Isaiah 49
1 Give ear, ye islands, and hearken, ye people from afar. The Lord hath called me from the womb, from the bowels of my mother he hath been mindful of my name.
Nisikilizeni, enyi visiwa, sikieni hili, ninyi mataifa mlio mbali: Kabla sijazaliwa, Bwana aliniita, tangu kuzaliwa kwangu, amelitaja jina langu.
2 And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword: in the shadow of his hand he hath protected me, and hath made me as a chosen arrow: in his quiver he hath hidden me.
Akafanya kinywa changu kuwa kama upanga ulionolewa, katika uvuli wa mkono wake akanificha; akanifanya kuwa mshale uliosuguliwa, na kunificha katika podo lake.
3 And he said to me: Thou art my servant Israel, for in thee will I glory.
Akaniambia, “Wewe u mtumishi wangu, Israeli, ambaye katika yeye nitaonyesha utukufu wangu.”
4 And I said: I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength without cause and in vain: therefore my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God.
Lakini nilisema, “Nimetumika bure, nimetumia nguvu zangu bure bila faida. Hata hivyo linalonistahili liko mkononi mwa Bwana, nao ujira wangu uko kwa Mungu wangu.”
5 And now saith the Lord, that formed me from the womb to be his servant, that I may bring back Jacob unto him, and Israel will not be gathered together: and I am glorified in the eyes of the Lord, and my God is made my strength.
Sasa Bwana asema: yeye aliyeniumba tumboni kuwa mtumishi wake, kumrudisha tena Yakobo kwake na kumkusanyia Israeli, kwa maana nimepata heshima machoni pa Bwana, naye Mungu wangu amekuwa nguvu yangu;
6 And he said: It is a small thing that thou shouldst be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to convert the dregs of Israel. Behold, I have given thee to be the light of the Gentiles, that thou mayst be my salvation even to the farthest part of the earth.
yeye asema: “Je, ni jambo dogo sana wewe kuwa mtumishi wangu ili kurejeza makabila ya Yakobo, na kuwarudisha wale Waisraeli niliowahifadhi? Pia nitakufanya uwe nuru kwa ajili ya watu wa Mataifa, ili upate kuleta wokovu wangu hata miisho ya dunia.”
7 Thus saith the Lord the redeemer of Israel, his Holy One, to the soul that is despised, to the nation that is abhorred, to the servant of rulers: Kings shall see, and princes shall rise up, and adore for the Lord’s sake, because he is faithful, and for the Holy One of Israel, who hath chosen thee.
Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana, yeye Mkombozi na Aliye Mtakatifu wa Israeli, kwake yeye aliyedharauliwa na kuchukiwa na taifa, kwa mtumishi wa watawala: “Wafalme watakuona na kusimama, wakuu wataona na kuanguka kifudifudi, kwa sababu ya Bwana, aliye mwaminifu, yeye Aliye Mtakatifu wa Israeli, aliyekuchagua wewe.”
8 Thus saith the Lord: In an acceptable time I have heard thee, and in the day of salvation I have helped thee: and I have preserved thee, and given thee to be a covenant of the people, that thou mightest raise up the earth, and possess the inheritances that were destroyed:
Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: “Wakati wangu uliokubalika nitakujibu, nami katika siku ya wokovu nitakusaidia; nitakuhifadhi, nami nitakufanya kuwa agano kwa ajili ya watu, ili kurudisha nchi na kugawanyia urithi tena wale waliokuwa ukiwa,
9 That thou mightest say to them that are bound: Come forth: and to them that are in darkness: Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in every plain.
kuwaambia mateka, ‘Tokeni nje,’ nao wale walio gizani, ‘Kuweni huru!’ “Watajilisha kando ya barabara na kupata malisho yao juu ya kila kilima kilicho kitupu.
10 They shall not hunger, nor thirst, neither shall the heat nor the sun strike them: for he that is merciful to them, shall be their shepherd, and at the fountains of waters he shall give them drink.
Hawataona njaa wala kuona kiu, wala hari ya jangwani au jua halitawapiga. Yeye mwenye huruma juu yao atawaonyesha njia, na kuwaongoza kando ya chemchemi za maji.
11 And I will make all my mountains a way, and my paths shall be exalted.
Nitaifanya milima yangu yote kuwa barabara, na njia kuu zangu zitainuliwa.
12 Behold these shall come from afar, and behold these from the north and from the sea, and these from the south country.
Tazama, watakuja kutoka mbali: wengine kutoka kaskazini, wengine kutoka magharibi, wengine kutoka nchi ya Sinimu.”
13 Give praise, O ye heavens, and rejoice, O earth, ye mountains, give praise with jubilation: because the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy on his poor ones.
Pigeni kelele kwa furaha, enyi mbingu; furahi, ee dunia; pazeni sauti kwa kuimba, enyi milima! Kwa maana Bwana anawafariji watu wake, naye atakuwa na huruma kwa watu wake walioumizwa.
14 And Sion said: The Lord hath forsaken me, and the Lord hath forgotten me.
Lakini Sayuni alisema, “Bwana ameniacha, Bwana amenisahau.”
15 Can a woman forget her infant, so as not to have pity on the son of her womb? and if she should forget, yet will not I forget thee.
“Je, mama aweza kumsahau mtoto aliyeko matitini mwake akinyonya, wala asiwe na huruma juu ya mtoto aliyemzaa? Ingawa anaweza kusahau, mimi sitakusahau wewe!
16 Behold, I have graven thee in my hands: thy walls are always before my eyes.
Tazama, nimekuchora kama muhuri katika vitanga vya mikono yangu, kuta zako zi mbele yangu daima.
17 Thy builders are come: they that destroy thee and make thee waste shall go out of thee.
Wana wako wanaharakisha kurudi, nao wale waliokuteka wanaondoka kwako.
18 Lift up thy eyes round about, and see all these are gathered together, they are come to thee: I live, saith the Lord, thou shalt be clothed with all these as with an ornament, and as a bride thou shalt put them about thee.
Inua macho yako ukatazame pande zote: wana wako wote wanakusanyika na kukujia. Kwa hakika kama vile niishivyo, utawavaa wote kama mapambo, na kujifunga nao kama bibi arusi,” asema Bwana.
19 For thy deserts, and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction shall now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be chased far away.
“Ingawa uliangamizwa na kufanywa ukiwa, na nchi yako ikaharibiwa, sasa nafasi itakuwa finyu kwa ajili ya watu wako, nao wale waliokuangamiza watakuwa mbali sana.
20 The children of thy barrenness shall still say in thy ears: The place is too strait for me, make me room to dwell in.
Watoto waliozaliwa wakati wa msiba wako bado watakuambia, ‘Mahali hapa ni finyu sana kwetu, tupe eneo kubwa zaidi la kuishi.’
21 And thou shalt-say in thy heart: Who hath begotten these? I was barren and brought not forth, led away, and captive: and who hath brought up these? I was destitute and alone: and these, where were they?
Ndipo utasema moyoni mwako, ‘Ni nani aliyenizalia hawa? Nilikuwa nimefiwa, tena tasa; nilikuwa nimehamishwa na kukataliwa. Ni nani aliyewalea hawa? Niliachwa peke yangu, lakini hawa wametoka wapi?’”
22 Thus saith the Lord God: Behold I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles, and will set up my standard to the people. And they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and carry thy daughters upon their shoulders.
Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenyezi: “Tazama, nitawaashiria watu wa Mataifa, nitainua bendera yangu kwa mataifa; watawaleta wana wako mikononi yao, na kuwabeba binti zenu juu ya mabega yao.
23 And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and queens thy nurses: they shall worship thee with their face toward the earth, and they shall lick up the dust of thy feet. And thou shalt know that I am the Lord, for they shall not be confounded that wait for him.
Wafalme watakuwa baba zenu wa kuwalea, na malkia wao watakuwa mama zenu wa kuwalea. Watasujudu mbele yako nyuso zao zikigusa ardhi; wataramba mavumbi yaliyo miguuni mwako. Ndipo utajua ya kuwa Mimi ndimi Bwana; wale wanaonitumaini mimi hawataaibika.”
24 Shall the prey be taken from the strong? or can that which was taken by the mighty be delivered?
Je, nyara zaweza kuchukuliwa kutoka kwa mashujaa wa vita, au mateka kuokolewa kutoka kwa watu wakali?
25 For thus saith the Lord: Yea verily, even the captivity shall be taken away from the strong: and that which was taken by the mighty, shall be delivered. But I will judge those that have judged thee, and thy children I will save.
Lakini hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: “Naam, mateka watachukuliwa kutoka kwa mashujaa, na nyara zitapokonywa kutoka kwa watu wakali. Nitashindana na wale wanaoshindana nawe, nami nitawaokoa watoto wako.
26 And I will feed thy enemies with their own flesh: and they shall be made drunk with their own blood, as with new wine: and all flesh shall know, that I am the Lord that save thee, and thy Redeemer the Mighty One of Jacob.
Nitawafanya wale wanaokuonea kula nyama yao wenyewe, watalewa kwa damu yao wenyewe, kama vile kwa mvinyo. Ndipo wanadamu wote watajua ya kuwa Mimi, Bwana, ni Mwokozi wako, Mkombozi wako, niliye Mwenye Nguvu wa Yakobo.”
