Isaia 49
1 Atĩrĩrĩ, inyuĩ mũtũũraga icigĩrĩra-inĩ ta thikĩrĩriai; o na inyuĩ andũ a mabũrũri ma kũraya ta iguai: Jehova aanjĩtire itarĩ mũciare; ndĩ o nda ya maitũ nĩguo aanjĩtire na rĩĩtwa rĩakwa.
Listen to me, you people of the islands! Pay attention, you who live far away! The Lord called me before I was born; he gave me my name while I was still in my mother's womb.
2 Nĩatũmire kanua gakwa gatuĩke ta rũhiũ rũũgĩ rwa njora, na akĩĩhitha kĩĩruru-inĩ gĩa guoko gwake; agĩĩthondeka ta mũguĩ mũnyoroku, na akĩĩhitha thiaka-inĩ wake.
The words he gave me to speak are like a sharp sword. He has protected me by covering me with his hand. He put me in his quiver like a sharp arrow, keeping me safe there.
3 Agĩcooka akĩnjĩĩra atĩrĩ, “Wee Isiraeli, nĩwe ndungata yakwa, andũ nĩmarĩngoocaga nĩ ũndũ waku.”
He told me, “You are my servant, Israel, and I will reveal my glory through you.”
4 No ngiuga atĩrĩ, “Niĩ ndutĩte wĩra wa tũhũ; hũthĩrĩte hinya wakwa wothe nĩ ũndũ wa maũndũ matarĩ kĩguni na ma tũhũ. No rĩrĩ, ũhoro wakwa wa gũtuĩrwo ciira na kĩhooto uumaga harĩ Jehova, narĩo irĩhi rĩakwa rĩrĩ na Ngai wakwa.”
But I replied, “I've worked for nothing! I've exhausted myself, and for what? Even so, I leave it with the Lord to do what's right, and my reward is with my God.”
5 Na rĩu-rĩ, Jehova ũrĩa wanyũũmbire ndĩ nda ya maitũ nduĩke ndungata yake, nĩguo hũndũre Jakubu, ndĩmũcookie harĩ we, na njookanĩrĩrie Isiraeli harĩ we, nĩgũkorwo ndĩ mũtĩĩku maitho-inĩ ma Jehova, na Ngai wakwa agakorwo arĩ hinya wakwa,
Now my Lord is going to speak, the one who formed me in the womb as his servant to bring Jacob back to him, to gather Israel to himself. I am honored in the Lord's sight, and my God has given me strength.
6 Jehova ekuuga atĩrĩ: “Nĩ ũndũ mũhũthũ harĩwe gũtuĩka ndungata yakwa, ya gũcookereria mĩhĩrĩga ya Jakubu, na kũhũndũra matigari ma Isiraeli marĩa ndĩĩtigĩirie. Ningĩ nĩngatũma ũtuĩke ũtheri wa gũtherera andũ a ndũrĩrĩ, nĩgeetha ũtware ũhonokio wakwa ituri-inĩ ciothe cia thĩ.”
He says, “It's nothing much for you to be my servant to bring back the tribes of Jacob, those people of Israel that I've preserved. I'm also going to make you a light for the foreigners so that my salvation may reach everybody.”
7 Jehova, Mũkũũri wa Isiraeli, o we Ũrĩa Mũtheru wa Isiraeli, ekwarĩria ũrĩa mũnyarare na agathũũrwo nĩ ndũrĩrĩ, akeera ũrĩa ndungata ya aathani atĩrĩ, “Athamaki marĩkuonaga magakũrũgamĩra, aanake a athamaki makuona magakũinamĩrĩra, nĩ ũndũ wa Jehova, ũcio mwĩhokeku, o we Ũrĩa Mũtheru wa Isiraeli, ũrĩa ũgũthuurĩte.”
This is what the Lord says, the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel, to the one who was despised and detested by the nation, to the one who is the servant of rulers: Kings will see you and stand up, and princes will bow down to you, because the Lord, who is trustworthy, the Holy One of Israel, has chosen you.
8 Jehova ekuuga atĩrĩ, “Hĩndĩ ya gwĩtĩkĩrĩka, nĩngagũcookeria ũhoro, naguo mũthenya wa kũhonokania, nĩngagũteithia; nĩndĩkũmenyagĩrĩra, na nĩngũkũheana ũtuĩke wa kũrĩkanĩra kĩrĩkanĩro na andũ anyu gĩa kũmacookeria bũrũri, na ũtũme megwatĩre igai rĩa kũndũ kũrĩa gwatigirwo gũkirĩte ihooru,
This is what the Lord says: I will answer you at the proper time; I will help you on the day of salvation. I will take care of you, and I will give you to the people as my agreement with them, to restore the land and to reassign the parts that have been abandoned.
9 na ningĩ wĩre andũ arĩa mohetwo atĩrĩ, ‘Thiĩi, nĩmuohorwo,’ nao arĩa maikarĩte nduma-inĩ ũmeere atĩrĩ, ‘Umĩrai ũtheri-inĩ!’ “Makaarĩithagio mĩkĩra-inĩ ya njĩra, na moonage gĩa kũrĩa tũrĩma-inĩ tuothe tũrĩa tũtarĩ kĩndũ.
Tell the prisoners, “Come out!” Tell those living in darkness, “Come into the light!” Like sheep they will feed along the roads and in the pastures on hills that once were barren.
10 Matikaahũũta kana manyoote, kana macinwo nĩ ũrugarĩ wa werũ-inĩ o na kana mahĩe nĩ riũa. Nĩgũkorwo ũrĩa ũmaiguagĩra tha nĩwe ũkaamoonia njĩra na amatongoragie amatware ithima-inĩ cia maaĩ.
They won't be hungry or thirsty, and they won't get hot in the sun, for the one who loves them will lead them to springs, and guide them to water.
11 Nĩngatũma kũgĩe njĩra irĩma-inĩ ciakwa ciothe, nacio barabara ciakwa iria njariĩ ciambatĩrio na igũrũ.
I will turn all my mountains into a road; my highways will be really high!
12 Atĩrĩrĩ, magooka moimĩte kũndũ kũraya: amwe makoima gathigathini, na amwe moime ithũĩro, na arĩa angĩ moime rũgongo rũa Sinimu.”
Look at these people coming from far away! Look at these people coming from the north, and from the west, and from Upper Egypt.
13 Wee igũrũ, anĩrĩra nĩ gũkena; nawe thĩ ũcanjamũke, na inyuĩ irĩma-rĩ, inai rwĩmbo! Nĩgũkorwo Jehova nĩahooreretie andũ ake, nao andũ ake arĩa anyariire akamaiguĩra tha.
Heavens, shout for joy! Earth, celebrate! Mountains, sing out in happiness! The Lord has come to care for his people, and he will treat his suffering people kindly.
14 No rĩrĩ, Zayuni oigire atĩrĩ, “Jehova nĩandiganĩirie, Mwathani nĩariganĩirwo nĩ niĩ.”
But Zion said, “The Lord has given up on me; the Lord has forgotten about me.”
15 “Nyina wa mwana-rĩ, no ariganĩrwo nĩ mwana ũrĩa arongithia, na aage kũiguĩra tha mwana ũrĩa aciarĩte? Hihi no kũhoteke ariganĩrwo, no niĩ ndikaariganĩrwo nĩwe!
Really? Can a mother forget her nursing baby? Can she forget to be kind to the child she carried in her womb? Even if she could forget, I will never forget you!
16 Atĩrĩrĩ, ngururĩte mũhiano waku hĩ-inĩ ciakwa, nacio thingo ciaku ikoragwo mbere yakwa hĩndĩ ciothe.
Look at your names I've written on the palms of my hands! I'm always thinking about your walls.
17 Ariũ aku mahiũhĩte magĩcookaga kũrĩ we, nao arĩa makwanangĩte nĩmarakũũrĩra.
Soon your children will come running back. Your destroyers, those that devastated your land, will be gone.
18 Tiira maitho maku wĩrorere kũndũ guothe; ariũ aku othe maracookanĩrĩra hamwe moke harĩwe.” Jehova ekuuga atĩrĩ, “Ti-itherũ o ta ũrĩa niĩ ndũũraga muoyo-rĩ, ũkaamehumba othe ta mathaga; ũkaamehumba o ta ũrĩa mũhiki egemagia na mathaga make.
Take a look around. See all your children gathering and coming back to you. As I live, declares the Lord, you will wear them all as jewelry, proudly putting them on like a bride.
19 “O na gũtuĩka nĩwanangĩtwo ũgakira ihooru, o naguo bũrũri waku ũkonũhwo-rĩ, bũrũri ũcio nĩũkanyiiha wage kũiganĩra andũ arĩa matũũraga kuo, nao arĩa magũtambuurangĩte magaakorwo maingatĩtwo magathiĩ haraaya nawe.
Your ruined towns and abandoned places and devastated lands will be crowded with people, while those who took over your country will be long gone.
20 Ciana iria ciaciarĩirwo bũrũri ũrĩa watahĩirwo, ikoiga ũkĩiguaga atĩrĩ, ‘Bũrũri ũyũ nĩ mũnini, ndũngĩtũigana, tũhe kũndũ kũngĩ gwa gũtũũra.’
The children born during your time of mourning in exile will say, “This place is too crowded for me! Make room so I have a place to live!”
21 Hĩndĩ ĩyo nĩũkeyũria na ngoro yaku atĩrĩ, ‘Nũũ wanjiarĩire ciana ici, kuona atĩ nĩndakuĩrĩirwo nĩ ciana ciakwa, ngĩtigwo ta ndĩ thaata; ndaarĩ mũtahe na ngamenwo. Nũũ warerire ciana ici? Niĩ ndatigirwo nyiki, no rĩrĩ, ciana ici ciumĩte nakũ?’”
Then you will say to yourself, “Who gave birth to all these children for me? My children were killed and I was unable to have more; I was exiled and thrown aside—so who brought these children up? Look, I was abandoned, so where did they come from?”
22 Mwathani Jehova ekuuga ũũ: “Atĩrĩrĩ, nĩngeeta ndũrĩrĩ, njooke nyambararie bendera yakwa kũrĩ andũ a mabũrũri; nao nĩmakarehe ariũ aku mamakuuĩte na moko, na makuue airĩtu aku na ciande ciao.
This is what the Lord God says, Watch as I give the signal to the nations, as I raise my flag to let everyone know. They will bring them back, carrying your sons in their arms, and lifting your daughters onto their shoulders.
23 Athamaki nĩo magaatuĩka mathoguo ma gũkũrera, na atumia ao matuĩke ta aa maitũguo a gũkũrera. Nĩmagakũinamĩrĩra maturumithĩtie mothiũ mao thĩ, na nĩmagacũna rũkũngũ rũrĩa rũrĩ magũrũ-inĩ maku. Hĩndĩ ĩyo nĩũkamenya atĩ niĩ nĩ niĩ Jehova; arĩa manjĩhokaga matigaaconoka.”
Kings will be your child-minders; queens will be your nurses. They will bow low before you, and lick the dust from your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord, and that those who put their trust in me will never be ashamed.
24 Anga njamba ĩrĩ hinya no ĩtunywo indo iria itahĩte, o na kana andũ arĩa maanyiitĩtwo mahonokio kuuma kũrĩ andũ karaũ?
Can loot be taken from a warrior? Can prisoners be rescued from a dictator?
25 No rĩrĩ, Jehova ekuuga atĩrĩ: “Ĩĩ, njamba cia ita nĩigatunywo andũ arĩa ciohete mĩgwate, na indo iria itahĩtwo itunyanwo kuuma kũrĩ andũ arĩa karaũ; nĩngahũũrana na andũ arĩa mahũũranaga nawe, na nĩngahonokia ciana cianyu.
But this is what the Lord says: Even the prisoners of warriors will be won back; even loot will be recovered from a dictator. I will fight with your enemies, and I will rescue your children.
26 Nĩngatũma andũ arĩa makũhinyagĩrĩria marĩe nyama cia mĩĩrĩ yao; makaarĩĩo nĩ thakame yao ene o ta marĩĩtwo nĩ njoohi. Nao andũ othe nĩmakamenya, atĩ niĩ, Jehova, nĩ niĩ Mũhonokia waku, na Mũkũũri waku, o niĩ Ũrĩa Mwene-Hinya wa Jakubu.”
I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh and drink their own blood like wine. Then everyone will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior and Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel.
