Isaiah 1
1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
Umbono omayelana ngoJuda leJerusalema owabonwa ngu-Isaya indodana ka-Amozi ensukwini zokubusa kuka-Uziya, loJothamu, lo-Ahazi loHezekhiya amakhosi akoJuda.
2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the LORD hath spoken: I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.
Zwanini, mazulu! Lalelani, mhlaba! Ngoba uThixo usekhulumile: “Ngondla abantwana ngabakhulisa, kodwa sebengihlamukele.
3 The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: [but] Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.
Inkabi iyamazi umniniyo, lobabhemi uyasazi isibaya somnikazi wakhe, kodwa u-Israyeli kazi, abantu bami kabaqedisisi.”
4 Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil-doers, children that deal corruptly: they have forsaken the LORD, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are estranged [and gone] backward.
Maye kuso isizwe esonayo, abantu abathwele amacala, inzalo yabenza okubi, abantwana abaxhwalileyo! Sebemlahlile uThixo; bamdelele oNgcwele ka-Israyeli, bamfulathela.
5 Why will ye be still stricken, that ye revolt more and more? the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.
Kungani kumele litshaywe futhi? Kungani liqhubeka ngokuhlamuka? Ikhanda lakho lonke lilimele, yonke inhliziyo yakho ihlukuluziwe.
6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; [but] wounds, and bruises, and festering sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with oil.
Kusukela ngaphansi kwentende yonyawo lwakho kusiya esicholo sekhanda lakho akukho kuphelela, kodwa izilonda lemvivinya kuphela, kanye lamanxeba; akugeziswanga, akubotshwanga kumbe kwathanjiswa ngamafutha.
7 Your country is desolate; your cities are burned with fire; your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.
Ilizwe lenu lichithekile, amadolobho enu atshiswa ngomlilo, umhlaba wenu uphundlwa ngabezizweni, phambi kwenu uqobo, uchitheka njengalapho udilizwa ngabezizweni.
8 And the daughter of Zion is left as a booth in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.
Indodakazi yaseZiyoni isele njengedumba esivinini, njengendlwana ensimini yamajodo, njengedolobho elihonqolozelweyo.
9 Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, we should have been like unto Gomorrah.
Aluba uThixo uSomandla kasitshiyelanga abalutshwana abasindayo, sasizakuba njengeSodoma; sasizafana leGomora.
10 Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.
Zwanini ilizwi likaThixo, lina babusi baseSodoma, lalelani umthetho kaNkulunkulu wethu, lina bantu baseGomora!
11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he-goats.
“Ubunengi bemihlatshelo yenu buyini kimi?” kutsho uThixo. “Ngileminikelo yokutshiswa edlula efunekayo, eyenqama lamahwahwa ezifuyo ezinonisiweyo; igazi lenkunzi, lelamawundlu lelembuzi kalingithokozisi.
12 When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to trample my courts?
Lapho lisiza phambi kwami, ngubani othe linyathele amaguma ami na?
13 Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; new moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies, —I cannot away with iniquity and the solemn meeting.
Yekelani ukuletha iminikelo eyize! Impepha yenu iyisinengiso kimi. Angingeke ngibekezelele imbuthano yenu yobubi, eyokuThwasa kweNyanga, amaSabatha lemihlangano.
14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.
Umphefumulo wami uyawazonda amadili enu okuthwasa kwezinyanga lemikhosi yenu emisiweyo. Sekube ngumthwalo kimi; sengikhathele ngokukuthwala.
15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.
Lapho lichaya izandla zenu likhuleka, ngizalifihlela amehlo ami; loba selikhuleka imikhuleko eminengi, angiyikulalela. Izandla zenu zigcwele igazi!
16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil:
Gezani libe ngabahlambulukileyo. Susani izenzo zenu ezimbi phambi kobuso bami; yekelani ukwenza okubi.
17 learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
Fundani ukwenza okulungileyo; funani ukwahlulela okuhle. Khuthazani abancindezelweyo. Vikelani izintandane; lamulelani umfelokazi.
18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
Wozani, siqondisane sindawonye,” kutsho uThixo. “Lanxa izono zenu zibomvu gebhu, zizakuba mhlophe njengonqwaqwane, loba zibomvu njengegazi, zizakuba njengoboya bezimvu.
19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:
Nxa livuma njalo lilalela, lizakudla okuhle kwelizwe;
20 but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
kodwa nxa linqaba, lihlamuka, lizadliwa yinkemba.” Ngoba umlomo kaThixo usukhulumile.
21 How is the faithful city become an harlot! she that was full of judgment! righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers.
Khangelani ukuthi idolobho elithembekileyo seliphenduke laba yisifebe kanjani! Lake lagcwala ngokufaneleyo; ukulunga kwakuhlala kulo, kodwa khathesi sekuhlala ababulali!
22 Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water.
Isiliva senu sesingamanyele, iwayini lenu elihle selihlanganiswe lamanzi.
23 Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves; every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.
Ababusi benu bangabahlamuki, abangane bamasela; bonke bathanda izivalamlomo, bafune izipho. Izintandane kabazivikeli; indaba yomfelokazi kayifiki kibo.
24 Therefore saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies:
Ngakho-ke iNkosi, uThixo uSomandla, uMninimandla ka-Israyeli, uthi: “Yebo! Ngizabhodlisela ezitheni zami, ngibuye ngiphindisele kwabayizitha zami.
25 and I will turn my hand upon thee, and throughly purge away thy dross, and will take away all thy tin:
Ngizaphakamisela isandla sami kini; ngizawahlambulula ngokupheleleyo amanyele enu, ngisuse lakho konke ukungcola kwenu.
26 and I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called The city of righteousness, the faithful city.
Ngizabuyisa abehluleli benu njengezinsukwini zakudala, labeluleki benu njengasekuqaleni. Muva uzabizwa ngokuthi iDolobho Lokulunga, iDolobho Elithembekileyo.”
27 Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness.
IZiyoni izahlengwa ngemfanelo, abaphendukayo bayo bahlengwe ngokulunga.
28 But the destruction of the transgressors and the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed.
Kodwa abahlamuki lezoni bazachithwa, lalabo abalahla uThixo bazabhubha.
29 For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen.
“Lizayangeka ngenxa yezihlahla zomʼokhi ezingcwele elazithokozisa ngazo. Lizadana ngamasimu elawakhethayo.
30 For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water.
Lizafana lomʼokhi olamahlamvu asebuna, lanjengensimu engelamanzi.
31 And the strong shall be as tow, and his work as a spark; and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.
Indoda elamandla izafana lencwathi, umsebenzi wayo ufane lenhlansi; kokubili kuzakutsha kanyekanye, kungekho ozacitsha umlilo.”
