Isaiah 49
1 Listen to me, you people of the islands! Pay attention, you who live far away! The Lord called me before I was born; he gave me my name while I was still in my mother's womb.
Nisikilize mimi, enyi mkao pwani! na kuwa makini, enyi watu mkao mbali. Yahwe amenita mimi kutoka kuzaliwa kwa jina, mama yangu aliponileta duniani.
2 The words he gave me to speak are like a sharp sword. He has protected me by covering me with his hand. He put me in his quiver like a sharp arrow, keeping me safe there.
Amefanya mdomo wangu kuwa kama upanga mkali; amenificha mimi katika kivuli cha mkono wake; amenifanya mimi kuwa mshale unaong'aa; katika podo yake amenificha mimi.
3 He told me, “You are my servant, Israel, and I will reveal my glory through you.”
Amesema na mimi, ''Wewe ni mtumishi wangu, Israeli, kupitia yeye nitaonyesha utukufu wangu.''
4 But I replied, “I've worked for nothing! I've exhausted myself, and for what? Even so, I leave it with the Lord to do what's right, and my reward is with my God.”
Lakini nilimjibu, ''Japo nilifikiria nilifanya kazi bure, nimetumia nguvu zangu bure, ikiwa haki yangu iko pamoja na Yahwe, na zawadi yangu iko kwa Mungu wangu.
5 Now my Lord is going to speak, the one who formed me in the womb as his servant to bring Jacob back to him, to gather Israel to himself. I am honored in the Lord's sight, and my God has given me strength.
Na sasa Yahwe asema hivi, yeye aliyeniumba mimi toka kuzaliwa na kuwa mtumishi wake, kumrejesha Yakobo tena kwake mwenyewe, na Israeli wakusanyike kwake. Mimi ninaheshimika katika macho ya Yahwe, na Mungu wangu amekuwa nguvu zangu.
6 He says, “It's nothing much for you to be my servant to bring back the tribes of Jacob, those people of Israel that I've preserved. I'm also going to make you a light for the foreigners so that my salvation may reach everybody.”
Asema hivi, ''Ni kitu kidogo sana kwa wewe kuwa mtumishi wangu ili kuanzisha ukoo wa Yakobo, na kuwarejesha wanaoishi Israeli. Nitakufanya wewe kuwa mwanga kwa Wayunani, ili uwe wokovu wangu katika mipaka ya nchi.
7 This is what the Lord says, the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel, to the one who was despised and detested by the nation, to the one who is the servant of rulers: Kings will see you and stand up, and princes will bow down to you, because the Lord, who is trustworthy, the Holy One of Israel, has chosen you.
Yahwe asema hivi, Mkombozi wa Israeli, Mtatakatifu wao, kwa yeye ambae maisha yake yamedharauliwa, kuchukiwa na mataifa, na mtumwa wa viongozi, ''Mfalme atakuona wewe na nyanyuka, na wakuu watakuona wewe na inama chini, kwa sababu ya Yahwe ambae ni mwaminifu, hata mtakatifu wa Israeli, aliyewachagua ninyi.''
8 This is what the Lord says: I will answer you at the proper time; I will help you on the day of salvation. I will take care of you, and I will give you to the people as my agreement with them, to restore the land and to reassign the parts that have been abandoned.
Yahwe asema hivi, ''Kwa mda huu nimeamua kuwaonyesha neema yangu na nitawajibu ninyi, na siku ya wokovu nitawasaidi ninyi; Nitakulinda wewe; na nitawapa kama agano kwa watu, kuitengeneza tena nchi, kuwarihtisha urithi uliokuwa na ukiwa.
9 Tell the prisoners, “Come out!” Tell those living in darkness, “Come into the light!” Like sheep they will feed along the roads and in the pastures on hills that once were barren.
Utasema kwa wafungwa, 'Tokeni nje; kwa wale mlio katika giza gerezani, 'Jionyeshe mwenyewe. 'Watachunga pembeni ya barabara, na juu ya miteremko ya wazi yatakuwa malisho yake.
10 They won't be hungry or thirsty, and they won't get hot in the sun, for the one who loves them will lead them to springs, and guide them to water.
Hawatasikia njaa wala kiu; wala joto au jua halitawaunguza, kwa yeye mwenye huruma juu yao atawaongoza wao; atawaongoza wao kwenye mikondo ya maji.
11 I will turn all my mountains into a road; my highways will be really high!
Na nitafanya milima yote kuwa barabara, na kufanya njia za juu kuwa sawa''
12 Look at these people coming from far away! Look at these people coming from the north, and from the west, and from Upper Egypt.
Tazama, haya yatatoka kutoka mbali, baadhi kutoka kaskazini na magharibi; na wengine kutoka nchi ya Sinimi.
13 Heavens, shout for joy! Earth, celebrate! Mountains, sing out in happiness! The Lord has come to care for his people, and he will treat his suffering people kindly.
Imba, ewe mbingu, na uwe na furaha, ewe nchi pazeni sauti ya kuimmba enyi milima! maana Yahwe anawafariji watu wake, na watakuwa na huruma kwa wale wanoteseka.
14 But Zion said, “The Lord has given up on me; the Lord has forgotten about me.”
Lakin Sayuni asema, Yahwe ameniacha mimi, na Bwana amenisahau mimi.''
15 Really? Can a mother forget her nursing baby? Can she forget to be kind to the child she carried in her womb? Even if she could forget, I will never forget you!
''Je mwanamke anaweza kumsahau mtoto wake, aliyemnyonyesha, hivyo hana huruma na mtoto aliye mzaa? ndio, hawakusahau, lakini siwezi kukusahau wewe.
16 Look at your names I've written on the palms of my hands! I'm always thinking about your walls.
Tazama, nimeliandika jina lako kwenye kiganja cha mkono wangu; Kuta zako zinaendelea kuwa mbele yangu.
17 Soon your children will come running back. Your destroyers, those that devastated your land, will be gone.
Watoto wangu wamerudi haraka, wakati wale wanowaangaimiza nyie wameenda mbali.
18 Take a look around. See all your children gathering and coming back to you. As I live, declares the Lord, you will wear them all as jewelry, proudly putting them on like a bride.
Tazama karibu na uone, wote wamekusanyika na wanakuja kwako. Nitahakikisha kama ninaishi- hili ni tamko la Yahwe- hakika mtavivaaa kama kama kijiti; utajifungia kama bibi harusi.
19 Your ruined towns and abandoned places and devastated lands will be crowded with people, while those who took over your country will be long gone.
Japo umeharibiwa na kuwa na ukiwa, nchi iliyoharibiwa, sasa itakuwa ndogo sana kwa wenyeji, na wale wanao waliokumeza watakuwa mbali,
20 The children born during your time of mourning in exile will say, “This place is too crowded for me! Make room so I have a place to live!”
Watoto watakaozaliwa katika kipindi cha msiba watasema mkiwa mnawasikiliza, 'Sehemu hii ni duni kwetu, tengeneza chumba kwa ajili yetu, ili tuweze kuishi hapa.
21 Then you will say to yourself, “Who gave birth to all these children for me? My children were killed and I was unable to have more; I was exiled and thrown aside—so who brought these children up? Look, I was abandoned, so where did they come from?”
Halafu utajiuliza mwenyewe, ni nani aliyewazaa watu hawa kwangu? Mimi nilifiwa na ni tasa, niliyefungwa na kupewa talaka. Ni nani aliyewalea hawa watoto? Tazama, niliachiwa yote mimi mwenyewe; Je haya yametoka wapi?''
22 This is what the Lord God says, Watch as I give the signal to the nations, as I raise my flag to let everyone know. They will bring them back, carrying your sons in their arms, and lifting your daughters onto their shoulders.
Yahwe asema hivi, ''Tazama, nitanyanyua mkono wangu juu ya mataifa; Nitanyanyua bendera yangu ya ishara kwa watu. Watawaleta watoto wako kwenye mikono yao na watawabeba binti zako juu ya mabega yao.
23 Kings will be your child-minders; queens will be your nurses. They will bow low before you, and lick the dust from your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord, and that those who put their trust in me will never be ashamed.
Wafalme watakuwa baba zako wa kambo, na malikia watakuwa wafanyakazi wa ndani; watakuinamia chini wewe kw uso wao kwa nchi na kukung'uta mavumbi ya miguu yenu; wale wanonisubiri mimi hawataabika.''
24 Can loot be taken from a warrior? Can prisoners be rescued from a dictator?
Je mateka wanaweza kuchukuliwa kwa shujaa, au wafungwa kukombolewa kutoka kwa mkali?
25 But this is what the Lord says: Even the prisoners of warriors will be won back; even loot will be recovered from a dictator. I will fight with your enemies, and I will rescue your children.
Lakini Yahwe asema hivi, ''Wafungwa watachukuliwa kutoka kwa shujaa, na maeteka watakombolewa; maana utampinga adui yako na kuwakomboa watoto wako.
26 I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh and drink their own blood like wine. Then everyone will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior and Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel.
Na nitawalisha wanowaonea kwa mwili wao wenyewe; na watalewa kwa damu zao wenyewe, kama iliyo mvinyo; na watu wote watajua kwamba Mimi Yahwe, ni Mokozi wenu na Mkombozi wenu, yeye aliyemkuu wa Isareli.
