Isaiah 44

U-Israyeli Okhethiweyo

1“Kodwa khathesi lalela, wena Jakhobe,
nceku yami, Israyeli, engikukhethileyo.
2Nanku akutshoyo uThixo,
yena owakwenzayo, owakubumba esiswini,
njalo yena ozakusiza, uthi:
Ungesabi, wena Jakhobe, nceku yami,
Jeshuruni engikukhethileyo.
3Ngoba ngizathela amanzi elizweni elomileyo,
lezifula emhlabathini owomileyo.
Ngizathela uMoya wami phezu kwenzalo yakho
lezibusiso zami phezu kwezizukulwane zakho.
4Zizahluma njengotshani emadlelweni,
lanjengeminyezane ezifuleni ezigelezayo.
5Omunye uzakuthi, ‘Mina ngingokaThixo’;
lomunye azibize ngebizo likaJakhobe;
omunye laye uzaloba esandleni sakhe ukuthi, ‘OkaThixo,’
azinike ibizo lika-Israyeli.”

UThixo Hatshi Izithombe

6“Nanku akutshoyo uThixo,
iNkosi loMhlengi ka-Israyeli, uThixo uSomandla:
Mina ngingowokuqala njalo ngingowokucina;
ngaphandle kwami kakho uNkulunkulu.
7Pho ngubani onjengami? Kakumemezele lokho.
Katsho, achaze phambi kwami
okwenzakalayo kusukela ekubekeni kwami abantu bami bendulo;
akutsho lokuzakwenzakala;
yebo, kakuqambe okuzayo.
8Lingaqhaqhazeli, lingesabi.
Lokhu angikutshongo ngabika ngakho kudala na?
Lina lingofakazi bami. Kulomunye uNkulunkulu ngaphandle kwami na?
Hatshi, kalikho elinye iDwala; kalikho engilaziyo.”

9Bonke abenza izithombe kabasilutho,
lezinto abaziqakathekisayo ziyize.
Labo abangabakhulumela bayiziphofu,
kabazi lutho, kulihlazo kubo.
10Ngubani obaza unkulunkulu abumbe isithombe,
okungeke kumsize ngalutho?
11Yena labanjengaye bazayangiswa;
izingcitshi kazisilutho, ngabantu nje.
Kaziqoqane zonke zime ndawonye;
bazakuba lokwesaba kanye lehlazo.

12Umkhandi uthatha insimbi
ayifake emalahleni;
enze isithombe ngezando,
asikhande ngengalo yakhe elamandla.
Uyalamba aphelelwe ngamandla.
Anganathi manzi, amandla aphele.
13Umbazi welula intambo yokulinganisa
asidwebe ngosungulo,
asibaze ngetshizela,
asidwebe ngensimbi ecijileyo,
abaze umfanekiso womuntu,
umuntu olobuhle bonke,
ukuba sihlale endlini yokukhonzela.
14Ugamula isihlahla somsedari,
loba athathe umsayiphresi kumbe umʼOkhi.
Uyasikhulisa phakathi kwezihlahla zegusu,
kumbe ahlanyele iphayini, izulu lisikhulise.
15Lapho-ke siba zinkuni zomuntu zokubasa;
okunye kwaso uyathatha othe,
ubasa umlilo abhekhe izinkwa.
Kodwa, njalo, wenza unkulunkulu amkhonze;
abaze isithombe asikhothamele.
16Ingxenye yezinkuni ubasa ngayo umlilo,
apheke ngawo ukudla kwakhe.
Ose inyama yakhe adle asuthe.
Njalo uyotha umlilo athi,
“Ha! Ngiyafudumala;
ngiyawubona umlilo.”
17Ngeziseleyo wenza unkulunkulu,
isithombe sakhe; uyasikhothamela, asikhonze.
Uyakhuleka kuso athi,
“Ngisindisa, ungunkulunkulu wami.”
18Kabazi lutho, kabaqedisisi lutho;
amehlo abo abhadiwe ukuze bangaboni
lezingqondo zabo zivalekile ukuze bangaqedisisi.
19Kakho oke ame acabange,
kakho olokwazi loba ukuzwisisa ukuba athi,
“Ingxenye yazo ngabasa ngayo umlilo;
ngaze ngabhekha izinkwa emalahleni awo,
ngosa inyama ngayidla.
Ngokuseleyo ngizakwenza into enengisayo na?
Ngizasikhothamela na isigodo nje?”
20Udla umlotha, inhliziyo ekhohlisekileyo iyamlahla,
angeke azihlenge, kumbe athi,
“Into le esesandleni sami sokudla kayisimanga na?”

21“Khumbula lezizinto, wena Jakhobe,
ngoba uyinceku yami, wena Israyeli.
Ngakubumba, uyinceku yami;
wena Israyeli, angiyikukukhohlwa.
22Ngesule iziphambeko zakho njengeyezi,
ngesula izono zakho njengenkungu yekuseni.
Buyela kimi,
ngoba ngikuhlengile.”

23Hlabelelani ngentokozo, lina mazulu,
ngoba uThixo usekwenzile lokhu;
hlaba umkhosi, wena mhlaba ngaphansi.
Tshayani ingoma lina zintaba,
lina mahlathi lazozonke izihlahla zenu,
ngoba uThixo usemhlengile uJakhobe,
ubonakalisa udumo lwakhe ko-Israyeli.

Kuzahlalwa EJerusalema

24“Nanku akutshoyo uThixo,
uMhlengi wakho, owakubumbayo esiswini:

Mina nginguThixo,
owenza izinto zonke,
owenza amazulu eyedwa,
owendlala umhlaba eyedwa,
25ofubisa izibonakaliso zabaphrofethi bamanga,
enze izanuse zibe yizithutha,
ochitha ulwazi lwezihlakaniphi
alwenze lube yibuthutha,
26ofeza amazwi ezinceku zakhe
aphelelise amacebo ezithunywa zakhe.

Athi kulo iJerusalema, ‘Kuzahlalwa kulo,’
ngamadolobho akoJuda athi, ‘Azakwakhiwa.’
Ngamanxiwa awo uthi, ‘Ngizawavusa,’
27athi enzikini yamanzi, ‘Cima,
ngizakomisa izifula zakho,’
28athi ngoKhurosi, ‘Ungumelusi wami,
uzafeza konke engikufunayo;
uzakuthi ngeJerusalema, “Kalakhiwe futhi,”
ngethempeli athi, “Izisekelo zalo kazakhiwe.” ’ ”