Isahluko 23
Ukubhujiswa kweBabiloni kuwuhlobo lokubhujiswa ngokuZa kwesiBili—Kuyokuba wusuku lwentukuthelo kanye nempindiselo—IBabiloni (umhlaba) iyokuwa ingunaphakade—Qhathanisa no-Isaya 13. Cishe ngonyaka wama 559 kuya kowama 545 ngaphambi kokuzalwa kukaKristu.
1 Isibikezelo ngeBabiloni, u-Isaya indodana ka-Amose eyasibona.
2 Phakamisani isibonakaliso entabeni ephakeme, phakamiselani izwi kubo, qhwebani ngesandla, ukuze bangene emasangweni abakhulu.
3 Ngibayalile abangcwele bami, phezu kwalokho ngibabizile abakhulu bami, ngokuba intukuthelo yami ayikho kulabo abathokozayo ebukhulwini bami.
4 Umsindo wesixuku ezintabeni njengowabantu abaningi, umsindo wokuxokozela kwemibuso yezizwe ihlangene ndawonye, iNkosi yamaBandla iqoqa amabutho empi.
5 Aphuma ezweni elikude, avela emkhawulweni wezulu, yebo, iNkosi, kanye nezikhali zentukuthelo yayo, ukubhubhisa izwe lonke.
6 Hewulani, ngokuba usuku lweNkosi selusondele; luyofika njengembubhiso evela kuSomandla.
7 Ngakho-ke izandla zonke ziyophelelwa ngamandla, izinhliziyo zabantu bonke ziyoncibilika;
8 Futhi bayokwesaba; iminjunju kanye nezinsizi kuyobabamba; bayoshaqeka omunye komunye; ubuso babo buyokuba njengamalangabi.
9 Bheka, usuku lweNkosi luyeza, lunonya lwentukuthelo kanye nolaka olukhulu, ukuba lwenze izwe libe incithakalo; futhi iyobhubhisa izoni zalo ezikulo.
10 Ngokuba izinkanyezi zezulu aziyikukunikeza ukukhanya kwazo; ilanga liyofiphala ekuphumeni kwalo, futhi nenyanga ayiyikukukhipha ukukhanya kwayo.
11 Futhi ngiyowujezisa umhlaba ngobubi bawo, kanye nababi ngobubi babo; ngiyokwenza ukuzidla kwabaziqhenyayo kuphele, ngikubeke phansi ukuziphakamisa kwabesabekayo.
12 Ngiyokwenza umuntu abe yigugu elikhulu kunegolide elihle; umuntu abe ngisho nangaphezulu kweqhuzwana legolide lase-Ofiri.
13 Ngakho-ke, ngiyowazamazamisa amazulu, futhi umhlaba usuke uphele endaweni yawo, ngentukuthelo yeNkosi yamaBandla, nangosuku lolaka lwayo olukhulu.
14 Futhi kuyokuba njengensephe exoshwayo, nanjengezimvu ezingena muntu ozalusayo; kuyokuthi wonke umuntu aphendukele kubantu bakubo, yilowo nalowo abalekele ezweni lakubo.
15 Bonke labo abaziqhayisayo bayogwazwa; yebo, bonke labo abazihlanganisa nababi bayokuwa ngenkemba.
16 Abantwana babo phezu kwalokho bayophuhluzwa babe yizicucu phambi kwamehlo abo; izindlu zabo ziyophangwa futhi abafazi babo badlwengulwe.
17 Bheka, ngiyobaphehlela amaMede abhekane nabo, wona awayikunaka siliva nagolide, noma athokoze ngalo.
18 Iminsalo yawo iyophuhluza amabhungu abe yizicucu; futhi bona abayikuba nakudabuka esithelweni sesizalo; amehlo abo awayikuba nasihe kubantwana.
19 Futhi iBabiloni, inkazimulo yemibuso, engubuhle obukhulu bamaKaledi, iyoba njengesikhathi uNkulunkulu eketula iSodoma kanye neGomora.
20 Kuyo akusayikuphinda kwakhiwe nanini, noma kuhlalwe kuyo izizukulwane ngesizukulwane: noma um-Arabiya amise itende lapho; noma abelusi balale nemihlambi yabo lapho.
21 Kodwa izilwane zasendle zehlane ziyobuthisa lapho; futhi izindlu zabo ziyogcwala izilwane ezinosizi; futhi nezikhova ziyohlala lapho, nezimpongo ziyongqabashiya khona.
22 Futhi izilwane zasendle zaseziqhingini ziyokhala ezindlini zabo ezichithiweyo, odrako ezindlini zabo ezinhle zobukhosi, futhi isikhathi sakhe siseduze ukufika, usuku lwakhe aluseyikuhlehliswa. Ngokuba ngiyombhubhisa ngokushesha; yebo, ngokuba ngiyokuba nesihawu kubantu bami, kepha ababi bayoshatshalaliswa.