< Isaiah 36 >

1 Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, [that] Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah, and took them.
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 And the king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem against king Hezekiah with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field.
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 Then came forth to him Eliakim, Hilkiah's son, who was over the house, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, Asaph's son, the recorder.
Eliakimu mwana wa Hilkia aliyekuwa msimamizi wa jumba la kifalme, Shebna aliyekuwa katibu, na Yoa mwana wa Asafu mwandishi wakamwendea.
4 And Rabshakeh said to them, Say ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence [is] this in which thou trustest?
Jemadari wa jeshi akawaambia, “Mwambieni Hezekia, “‘Hili ndilo asemalo mfalme mkuu, mfalme wa Ashuru: Ni wapi unapoweka hili tumaini lako?
5 I say, [sayest thou] (but [they are but] vain words) [I have] counsel and strength for war: now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?
Unasema mnayo mikakati na nguvu za kijeshi, lakini unasema maneno matupu tu. Je, wewe unamtegemea nani, hata ukaniasi mimi?
6 Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; on which if a man lean, it will enter his hand, and pierce it: so [is] Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him.
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 if thou shalt say to me, We trust in the LORD our God: [is it] not he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and said to Judah and to Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar?
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 Now therefore give pledges, I pray thee, to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou canst on thy part set riders upon them.
“‘Njooni sasa, fanyeni mapatano na bwana wangu, mfalme wa Ashuru: Nitakupa farasi elfu mbili, kama unaweza kuwapandisha waendesha farasi juu yao!
9 How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master's servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?
Utawezaje kumzuia hata afisa mmoja aliye mdogo kati ya maafisa wa bwana wangu, ijapo unategemea Misri kwa magari ya vita na wapanda farasi?
10 And am I now come up without the LORD against this land to destroy it? the LORD said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.
Zaidi ya hayo, je, nimekuja kushambulia na kuangamiza nchi hii bila Bwana? Bwana mwenyewe ndiye aliniambia niishambulie nchi hii na kuiangamiza.’”
11 Then said Eliakim and Shebna and Joah to Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, to thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand [it]: and speak not to us in the Jew's language, in the ears of the people that [are] on the wall.
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 Rabshakeh said, Hath my master sent me to thy master and to thee to speak these words? [hath he] not [sent me] to the men that sit upon the wall, that they may devour their vilest excretions with you?
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 Rabshakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jew's language, and said, Hear ye the words of 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 Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he will not be able to deliver you.
Hili ndilo asemalo mfalme: Msikubali Hezekia awadanganye. Hawezi kuwaokoa!
15 Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, the LORD will surely deliver us: this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.
Msikubali Hezekia awashawishi kumtumaini Bwana kwa kuwaambia, ‘Hakika Bwana atatuokoa. Mji huu hautaangukia mikononi mwa mfalme wa Ashuru.’
16 Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make [an agreement] with me [by] a present, and come out to me: and eat ye every one of his vine, and every one of his fig-tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his own cistern;
“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 Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards.
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 [Beware] lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, The LORD will deliver us. Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand 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 Where [are] the gods of Hamath and Arpad? where [are] the gods of Sepharvaim? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?
Iko wapi miungu ya Hamathi na ya Arpadi? Iko wapi miungu ya Sefarvaimu? Je, imeokoa Samaria kutoka mkononi mwangu?
20 Who [are they] among all the gods of these lands, that have delivered their land out of my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?
Ni yupi miongoni mwa miungu yote ya nchi hizi ameweza kuokoa nchi yake mkononi mwangu? Inawezekanaje basi Bwana aiokoe Yerusalemu mkononi mwangu?”
21 But they held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not.
Lakini wale watu wakakaa kimya, wala hawakujibu lolote, kwa kuwa mfalme alikuwa amewaamuru, “Msimjibu lolote.”
22 Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, that [was] over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder, to Hezekiah with [their] clothes rent, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.
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.

< Isaiah 36 >