U-ISAYA 42

“Nasi incekwami engisekelako,

okhethiweko wami engithokozako ngaye,

ngibeke uMoyami phezu kwakhe

nje-ke uzakuletha ukunzinza ezizweni.

₂Angeze arhuwelela abize,

nanyana ahlabe umkhosi eendledlaneni.

₃Umhlanga otshinyekileko akazukuwukhambiselela

nesibani esififiyelako akazukusicima.

Uzakuletha ukunzinza ngokweqiniso;

₄akazukuqobeka nanyana ephuke ummoya

bekube nokunzinza ephasini.

Iinhlengele ziqalelele ifundiswakhe.”

₅Nakhu okutjhiwo nguZimu uSomnini

owadala amazulu bewawaqhisa,

wendlala iphasi nakho koke okumila kilo,

wanikela abantu umphefumulo

nommoya wokuphila kilabo

abakhamba ephasinapha,

₆uthi:

“Mina Somnini, ngikubize ngokwethembeka kwami,

nje-ke ngiqinisa isandla sakho bengikuvikele.

Ngikubeka njengesivumelwano sami

ebantwini bami,

kobana ube mkhanyo ezizweni,

₇uvule amehlo aphopheleko,

ukuthukulula ababotjhwe ngesikhungweni,

iye, labo abasemakhamandeleni ebumnyameni.

₈NginguSomnini, libizo lami-ke lelo!

Angeze nginikele

noma ngubani idumo lami

nanyana iinthombembazwa ukuhlonitjhwa kwami.

₉Uyabona, izinto zaphambilini sezenzekile,

nje-ke ngimemezela izinto ezitja;

nginazisa zona ngaphambi kobana zivumbuke.”

₁₀Vumani ingoma etja kuSomnini

neembongo zakhe kusuka epelazwe,

nina enithaya elwandle nakwezalo,

nina nhlengele nani enihlala lapho.

₁₁Irhalawumba nemizalo aliphakamise amezwalo,

izabelo lapha kuhlala khona amaKhedari zithokoze;

abahlali beSela abahlokome,

barhuwelele eenqongolweni zeentaba.

₁₂Akunikelwe uSomnini idumo

kumenyezelwe ukuhlonitjhwa kwakhe eenhlengeleni.

₁₃USomnini uzakutjhagala njengengorho,

avuselele itjisakalo njengebutho;

uzakurhuwelela, ahlabe umkhosi wepi;

azibonakalise amuhluli wezitha zakhe.

“Sekusikhathi eside ngilokhu ngithulile,

iye, bengizithulele ngizibambile;

kodwana gadesi ngirhuwelela njengomfazi obelethako,

ngiyakhefuzela, ngidosa ummoya.

₁₅Ngizakugiriza iintaba nemibundu

ngitjhwabise zoke iimila zakhona,

ngenze imilambo ibe ziinhlengele,

ngomise iindawo eziziintete.

₁₆Iimphofu ngizazirhola ngendlela ezingayaziko,

ngizihlahle ngomzila ongakajayeleki;

ngizakwenza ubumnyama

bube kukhanya phambi kwazo;

ngenze neendawo ezimaguzuguzu zibe butjhelelezi.

Kwamambala ngizazenza izintwezo

angeze ngaziliselela iimphofezo.

₁₇Bazakukhahlamezelwa emuva

bebadaniswe khulu

labo abathembela eenthombenimbazwa,

iye, labo abathi kibosingazimu,

‘Nina nibozimu bethu’.”

₁₈Lalelani nina nthulu,

qalani nina mphofu niyelele!

“Ngubani osiphofu nakungasuwe

wena ncekwami, Israyeli

nosithulu nakungasuwe

sithunywa sami engisithumileko na?

Ngubani osiphofu nakungasuwe

ohlawulelwe izono na?

Iye, ngubani osiphofu

nakungasi yinceku kaSomnini na?

₂₀Wena ubone izinto ezinengi,

kodwana awuyeleli;

iindlebe zakho zivulekile,

kodwana awuzwa.”

₂₁USomnini wathanda bona kube njalo

ngebanga lokuthembeka kwakhe.

Ngokunjalo wabonisa bona ifundiswakhe

yikulu begodu inephazimulo.

₂₂Kodwana wena uthi:

“Lesi sisizwe esiphangiweko nesihlanguliweko,

boke babambeke emigodini

nanyana bafihlwe eenkhungweni.

Sebaphenduke ipango,

batlhoga nomuntu ongabenyula;

benziwe ihlangulo,

batlhoga nomuntu ongathi,

‘Babuyiseleni emuva’.”

₂₃Ngubani phakathi kwenu

ozakulalela isiphorofidweso

begodu asitjheje

ukuze nizwe esikhathini esizako na?

₂₄Ngubani owanikela ngoJakopo

kobana abe yihlangulo,

wanikela ngo-Israyeli kubaphangi na?

AkusinguSomnini esimoneleko na?

Iye, ama-Israyeli alandula ukulandela iindlela zakhe,

akhange athambele ifundiswakhe.

₂₅Nje-ke wathululela itukuthelwakhe evuthako

phezu kwawo

okuyipi esabekako.

Amalangabi wepi awaqothula mahlangothi woke,

khonapho akhange alemuke;

iye, awababula,

nalapho azange acabangisise.