Isaiah 49
1 Hearken, O isles, unto me; and listen, ye people, from afar: The Lord hath called me from my birth; from my mother's womb 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 rendered my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hidden me: and he hath rendered me as a polished arrow; 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 said unto me, My servant art thou, O Israel, thou on whom I will be glorified.
Akaniambia, “Wewe u mtumishi wangu, Israeli, ambaye katika yeye nitaonyesha utukufu wangu.”
4 But I had indeed said, For no purpose have I labored, for naught and vanity have I spent my strength; yet surely my cause is with the Lord, and the recompense of 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 hath said the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, that Israel may be gathered unto him, that I should be honored in the eyes of the Lord, while my God was 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 too light a thing that thou shouldst be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to bring back the preserved of Israel! but I will [also] appoint thee for a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach as far as 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 hath said the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, his Holy One, to him who is despised by men, to him who is abhorred by nations, to the servant of rulers, Kings shall see it and rise up, princes, and they shall prostrate themselves, for the sake of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who hath made choice of 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 hath said the Lord, In the time of favor have I answered thee, and on the day of salvation have I helped thee; and I will preserve thee, and I will appoint thee as a people of my covenant to raise up the land, to divide out 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 When I say to the prisoners, Go forth; to those that are in darkness, Show yourselves. On the roads shall they feed, and on all mountain-peaks 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 be hungry nor thirsty, and neither heat nor sun shall smite them; for he that hath mercy on them will lead them, and by 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 change all my mountains into a road, and my highways shall be lifted up.
Nitaifanya milima yangu yote kuwa barabara, na njia kuu zangu zitainuliwa.
12 Behold, these shall come from afar; 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, O mountains, into song; for the Lord hath comforted his people, and upon his oppressed will he have mercy.
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 Yet Zion said, the Eternal hath forsaken me, and the Lord hath forgotten me.
Lakini Sayuni alisema, “Bwana ameniacha, Bwana amenisahau.”
15 Can a woman forget her sucking child, not to have mercy on the son of her body? yea, should these even forget, yet would I not 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, upon the palms of my hands have I engraved thee; thy walls are continually before me.
Tazama, nimekuchora kama muhuri katika vitanga vya mikono yangu, kuta zako zi mbele yangu daima.
17 Thy children come in haste; thy destroyers and they that laid thee waste shall go away from thee.
Wana wako wanaharakisha kurudi, nao wale waliokuteka wanaondoka kwako.
18 Lift up thy eyes round about, and see; they all are assembled together, they come to thee: as I live, saith the Lord, thou shalt surely clothe thyself with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as 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 ruins and thy desolate places, and thy wasted land, —yea, now shall it be too narrow for thee by reason of the inhabitants, and thy destroyers 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 Yet again will say before thy ears the children of whom thou wast deprived, The place is too narrow for me; make room for 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 And thou wilt say in thy heart, Who hath born me these, seeing I was bereft of my children, and was solitary, an exile, and outcast? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left entirely alone; these, where have they been?
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 hath said the Lord Eternal, Behold, I will lift up to the nations my hand, and to the people will I raise up high my standard; and they shall bring thy sons in [their] arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon 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 their princesses thy nursing-mothers; with the face toward the earth shall they bow down to thee, and the dust of thy feet shall they lick up: and thou shalt know that I am the Lord, who will not suffer those who hope in me to be ashamed.
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 shall the captive of the victor escape?
Je, nyara zaweza kuchukuliwa kutoka kwa mashujaa wa vita, au mateka kuokolewa kutoka kwa watu wakali?
25 For thus hath said the Lord, Also the captive of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the powerful shall escape; and with those who contend against thee will I contend, and thy children will I indeed 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 oppressors with their own flesh; and as with new wine shall they be made drunken with their own blood: and all flesh shall know that I the Eternal 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.”
