulu, nisani ukulunga; amayezi kawakuthululele phansi. Umhlaba kawuvuleke kabanzi kuhlume ukusindiswa, ukulunga akukhule lakho; mina, uThixo, ngikudalile.
9 What excellent thing have I prepared as clay of the potter? Will the plowman plow the earth all day? shall the clay say to the potter, What are you doing that you do not work, nor have hands? shall the thing formed answer him that formed it?
Maye kulowo ophikisa uMdali wakhe, kulowo oludengezi nje phakathi kwendengezi emhlabathini. Ibumba liyatsho na kumbumbi lithi, ‘Kuyini okubumbayo?’ Umsebenzi wakho uyatsho na uthi, ‘Kalazandla?’
10 As though one should say to [his] father, What will you beget me? and to his mother, What are you bringing forth?
Maye kulowo othi kuyise, ‘Kuyini owakuzalayo?’ loba athi kunina, ‘Kuyini owakubelethayo?’
11 For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, who has formed the things that are to come, Enquire of me concerning my sons, and concerning the works of my hands command me.
Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo, oNgcwele ka-Israyeli, loMdali wakhe uthi: Mayelana lezinto ezizayo, uyangibuza ngabatwabami na, loba uyangilawula emsebenzini engiwenzayo na?
12 I have made the earth, and man upon it: I with my hand have established the heaven; I have given commandment to all the stars.
Yimi engadala umhlaba, ngenza labantu abahlala kuwo. Ezami izandla yizo ezananabula amazulu; ngahlela amaxuku ezinkanyezi zawo.
13 I have raised him up [to be] a king with righteousness, and all his ways are right: he shall build my city, and shall turn the captivity of my people, not for ransoms, nor for rewards, says the Lord of hosts.
Ngizamvusa uKhurosi ngokulunga kwami, ngenze izindlela zakhe zonke ziqonde. Uzalakha futhi idolobho lami, akhulule abami abaxotshwayo elizweni, kodwa kungekho nhlawulo kumbe umvuzo, kutsho uThixo uSomandla.”
14 Thus says the Lord of hosts, Egypt has laboured [for you]; and the merchandise of the Ethiopians, and the Sabeans, men of stature, shall pass over to you, and shall be your servants; and they shall follow after you bound in fetters, and shall pass over to you, and shall do obeisance to you, and make supplication to you: because God is in you; and there is no God beside you, [O Lord].
Nanku akutshoyo uThixo: “Izithelo zaseGibhithe lempahla ethengiswayo yaseKhushi lamaSebhina lawana amade, bazakuza kuwe babengabakho, bazakhasabula ngemva kwakho, beze kuwe bebotshwe ngamaketane. Bazakukhothamela bakuncenge besithi, ‘Ngempela uNkulunkulu ulawe, kakho omunye, kakho omunye uNkulunkulu.’”
15 For you are God, yet we knew [it] not, the God of Israel, the Saviour.
Ngeqiniso unguNkulunkulu ozifihlayo, Nkulunkulu loMsindisi ka-Israyeli.
16 All that are opposed to him shall be ashamed and confounded, and shall walk in shame: you isles, keep a feast to me.
Bonke ababaza izithombe bazayangiswa badumazeke; bonke bazahamba beyangekile.
17 Israel is saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation: they shall not be ashamed nor confounded for evermore.
Kodwa u-Israyeli uzasindiswa nguThixo ngensindiso engapheliyo; kaliyikuyangiswa kumbe libe lehlazo kuze kube nininini.
18 Thus says the Lord that made the heaven, this God that created the earth, and made it; he marked it out, he made it not in vain, but formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord, and there is none beside.
Ngoba nanku okutshiwo nguThixo yena owadala amazulu, unguNkulunkulu, yena owabumba umhlaba wawenza, wawusekela; kawudalanga ukuba ungabi lalutho, kodwa wawenza ukuba kuhlalwe kuwo, uthi: “Mina nginguThixo, kakho omunye.
19 I have not spoken in secret, nor in a dark place of the earth: I said not to the seed of Jacob, Seek vanity: I, even I, am the Lord, speaking righteousness, and proclaiming truth.
Angikhulumanga ensitha kwenye indawo elizweni lomnyama; angizange ngithi kuzizukulwane zikaJakhobe, ‘Ngidingani lingangitholi.’ Mina Thixo ngikhuluma iqiniso; ngitsho okuqotho.
20 Assemble yourselves and come; take counsel together, you that escape of the nations: they that set up wood, [even] their graven image, have no knowledge, nor they who pray to gods that do not save.
Qoqanani ndawonye lize kimi; buthanani lina elabaleka ezizweni. Labo abahamba bethwele izithombe zezigodo kabazi lutho; labo abakhuleka kubonkulunkulu abangeke babasize.”
21 If they will declare, let them draw near, that they may know together, who has caused these things to be heard from the beginning: then was it told you. I am God, and there is not another beside me; a just [God] and a Saviour; there is none but me.
Memezelani okufanele kube yikho, likubike, kabemukele izeluleko ndawonye. Ngubani owabika lokhu endulo, ngubani owamemezela ngakho kudala le? Kwakungayisimi mina Thixo na? Njalo kakho uNkulunkulu ngaphandle kwami, uNkulunkulu olungileyo onguMsindisi; kakho omunye, yimi kuphela.
22 Turn you to me, and you shall be saved, you that [come] from the end of the earth: I am God, and there is none other.
“Phendukelani kimi lisindiswe, lonke lina mikhawulo yomhlaba; ngoba mina nginguNkulunkulu, njalo kakho omunye.
23 By myself I swear, righteousness shall surely proceed out of my mouth; my words shall not be frustrated; that to me every knee shall bend, and every tongue shall swear by God,
Ngifunge ngami, ngobuqotho bonke umlomo wami ukhulume ilizwi elingayikwesulwa. Amadolo wonke azaguqa phambi kwami; izindimi zonke zizafunga ngami.
24 saying, Righteousness and glory shall come to him: and all that remove them from their borders shall be ashamed.
Zizakutsho ngami zithi, ‘Ukulunga lamandla kuThixo kuphela.’” Bonke abamthukuthelelayo bazakuza kuye bayangiswe.
25 By the Lord shall they be justified, and in God shall all the seed of the children of Israel be glorified.
Kodwa Thixo yonke inzalo ka-Israyeli izafunyanwa ilungile, ithokoze iziqhenya ngaye.
