Isaya 44
1 “Asi zvino chinzwa, iwe Jakobho, muranda wangu, Israeri, wandakasarudza.
But now listen, Jacob, my servant, Israel, the one I've chosen.
2 Zvanzi naJehovha, iye akakuita, akauumba mudumbu uye iye achakubatsira: Usatya, iwe Jakobho, muranda wangu, Jeshuruni, wandakasarudza.
This is what the Lord says, the one who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you: Don't be afraid, Jacob, my servant, Jeshurun, the one I've chosen.
3 Nokuti ndichadurura mvura panyika ine nyota, nehova pamusoro pevhu rakaoma; ndichadurura Mweya wangu pamusoro porudzi rwako, nemikomborero yangu pamusoro pavana vako.
For I'm going to pour out water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground. I'm going to pour out my Spirit on your descendants, and my blessing on your children.
4 Vachamera souswa mudekete, semiti yemikonachando pahova dzinoyerera.
They will grow up among the grass, like willows beside streams.
5 Mumwe achati, ‘Ndiri waJehovha’; mumwe achazvitumidza nezita raJakobho; zvakadaro, mumwe achanyora muruoko rwake achiti, ‘Ndiri waJehovha,’ uye achatora zita rokuti Israeri.
One of them will say, “I belong to the Lord,” while another will call himself by the name Jacob, and yet another will write on his hand, “Belonging to the Lord,” and will name himself Israel.
6 “Zvanzi naJehovha, Mambo waIsraeri noMudzikinuri, Jehovha Wamasimba Ose: Ndini wokutanga uye ndini wokupedzisira; kunze kwangu hakuna Mwari.
This is what the Lord says, the King and Redeemer of Israel, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God besides me.
7 Ndianiko zvino akafanana neni? Ngaazvitaure. Ngaadanidzire, azviise mberi kwangu izvo zvakaitika kubva pandakasimbisa vanhu vangu vekare, uye kuti chiiko chichaitika hongu, ngaataure zvichaitika.
Who is like me? Let them announce it, make a declaration, and demonstrate it before me. For I was the one who long ago established a people and predicted its future. Let them predict what's going to happen.
8 Musadedera, musatya. Handina kuparidza izvi here uye ndikazvitaura kare kare? Imi muri zvapupu zvangu. Kune mumwe Mwari kunze kwangu here? Kwete, hakuna rimwe Dombo; hakuna rimwe randinoziva.”
Don't tremble, don't be afraid! Didn't I tell you long ago what I was going to do? Didn't I explain it? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? There is no other Rock—I don't know any!
9 Vose vanoita zvifananidzo havana maturo, uye zvinhu zvavanofarira hazvibatsiri. Vose vangada kuvapupurira mapofu; havazivi, ndiko kuchava kunyadziswa kwavo.
All those who make idols are stupid; these things they love so much don't bring them any benefit. Those people who believe in idols can't see this, and they don't know anything, making them look foolish.
10 Ndiani anoveza mwari uye anoumba chifananidzo, chisingamubatsiri chinhu?
Who makes a god, who molds an idol that's no use to them?
11 Iye navamwe vake vachanyadziswa; mhizha hadzizi chinhu asi vanhu zvavo. Ngavaungane vose pamwe chete uye vamire vasingazungunuswi; vachaderedzwa, uye vachatya vachanyadziswa.
Everyone who makes idols should be ashamed of themselves. Idol-makers are just human beings! Bring them all together and have them stand up, trembling in shame.
12 Mupfuri anotora chokupfurisa agochishandisa mumazimbe; anoita chifananidzo nenyundo, agochiumba nesimba roruoko rwake. Anonzwa nzara agorasikirwa nesimba rake. Mukusanwa kwake mvura anobva aziya.
The blacksmith makes an iron tool for woodcarving. Working over hot coals, he hammers it into shape as hard as he can. He gets hungry and loses his strength, and because he doesn't drink he grows weak.
13 Muvezi anoyera nerwodzi ozoita mutsetse nechokunyoresa; anounatsa nembezo, uye anoutara nezvienzaniso. Anouumba mumufananidzo womunhu, womunhu nokunaka kwake kwose, kuti ugare mumba.
The woodworker measures out a piece of wood, and draws an image on it. He carves it with a chisel and uses a compass to make an outline. He creates an idol that looks like a person, someone beautiful, to be put in a shrine.
14 Akatema misidhari, kana zvimwe akatora musipuresi kana muouki. Akaurega uchikura pakati pemiti yesango, kana kuti akasima mupaini, mvura ikaita kuti ukure.
He chops down cedars, or takes a cypress or an oak. He lets them grow strong in the forest. He plants a fir tree, and the rain makes it grow.
15 Ndidzo huni dzomunhu dzokuvesa moto; dzimwe dzacho anodzitora agozvidziyisa nadzo, anovesa moto agobika chingwa nadzo. Asizve anoveza chimwari agochinamata; anoita chifananidzo agochipfugamira.
Some wood he burns, to keep him warm and to bake his bread. Then he uses some of the same wood to make a god to worship, an idol he bows down to!
16 Hafu yehuni anopisa mumoto, nadzo anobika zvokudya zvake, anogocha nyama yake agoidya achiguta. Anozvidziyisazve, agoti, “Haiwa! Ndadziyirwa; moto ndiri kuuona.”
So he burns part of the wood to roast his meat to eat, and to warm him up, and says, “Ah! Look at that fire that keeps me warm!”
17 Nezvasara anoita nazvo chimwari, icho chifananidzo chake; anochipfugamira agochinamata. Anonyengetera kwachiri achiti, “Ndiponesei; ndimi mwari wangu.”
Then he uses the rest of the wood to make himself a god, an idol he bows down to in worship and prays to, saying, “Save me, for you are my god!”
18 Havana chavanoziva, havanzwisisi chinhu, meso avo akanamwa kuitira kuti varege kuona, uye ndangariro dzavo dzakafukidzirwa kuitira kuti varege kunzwisisa. Hapana anombomira kuti afunge,
How ignorant they are, how dumb! Their eyes have been plastered over so they can't see, their minds closed so they don't have insight.
19 Hapana ane ruzivo kana kunzwisisa kuti ati, “Hafu yacho ndaishandisa pakuvesa moto; ini iyeni ndabikira chingwa pamazimbe acho, ndagocha nyama ndikadya. Ndichaita zvinonyangadza pane zvasara here? Ndichapfugamira kudanda rehuni here?”
They can't think things over, they don't have the wisdom or the understanding to say, “Some of the wood I burned in the fire—I used it to bake my bread and roast my meat to eat. The rest of it I used to make a disgusting idol, and I bow down in worship to a block of wood.”
20 Anodya madota, mwoyo wakanyengerwa unomutsausa; haagoni kuzviponesa kana kuti ati, “Ko, chinhu ichi chiri muruoko rwangu rworudyi hachisi chenhema here?”
He is feeding on ashes, seduced by the deceptive thinking of his mind. He can't save himself, and he doesn't even ask, “Isn't this idol I'm holding just a lie?”
21 “Rangarira zvinhu izvi, iwe Jakobho, nokuti uri muranda wangu, iwe Israeri. Ndakakuita, uri muranda wangu; haiwa Israeri, handichakukanganwizve.
“Remember all this, Jacob and Israel, for you are my servant. I made you, Israel, you are my servant. I won't forget you.
22 Ndakadzima kudarika kwako segore, nezvivi zvako semhute yamangwanani. Dzokera kwandiri, nokuti ndakakudzikinura.”
I have wiped away your acts of rebellion as if they were like a cloud, your sins as if they were like the mist. Come back to me, for I have set you free.”
23 Imbai nomufaro imi matenga, nokuti Jehovha akaita izvozvi; danidzira nesimba, iwe nyika iri pasi. Imbai nziyo, imi makomo, nemi masango nemiti yose, nokuti Jehovha adzikinura Jakobho, akaratidza kubwinya muIsraeri.
Sing in celebration, you heavens, for the Lord has done this; cry out loud, you depths of the earth. Shout with joy, you mountains, you forests and every tree. For the Lord has set Jacob free, and his glory is shown in Israel!
24 “Zvanzi naJehovha, mudzikinuri wako, iye akakuumba uri mudumbu: “Ndini Jehovha, akaita zvinhu zvose, iye oga akatatamura matenga, akatambanudza nyika oga,
This is what the Lord says, your Redeemer, who shaped you in the womb: “I am the Lord, the Creator of everything. I alone made the heavens, and I myself formed the earth.
25 “iye anokonesa zviratidzo zvavaprofita venhema, anoita kuti vavuki vave mapenzi, iye anoparadza kudzidza kwevane njere, uye anokushandura kuti kuve upenzi,
I am the one who proves the signs of false prophets are wrong. I am the one who makes fools of fortune-tellers. I turn the wisdom of the wise upside-down, and make their knowledge ridiculous.
26 anozadzisa mashoko omuranda wake, uye anozadzisa zvakaprofitwa nenhume dzake, “anoti kuJerusarema, ‘Richagarwa,’ nokumaguta eJudha, ‘Achavakwa,’ nokumatongo awo, ‘Ndichaavandudza,’
But I confirm the messages given by my servants, and fulfill what my messengers say. They state, ‘Jerusalem will be inhabited again, the towns of Judah will be rebuilt, your ruins will be repaired.’
27 iye anoti kumvura yakadzika, ‘Oma, uye ndichaomesa hova dzako,’
When I order deep waters, ‘Dry up!’ I will make sure the rivers dry up!
28 iye anoti pamusoro paSirasi, ‘Ndiye mufudzi wangu uye achaita zvose zvandinoda; iye achati pamusoro peJerusarema, “Ngarivakwezve,” uye pamusoro petemberi achati, “Nheyo dzayo ngadziteyiwe.”’
When I say to Cyrus, ‘You are my shepherd,’ he will carry out everything I wish. He will give the order, ‘Jerusalem shall be rebuilt,’ and he will say, ‘the Temple shall be restored.’”
