< Isaaya 44 >

1 “Naye kaakano ggwe Yakobo omuweereza wange, wuliriza, ggwe Isirayiri gwe nalonda.
But now listen, O Jacob My servant, Israel, whom I have chosen.
2 Bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama oyo, eyakutonda era eyakubumba mu lubuto, ajja kukuyamba. Totya ggwe Yakobo, omuweereza wange, ggwe Yesuruni gwe nalonda.
This is the word of the LORD, your Maker, who formed you from the womb and who will help you: “Do not be afraid, O Jacob My servant, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.
3 Kubanga ndifuka amazzi ku ttaka eririna ennyonta n’enzizi ku ttaka ekkalu. Ndifuka Omwoyo wange ku zadde lyo, era n’omukisa gwange ku bazzukulu bo.
For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and currents on the dry ground. I will pour out My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring.
4 Era balimera ng’omuddo ku mabbali g’enzizi, babe ng’emiti egiri ku mabbali g’emigga.
They will sprout among the grass like willows by flowing streams.
5 Omu aligamba nti, ‘Nze ndi wa Mukama,’ n’omulala ne yeeyita erinnya lya Yakobo, n’omulala ne yeewandiikako nti, ‘Wa Mukama,’ ne yeetuuma Isirayiri.
One will say, ‘I belong to the LORD,’ another will call himself by the name of Jacob, and still another will write on his hand, ‘The LORD’s,’ and will take the name of Israel.”
6 “Bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama kabaka wa Isirayiri era Omununuzi we, Mukama Katonda ow’Eggye: Nze w’olubereberye era nze nkomererayo era tewali Katonda mulala we ndi.
Thus says the LORD, the King and Redeemer of Israel, the LORD of Hosts: “I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God but Me.
7 Ani afaanana nga nze, akirangirire, eyali asobola okumanya n’alangirira ebigenda okubaawo okuviira ddala ku ntandikwa? Leka batubuulire ebigenda okubaawo.
Who then is like Me? Let him say so! Let him declare his case before Me, since I established an ancient people. Let him foretell the things to come, and what is to take place.
8 Temutya wadde okuggwaamu amaanyi. Saakirangirira ne ntegeeza ebigenda okujja? Mmwe bajulirwa bange. Eriyo Katonda omulala okuggyako nze? Nedda. Tewali Lwazi lulala, sirina lwe mmanyi.”
Do not tremble or fear. Have I not told you and declared it long ago? You are My witnesses! Is there any God but Me? There is no other Rock; I know not one.”
9 Abo abakola bakatonda abakole n’emikono tebaliimu nsa, era ebyo bye basanyukira okukola tebirina kye bigasa. Abajulirwa baabwe tebalaba so tebalina kye bamanyi, balyoke bakwatibwe ensonyi.
All makers of idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Their witnesses fail to see or comprehend, so they are put to shame.
10 Ani akola Katonda omubajje oba asaanuusa ekifaananyi ekyole ekitaliiko kye kiyamba?
Who fashions a god or casts an idol which profits him nothing?
11 Laba ye ne banne balikwatibwa ensonyi. N’ababazzi nabo bantu buntu. Leka bonna bakuŋŋaane, banjolekere; balikwatibwa ensonyi n’entiisa. Ensonyi ziribatta bonna era bagwemu entiisa.
Behold, all his companions will be put to shame, for the craftsmen themselves are only human. Let them all assemble and take their stand; they will all be brought to terror and shame.
12 Omuweesi akwata ekitundu ky’ekyuma n’akiyisa mu manda, agaliko omuliro. Akikolako n’akitereeza n’ennyondo mu maanyi ge. Enjala emuluma, n’aggwaamu amaanyi, tanywa mazzi era akoowa.
The blacksmith takes a tool and labors over the coals; he fashions an idol with hammers and forges it with his strong arms. Yet he grows hungry and loses his strength; he fails to drink water and grows faint.
13 Omubazzi akozesa olukoba okupima olubaawo era n’alamba n’ekkalaamu. Akinyiriza ne landa, n’akiramba kyonna n’ekyuma ekigera, n’akikolamu ekifaananyi ky’omuntu ng’omuntu bw’afaanana, kiryoke kiteekebwe mu nnyumba.
The woodworker extends a measuring line; he marks it out with a stylus; he shapes it with chisels and outlines it with a compass. He fashions it in the likeness of man, like man in all his glory, that it may dwell in a shrine.
14 Atema emivule oba n’addira enzo oba omuyovu n’agusimba oba n’aguleka gukule n’emiti mu kibira, oba n’asimba enkanaga, enkuba n’egikuza.
He cuts down cedars or retrieves a cypress or oak. He lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a laurel, and the rain makes it grow.
15 Abantu bagukozesa ng’enku, ezimu n’azitwala n’azikozesa okukuma omuliro ne yeebugumya. Akuma omuliro n’afumba emigaati. Naye ekitundu ekirala akikolamu katonda n’amusinza, akola ekifaananyi ekikole n’emikono n’akivuunamira.
It serves as fuel for man. He takes some of it to warm himself, and he kindles a fire and bakes his bread; he even fashions it into a god and worships it; he makes an idol and bows down to it.
16 Ekitundu ky’olubaawo akyokya mu muliro, ekitundu ekirala akyokesa ennyama n’agirya n’akutta. Ayotako n’abuguma nga bw’agamba nti, “Mbugumye, omuliro ngutegedde!”
He burns half of it in the fire, and he roasts meat on that half. He eats the roast and is satisfied. Indeed, he warms himself and says, “Ah! I am warm; I see the fire.”
17 Ekitundu ekisigaddewo akikolamu katonda, ekifaananyi ekikole n’emikono, era n’akivuunamira n’akisinza n’akyegayirira n’agamba nti, “Mponya, kubanga ggwe katonda wange.”
From the rest he makes a god, his graven image. He bows down to it and worships; he prays to it and says, “Save me, for you are my god.”
18 Tebaliiko kye bamanyi so tebaliiko kye bategeera, amaaso gaabwe gazibye n’okuyinza ne batayinza kulaba, n’okutegeera ne batayinza kutegeera.
They do not comprehend or discern, for He has shut their eyes so they cannot see and closed their minds so they cannot understand.
19 Tewali n’omu ayimirira n’alowooza, tewali n’omu amanyi wadde ategeera okugamba nti, “Ekimu ekyokubiri ekyakwo nkyokezza mu muliro, era ne nfumba n’obugaati ku manda gaakyo, njokezzaako n’ennyama n’engirya. Ekitundu kyakyo kifuuse eky’omuzizo? Nvuunamire ekisiki ky’omuti?”
And no one considers in his heart, no one has the knowledge or insight to say, “I burned half of it in the fire, and I baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and I ate. Shall I make something detestable with the rest of it? Shall I bow down to a block of wood?”
20 Alya vvu. Omutima gwe gumulimbalimba, tasobola kwerokola wadde okwebuuza nti, “Kino ekiri mu mukono gwange ogwa ddyo si bulimba?”
He feeds on ashes. His deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?”
21 “Jjukira ebintu bino, ggwe Yakobo; oli muweereza wange ggwe Isirayiri. Nze nakubumba, oli muweereza wange, ggwe Isirayiri sirikwerabira.
Remember these things, O Jacob, for you are My servant, O Israel. I have made you, and you are My servant; O Israel, I will never forget you.
22 Ebyonoono byo mbyezeewo n’embisenda ng’ekire, n’ebibi byo ne mbyerawo ng’olufu olw’omu makya. Komawo gye ndi kubanga nakununula.”
I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud, and your sins like a mist. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.
23 Yimba n’essanyu ggwe eggulu kubanga ekyo Mukama yakikoze. Muleekaane n’essanyu mmwe abali wansi ku nsi. Muyimbe mmwe ensozi, mmwe ebibira na buli muti ogulimu. Mukama anunudde Yakobo era yeegulumiriza mu Isirayiri.
Sing for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done this; shout aloud, O depths of the earth. Break forth in song, O mountains, you forests and all your trees. For the LORD has redeemed Jacob, and revealed His glory in Israel.
24 “Bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama Omulokozi wo, eyakutondera mu lubuto. “Nze Mukama, eyatonda ebintu byonna, eyabamba eggulu nzekka, eyayanjuluza ensi obwomu,
Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer who formed you from the womb: “I am the LORD, who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who by Myself spread out the earth,
25 asazaamu abalaguzi bye balagudde era abalogo abafuula abasirusiru. Asaabulula eby’abagezi n’afuula bye balowoozezza okuba eby’obusirusiru.
who foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, who confounds the wise and turns their knowledge into nonsense,
26 Anyweza ekigambo ky’omuweereza we n’atuukiriza obubaka bwa babaka bange. “Ayogera ku Yerusaalemi nti, ‘Kirituulibwamu,’ ne ku bibuga bya Yuda nti, ‘Birizimbibwa,’ ne ku bifo ebyazika nti, ‘Ndibizzaawo.’
who confirms the message of His servant and fulfills the counsel of His messengers, who says of Jerusalem, ‘She will be inhabited,’ and of the cities of Judah, ‘They will be rebuilt, and I will restore their ruins,’
27 Agamba amazzi g’obuziba bwe nnyanja nti, ‘Kalira, era ndikaliza emigga gyo.’
who says to the depths of the sea, ‘Be dry, and I will dry up your currents,’
28 Ayogera ku Kuulo nti, ‘Musumba wange era alituukiriza bye njagala byonna.’ Alyogera ku Yerusaalemi nti, ‘Kizimbibwe,’ ne ku yeekaalu nti, ‘Emisingi gyayo gizimbibwe.’”
who says of Cyrus, ‘My shepherd will fulfill all that I desire,’ who says of Jerusalem, ‘She will be rebuilt,’ and of the temple, ‘Let its foundation be laid.’”

< Isaaya 44 >