“Kepha yizwa manje, Jakobe, nceku yami,
wena Israyeli engikukhethileyo.
Usho kanje uJehova owakudalayo,
wakubumba kwasesiwini, oyakukusiza, uthi:
Ungesabi, Jakobe, nceku yami,
wena Jeshuruni engikukhethileyo.
Ngokuba ngiyakuthela amanzi phezu kokomileyo,
nezikhukhula phezu kokushileyo,
ngithulule uMoya wami phezu kwenzalo yakho,
nesibusiso sami phezu kwabantwana bakho;
bayakuhluma phakathi kotshani
njengeminyezane ngasemifudlaneni yamanzi.
Omunye uyakuthi: ‘NgingokaJehova;’
omunye uyakuzibiza ngegama likaJakobe,
omunye azilobele uJehova esandleni sakhe,
azidumise ngegama lika-Israyeli.”

“Usho kanje uJehova,
iNkosi ka-Israyeli,
noMhlengi wakhe, uJehova Sebawoti, uthi:
Ngingowokuqala, ngingowokugcina,
ngaphandle kwami akakho uNkulunkulu.
Ngubani ongabiza njengami, akumemezele,
akubeke phambi kwami,
kusukela ekusekeleni kwami abantu basendulo, na?
Yebo, okuzayo nokuyakwenzeka mabakumemezele.
Ningesabi, ningabi naluvalo;
angithi ngikuzwisile kusukela endulo,
ngakumemezela, na?
Nina ningofakazi bami.
Kukhona uNkulunkulu ngaphandle kwami na?
Cha, alikho iDwala; angilazi.”

Abenza isithombe esibaziweyo bayize bonke;
izinto zabo ezithandekayo aziyikusiza;
ofakazi babo ababoni, futhi abazi;
bayakujabhiswa.
Ngubani owenzile uNkulunkulu,
ngubani obumbile isithombe esibaziweyo
esingesokusiza na?
Bheka, bonke abangane bakhe bayakujabha,
nezisebenzi zingabantu nje.
Mabahlangane bonke, beme;
bayakwesaba, bajabhe kanyekanye.

Umkhandi wensimbi wenza imbazo,
asebenze emalahleni,
ayibumbe ngezando,
ayisebenze ngamandla ezingalo zakhe;
uyalamba, angabikho amandla;
akaphuzi amanzi, uyadangala.
Umbazi uyelula intambo,
adwebe umuthi ngokubomvu,
awenze ngezibazo,
adwebe ngekompasi,*
awenze ngomfanekiso womuntu,
ngobuhle bomuntu,
ukuba uhlale endlini.
Uyazigawulela imisedari,*
athathe imikhoba nama-oki,*
awaqinise phakathi kwemithi yehlathi;
uyatshala umfire,* imvula iwukhulise.
Bese kuba ngokomuntu ukuba abase ngakho;
uthatha kuwo, othe;
uyawuphemba, enze isinkwa;
wenza unkulunkulu, akhuleke kuye,
enze nesithombe esibaziweyo,
akhothambele kuso.
Ushisa inxenye yawo emlilweni;
phezu kwale nxenye uyadla inyama,
ose izoso, asuthe;
yebo, uyotha athi:
“Halala! Sengifudumele,
ngibonile umlilo.”
Ngokuseleyo kuwo uyakwenza unkulunkulu nesithombe;
uyakhothamela kuso, akhuleke kuso,
athandaze kuso, athi:
“Ngophule; ungunkulunkulu wami.”
Abazi, abaqondi,
ngokuba unamekile amehlo abo ukuze bangaboni,
nezinhliziyo zabo ukuze bangaqondi.
Akakho okhumbulayo,
nokwazi nokuqonda akukho kokuba kuthiwe:
“Ngishisile inxenye yawo ngomlilo,
ngenzile isinkwa phezu kwamalahle awo,
ngosile inyama, ngayidla;
ngingenza okuseleyo kuwo kube yisinengiso,
ngikhothamele umbhuku womuthi,” na?

Udla umlotha;
inhliziyo ekhohlisiweyo imdukisile;
akanakophula umphefumulo wakhe nokuba athi:
“Akukho yini amanga kwesokunene sami na?”

“Khumbula lezi zinto, Jakobe,
wena Israyeli, ngokuba uyinceku yami;
ngikubumbile, uyinceku yami;
Israyeli, angiyikukhohlwa.
Ngesulile iziphambeko zakho njengefu,
nezono zakho njengemilaza;
buyela kimi, ngokuba ngikuhlengile.”

Thokozani, mazulu,
ngokuba uJehova ukwenzile,
nijabule nina zindawo eziphansi zomhlaba,
niqhumuke ngokuhlabelela nina zintaba,
nawe hlathi nayo yonke imithi ekuwe,
ngokuba uJehova umhlengile uJakobe,
ngokuhlabelela wazidumisa ngo-Israyeli.

Usho kanje uJehova uMhlengi wakho
nowakubumba kwasesiswini, uthi:
“NginguJehova owenza konke,
oweneka izulu yedwa,
nowendlala umhlaba ngokwakhe,
oshafisa izibonakaliso zabaprofethi bamanga,
enze ababhuli ukuba bahlanye,
obuyisela emuva abahlakaniphileyo,
enze ukwazi kwabo kube ngubuwula;
ogcwalisa izwi lenceku yakhe,
afeze ukululekana kwezithunywa zakhe,
oshoyo ngalo iJerusalema, athi:
‘Liyakuba nabantu,’
nangemizi yakwaJuda ukuthi:
‘Iyakwakhiwa,
ngibuye ngivuse incithakalo yakhona;’
oshoyo kuwo umsinga ukuthi:
‘Yisha, ngiyakomisa imifula yakho;’
oshoyo ngoKoresi ukuthi:
‘Ungumalusi wami,
uyakufeza konke okwentando yami,
athi ngeJerusalema: Liyakwakhiwa,
nakulo ithempeli:
Isisekelo sakho siyakubekwa.’ ”

Lalela U-Isaya 44