Isaya 1
1 Chiratidzo chaIsaya mwanakomana waAmozi, chaakaona pamusoro peJudha neJerusarema pamazuva aUzia naJotamu, naAhazi naHezekia, madzimambo eJudha.
[I am] Isaiah, the son of Amoz. [Yahweh showed me] visions about Jerusalem and [all the other places in] Judah. He showed me these visions during the years that Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah.
2 Inzwai imi matenga! Teerera iwe nyika! Nokuti Jehovha akataura achiti, “Ndakarera vana ndikavakudza, asi ivo vakandimukira.
This is what Yahweh says: “All you [angels in] [APO] heaven and [all you people on] [APO] earth, listen to me! The people that I caused to exist and took care of [DOU] have rebelled against me.
3 Nzombe inoziva vatenzi vayo, nembongoro inoziva chidyiro chomwene wayo, asi Israeri haizivi, vanhu vangu havanzwisisi.”
Oxen know their owners, and donkeys know who provides food for them, but my Israeli people do not know [me]; they do not realize [that I am the one who takes care of them].”
4 Haiwa, rudzi runotadza, vanhu vakaremerwa nezvakaipa, vana vavaiti vezvakaipa, vana vanoita zvakaora! Vakasiya Jehovha; vakashora Mutsvene waIsraeri vakamufuratira.
Terrible things will happen to that sinful nation, to those people who are guilty of sinning greatly. They are a group of very evil people, who act very unjustly. They have abandoned Yahweh, the holy one of Israel; they have (abandoned/turned away from) him.
5 Mucharambireiko muchingorohwa? Munorambireiko muchimukira Jehovha? Musoro wenyu wose wakuvadzwa, mwoyo wenyu wose warwadziwa.
Why do you [RHQ] continue to [do things for which] you should be punished? Why do you continue to rebel against Yahweh? [You are like] [MET] someone whose head is badly injured and whose mind is sick/corrupt.
6 Kubvira pasi porutsoka rwako kusvikira panhongonya yomusoro wako hapana pakukutu, anongova maronda nokurwadziwa namavanga akazaruka, asina kusukwa kana kusungwa kana kuzorwa mafuta.
[It is as though] [MET] from the soles/bottoms of your feet to the [tops of your] heads nothing is healthy; there are only open wounds and cuts and sores that have not been cleaned or bandaged, and no [olive] oil has been put on them [to heal them].
7 Nyika yenyu yaparadzwa, Maguta enyu apiswa nomoto; minda yenyu iri kutorwa navatorwa pamberi penyu chaipo, nyika yaparadzwa sapanoparadza vatorwa.
[It is as though] your country is ruined/desolate; your towns have been burned. Foreigners plunder/steal the crops in your fields while you watch; they destroy everything [that they see].
8 Mwanasikana weZioni asiyiwa sedumba mumunda wemizambiringa, seimba mumunda wamanwiwa, seguta rakakombwa.
The city of Jerusalem has [already] been abandoned, it is like [SIM] a shelter in a vineyard that has been abandoned by the watchmen; it is like [SIM] a watchman’s hut in a field of melons that has been deserted. It is a city surrounded by its enemies who are waiting to attack it.
9 Dai Jehovha Wamasimba Ose asina kutisiyira vakapunyuka, tingadai takafanana neSodhomu, tingadai takaita seGomora.
If the Commander of the armies of angels had not allowed a few of us [his people] to (survive/remain alive), we would have [all] been [destroyed], like [the cities of] Sodom and Gomorrah [were destroyed].
10 Inzwai shoko raJehovha, imi vabati veSodhomu; teererai kumurayiro waMwari wedu, imi vanhu veGomora!
You [leaders of Judah are as wicked as] the rulers of Sodom were, and you [other people in Jerusalem areas are as wicked as] the people in Gomorrah [were]. Listen to this message from Yahweh, [all of you]!
11 “Zvibayiro zvenyu zvizhinji, zvinyiko kwandiri?” ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha. “Zvibayiro zvinopiswa zvawandisa, zvamakondobwe namafuta ezvipfuwo zvakakodzwa; Handifadzwi neropa renzombe, ramakwayana nerembudzi.
He says, “You continue to bring many sacrifices to me, but I do not [RHQ] want them [because you do not worship me sincerely]! You bring me many offerings to be completely burned [on the altar], [but] I (am tired/do not want any more) of your burning all those offerings, the burning rams and the fat from fat cattle. I am not pleased with the blood of bulls and lambs and goats that [the priest] pours [against the altar].
12 Pamunouya kuzozviratidza pamberi pangu, ndianiko akambokukumbirai izvi kwamuri, naikoku kutsika-tsika pavazhe dzangu?
When you come to my temple to worship me, no one [RHQ] told you to trample on my courtyard while you perform all those rituals.
13 Regai kuuya nezvipiriso zvisina maturo! Zvinonhuhwira zvenyu zvinondinyangadza. Nguva dzoKugara kwoMwedzi, maSabata nenguva dzekokorodzano, handigoni kufarira ungano dzenyu dzakaipa.
Stop bringing to me those offerings, because they are useless [to me]; I am disgusted with the incense that [the priests burn]. And [your feasts to celebrate] the new moon [each month] and your (Sabbath [days]/days of rest) and your [other] festivals— I detest them because of the wicked things [that you do].
14 Mitambo yenyu yoKugara kwoMwedzi nemitambo yenyu yakatsaurwa inovengwa nomweya wangu. Zvava mutoro kwandiri; ndaneta nokuzvitakura.
I [SYN] hate [all] your celebrations of each new moon and the [other] festivals that you celebrate each year. They are [like] [MET] a heavy burden that I am tired of carrying.
15 Pamunotambanudza maoko enyu muchinyengetera, ini ndichakuvanzirai chiso changu; kunyange mukawanza munyengetero, handisi kuzokunzwai. Maoko enyu azere neropa;
[So], when you lift up your hands when you pray [to me], I will not [even] look at you. Even if you pray [to me very] frequently, I will not listen [to you], [because it is as though] your hands are covered with the blood [of people whom you have killed].
16 shambai muzvinatse. Bvisai mabasa enyu akaipa pamberi pangu! Regai kuita zvakaipa,
Cleanse your inner beings, and become [spiritually] clean! Stop your evil behavior! Stop doing things that are wrong!
17 dzidzai kuita zvakarurama. Tsvakai kururamisira, kurudzirai vakamanikidzwa. Dzivirirai nherera, mukumbirire chirikadzi.
Learn to do [things that are] good! [Try to] cause people to do what is just. Help people who are (oppressed/treated cruelly). Defend orphans and widows [when people take them to court].”
18 “Chiuyai zvino titaurirane,” ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha. “Kunyange zvivi zvenyu zviri zvitsvuku zvichachena sechando; kunyange zviri zvishava somuti mushava, zvichaita samakushe amakwai.
Yahweh says, “You need to think about the results of what you do. Even though [the guilt of] your sins be [as evident and as difficult to get rid of] as [SIM] red [stains on a white garment] [DOU], [I will get rid of them completely] [like someone who can make that stained garment] become as white as snow or wool [DOU].
19 Kana muchida uye muchiteerera muchadya zvakanakisa zvenyika;
If you are willing to obey [me], [I will enable] you to have plenty to eat.
20 asi kana muchiramba uye muchindimukira, muchaparadzwa nomunondo.” Nokuti muromo waJehovha wazvitaura.
But, if you turn away [from me and] rebel against me, you will be killed [by your enemies’] swords. [That will surely happen, because I, ] Yahweh, have said it.”
21 Tarirai guta rakatendeka rava chifeve sei! Iro rakanga rizere nokururamisira; kururama kwaigara mariri, asi zvino mogara mhondi!
“[You people of Jerusalem previously] faithfully [worshiped only] me, but now you have become like [MET] prostitutes [who are not faithful to any husband]. Previously, people there always acted justly/fairly and righteously, but now your city [is full of] murderers.
22 Sirivha yako yava nengura, waini yako yakavhenganiswa nemvura.
Previously, you were [like] [MET] pure silver, but now you have become [like] [MET] the scum that is left [when silver is purified]. Previously you were [like pure] wine, but you have become [like] [MET] wine that has [a lot of] water mixed with it.
23 Machinda ako vapanduki, ishamwari dzembavha; vose vanoda fufuro, uye vanomhanyira zvipo. Havana hanya nokudzivirira nherera; mhaka yechirikadzi haiuyiswi pamberi pavo.
Your leaders are rebels; they spend time with thieves. They all want to get bribes and force others to give them gifts [in order that they do good things for them]. They do not defend orphans [in court], and they do not do all they can to enable widows to get what they should receive.
24 Naizvozvo Ishe, Jehovha Wamasimba Ose, Anesimba waIsraeri, anotaura achiti, “Haiwa, ndichadurura hasha dzangu pamusoro pavadzivisi vangu, nokuzvitsivira vavengi vangu.
Therefore [I, ] the Commander of the armies of angels, the mighty God of Israel, say to my enemies, ‘will get revenge on you; you will not cause me any more trouble. And I will pay you back for the evil things that you did.
25 Ndichatambanudzira ruoko rwangu kwauri; ndichapedza chose ngura yako ndigobvisa kusachena kwako kwose.
I will raise my fist to strike you. I will [punish you severely] [MET], as though [MET] you were silver [and I needed to heat you very greatly to] melt you and get rid of the impurities.
26 Ndichadzosera vatongi vako sapamazuva akare, namakurukota ako sapamazuva okutanga. Shure kwaizvozvo uchanzi Guta Rokururama, Guta Rakatendeka.”
[After that happens, ] I will give you good judges like you had previously; you will have [wise] counselors like you had long ago. Then people will call your city “a city where people [act] righteously, a city where people are loyal to me.”'”
27 Zioni richadzikinurwa nokururamiswa, navanotendeuka varo, nokururama.
Because the people of Jerusalem will do what is fair/just, their city will be restored; those who repent [will be saved] because of [their acting] righteously.
28 Asi vapanduki navatadzi vachaparadzwa vose, uye vose vanosiya Jehovha vachaparara.
But rebels and sinners will be crushed by Yahweh, and those who forsake him will disappear.
29 “Nokuti muchanyadziswa nokuda kwemiti yomuouki yamunoeresa, yamunofadzwa nayo; muchanyadziswa nokuda kwamapindu amakasarudza.
You will be ashamed because [you worshiped] idols under the oak trees [that you considered to be] sacred; you will be disgraced because [you worshiped idols] in the gardens where you chose [to worship them].
30 Muchafanana nomuouki wasvava mashizha, sebindu risina mvura.
You will be like [SIM] a very large tree which has withered leaves, like [SIM] a garden that [is dried up because] it has no water.
31 Murume ane simba achava serwodzi nebasa rake sesasaradzi; zvose zvichatsva pamwe chete, pasina achadzima moto.”
Those among you who are [very] strong will become [like] [MET] dry wood, and the work they do will be [like] [MET] a spark; both they and the evil things that they do will burn up completely, and no one will be able to put out the fire.
