< U-Isaya 57 >

1 Abalungileyo bayabhubha, kodwa kakho ocabanga ngakho enhliziyweni yakhe. Abantu abazinikele ekukhonzeni bayasuswa, njalo kakho okuzwisisayo ukuthi abalungileyo basuswa ukuba baphetshiswe ebubini.
The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth [it] to heart: and merciful men [are] taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil [to come].
2 Labo abahamba ngokulunga bayangena ekuthuleni; bathola ukuphumula belele ekufeni.
He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, [each one] walking [in] his uprightness.
3 “Kodwa lina wozani lapha lina, madodana esanusekazi lina nzalo yezifebe leziphingi!
But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.
4 Ngubani elimklolodelayo na? Ngubani elimnemelayo limkhuphela inlimi zenu? Kalisinzalo yabahlamuki, labantwana babaqamba amanga na?
Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, [and] draw out the tongue? [are] ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood,
5 Liyatshiseka ngenkanuko ezihlahleni zomʼOkhi, langaphansi kwezihlahla zonke eziyizithingithingi; lenza umhlatshelo ngabantwabenu emakhelekehleni langaphansi kwamawa.
Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks?
6 Izithombe eziphakathi kwamatshe abutshelezi emakhelekehleni yiso isabelo senu, yizo, yizo eziyisabelo senu. Yebo, kuzo lithele iminikelo yokunathwayo lanikela leminikelo yamabele. Ngenxa yalezizinto ngingaba lozwelo na?
Among the smooth [stones] of the stream [is] thy portion; they, they [are] thy lot: even to them hast thou poured a drink offering, thou hast offered a meat offering. Should I receive comfort in these?
7 Wenze umbheda wakho phezu koqaqa oluphakemeyo, wakhwela wayanikela imihlatshelo yakho khona.
Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.
8 Ngemva kwezivalo zakho langemva kwezinsika zomnyango wakho ubeke izifanekiso zakho zobuhedeni. Wathi ungilahla wembula umbheda wakho, wakhwela kuwo wawuvula waba banzi, wavumelana lalabo othanda imibheda yabo, wakhangela ubunqunu babo.
Behind the doors also and the posts hast thou set up thy remembrance: for thou hast discovered [thyself to another] than me, and art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, and made thee [a covenant] with them; thou lovedst their bed where thou sawest [it].
9 Uye kuMoleki ulamafutha e-oliva, wandisa lamakha akho. Uthume izithunywa zakho khatshana wangena ethuneni lona ngokwalo! (Sheol h7585)
And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase [thyself even] unto hell. (Sheol h7585)
10 Wadiniswa yizindlela zakho zonke, kodwa wawungeke uthi, ‘Akusizi ngalutho.’ Wathola ukuvuselelwa kwamandla akho. Ngakho kawuphelanga amandla.
Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; [yet] saidst thou not, There is no hope: thou hast found the life of thine hand; therefore thou wast not grieved.
11 Ngubani omesabe kangaka waze waba lamanga kimi, njalo kawaze wangikhumbula loba ukucabanga lokhu enhliziyweni yakho na? Akusingenxa yokuthi sengathula okwesikhathi eside kakhulu waze wangasangesabi na?
And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid [it] to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of old, and thou fearest me not?
12 Ukulunga kwakho lemisebenzi yakho ngizakuveza obala, njalo akuyikukusiza ngalutho.
I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee.
13 Lapho usukhalela ukusizwa, iqoqo lezithombe zakho kalikuhlenge. Umoya uzazithatha zonke, lokuphephetha nje kuziphephulele khatshana. Kodwa umuntu owenza mina isiphephelo sakhe ilizwe lizakuba yilifa lakhe lentaba yami engcwele ibe ngeyakhe.”
When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take [them: ] but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain;
14 Njalo kuzathiwa: “Candani, candani, lungisani indlela! Susani izikhubekiso endleleni yabantu bami.”
And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.
15 Ngoba ophakemeyo ongaPhezulu, yena ophila kokuphela, obizo lakhe lingcwele uthi: “Ngihlala endaweni ephakemeyo lengcwele, kodwa laye ozisolayo lothobekileyo emoyeni, ukuba kuvuselelwe umoya wabathobekileyo, kuvuselelwe lezinhliziyo zabazisolayo.
For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name [is] Holy; I dwell in the high and holy [place], with him also [that is] of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
16 Angiyikulisola kokuphela kumbe ngihlale ngithukuthele, ngoba umoya womuntu ungaphela phambi kwami, umoya womuntu engawudalayo.
For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls [which] I have made.
17 Ngathukutheliswa yibuhwaba bakhe obubi; ngamjezisa, ngafihla ubuso bami ngithukuthele, kodwa waqhubeka ngezindlela zakhe zenkani.
For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart.
18 Izindlela zakhe sengizibonile, kodwa ngizamsilisa. Ngizamkhokhela, ngimduduze futhi,
I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.
19 ngenze ukubonga ezindebeni zabalilayo ko-Israyeli. Ukuthula, ukuthula kwabakhatshana labaseduze,” kutsho uThixo. “Ngizabasilisa.”
I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to [him that is] far off, and to [him that is] near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him.
20 Kodwa ababi banjengolwandle olugubhazelayo, olungeke luphumule, amagagasi alo ephosa udaka lengcekeza phezulu.
But the wicked [are] like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
21 “Akukho kuthula kwababi,” kutsho uNkulunkulu wami.
[There is] no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.

< U-Isaya 57 >