U-ISAYA 40

₁“Duduzani, yeniduduze abantu bami”,

kutjho uZimenu.

₂“Khulumani kuhle neJerusalema,

nimemezele kilo

bona lifezile umsebenzalo okatelelako

necala lalo selihlawuliwe.

Mbala, lamukele esandleni sakaSomnini

isibetho esibuyelelweko

ngebanga lazo zoke izono zalo.”

₃Ilizwi larhuwelela lathi:

“Lungiselelani uSomnini indlela erhalawumbeni;

nivule indlela enqophileko yakaZimethu ebhudwini.

₄Yoke imirhoba kumele ihlelenjwe,

zoke iintaba nemibundu zibe libhabhadu;

iindawo ezimigodigodi zenziwe itatawu

nezizindunduma zilelezwe.

₅Iphazimulo kaSomnini izakwembulwa;

boke abantu bazayibona

ngombana umlomo kaSomnini ukhulumile.”

₆Ilizwi lathi: “Rhuwelela!”

Ngabuza ngathi: “Ngirhuwelele ngithini?

Mbala, boke abantu bafana notjani

nedumo labo loke lifana nelikhwa lommango:

₇Utjani buyatjhwaba nelikhwa libune

lokha ummoya kaSomnini

uphembetha phezu kwalo.”

Ilizwi lathi: “Iye, abantu babutjani:

₈Utjani buyatjhwaba nelikhwa libune,

kodwana ilizwi lakaZimu lijame ngokungapheliko.”

₉Yenyukela phezulu entabeni ephakamileko

wena Ziyoni, sithunywa seendaba ezihle!

Phakamisa ilizwi lakho ngamandla

wena Jerusalema, sithunywa seendaba ezihle!

Rhuwelela, ungesabi!

Yithi emadorobheni wakwaJuda:

“Qalani, nango uZimenu!

₁₀Mbala, nguSomnini uSomandla oza ngamandla

begodu nengalwakhe iyabusa.

Qalani, uphethe umvuzwakhe,

ipangwakhe iphambi kwakhe.

₁₁Welusa umhlambakhe njengomelusi:

Ubuthelela iimvana ngemikhonwakhe,

azisingathe esifubeni sakhe;

kuthi izimvu ezimunyisako azirage ngokuyelela.”

₁₂Ngubani owalinganisa woke amanzi

ngekongozelo yesandla sakhe,

watlama isibhakabhaka

hlangana kotsetserwana nothubha na?

Ngubani owenza ithuli lehlabathi

ngesithathu seentlabagelo

walinganisa iintaba ngesilinganiso

nemibundu ngesilinganiswana na?

₁₃Ngubani owahlahla ummoya kaSomnini,

wamyala njengomluleki na?

₁₄Wabonisana nobani loyo ukuze amtlhadlhule

bekamfundise indlela yokwenza okufaneleko na?

Ngubani owamfundisa ukuhlakanipha

wamkhombisa indlela yelemuko na?

₁₅Ngambala izizwe zifana nethosi ngemgqonyini;

zifaniswa nethudlana phezu kwesilinganiso.

USomnini ulinganisa iinhlengele

njengeentshutshurwana zetjhwabatjhwaba.

₁₆ILibhanoni angeze yaba neenkuni ezaneleko

neenyamazana zakhona angeze zanela

umhlabelo wokutjhiswa.

₁₇Izizwe zoke azisililitho phambi kwakaSomnini,

kuye zithatheka njengelize lakolize.

₁₈Alo-ke, ningamfanisa nobani uZimu?

Yini engabekwa eqadi kwakhe enjengaye na?

₁₉Kungaba sithombesibazwa na?

Lokha usosino nasele ancibilikise igolide,

umkhandigolide uyalikghadlha

khibe kuncibilikiswa iinkghedlhwana zesiliva.

₂₀Umphathi ukhetha isigodo esingadliwa yipehli

kobana sibe sikhondo;

uzifunela usosino onobuhlakani

kobana anzinzise isithombesibazwa

ukuze singaketuki!

₂₁Anazi na? Kghani anikezwa?

Azange nitjelwe kwekuthomeni na?

Anilemuki isisekelo sephasi na?

₂₂USomnini nguye ohlala ngehla kwendulunga yephasi

ukuze abone abahlali balo bafana neentethe.

Nguye othabulula isibhakabhaka njengetjhila

asendlale njengetende lokuhlala;

₂₃owehlisa iinkhulu zingabi lilitho,

enze ababusi bephaseli babe lilize lakolize.

₂₄Kuthi bangakatjalwa, bangakarhatjhwa,

imirabhu ingakadzimeleli ehlabathini,

abavuthele bese bayatjhwaba,

isivunguvungu sibaphephule njengamawunguwungu.

₂₅“Alo, ningangifanisa nobani

engingaba njengaye na?”

Kubuza oCwengileko.

₂₆Qalani phezulu niyelele:

Ngubani odale koke lokhu?

Ngiloyo okhupha ibutho lesibhakabhaka ngesibalo;

ubiza enye nenye ikwekwezi ngebizo layo.

Ngebanga lamandlakhe amakhulu

nokuqina kweenkhwepha zakhe,

akulahleki ngitjho neyodwa.

₂₇Wena Jakopo, iye, wena Israyeli,

kubayini uzwakale usithi:

“Ubujamo bami busithekile kuSomnini

nelungelo lami uZimami akalitjheji.”

₂₈Anazi na? Kghani anikezwa

bonyana uSomnini unguZimu isiphelani,

umdali wepelazwe na?

Angeze adinwa nanyana aphele amandla

begodu nomkhumbulwakhe awuphenyeki.

₂₉Odiniweko umupha amandla,

aqinise khulu amandla waloyo obuthakathaka.

₃₀Abantu abatjha baphela amandla, badinwe,

kuthi amasokana akhutjwe, awe,

₃₁kodwana labo abaqalelela kuSomnini

bazakufumana amandla amatjha.

Bazakukhuphuka ngamaphiko njengamakhozi;

bagijime bangapheli amandla,

bakhambe bangadinwa.