Isaiah 36
1 When King Hezekiah had been [ruling Judah] for almost 14 years, King Sennacherib of Assyria came [with his army] to attack the cities in Judah that had walls around them. [They did not conquer Jerusalem, but] they conquered all the other cities.
Katika mwaka wa kumi na nne wa utawala wa Mfalme Hezekia, Senakeribu mfalme wa Ashuru akaishambulia miji yote ya Yuda yenye ngome na kuiteka.
2 Then the king of Assyria sent a large army with some of his important officials from Lachish [city] to [persuade] King Hezekiah [to surrender]. When they arrived at Jerusalem, they stood in their positions alongside the aqueduct/channel in which water flows into the upper pool [into Jerusalem], near the road to the field where the women wash clothes.
Kisha mfalme wa Ashuru akamtuma jemadari wa jeshi pamoja na jeshi kubwa kutoka Lakishi hadi kwa Mfalme Hezekia huko Yerusalemu. Jemadari wa jeshi akasimama kwenye mfereji wa Bwawa la Juu, lililojengwa katika barabara iendayo kwenye Uwanja wa Dobi.
3 The Israeli officials who went out of the city to talk with them were Hilkiah’s son Eliakim, the (palace administrator/man who supervised the workers in the palace), Shebna the king’s secretary, and Asaph’s son Joah, who wrote down the government decisions.
Eliakimu mwana wa Hilkia aliyekuwa msimamizi wa jumba la kifalme, Shebna aliyekuwa katibu, na Yoa mwana wa Asafu mwandishi wakamwendea.
4 Then one of Sennacherib’s important officials told them to take this message to Hezekiah: This is what the King of Assyria, the great king, says: “What are you trusting in to rescue you?
Jemadari wa jeshi akawaambia, “Mwambieni Hezekia, “‘Hili ndilo asemalo mfalme mkuu, mfalme wa Ashuru: Ni wapi unapoweka hili tumaini lako?
5 You say that you have weapons to fight us and some country’s promises [to help you], [and that will enable you to defeat us], but that is only talk [RHQ]. Who do you think will help you to rebel against my [soldiers from Assyria]?
Unasema mnayo mikakati na nguvu za kijeshi, lakini unasema maneno matupu tu. Je, wewe unamtegemea nani, hata ukaniasi mimi?
6 Listen to me! You are relying on [the army of] Egypt. But [that will be like] [MET] using a broken reed for a walking stick on which you could lean. [But] it would pierce the hand of anyone who would lean on it! That is what the King of Egypt would be like for anyone who relied on him [for help].
Tazama sasa, unaitegemea Misri, fimbo ile ya mwanzi uliopasuka, ambayo huuchoma na kuujeruhi mkono wa mtu akiiegemea! Hivyo ndivyo alivyo Farao mfalme wa Misri, kwa wote wanaomtegemea.
7 But perhaps you will say to me, ‘[No], we are relying on Yahweh our God [to help us].’ [I would reply], ‘Is he not the one whom [you insulted by] tearing down his shrines and altars and forcing everyone in Jerusalem and [other places in] Judah to worship [only] in front of the altar [in Jerusalem]?’
Nawe kama ukiniambia, “Tunamtumainia Bwana Mungu wetu”: je, siyo yeye ambaye Hezekia aliondoa mahali pake pa juu pa kuabudia miungu na madhabahu zake, akiwaambia Yuda na Yerusalemu, “Ni lazima mwabudu mbele ya madhabahu haya”?
8 So I suggest that you make a deal with my master/boss, the king of Assyria. I will give you 2,000 horses, but [I do not think that] you can find 2,000 of your men who can ride on them!
“‘Njooni sasa, fanyeni mapatano na bwana wangu, mfalme wa Ashuru: Nitakupa farasi elfu mbili, kama unaweza kuwapandisha waendesha farasi juu yao!
9 You are expecting the king of Egypt to send chariots and men riding horses [to assist you]. But they certainly would not [RHQ] be able to resist/defeat even the most insignificant/unimportant official in the army of Assyria!
Utawezaje kumzuia hata afisa mmoja aliye mdogo kati ya maafisa wa bwana wangu, ijapo unategemea Misri kwa magari ya vita na wapanda farasi?
10 Furthermore, [do not think that] [RHQ] we have come here to attack and destroy this land without Yahweh’s orders! It is Yahweh himself who told us to come here and destroy this land!”
Zaidi ya hayo, je, nimekuja kushambulia na kuangamiza nchi hii bila Bwana? Bwana mwenyewe ndiye aliniambia niishambulie nchi hii na kuiangamiza.’”
11 Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said to the official from Assyria, “Please speak to us in [your] Aramaic language, because we understand it. Do not speak to us in [our] Hebrew language, because the people who are standing on the wall will understand it [and become frightened].”
Ndipo Eliakimu, Shebna na Yoa wakamwambia yule jemadari wa jeshi, “Tafadhali zungumza na watumishi wako kwa lugha ya Kiaramu, kwa kuwa tunaifahamu. Usiseme nasi kwa Kiebrania watu walioko juu ya ukuta wakiwa wanasikia.”
12 But the official replied, “Do you think that my master sent me to say these things [only] to you, and not to the people standing on the wall [RHQ]? [If you reject this message], the [people in this city] will soon need to eat their own dung and drink their own urine, just like you will, [because there will be nothing more for you to eat or drink].”
Lakini yule jemadari wa jeshi akajibu, “Je, bwana wangu amenituma kutoa ujumbe huu kwa bwana wenu na kwenu tu? Je, hakunituma pia kwa watu walioketi ukutani, ambao, kama ninyi, itawabidi kula mavi yao na kunywa mikojo yao wenyewe?”
13 Then the official stood up and shouted in the Hebrew language [to the people sitting on the wall]. He said, “Listen to this message from the great king, the King of Assyria!
Kisha yule jemadari wa jeshi akasimama na kuita kwa lugha ya Kiebrania, akasema: “Sikieni maneno ya mfalme mkuu, mfalme wa Ashuru!
14 He says, ‘Do not allow Hezekiah to deceive you! He will not be able to rescue you!
Hili ndilo asemalo mfalme: Msikubali Hezekia awadanganye. Hawezi kuwaokoa!
15 Do not allow him to persuade you to trust in Yahweh, saying that Yahweh will rescue you, and that [the army of] the King of Assyria will never capture this city!’
Msikubali Hezekia awashawishi kumtumaini Bwana kwa kuwaambia, ‘Hakika Bwana atatuokoa. Mji huu hautaangukia mikononi mwa mfalme wa Ashuru.’
16 Do not pay attention to what Hezekiah says! This is what the king [of Assyria] says: ‘Come out of the city and surrender to me. [If you do that, I will arrange for] each of you to drink the juice from your own grapevines and to eat figs from your own trees, and to drink water from your own well.
“Msimsikilize Hezekia. Hili ndilo mfalme wa Ashuru asemalo: Fanyeni amani nami na mje kwangu. Kisha kila mmoja wenu atakula kutoka kwa mzabibu wake na mtini wake mwenyewe, na kunywa maji kutoka kisima chake mwenyewe,
17 [You will be able to do that] until we come and take you to a land that is like your land—a land where there is grain to make bread and [vineyards to produce grapes for making] new wine and, and where we make lots of bread.’
mpaka nije nikawapeleke katika nchi iliyo kama nchi yenu wenyewe, nchi ya nafaka na divai mpya, nchi ya mkate na ya mashamba ya mizabibu.
18 Do not allow Hezekiah to mislead you by saying, “Yahweh will rescue us.” The gods that people of other nations worship have never [RHQ] rescued any of them from the power [MTY] of the King of Assyria!
“Msikubali Hezekia awapotoshe asemapo, ‘Bwana atatuokoa.’ Je, yuko mungu wa taifa lolote aliyewahi kuokoa nchi yake kutoka mkononi mwa mfalme wa Ashuru?
19 Why were the gods of Hamath and Arpad [cities], and the gods of Sepharvaim unable to rescue Samaria from my power [MTY]?
Iko wapi miungu ya Hamathi na ya Arpadi? Iko wapi miungu ya Sefarvaimu? Je, imeokoa Samaria kutoka mkononi mwangu?
20 No, no god [RHQ] of any nation has been able to rescue their people from me. So why do you think that Yahweh will rescue you people of Jerusalem from my power [MTY]?’”
Ni yupi miongoni mwa miungu yote ya nchi hizi ameweza kuokoa nchi yake mkononi mwangu? Inawezekanaje basi Bwana aiokoe Yerusalemu mkononi mwangu?”
21 But the people [who were listening] were silent. No one said anything, because King [Hezekiah] had commanded, “[When the official from Assyria talks to you], do not answer him.”
Lakini wale watu wakakaa kimya, wala hawakujibu lolote, kwa kuwa mfalme alikuwa amewaamuru, “Msimjibu lolote.”
22 Then Eliakim and Shebna and Joah returned to Hezekiah with their clothes torn [because they were extremely distressed]. They told him what the official from Assyria had said.
Kisha Eliakimu mwana wa Hilkia msimamizi wa jumba la kifalme, Shebna katibu, na Yoa mwana wa Asafu, mwandishi wakamwendea Hezekia, nguo zao zikiwa zimeraruliwa, na kumwambia yale jemadari wa jeshi aliyoyasema.
