Isaiah 1
1 This is the vision that Isaiah, son of Amoz, saw about Judah and Jerusalem in the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
Maono kuhusu Yuda na Yerusalemu ambayo Isaya mwana wa Amozi aliyaona wakati wa utawala wa Uzia, Yothamu, Ahazi na Hezekia, wafalme wa Yuda.
2 Heavens, listen! Earth, pay attention! For the Lord has spoken! I brought up children, I cared for them, but they have rebelled against me.
Sikieni, enyi mbingu! Sikilizeni, enyi dunia! Kwa maana Bwana amesema: “Nimewalisha watoto na kuwalea, lakini wameniasi mimi.
3 An ox knows its owner, and a donkey knows its feeding trough; but my people don't know me, they don't understand me.
Ngʼombe anamjua bwana wake, naye punda anajua hori la mmiliki wake, lakini Israeli hajui, watu wangu hawaelewi.”
4 What a sinful nation—a people carrying such a load of guilt, an evil generation, corrupt children! They have abandoned the Lord. They have despised Israel's Holy One. They have become strangers. They have gone backwards.
Lo! Taifa lenye dhambi, watu waliolemewa na uovu, uzao wa watenda mabaya, watoto waliozoelea upotovu! Wamemwacha Bwana, Wamemkataa kwa dharau yeye Aliye Mtakatifu wa Israeli na kumgeuzia kisogo.
5 Are you wanting to be punished? Are you going to continue to rebel? The whole of your head is damaged, and your heart is totally giving out.
Kwa nini mzidi kupigwa? Kwa nini kudumu katika uasi? Kichwa chako chote kimejeruhiwa, moyo wako wote ni mgonjwa.
6 You're injured from head to toe, bruised and sore, with open wounds that haven't been cleaned or bandaged or treated with olive oil.
Kutoka wayo wako wa mguu hadi kwenye utosi wa kichwa chako hakuna uzima: ni majeraha matupu na makovu na vidonda vitokavyo damu, havikusafishwa au kufungwa wala kulainishwa kwa mafuta.
7 Your country has been devastated, your towns burned down, your fields stripped bare by foreigners right in front of you, as they turn it all into a wasteland.
Nchi yenu imekuwa ukiwa, miji yenu imeteketezwa kwa moto; nchi yenu imeachwa tupu na wageni mbele ya macho yenu, imeharibiwa kama vile imepinduliwa na wageni.
8 The daughter of Zion is left like a shack in a vineyard, like a hut in a cucumber field, like a city under attack.
Binti Sayuni ameachwa kama kipenu katika shamba la mizabibu, kama kibanda katika shamba la matikitimaji, kama mji uliohusuriwa.
9 If the Lord Almighty hadn't let a few of us survive, we would have become like Sodom and Gomorrah.
Kama Bwana Mungu Mwenye Nguvu Zote asingelituachia walionusurika, tungelikuwa kama Sodoma, tungelifanana na Gomora.
10 Listen to what the Lord has to say, you rulers of Sodom! Pay attention to the instructions of our God, you people of Gomorrah!
Sikieni neno la Bwana, ninyi watawala wa Sodoma; sikilizeni sheria ya Mungu wetu, enyi watu wa Gomora!
11 What use are all your many sacrifices to me? asks the Lord. I am sick and tired of your burnt offerings of rams and the fat of sacrificial animals. I don't delight in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats!
Bwana anasema, “Wingi wa sadaka zenu, ni kitu gani kwangu? Ninazo sadaka za kuteketezwa nyingi kupita kiasi, za kondoo dume na mafuta ya wanyama walionona. Sipendezwi na damu za mafahali wala za wana-kondoo na mbuzi.
12 When you come to appear before me in worship, who asked you to proudly tramp around my courts?
Mnapokuja kujihudhurisha mbele zangu, ni nani aliyewataka ninyi mfanye hivyo, huku kuzikanyaga nyua zangu?
13 Don't bring me any more meaningless offerings; your incense is offensive to me. Your new moon festivals and Sabbath observations and your calling of special religious meetings—I can't stand them because they're evil, as are your solemn assemblies.
Acheni kuniletea sadaka zisizokuwa na maana! Uvumba wenu ni chukizo kwangu. Miandamo ya Mwezi, Sabato na makusanyiko ya ibada: siwezi kuvumilia makusanyiko yenu maovu.
14 I detest your new moon and yearly festivals with my whole being! They've become just a burden to me—I can't bear them anymore!
Sikukuu zenu za Miandamo ya Mwezi, na sikukuu zenu zilizoamriwa: moyo wangu unazichukia. Zimekuwa mzigo kwangu, nimechoka kuzivumilia.
15 When you hold up your hands to me in prayer, I'll look away. Even though you pray many prayers, I won't pay attention to them, because your hands are full of blood.
Mnaponyoosha mikono yenu katika maombi, nitaficha macho yangu nisiwaone; hata mkiomba maombi mengi sitasikiliza. Mikono yenu imejaa damu;
16 Wash yourselves and clean yourselves up. Get rid of your sins—I don't want to see them! Stop doing evil!
jiosheni na mkajitakase. Yaondoeni matendo yenu maovu mbele zangu! Acheni kutenda mabaya,
17 Learn to do good; strive for justice, condemn those who oppress others; support the rights of orphans, take up cases to defend widows.
jifunzeni kutenda mema! Tafuteni haki, watieni moyo walioonewa. Teteeni shauri la yatima, wateteeni wajane.
18 Come on, let's argue this out, says the Lord. Even though your sins are like scarlet, they will become white like snow. Even though they are red like crimson, they will become like wool.
“Njooni basi tuhojiane,” asema Bwana. “Ingawa dhambi zenu ni kama rangi nyekundu, zitakuwa nyeupe kama theluji; ingawa ni nyekundu sana kama damu, zitakuwa nyeupe kama sufu.
19 If you really want this, and if you do as you're told, then you yourselves will eat the best things that the land produces.
Kama mkikubali na kutii, mtakula mema ya nchi,
20 But if you are defiant, and if you are rebellious, you'll be killed by the sword. This is what the Lord has declared!
lakini kama mkikataa na kuasi, mtaangamizwa kwa upanga.” Kwa kuwa kinywa cha Bwana kimenena.
21 The city that used to be faithful has turned into a prostitute! Once she operated on principles of justice and followed what was right, but now only murderers live there.
Tazama jinsi mji uliokuwa mwaminifu umekuwa kahaba! Mwanzoni ulikuwa umejaa unyofu, haki ilikuwa inakaa ndani yake, lakini sasa ni wauaji!
22 Your silver has become worthless waste; you wine has been watered down.
Fedha yenu imekuwa takataka, divai yenu nzuri imechanganywa na maji.
23 Your leaders are rebels, friends of thieves. They all love bribes and want to get kickbacks. They don't defend the rights of orphans, and refuse to take cases to help widows.
Watawala wenu ni waasi, rafiki wa wevi, wote wanapenda rushwa na kukimbilia hongo. Hawatetei yatima, shauri la mjane haliletwi mbele yao lisikilizwe.
24 So this is what the Lord says, the Lord Almighty, the Mighty One of Israel: Ha! I will take satisfaction in punishing my enemies, by paying back those who hate me!
Kwa hiyo Bwana, Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, Mwenye Nguvu wa Israeli, asema hivi: “Lo, nitapata faraja kutoka kwa adui zangu na kujilipizia kisasi juu ya watesi wangu.
25 I will turn against you. I will refine you in a furnace, removing all impurities.
Nitauelekeza mkono wangu dhidi yenu, nitawasafisha takataka zenu zote na kuwaondolea unajisi wenu wote.
26 I will give you good leaders as you used to have before, wise counselors as you had in the beginning. After that you will once again be called the City of Integrity, the Faithful City.
Nitawarudishia waamuzi wenu kama ilivyokuwa siku za zamani, nao washauri wenu kama ilivyokuwa mwanzoni. Baadaye utaitwa, Mji wa Haki, Mji Mwaminifu.”
27 Zion will be rescued by justice, those who repent by doing right.
Sayuni itakombolewa kwa haki, wale waliomo ndani yake waliotubu kwa uaminifu.
28 But rebels and sinners will be destroyed together, and those who abandon the Lord will die.
Lakini waasi na wenye dhambi wote wataangamizwa, nao wanaomwacha Bwana wataangamia.
29 You will be ashamed about how you enjoyed your pagan worship among the oak trees; you will be embarrassed because you chose the pleasure gardens of idols.
“Mtaaibika kwa sababu ya hiyo mialoni ambayo mlifurahia, mtafadhaika kwa sababu ya bustani mlizozichagua.
30 As a result you will become like an oak whose leaves have withered, a dried-out garden that has no water.
Mtakuwa kama mwaloni wenye majani yanayonyauka, kama bustani isiyokuwa na maji.
31 Your strong people will become like tinder, and their work will become like a spark. They will burn together, and nobody will be able to put out the flames.
Mtu mwenye nguvu atatoweka kama majani makavu yawakayo moto, na kazi yake kama cheche ya moto; vyote vitaungua pamoja, wala hakuna wa kuuzima huo moto.”
