Isaya
Isahluko 49
Ngilaleleni nina ziqhingi, niqaphele nina bantu abakude; uJehova ungibizile kwasekuzalweni, waqamba igama lami kwasezibilinini zikamame.
2 Wawenza umlomo wami njengenkemba ebukhali, wangithukusa ethunzini lesandla sakhe, wangenza umcibisholo ophucuziweyo, wangithukusa esambweni sakhe.
3 Wathi kimi: “Uyinceku yami, u-Israyeli, engiyakuzidumisa kuye.”
4 Kepha ngase ngithi mina: “Ngikhandlekele ize, amandla ami ngiwachithele okuyize nokungelutho; nokho ilungelo lami likuJehova, nomvuzo wami ukuNkulunkulu wami.”
5 Manje uthi uJehova owangibumba kwasekuzalweni ukuba ngibe yinceku yakhe yokubuyisela kuye uJakobe, kubuthelwe kuye no-Israyeli futhi ngidunyisiwe emehlweni kaJehova, uNkulunkulu wami waba ngamandla ami
6 yebo, uthi: “Kuyinto elula ukuba ube yinceku yami ukuvusa izizwe zakwaJakobe, nokubuyisa abaseleyo bakwa-Israyeli; ngalokho ngiyakukubeka ube ngukukhanya kwabezizwe, ube yinsindiso yami kuze kube semkhawulweni womhlaba.”
7 Usho kanje uJehova, uMhlengi ka-Israyeli noNgcwele wakhe, kodelelwa nokudelelwa noyisinengiso esizweni, koyinceku yababusi, uthi: “Amakhosi ayakubona, asukume, izikhulu zibone, zikhothame ngenxa kaJehova othembekile, oNgcwele ka-Israyeli okukhethileyo.”
8 Usho kanje uJehova, uthi: “Ngiyakuphendula ngesikhathi somusa, ngosuku lokusindiswa ngiyakusiza; ngiyakukulondoloza, ngikubeke ube yisivumelwano sabantu sokubuyisa izwe nokubenza badle amafa achithekileyo,
9 uthi kwababoshiweyo: ‘Phumani,’ nakwabasebumnyameni: ‘Velani.’ “Bayakuklaba ngasezindleleni, amadlelo abo abe semagqumeni onke.
10 Abayikulamba, abayikoma, abayikushaywa yisifudumezi nelanga, ngokuba yena onomusa kubo uyakubahola, abayise emithonjeni yamanzi.
11 Ngiyakuzenza zonke izintaba zami zibe yizindlela, imendo yami iphakame.
12 Bheka, laba bayakuvela kude; bheka, laba bayakuvela enyakatho nasentshonalanga, nalaba ezweni laseSinimi.”
13 Jabulani nina mazulu, uthokoze nawe mhlaba, niqhumuke ngokuhlabelela nina zintaba, ngokuba uJehova ududuza abantu bakhe, abe nomusa kwabahluphekileyo bakhe.
14 Kepha iSiyoni lithi: “UJehova ungishiyile, iNkosi ingikhohliwe.”
15 “Owesifazane angakhohlwa umntwana wakhe oncelayo ukuba angabi namusa kuyo indodana yesizalo sakhe na? Yebo, bona bangakhohlwa, kodwa mina anginakukukhohlwa wena.
16 Bheka, ezandleni zami ngikubhalile, izingange zakho ziphambi kwami njalo.
17 Abantwana bakho bayashesha; abakuchithayo nabakwenza ize baphuma kuwe.
18 Phakamisa amehlo akho nxazonke, ubone: bonke bayabuthana, bafika kuwe. Kuphila kwami,” usho uJehova, “impela uyakubembatha bonke njengemvunulo, uzibhince ngabo njengomakoti.
19 “Ngokuba izindawo zakho ezichithekileyo neziyize nezwe lakho eliqothuliweyo kuyakuminyana ngabakhileyo khona, nabakugwinyileyo bayakuba kude.
20 Abantwana bokusweziselwa kwakho basayakusho ezindlebeni zakho ukuthi: Indawo ingumcingo kimi; sukani kimi ukuba ngihlale.
21 Bese wusho enhliziyweni yakho ukuthi: ‘Ngubani ongizalele laba, lokhu ngaphuciwe abantwana bami, ngingenalutho, ngingumthunjwa, ngingozulazulayo, na? Ngubani okhulise laba na? Bheka, ngasala ngedwa; laba babephi na?’ ”
22 Isho kanje iNkosi uNkulunkulu, ithi: “Bheka, ngiyakuphakamisela izizwe izandla zami, ngimisele abantu ibhanela lami; bayakuletha amadodana akho esifubeni sabo, namadodakazi akho ayakuthwalwa emahlombe.
23 Amakhosi ayakuba ngabazanyana bakho, namakhosikazi awo ayakuba ngabancelisi bakho; bayakukukhothamela ubuso bubheke phansi, bakhothe uthuli lwezinyawo zakho; uyakwazi ukuthi nginguJehova, abethemba kimi abayikujabha.”
24 Impango ingasuswa kuwo amaqhawe, nabathunjwa bangophulwa kubacindezeli, na?
25 Noma kunjalo, uJehova uthi: “Yebo, abathunjwa bamaqhawe bangasuswa, nempango yabacindezeli iyakophulwa, kepha mina ngiyakulwa naye olwa nawe, ngisindise abantwana bakho.
26 Ngiyakudlisa abacindezeli bakho inyama yabo, badakwe yigazi labo njengangewayini elimnandi; inyama yonke iyakwazi ukuthi mina Jehova nginguMsindisi wakho, noMhlengi wakho, uMninimandla kaJakobe.”