U-Isaya 47
1 Yehla, uhlale othulini, ntombi emsulwa, ndodakazi yeBhabhiloni; hlala emhlabathini; akulasihlalo sobukhosi, ndodakazi yamaKhaladiya; ngoba kawusayikubizwa ngokuthi uthambile njalo ubuthakathaka.
“Come down and sit in the dust, virgin daughter of Babylon. Sit on the ground without a throne, daughter of the Chaldeans. For you will no longer be called tender and delicate.
2 Thatha amatshe okuchola, uchole impuphu, wembule isimbombozo sakho, ukhwince ilogwe, uveze umlenze, uchaphe imifula.
Take the millstones and grind flour. Remove your veil, lift up your skirt, uncover your legs, and wade through the rivers.
3 Ubunqunu bakho buzakwembulwa, yebo, ihlazo lakho libonakale. Ngizaphindisela, ngingahlangani lawe njengomuntu.
Your nakedness will be uncovered. Yes, your shame will be seen. I will take vengeance, and will spare no one.”
4 UMhlengi wethu, iNkosi yamabandla libizo lakhe, oyiNgcwele kaIsrayeli.
Our Redeemer, the LORD of Armies is his name, is the Holy One of Israel.
5 Hlala ngokuthula, ungene emnyameni, ndodakazi yamaKhaladiya; ngoba kawusayikubizwa ngokuthi: Nkosikazi yemibuso.
“Sit in silence, and go into darkness, daughter of the Chaldeans. For you shall no longer be called the mistress of kingdoms.
6 Ngabathukuthelela abantu bami, ngangcolisa ilifa lami, ngabanikela esandleni sakho; kawubenzelanga izihawu; walenza laba nzima kakhulu ijogwe lakho phezu komdala.
I was angry with my people. I profaned my inheritance and gave them into your hand. You showed them no mercy. You laid a very heavy yoke on the aged.
7 Wena wathi: Ngizakuba yinkosikazi njalonjalo; kawukabeki lezizinto enhliziyweni yakho, kawukhumbulanga isiphetho sakho.
You said, ‘I will be a princess forever,’ so that you did not lay these things to your heart, nor did you remember the results.
8 Khathesi-ke zwana lokhu, wena ozithokozisayo, ohlezi uvikelekile, othi enhliziyweni yakho: Yimi, njalo kakho omunye ngaphandle kwami; kangiyikuhlala okomfelokazi, kangiyikwazi ukufelwa ngabantwana.
“Now therefore hear this, you who are given to pleasures, who sit securely, who say in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one else besides me. I will not sit as a widow, neither will I know the loss of children.’
9 Kodwa lezizinto ezimbili zizakwehlela ngokucwayiza kwelihlo ngasuku lunye: Ukufelwa ngabantwana lobufelokazi; kuzakwehlela phezu kwakho ngokuphelela kwakho, ngenxa yobunengi bobuthakathi bakho, ngenxa yobunengi obukhulu bamalumbo akho.
But these two things will come to you in a moment in one day: the loss of children and widowhood. They will come on you in their full measure, in the multitude of your sorceries, and the great abundance of your enchantments.
10 Ngoba wathembela ebubini bakho, wathi: Kakho ongibonayo. Inhlakanipho yakho lolwazi lwakho khona kwakuphambula, wathi enhliziyweni yakho: Yimi, njalo kakho omunye ngaphandle kwami.
For you have trusted in your wickedness. You have said, ‘No one sees me.’ Your wisdom and your knowledge has perverted you. You have said in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one else besides me.’
11 Ngakho ububi buzakwehlela, kawusoze wazi lapho obenyuka khona; lengozi izakwehlela, ongelakho ukwenza inhlawulo yokuthula ngayo; lencithakalo ihle yehlele phezu kwakho, ungazi.
Therefore disaster will come on you. You will not know when it dawns. Mischief will fall on you. You will not be able to put it away. Desolation will come on you suddenly, which you do not understand.
12 Mana khathesi ngamalumbo akho langobunengi bobuthakathi bakho otshikatshike kukho kusukela ebutsheni bakho; mhlawumbe uzakuba lakho ukuba lenzuzo, mhlawumbe unqobe.
“Stand now with your enchantments and with the multitude of your sorceries, in which you have labored from your youth, as if you might profit, as if you might prevail.
13 Udiniwe ebunengini bamacebo akho; kakuthi basukume khathesi abahloli bamazulu, abakhangela izinkanyezi, abazisa ngezinyanga, bakusindise kwezizakwehlela.
You are wearied in the multitude of your counsels. Now let the astrologers, the stargazers, and the monthly prognosticators stand up and save you from the things that will happen to you.
14 Khangela, bazakuba njengamabibi; umlilo uzabatshisa; kabayikuzophula emandleni elangabi; lingabikho ilahle lokotha, umlilo wokuhlala phambi kwawo.
Behold, they are like stubble. The fire will burn them. They will not deliver themselves from the power of the flame. It will not be a coal to warm at or a fire to sit by.
15 Bazakuba njalo kuwe labo owatshikatshika labo, owathengiselana labo kusukela ebutsheni bakho; bazazulazula, ngulowo lalowo ngendlela yakhe; kakuyikuba lomsindisi wakho.
The things that you labored in will be like this: those who have trafficked with you from your youth will each wander in his own way. There will be no one to save you.
