Isaiah 55
1 “All you [people who are in exile], listen to me! [It is as though] [MET] you are thirsty, so come and get water from me! [It is as though] you have no money, but you can come and get things from me [that are like] wine and milk! You can get [what you need from me], [and] you will not need to give me any money for them!
“Njooni, ninyi nyote wenye kiu, njooni kwenye maji; nanyi ambao hamna fedha, njooni, nunueni na mle! Njooni, nunueni divai na maziwa bila fedha na bila gharama.
2 [What you really need is to have a close relationship with me], so (why do you spend money to buy things that do not supply what you really need?/you should not spend money to buy things that do not supply what you really need.) [RHQ] (Why do you work hard to get money to buy things that do not (satisfy your [inner beings]/cause you to be happy)?) [RHQ] Pay attention to what I say and acquire what is really good [MET]! If you do that, then you will truly be happy [MET].
Kwa nini kutumia fedha kwa kitu ambacho si chakula, na kutaabikia kitu kisichoshibisha? Sikilizeni, nisikilizeni mimi na mle kilicho kizuri, nazo nafsi zenu zitafurahia utajiri wa unono.
3 Listen to me and come to me; pay attention to me, and if you do that, you will have new life in your souls. I will make an agreement with you that will last forever to faithfully love you like I loved [King] David.
Tegeni sikio mje kwangu, nisikieni mimi, ili nafsi zenu zipate kuishi. Nitafanya agano la milele nanyi, pendo la uaminifu nililomwahidi Daudi.
4 By what he did, I showed [my power to many] people-groups; I caused him to be a leader and commander [DOU] over [the people of many nations].
Tazama, nimemfanya kuwa shahidi wa mataifa, kiongozi na jemadari wa mataifa.
5 And similarly, you will summon people of other nations to come to you, nations that previously you have not heard about, and they had not heard about you; and they will come to you quickly because [they will have heard that I], Yahweh, your God, the Holy One of Israel, have honored you.
Hakika utaita mataifa usiyoyajua, nayo mataifa yale yasiyokujua yataharakisha kukujia, kwa sababu ya Bwana Mungu wako, yeye Aliye Mtakatifu wa Israeli, kwa maana amekutukuza.”
6 Seek [to know] me while it is still possible for you to do that; call to me while I am near!
Mtafuteni Bwana maadamu anapatikana; mwiteni maadamu yu karibu.
7 Wicked [people] should abandon their wicked behavior, and evil people should stop thinking what is evil. They should turn to me, and if they do that, I will act mercifully toward them; they should turn to me, their God, because I will fully pardon them [for all the wicked things that they have done].
Mtu mwovu na aiache njia yake, na mtu mbaya na ayaache mawazo yake. Yeye na amrudie Bwana, naye atamrehemu, arudi kwa Mungu wetu, kwa kuwa atamsamehe bure kabisa.
8 I, Yahweh, declare that what I think is not the same as what you think, and what I do is very different from what you do.
“Kwa kuwa mawazo yangu si mawazo yenu, wala njia zenu si njia zangu,” asema Bwana.
9 Just as the sky is far above the earth, what I do is far greater than what you do, and what I think is much greater than what you think.
“Kama vile mbingu zilivyo juu kuliko dunia, ndivyo njia zangu zilivyo juu kuliko njia zenu na mawazo yangu kuliko mawazo yenu.
10 Rain and snow come down from the sky, and they cause the ground to be moist before the moisture returns [to the sky and produces more clouds]. When the ground becomes moist, it causes plants to sprout and grow, with the result that the soil produces seed for the farmer [to plant] and [grain to produce flour to make] bread for people to eat.
Kama vile mvua na theluji ishukavyo kutoka mbinguni, nayo hairudi tena huko bila kunywesha dunia na kuichipusha na kuistawisha, hivyo hutoa mbegu kwa mpanzi na mkate kwa mlaji,
11 And similarly the things that I promise to do, I will [always] cause to happen; my promises will [always] be fulfilled [LIT]. They will accomplish the things that I gave them to accomplish [DOU].
ndivyo lilivyo neno langu lile litokalo kinywani mwangu: Halitanirudia tupu, bali litatimiliza lile nililokusudia na litafanikiwa katika kusudi lile nililolituma.
12 You will leave [Babylon] joyfully, you will have peace as I lead you out. [It will be as though] the hills and mountains will sing joyfully, and the trees in the fields will clap their hands.
Mtatoka nje kwa furaha na kuongozwa kwa amani; milima na vilima vitapaza sauti kwa nyimbo mbele yenu, nayo miti yote ya shambani itapiga makofi.
13 Instead of thornbushes and briers, pine/cypress [trees] and myrtle [trees] will grow [in your land]. As a result of that, people will honor me much more; and what I do will remind everyone that [I do what I have promised].”
Badala ya kichaka cha miiba itaota miti ya misunobari, na badala ya michongoma utaota mhadasi. Hili litakuwa jambo la kumpatia Bwana jina, kwa ajili ya ishara ya milele, ambayo haitaharibiwa.”
