< Isaya 9 >

1 Kunyange zvakadaro, hakuchazovazve nerima kuna avo vakanga vari munhamo. Pamazuva akare akaninipisa nyika yeZebhuruni nenyika yeNafutari, asi panguva inouya achakudza Garirea reveDzimwe Ndudzi, nenzira yokugungwa mhiri kwaJorodhani.
However, those in Judah who have been distressed/worried will not [continue to] suffer. Previously, Yahweh humbled [the people in] the land [where the tribes of] Zebulun and Naphtali [live]. But in the future he will honor [the people who live in] that Galilee region, along the road between the Jordan [River] and the [Mediterranean] Sea, where [many] foreigners live.
2 Vanhu vaifamba murima vakaona chiedza chikuru; avo vaigara munyika yomumvuri worufu, chiedza chakavavhenekera.
[Some day, it will be as though] [MET] the people who walked in darkness will see a great light. A [great] light will shine on those who live in a land where they have great troubles/distress.
3 Makakurisa rudzi mukawedzera mufaro wavo; vanofara pamberi penyu savanhu vanofara panguva yokukohwa, sokufara kwavarume, kana vachigoverana zvakapambwa.
[Yahweh], you will cause us people in Israel to rejoice; we will become very happy. We will rejoice about what you [have done] like [SIM] people rejoice when they harvest their crops, [or] like soldiers rejoice when they divide up among themselves the things that they have captured in a battle.
4 Nokuti sapamazuva okukundwa kwavaMidhia, vamakaparadzira joko raivaremera, nedanda raichinjika mafudzi avo, iyo tsvimbo yavamanikidzi vavo.
You will cause us to no longer be slaves [MET] [of those who captured us]; you will lift the heavy burdens from our shoulders. [It will be as though] you will break the rods of those who oppressed us, like you did when you destroyed [the army of] the Midian people-group.
5 Shangu imwe neimwe yomurwi yakashandiswa muhondo, nenguo imwe neimwe yakaumburudzwa muropa, zvichapiswa, zvichava huni dzomoto.
The boots that the enemy soldiers have worn and their clothing which has stains of blood on them will all be burned up; they will only be fuel for a [big] fire.
6 Nokuti takazvarirwa mwana, takapiwa mwanakomana, uye umambo huchava pamapfudzi ake. Uye achanzi Gota Rinoshamisa, Mwari Ane Simba, Baba Vokusingaperi, Muchinda woRugare.
Another reason that we will rejoice is that a [special] child will be born for us; [a woman will give birth to] a son, who will be our ruler. And his names will be ‘Wonderful Counselor’, ‘Mighty/Powerful God’, ‘[Our] Everlasting Father’, and ‘Prince/Ruler [who enables us to have] Peace’.
7 Kukura kwoumambo hwake nekworugare rwake hazvizovi namagumo. Achatonga pachigaro choushe chaDhavhidhi napamusoro poumambo hwake, achihusimbisa nokuhutsigira, nokururamisira uye nokururama, kubva panguva iyoyo kusvikira nokusingaperi. Kushingaira kwaJehovha Wamasimba Ose kuchazviita.
His rule, and the peace that he [brings/causes], will never end. He will rule [MTY] fairly and justly [DOU], like [his ancestor King] David did. This will happen because the Commander of the armies of angels greatly desires that it happen.
8 Jehovha akatuma shoko pamusoro paJakobho; richawira pamusoro paIsraeri.
The Lord has warned the people of Israel, the descendants of Jacob; he has said that [he will punish] them.
9 Vanhu vose vachariziva, Efuremu navagari vomuSamaria, ivo vanoti nokuzvikudza kwavo uye namanyawi emwoyo,
And all the people in Samaria and [other places in] Israel know that, [but] they are very proud and arrogant [DOU]. They say, “Our city has been destroyed, but we will [take away the broken bricks from the ruins] [and] replace them with carefully cut stones. Our sycamore-fig trees have been cut down [by our enemies], but we will plant cedar trees [in their place].”
10 “Zvidhinha zvakoromokera pasi, asi tichavakazve namatombo; mionde yatemerwa pasi, asi tichaitsiva nemisidhari.”
11 Asi Jehovha akamutsira Rezini vadzivisi akakurudzira vavengi vavo.
But Yahweh brought the armies of [Assyria], the enemies of King Rezin [of Syria, to fight] against Israel and incited [other] nations [to attack Israel].
12 VaAramu vachibva nokumabvazuva navaFiristia vachibva nokumavirira vakapedza vaIsraeri nomuromo wakashama. Kunyange zvakadaro, kutsamwa kwake hakuna kudzorwa, asi ruoko rwake ruchatongotambanudzwa.
[The army of] Syria [came] from the east, and [the army of] Philistia [came] from the west, and they destroyed Israel [like a wild animal tears another animal apart and] [MET] devours it. But even after that happened, Yahweh was still very angry with them. He was ready to strike them with his fist again.
13 Asi vanhu havana kutendeukira kuna iye akavarova, kana kutsvaka Jehovha Wamasimba Ose.
[But even though] Yahweh punished his people [like that], they [still] did not return to him [and worship him]. They [still] did not request the Commander of the armies of angels [to assist them].
14 Naizvozvo Jehovha achadimura vaIsraeri vose musoro nomuswe, zvose davi romuchindwe norutsanga pazuva rimwe;
Therefore, in one day Yahweh will get rid of [those who are like] Israel’s head and [those who are like] its tail; the [ones who are like] the top of the palm tree and the [ones who are like] the bottom.
15 vakuru navarume vanokudzwa ndivo musoro, vaprofita vanodzidzisa nhema ndivo muswe.
The leaders [DOU] of Israel are the head, and the prophets who tell lies are the tail.
16 Vanotungamirira vanhu ava vanovatsausa, navose vanotungamirirwa vanotsauswa.
The leaders of the people have misled them; they have caused the people that they are ruling to be confused.
17 Naizvozvo Jehovha haachazofariri majaya, kana kuva netsitsi nenherera nechirikadzi, nokuti mumwe nomumwe wavo haana umwari uye akaipa, muromo mumwe nomumwe unotaura zvoupenzi. Kunyange zvakadaro, kutsamwa kwake hakuna kudzorwa, ruoko rwake ruchakangosimudzwa.
For that reason, Yahweh is not pleased with the young men [of Israel], and he does not [even] act mercifully toward the widows and orphans, because they are all ungodly and wicked, and they all say things that are foolish. [But] Yahweh still is angry with them; he is ready to strike them with his fist again.
18 Zvirokwazvo zvakaipa zvinopfuta somoto; unopisa rukato neminzwa, unopisa matenhere edondo zvokuti unokwira kudenga mushongwe youtsi.
When people do wicked things, it is like [SIM] a brushfire [that spreads rapidly]. It burns up [not only] briers and thorns; it starts a big fire in the forests from which clouds of smoke will rise.
19 Kubudikidza nokutsamwa kwaJehovha Wamasimba Ose nyika ichapiswa kwazvo uye vanhu vachava huni dzomoto; hapana achaponesa hama yake.
[It is as though] the [whole] land is burned [black] because the Commander of the armies of angels is extremely angry with the Israeli people. They will become like [SIM] fuel for that great fire, and no one will try to rescue even his [own] brother [from that fire].
20 Kurudyi vachadya asi vacharamba vane nzara; kuruboshwe, vachadya asi havangaguti. Mumwe nomumwe achadya nyama yomwana wake.
Israeli people will attack their neighbors on the right [to get food from them], but they will still be hungry. They will [kill those who live in houses] on the left and eat their flesh, but their stomachs will still not be full.
21 Manase achadya Efuremu uye Efuremu achadya Manase; pamwe chete vachamukira Judha. Kunyange zvakadaro, kutsamwa kwake hakuna kudzorwa, ruoko rwake ruchakangosimudzwa.
[People of the tribes of] Manasseh and Ephraim will attack each other, and [then] they will both attack the people of Judah. But even after that happens, Yahweh will still be very angry with them. He will be ready to strike them with his fist again.

< Isaya 9 >