Isaiah 49
1 Listen, O isles, unto me, and hearken, ye peoples, from far: the LORD hath called me from the womb, from the bowels of my mother hath He made mention 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 hath He hid me; and He hath made me a polished shaft, in His quiver hath He concealed 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 unto me: 'Thou art My servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.'
Akaniambia, “Wewe u mtumishi wangu, Israeli, ambaye katika yeye nitaonyesha utukufu wangu.”
4 But I said: 'I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought and vanity; yet surely my right is with the LORD, and my recompense 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, to bring Jacob back to Him, and that Israel be gathered unto Him — for I am honourable in the eyes of the LORD, and my God is become 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 Yea, He saith: 'It is too light a thing that thou shouldest be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the offspring of Israel; I will also give thee for a light of the nations, that My salvation may be unto the end 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 him who is despised of men, to him who is abhorred of nations, to a servant of rulers: Kings shall see and arise, princes, and they shall prostrate themselves; because of the LORD that is faithful, even 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 have I answered thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee; and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to raise up the land, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;
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 Saying to the prisoners: 'Go forth'; to them that are in darkness: 'Show yourselves'; they shall feed in the ways, and in all high hills shall be their pasture;
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 sun smite them; for He that hath compassion on them will lead them, even by the springs of water will He guide them.
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 highways shall be raised on high.
Nitaifanya milima yangu yote kuwa barabara, na njia kuu zangu zitainuliwa.
12 Behold, these shall come from far; and, lo, these from the north and from the west, and these from the land of Sinim.
Tazama, watakuja kutoka mbali: wengine kutoka kaskazini, wengine kutoka magharibi, wengine kutoka nchi ya Sinimu.”
13 Sing, O heavens, and be joyful, O earth, and break forth into singing, O mountains; for the LORD hath comforted His people, and hath compassion upon His afflicted.
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 But Zion 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 sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, these may 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 upon the palms of My hands; thy walls are continually before Me.
Tazama, nimekuchora kama muhuri katika vitanga vya mikono yangu, kuta zako zi mbele yangu daima.
17 Thy children make haste; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth from thee.
Wana wako wanaharakisha kurudi, nao wale waliokuteka wanaondoka kwako.
18 Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith the LORD, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all as with an ornament, and gird thyself with them, like a bride.
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 waste and thy desolate places and thy land that hath been destroyed — surely now shalt thou be too strait for the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be 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 bereavement shall yet say in thine ears: 'The place is too strait for me; give place to me that I may dwell.'
Watoto waliozaliwa wakati wa msiba wako bado watakuambia, ‘Mahali hapa ni finyu sana kwetu, tupe eneo kubwa zaidi la kuishi.’
21 Then shalt thou say in thy heart: 'Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have been bereaved of my children, and am solitary, an exile, and wandering to and fro? And who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; 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 nations, and set up Mine ensign to the peoples, and they shall bring thy sons in their bosom, and thy daughters shall be carried 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 foster-fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers; they shall bow down to thee with their face to the earth, and lick the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD, for they shall not be ashamed that wait for Me.
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 mighty, or the captives of the victorious be delivered?
Je, nyara zaweza kuchukuliwa kutoka kwa mashujaa wa vita, au mateka kuokolewa kutoka kwa watu wakali?
25 But thus saith the LORD: Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered; and I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.
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 them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine; and all flesh shall know that I the LORD am thy Saviour, 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.”
