Isaiah 49
1 All you people who live on islands [in the ocean] and in other distant areas, pay attention [DOU] to what I will say! Yahweh called/chose me before I was born; he chose/appointed me when I was still in my mother’s womb.
Mumpulirize mmwe ebizinga, mmwe muwulire kino amawanga agali ewala. Nnali sinazaalibwa Mukama n’ampita. Bwe nnali nkyali mu lubuto lwa mmange n’ayatula erinnya lyange.
2 [When I grew up], he caused my messages to be like [SIM] a sharp sword. He has protected me with his hand [SYN]. [He protects me] [MET] like someone protects sharp arrows in a quiver.
Yakola akamwa kange ng’ekitala eky’obwogi, nankweka mu kisiikirize ky’omukono gwe. Yanfuula akasaale akazigule era nankweka mu mufuko gwe.
3 He said to me, “You will serve my Israeli [people], and you will cause people to honor me.”
Era n’aŋŋamba nti, “Ggwe muweereza wange, Isirayiri, mu ggwe mwe ndiweerwa ekitiibwa.”
4 I replied, “My work has been useless; I have used my strength, but I have accomplished nothing worthwhile; everything that I have done has been (in vain/useless). However, Yahweh can honor me as he pleases; my God is the one who will reward me [as I deserve].”
Naye ne njogera nti, “Nteganidde bwereere, amaanyi gange ng’amalidde bwereere era gafudde busa. Kyokka ate Mukama yannamula, n’empeera yange eri ne Katonda wange!”
5 Yahweh formed me when I was in [my mother’s] womb in order that I would serve him; he appointed me to bring [the people of] Israel back to himself [DOU]. Yahweh has honored me, and he is the one who has caused me to be strong.
Era kaakano Mukama ayogera, oyo eyammumba mu lubuto okubeera omuweereza we, okukomyawo Yakobo gy’ali era n’okukuŋŋaanya Isirayiri gy’ali. Kubanga ndi wa kitiibwa mu maaso ga Mukama era Katonda wange afuuse amaanyi gange.
6 He says to me, “It is not enough for you to serve me by bringing the descendants of Jacob back to worship me again [DOU]; I also want you to be like [MET] a light for the non-Jews; I want you to take my [my message] about how to be saved to [people] all over the world.”
Mukama agamba nti, “Eky’okubeera omuweereza wange n’okuzza amawanga ga Yakobo era n’okukomyawo abantu ba Isirayiri kintu kitono nnyo. Nzija kukufuula ekitangaala eri abamawanga, olyoke oleete obulokozi bwange eri ensi yonna.”
7 Yahweh, the one who saves us, the Holy God of us Israeli [people], says to the one who was despised and rejected by the [people of many] nations, the one who is the slave of rulers, “[Some day] kings will stand up to respect you when they see you, and princes will bow down before you because [you serve] me, Yahweh, the one who faithfully [does what I promise]. I am the Holy God to whom you Israelis belong, the one who has chosen you.”
Bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama, Omununuzi era Omutukuvu wa Isirayiri, eri oyo eyanyoomebwa n’akyayibwa amawanga, eri omuweereza w’abafuzi nti, “Bakabaka baliyimirira ne bakuwa ekitiibwa, abalangira balikulaba ne bakuvuunamira. Kino kiribaawo ku lwa Mukama, omwesigwa Omutukuvu wa Isirayiri, oyo akulonze.”
8 This is also what Yahweh says: “At a time when it pleases me, I will answer your prayers. On the day when you will be rescued [from your oppressors], I will help you. I will protect you and enable you to establish an agreement with other nations. And by what you do, I will re-establish your nation of Israel and allow you to live/settle again in your land that was abandoned.
Bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama nti, “Ndikwanukula mu biro mwe ndisiimira, ku lunaku olw’obulokozi ndikuyamba. Ndikukuuma ne nkufuula endagaano eri abantu, muliddayo ku ttaka lyammwe ne muddizibwa ebitundu byammwe ebyazika,
9 I will say to those who were captured [and (exiled/taken to Babylonia)], ‘Leave [Babylonia] and return to your own country!’ And I will say to those who are in dark prisons, ‘Come out into the light!’ When that happens, they will again be like [MET] sheep that eat grass in green pastures, on hills where [previously] there was no grass.
nga mugamba abasibe nti, ‘Muveemu,’ n’abo abali mu kizikiza nti, ‘Mube n’eddembe!’ “Banaaliranga ku mabbali g’ekkubo, ne ku ntikko z’obusozi bwonna obwereere banasangangako omuddo.
10 They will not be hungry or thirsty [any more]; the hot sun will not beat upon them again [DOU]. I, Yahweh, will act mercifully toward them and lead them; I will lead them to where there are springs of cool water.
Tebaalumwenga njala newaakubadde ennyonta, ebbugumu ly’omu ddungu teriibakwatenga newaakubadde omusana okubookya. Oyo abakwatirwa ekisa alibakulembera, anaabatwalanga awali enzizi z’amazzi.
11 And I will cause the mountains to become [as though they were] level roads, and I will prepare good highways [for my people to travel on, to return to Jerusalem].
Era ndifuula ensozi zange zonna okuba amakubo era enguudo zange ennene zirigulumizibwa.
12 My people will return from far away; some will come from the north, some from the west, some from southern Egypt.”
Laba, abantu bange balidda okuva ewala, abamu, baliva mu bukiikakkono n’abalala ebuvanjuba, n’abalala bave mu nsi ye Sinimu.”
13 [Because of what Yahweh has promised to do], everything should shout joyfully— the sky and the earth and the mountains should sing, because Yahweh comforts his people, and he will pity those who are suffering.
Yogerera waggulu n’essanyu, era jjaguza ggwe ensi. Muyimbe mmwe ensozi! Kubanga Mukama agumya abantu be era alisaasira abantu be ababonyaabonyezebwa.
14 [The people of] Jerusalem say, “Yahweh has abandoned us; he has forgotten about us.”
Naye Sayuuni n’ayogera nti, “Mukama andese, era Mukama wange anneerabidde.”
15 But [Yahweh replies], “That is not true! (Can a woman forget the infant that she is nursing?/A woman certainly cannot forget the infant that she is nursing!) [RHQ] (Can she stop being kind to the child to whom she has given birth?/She certainly cannot stop being kind to the child to whom she has given birth!) [RHQ] But even if a woman would do that, I will not forget you!
“Nnyina w’omwana ayinza okwerabira omwana we gw’ayonsa, n’atasaasira mwana eyava mu lubuto lwe? Weewaawo, wadde ng’ayinza okumwerabira naye nze sirikwerabira.
16 Note that I have written your [names] on the palms of my hands; in my mind I can always see the walls of your city.
Laba, nkuwandiise mu bibatu by’engalo zange; ebisenge byo binaabeeranga mu maaso gange.
17 Soon your children will be returning there (OR, Those who rebuild your city will work more quickly than those who destroyed it), and all those who destroyed your city will leave.
Abaana bo banguwa okujja era abakuzimba balisukkuluma ku bakuzikiriza era abo abaakuzikirizanga balikuvaamu bagende.
18 You will look around and see all of your children coming back to you. As surely as I live, they will be around you [for you to show to people] like [SIM] a bride shows her wedding ornaments!
Yimusa amaaso go otunule enjuuyi zonna olabe. Abantu bo beekuŋŋaanya bajja gy’oli. Nga bwe ndi Katonda omulamu, balikwesiimisa, obambale ng’ebikomo n’emidaali ebyebbeeyi ng’omugole bw’ayambala malidaadi,” bw’ayogera Mukama.
19 Your land has been ruined and caused to become desolate/abandoned [DOU], but [some day] it will be filled with people, and those who conquered you will be far away.
“Wadde nga wazika n’olekebwa awo ensi yo n’ezikirizibwa, kaakano ojja kubeera mufunda nga toja mu bantu bo, era abo abakuteganya banaakubeeranga wala.
20 The children who were born while you were (exiled/in Babylonia) [MET] will return [to Jerusalem] and say, ‘This city is too small for us; We need more space to live in!’
Abantu bo abazaalibwa mu buwaŋŋanguse lumu balyogera ng’owulira nti, ‘Ekifo kino nga kifuuse kifunda bulala; tuwe ekifo aw’okubeera.’
21 Then you will think to yourselves [MTY], ‘It is amazing that we have [RHQ] all these children! Most of our children were dead, and the rest were exiled. We were left here alone; so we do not know [RHQ] where all these children have come from! Who raised them?'”
N’olyoka oyogera mu mutima gwo nti, ‘Ani eyanzaalira abaana bano bonna? Nafiirwa abaana bange bonna ng’ate ndi mugumba. Nawaŋŋangusibwa ne nsigala nzekka. Bano baava ludda wa? Nasigala nzekka, naye ate bano, baava wa?’”
22 This is what Yahweh our God says: “Watch! [It is as though] I will lift up my hand to signal to those who are not Israelis. And they will carry your little sons and daughters on their shoulders and bring them back to you.
Bw’atyo bw’ayogera Mukama Katonda nti, “Laba, ndikolera abamawanga obubonero era ndiyimusiza abantu ebbendera yange: era balireeta batabani bo nga babasitulidde mu bifuba ne bawala bo nga babasitulidde ku bibegabega byabwe.
23 Kings will serve you and will tutor/teach your children, and their queens will take care of your young children. They will prostrate themselves in front of you and [humble themselves by] licking the dust off your feet. When that happens, you will know that I, Yahweh, [have the power to do what I say that I will do]; and those who trust in me will never be disappointed.”
Era bakabaka be balibeera ba kitammwe babalabirire, ne bannabagereka babeere bamaama ababayonsa. Balivuunama mu maaso go nga batunudde wansi; balikomba enfuufu y’omu bigere byo. Olwo lw’olimanya nti nze Mukama, abo bonna abannindirira n’abansuubiriramu tebalikwatibwa nsonyi.”
24 There is no one [RHQ] who can snatch valuable things from a soldier who has captured those things [in a war]; there is no one [RHQ] who can force a (tyrant/cruel man) to free the people whom he has captured.
Omunyago guyinza okuggyibwa ku mutabaazi, oba omuwambe omutuukirivu okuwona omutabaazi?
25 But Yahweh says this: “[Some day], those who have been captured will be freed, and the valuable things that (tyrants/cruel men) have snatched from others will be returned, because I will fight against those who fight against you, and I will rescue your children.
Naye bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama: “N’oyo eyawambibwa omutabaazi alisumululwa ateebwe, n’omunyago guggyibwe ku mulabe wo, kubanga ndiyomba n’oyo ayomba naawe, era ndirokola mponye abaana bo.
26 And I will cause your enemies to destroy themselves [MET] instead of murdering others. When that happens, everyone [in the world] will know that I, Yahweh, am the one who saves you, the one who rescues you from your enemies; everyone will know that I am the mighty God to whom [you descendants of] [MTY] Jacob belong.”
Ndiriisa abakujooga ennyama yaabwe bo. Era balittiŋŋana batamiire omusaayi gwabwe, nga wayini. Olwo abalina omubiri bonna bamanye nti nze Mukama Omulokozi wo, Omununuzi wo, ow’Amaanyi owa Yakobo.”
