< Isaiah 42 >
1 Behold My servant, whom I uphold; Mine elect, in whom My soul delighteth; I have put My spirit upon him, he shall make the right to go forth to the nations.
“Huyu hapa mtumishi wangu, ninayemtegemeza, mteule wangu, ambaye ninapendezwa naye; nitaweka Roho yangu juu yake, naye ataleta haki kwa mataifa.
2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.
Hatapaza sauti wala kupiga kelele, wala hataiinua sauti yake barabarani.
3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the dimly burning wick shall he not quench; he shall make the right to go forth according to the truth.
Mwanzi uliopondeka hatauvunja, na utambi unaofuka moshi hatauzima. Kwa uaminifu ataleta haki,
4 He shall not fail nor be crushed, till he have set the right in the earth; and the isles shall wait for his teaching.
hatazimia roho wala kukata tamaa, mpaka atakaposimamisha haki juu ya dunia. Visiwa vitaweka tumaini lao katika sheria yake.”
5 Thus saith God the LORD, He that created the heavens, and stretched them forth, He that spread forth the earth and that which cometh out of it, He that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:
Hili ndilo asemalo Mungu, Bwana, yeye aliyeziumba mbingu na kuzitanda, aliyeitandaza dunia na vyote vitokavyo humo, awapaye watu wake pumzi, na uzima kwa wale waendao humo:
6 I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and have taken hold of thy hand, and kept thee, and set thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the nations;
“Mimi, Bwana, nimekuita katika haki; nitakushika mkono wako. Nitakulinda na kukufanya kuwa Agano kwa ajili ya watu na nuru kwa Mataifa,
7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison-house.
kuwafungua macho wale wasioona, kuwaacha huru kutoka kifungoni waliofungwa jela, na kuwafungua kutoka gerezani wale wanaokaa gizani.
8 I am the LORD, that is My name; and My glory will I not give to another, neither My praise to graven images.
“Mimi ndimi Bwana; hilo ndilo Jina langu! Sitampa mwingine utukufu wangu wala sanamu sifa zangu.
9 Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.
Tazama, mambo ya kwanza yametokea, nami natangaza mambo mapya; kabla hayajatokea nawatangazia habari zake.”
10 Sing unto the LORD a new song, and His praise from the end of the earth; ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein, the isles, and the inhabitants thereof.
Mwimbieni Bwana wimbo mpya, sifa zake toka miisho ya dunia, ninyi mshukao chini baharini, na vyote vilivyomo ndani yake, enyi visiwa na wote wakaao ndani yake.
11 Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit; let the inhabitants of Sela exult, let them shout from the top of the mountains.
Jangwa na miji yake na vipaze sauti zao; makao anamoishi Kedari na yashangilie. Watu wa Sela waimbe kwa furaha, na wapige kelele kutoka vilele vya milima.
12 Let them give glory unto the LORD, and declare His praise in the islands.
Wampe Bwana utukufu, na kutangaza sifa zake katika visiwa.
13 The LORD will go forth as a mighty man, He will stir up jealousy like a man of war; He will cry, yea, He will shout aloud, He will prove Himself mighty against His enemies.
Bwana ataenda kama mtu mwenye nguvu, kama shujaa atachochea shauku yake, kwa kelele ataamsha kilio cha vita, naye atashinda adui zake.
14 I have long time held My peace, I have been still, and refrained Myself; now will I cry like a travailing woman, gasping and panting at once.
“Kwa muda mrefu nimenyamaza kimya, nimekaa kimya na kujizuia. Lakini sasa, kama mwanamke wakati wa kujifungua, ninapiga kelele, ninatweta na kushusha pumzi.
15 I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and will dry up the pools.
Nitaharibu milima na vilima na kukausha mimea yako yote; nitafanya mito kuwa visiwa na kukausha mabwawa.
16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not, in paths that they knew not will I lead them; I will make darkness light before them, and rugged places plain. These things will I do, and I will not leave them undone.
Nitawaongoza vipofu kwenye njia ambayo hawajaijua, kwenye mapito wasiyoyazoea nitawaongoza; nitafanya giza kuwa nuru mbele yao, na kufanya mahali palipoparuza kuwa laini. Haya ndiyo mambo nitakayofanya; mimi sitawaacha.
17 They shall be turned back, greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say unto molten images: 'Ye are our gods.'
Lakini wale wanaotumaini sanamu, wanaoviambia vinyago, ‘Ninyi ndio miungu yetu,’ watarudishwa nyuma kwa aibu kubwa.
18 Hear, ye deaf, and look, ye blind, that ye may see.
“Sikieni, enyi viziwi; tazameni, enyi vipofu, mpate kuona!
19 Who is blind, but My servant? Or deaf, as My messenger that I send? Who is blind as he that is wholehearted, and blind as the LORD'S servant?
Ni nani aliye kipofu isipokuwa mtumishi wangu, na kiziwi kama mjumbe ninayemtuma? Ni nani aliye kipofu kama yeye aliyejitoa kwangu, aliye kipofu kama mtumishi wa Bwana?
20 Seeing many things, thou observest not; opening the ears, he heareth not.
Mmeona vitu vingi, lakini hamkuzingatia; masikio yenu yako wazi, lakini hamsikii chochote.”
21 The LORD was pleased, for His righteousness' sake, to make the teaching great and glorious.
Ilimpendeza Bwana kwa ajili ya haki yake kufanya sheria yake kuwa kuu na tukufu.
22 But this is a people robbed and spoiled, they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison-houses; they are for a prey, and none delivereth, for a spoil, and none saith: 'Restore.'
Lakini hili ni taifa lililoibwa na kutekwa nyara, wote wamenaswa katika mashimo, au wamefichwa katika magereza. Wamekuwa nyara, wala hapana yeyote awaokoaye. Wamefanywa mateka, wala hapana yeyote asemaye, “Warudishe.”
23 Who among you will give ear to this? Who will hearken and hear for the time to come?
Ni nani miongoni mwenu atakayesikiliza hili, au atakayezingatia kwa makini katika wakati ujao?
24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? Did not the LORD? He against whom we have sinned, and in whose ways they would not walk, neither were they obedient unto His law.
Ni nani aliyemtoa Yakobo kuwa mateka, na Israeli kwa wateka nyara? Je, hakuwa yeye, Bwana, ambaye tumetenda dhambi dhidi yake? Kwa kuwa hawakufuata njia zake, hawakutii sheria zake.
25 Therefore He poured upon him the fury of His anger, and the strength of battle; and it set him on fire round about, yet he knew not, and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart.
Hivyo akawamwagia hasira yake inayowaka, ukali wa vita. Iliwazunguka kwa miali ya moto, lakini hata hivyo hawakuelewa; iliwateketeza, lakini hawakuyatia moyoni.