U-Izaya 43:1-28

Manje usho kanje uSimakade owakudala wena Jakobe, nowakubumba wena Israyeli, uthi: “Ungesabi ngokuba ngikuhlengile, ngikubize ngegama lakho; ungowami. Uma udabula emanzini, Mina ngiyokuba nawe, nemifula ayiyukukukhukhula; nalapho udabula emlilweni, awuyukusha; ilangabi aliyukukushisa. Ngokuba Mina nginguSimakade uNkulunkulu wakho, oNgcwele ka-Israyeli uMsindisi wakho. IGibhithe ngilinikele laba yinhlawulo yakho; iKhushe neShebha esikhundleni sakho. Ngokuba uyigugu emehlweni ami, uhloniphekile, futhi ngiyakuthanda; ngiyonikela abantu esikhundleni sakho, nezizwe esikhundleni sokuphila kwakho. Ungesabi, ngokuba nginawe, ngiyakuletha abozalo lwakho bevela empumalanga, ngikuqoqe nasentshonalanga. Ngiyothi kuyo inyakatho: ‘Bakhulule,’ nakuyo iningizimu, ngithi: ‘Ungabagodli.’ Lethani amadodana ami asuka ezweni elikude, namadodakazi ami avela emikhawulweni yomhlaba, yilowo nalowo obizwa ngeGama lami, engimdalele udumo lwami, ngambumba, futhi ngamenza.” Lethani abantu abayizimpumputhe bebe benamehlo, nabayizithulu bebe benezindlebe. Izizwe zonke mazihlangane ndawonye; abantu bonke babuthane. Ngubani phakathi kwabo ongasho lokhu, asitshele izinto zakuqala na? Mabalethe ofakazi babo ukuze bazobafakazela, mabezwe bese bethi: “Kuliqiniso.” “Ningofakazi bami,” kusho uSimakade, “nenceku yami engiyikhethileyo, ukuze nazi, futhi ningikholwe, niqonde ukuthi Mina nginguye. Akukho nkulunkulu owenziwa ngaphambi kwami, futhi akekho oyokwenziwa ngasemuva kwami. Mina, Mina nginguSimakade, ngaphandle kwami akekho uMsindisi. Ngishilo, ngasindisa, ngamemezela, ngesikhathi kungakabi bikho nkulunkulu wabezizwe phakathi kwenu. Nina ningofakazi bami,” kusho uSimakade. “Mina nginguNkulunkulu. Mina nginguye kwasemandulo. Akekho ongakusindisa okusesandleni sami, ngiyenza, ngubani ongakuvimba lokho na?” Usho kanje uSimakade uMhlengi wenu oNgcwele ka-Israyeli, uthi: “Ngenxa yenu ngithumele eBhabhele, ngiyobehlisa bonke ababalekileyo, namaKhaledi ngemikhumbi, bememeza ngenjabulo. Mina nginguSimakade oNgcwele wenu, uMdali ka-Israyeli, iNkosi yenu.” Usho kanje uSimakade odala indlela olwandle, nomkhondo emanzini anamandla, okhipha izinqola zempi; amahhashi, impi, namaqhawe, kulale uyaca kanyekanye kungabe kusavuka. Kucishwe, kucinywe njengentambo yesibani. “Ningakhumbuli izinto zakuqala, ningazindli ngezindaba zasendulo. Bhekani, sengizokwenza okusha, kuqhamuka khona manje; niyakubona na? Yebo, ngiyokwenza indlela ehlane, nemifula kwahlongasibi. Izilwane zasendle: izimpisi nezintshe kuzongidumisa, ngokuba ngiveze amanzi ehlane nemifula kwahlongasibi, ukuphuzisa abantu bami engibakhethileyo, abantu engizidalele bona, ukuze bamemezele udumo lwami. “Nokho wena Jakobe, awuzange ungibize; nawe Israyeli, udiniwe yimi. Awuzilethanga kimi izimvu zakho zomnikelo wokushiswa; awungidumisanga ngemihlatshelo yakho; angizange ngibe kuwe ngumthwalo ngeminikelo, noma ngikukhathaze ngempepho. Awungilethelanga ngamali ikhalamusi; awungisuthisanga ngamanoni emihlatshelo yakho, kodwa ungethwese umthwalo ngezono zakho, wangikhathaza ngobubi bakho. “Mina, Mina nginguye owesula iziphambeko zakho ngenxa yami; angiyukuzikhumbula izono zakho. Ngikhumbuze, masiqagulisane, lubeke udaba lwakho, ukuze kubonakale ukuthi awunacala. Ukhokho wakho wokuqala wona, nabakukhulumelayo baphambukile kimi. Ngakho-ke ngizingcolisile izikhulu zendlu engcwele; uJakobe ngizakumnikela ukuba achithwe, no-Israyeli ukuba abe yisithuko.”