U-ISAYA 49

₁Ngilalelani nina nhlengele;

yelelani lokhu, nina zizwe ezikude:

USomnini wangibiza

ngaphambi kobana ngibelethwe;

wangithiya ibizo ngisesemanzini.

₂Wenza umlomami waba njengesabula ebukhali,

wangifihla emthunzini wesandla sakhe;

wangenza ngaba msubela ophazimako

wangithukusa ngesilandeni sakhe.

₃Wathi kimi:

“Wena uyincekwami, wena ungu-Israyeli

engizakuveza ngaye iphazimulwami.”

₄Mina ngadlumbana ngathi:

“Ngisebenzele ilize,

nokukhandleka kwami kwaphelela emmoyeni.

Nokho ilungelo lami likuSomnini

nomvuzwami ukuZimami.”

₅Kodwana gadesi uSomnini ukhulumile,

yena owangibumba esibelethweni njengencekwakhe

ukuze ngibuyisele uJakopo kuye

no-Israyeli abuthelelwe kuye.

Iye, uSomnini engihloniphekileko emehlwenakhe,

uZimami obe mamandlami

₆uthe: “Ingcenye elula khulu kuwe

ekubeni yincekwami kuvusa iinkoro zakaJakopo

nokubuyisa abasindileko bakwa-Israyeli.

Godu ngikubeka bona ube mkhanyo ezizweni

ukuze isindiswami ifikelele emikhawulweni yephasi.”

₇Nakhu okutjhiwo nguSomnini,

umHlengi noCwengileko ka-Israyeli

kiloyo owanyazwa bewanyenywa sisizwe,

iye, encekwini yababusi uthi:

“Amakhosi namakhosana azakubona,

aphakame.

Azakuhloma iinhloko phasi

ngebanga lakaSomnini othembekileko,

iye, ngebanga loCwengileko ka-Israyeli okukhethileko.”

“Ngesikhathi esifaneleko ngizakuphendula;

ngelanga lesindiso ngizakusiza, ngikuvikele.

Ngikubeka njengesivumelwano sami

ebantwini bami

kobana uvuselele inarha

bewubuyise ilifa ebesele loniwe,

₉ngokuthi kubathunjwa, ‘Phumani’,

bese kilabo abasebumnyameni

uthi, ‘Velani!’

“Bazakukarula magegana neendlela

nakizo zoke iindunduma eziligagadu

babe namadlelo.

₁₀Angeze basalamba, angeze basoma,

ummoya werhalawumba nelanga

angeze usabatjhisa.

Mbala, onesirhawu nabo uzabahlahla

abe abarholele emithonjeni yamanzi.

₁₁Iye, ngizakwenza zoke iintaba zami zibe ziindlela,

imizila yami ilelezwe.”

₁₂Napaya, bavela kude;

iye, bathumbuka ngetlhagwini,

bathumbuke nangetjingalanga,

nalabo abavela eSinimi.

₁₃Hlokomani nina mazulu,

jekezela wena phasi,

thakasani nina ntaba!

USomnini ududuza abantu bakhe

begodu uzakuba nesirhawu

kilabo abahlunguphaziweko bakhe.

“USomnini ungifulathele,

uSomandla ungikhohlwe tjhira.”

₁₅USomnini uphendula uthi:

“Umma angakhohlwa isana lakhe elisebeleni na?

Atlhoge isirhawu emntwaneni ambelethileko?

Nanyana angakhohlwa umma loyo,

kodwana mina angeze ngakukhohlwa

wena Ziyoni!

₁₆Qala, ngikutlole entendeni yezandla zami,

imithangalakho ihlala iphambi kwami.

₁₇Abantabakho bayarhabela ukubuyela kuwe

nalabo abakwenze amarubhi

bebakuhlakaza, bayakubaleka.

₁₈Phakamisa amehlwakho uthalaze,

boke abantabakho bayabuthana,

babuyela kuwe.”

USomnini uthi: “Ngifunga ngokuphila kwami,

uzabembatha boke njengesikghabiso;

iye, njengomlobokazi, uzabarikelela.

₁₉Mbala, iindawo ezimarubhi nezoniweko,

iye, inarha ehlakaziweko izakuminyana ngokuhlalwa,

khisibe labo abakuginyileko bakude.

₂₀Nangaphezu kwalokho,

abantabakho ebebathethwe kuwe

bazakukhuluma phambi kwakho bathi:

‘Indawo le yincani khulu,

akhese usivulele indawo

esingahlala kiyo.’

₂₁Yeke uzazibuza uthi,

‘Ngubani nje owangibelethela laba?

Benginganabantwana, ngiyinyumba;

bengithunjiwe, ngilahliwe.

Bakhuliswe ngubani-ke laba?

Qala, ngasala ngingedwa;

alo, babuyaphi-ke laba?’ ”

“Qala, ngizakwelulela isandla sami ezizweni

ngiphakamisele iphawu lami ebantwini;

nje-ke bazakuletha amadodanakho

bawasingathe esifubeni,

batwale amadodakazakho emahlombe.

₂₃Amakhosi azakuba belusi babantwabakho,

amakhosikazawo abe ziimbelesi zabo.

Bazakukhothama phambi kwakho bawe ngobuso,

bakhothe ithuli leenyawo zakho.

Yeke, uzakwazi bonyana nginguSomnini,

labo abaqalelela kimi angeze badaniswa.”

“Ipango ingathathwa konamandla na?

Abathunjwa bangahlwithwa konegunya na?”

₂₅Kodwana nakhu okutjhiwo nguSomnini:

“Iye, ngitjho nabathunjwa

abazakuthathwa konamandla

nepango ihlwithwe konelunya,

ngombana mina ngizakuphikisana

nabaphikisana nawe,

ngimi ozakusindisa abantwabakho.

₂₆Abakugandelelako ngizabenza

bona bazidle ngamazinyo,

badakwe ziingazi zabo

inga badakwe yihleza yewayini.

Yeke woke umuntu uzakwazi

bonyana mina Somnini ngimsindisakho,

umhlengakho, ongonamandla kaJakopo.”