Isaya 1
1 Maono kuhusu Yuda na Yerusalemu ambayo Isaya mwana wa Amozi aliyaona wakati wa utawala wa Uzia, Yothamu, Ahazi na Hezekia, wafalme wa Yuda.
The vision of Isaiah, the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Joatham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
2 Sikieni, enyi mbingu! Sikilizeni, enyi dunia! Kwa maana Bwana amesema: “Nimewalisha watoto na kuwalea, lakini wameniasi mimi.
Listen, O heavens, and pay attention, O earth, for the Lord has spoken. I have nurtured and raised children, but they have spurned me.
3 Ngʼombe anamjua bwana wake, naye punda anajua hori la mmiliki wake, lakini Israeli hajui, watu wangu hawaelewi.”
An ox knows his owner, and a donkey knows the manger of his lord, but Israel has not known me, and my people have not understood.
4 Lo! Taifa lenye dhambi, watu waliolemewa na uovu, uzao wa watenda mabaya, watoto waliozoelea upotovu! Wamemwacha Bwana, Wamemkataa kwa dharau yeye Aliye Mtakatifu wa Israeli na kumgeuzia kisogo.
Woe to a sinful nation, a people burdened by iniquity, a wicked offspring, accursed children. They have abandoned the Lord. They have blasphemed the Holy One of Israel. They been taken away backwards.
5 Kwa nini mzidi kupigwa? Kwa nini kudumu katika uasi? Kichwa chako chote kimejeruhiwa, moyo wako wote ni mgonjwa.
For what reason shall I continue to strike you, as you increase transgressions? The entire head is feeble, and the entire heart is grieving.
6 Kutoka wayo wako wa mguu hadi kwenye utosi wa kichwa chako hakuna uzima: ni majeraha matupu na makovu na vidonda vitokavyo damu, havikusafishwa au kufungwa wala kulainishwa kwa mafuta.
From the sole of the foot, even to the top of the head, there is no soundness within. Wounds and bruises and swelling sores: these are not bandaged, nor treated with medicine, nor soothed with oil.
7 Nchi yenu imekuwa ukiwa, miji yenu imeteketezwa kwa moto; nchi yenu imeachwa tupu na wageni mbele ya macho yenu, imeharibiwa kama vile imepinduliwa na wageni.
Your land is desolate. Your cities have been set ablaze. Foreigners devour your countryside in your sight, and it will become desolate, as if devastated by enemies.
8 Binti Sayuni ameachwa kama kipenu katika shamba la mizabibu, kama kibanda katika shamba la matikitimaji, kama mji uliohusuriwa.
And the daughter of Zion will be left behind, like an arbor in a vineyard, and like a shelter in a cucumber field, and like a city being laid to waste.
9 Kama Bwana Mungu Mwenye Nguvu Zote asingelituachia walionusurika, tungelikuwa kama Sodoma, tungelifanana na Gomora.
If the Lord of hosts had not bequeathed us offspring, we would have been like Sodom, and we would have been comparable to Gomorrah.
10 Sikieni neno la Bwana, ninyi watawala wa Sodoma; sikilizeni sheria ya Mungu wetu, enyi watu wa Gomora!
Listen to the Word of the Lord, you leaders of the people of Sodom. Listen closely to the law of our God, O people of Gomorrah.
11 Bwana anasema, “Wingi wa sadaka zenu, ni kitu gani kwangu? Ninazo sadaka za kuteketezwa nyingi kupita kiasi, za kondoo dume na mafuta ya wanyama walionona. Sipendezwi na damu za mafahali wala za wana-kondoo na mbuzi.
The multitude of your sacrifices, what is that to me, says the Lord? I am full. I do not desire holocausts of rams, nor the fat of fatlings, nor the blood of calves and of lambs and of he-goats.
12 Mnapokuja kujihudhurisha mbele zangu, ni nani aliyewataka ninyi mfanye hivyo, huku kuzikanyaga nyua zangu?
When you approach before my sight, who is it that requires these things from your hands, so that you would walk in my courts?
13 Acheni kuniletea sadaka zisizokuwa na maana! Uvumba wenu ni chukizo kwangu. Miandamo ya Mwezi, Sabato na makusanyiko ya ibada: siwezi kuvumilia makusanyiko yenu maovu.
You should no longer offer sacrifice in vain. Incense is an abomination to me. The new moons and the Sabbaths and the other feast days, I will not receive. Your gatherings are iniquitous.
14 Sikukuu zenu za Miandamo ya Mwezi, na sikukuu zenu zilizoamriwa: moyo wangu unazichukia. Zimekuwa mzigo kwangu, nimechoka kuzivumilia.
My soul hates your days of proclamation and your solemnities. They have become bothersome to me. I labor to endure them.
15 Mnaponyoosha mikono yenu katika maombi, nitaficha macho yangu nisiwaone; hata mkiomba maombi mengi sitasikiliza. Mikono yenu imejaa damu;
And so, when you extend your hands, I will avert my eyes from you. And when you multiply your prayers, I will not heed you. For your hands are full of blood.
16 jiosheni na mkajitakase. Yaondoeni matendo yenu maovu mbele zangu! Acheni kutenda mabaya,
Wash, become clean, take away the evil of your intentions from my eyes. Cease to act perversely.
17 jifunzeni kutenda mema! Tafuteni haki, watieni moyo walioonewa. Teteeni shauri la yatima, wateteeni wajane.
Learn to do good. Seek judgment, support the oppressed, judge for the orphan, defend the widow.
18 “Njooni basi tuhojiane,” asema Bwana. “Ingawa dhambi zenu ni kama rangi nyekundu, zitakuwa nyeupe kama theluji; ingawa ni nyekundu sana kama damu, zitakuwa nyeupe kama sufu.
And then approach and accuse me, says the Lord. Then, if your sins are like scarlet, they shall be made white like snow; and if they are red like vermillion, they shall become white like wool.
19 Kama mkikubali na kutii, mtakula mema ya nchi,
If you are willing, and you listen to me, then you will eat the good things of the land.
20 lakini kama mkikataa na kuasi, mtaangamizwa kwa upanga.” Kwa kuwa kinywa cha Bwana kimenena.
But if you are not willing, and you provoke me to anger, then the sword will devour you. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
21 Tazama jinsi mji uliokuwa mwaminifu umekuwa kahaba! Mwanzoni ulikuwa umejaa unyofu, haki ilikuwa inakaa ndani yake, lakini sasa ni wauaji!
How has the faithful city, full of judgment, become a harlot? Justice lived in her, but now murderers.
22 Fedha yenu imekuwa takataka, divai yenu nzuri imechanganywa na maji.
Your silver has turned into dross. Your wine has been mixed with water.
23 Watawala wenu ni waasi, rafiki wa wevi, wote wanapenda rushwa na kukimbilia hongo. Hawatetei yatima, shauri la mjane haliletwi mbele yao lisikilizwe.
Your leaders are unfaithful, the associates of thieves. They all love gifts; they pursue rewards. They do not judge for orphans, and the widow’s case is not brought before them.
24 Kwa hiyo Bwana, Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, Mwenye Nguvu wa Israeli, asema hivi: “Lo, nitapata faraja kutoka kwa adui zangu na kujilipizia kisasi juu ya watesi wangu.
Because of this, the Lord God of hosts, the Strength of Israel, says: Ah! I will be consoled over my enemies, and I will be vindicated from my adversaries.
25 Nitauelekeza mkono wangu dhidi yenu, nitawasafisha takataka zenu zote na kuwaondolea unajisi wenu wote.
And I will turn my hand to you. And I will temper your dross unto purity, and I will take away all your tin.
26 Nitawarudishia waamuzi wenu kama ilivyokuwa siku za zamani, nao washauri wenu kama ilivyokuwa mwanzoni. Baadaye utaitwa, Mji wa Haki, Mji Mwaminifu.”
And I will restore your judges, so that they will be as before, and your counselors as in times long past. After this, you shall be called the City of the Just, the Faithful City.
27 Sayuni itakombolewa kwa haki, wale waliomo ndani yake waliotubu kwa uaminifu.
Zion will be redeemed in judgment, and they will lead her back to justice.
28 Lakini waasi na wenye dhambi wote wataangamizwa, nao wanaomwacha Bwana wataangamia.
And he shall crush the accursed and sinners together. And those who have abandoned the Lord will be consumed.
29 “Mtaaibika kwa sababu ya hiyo mialoni ambayo mlifurahia, mtafadhaika kwa sababu ya bustani mlizozichagua.
For they shall be confounded because of the idols, to which they have sacrificed. And you shall be ashamed over the gardens that you chose,
30 Mtakuwa kama mwaloni wenye majani yanayonyauka, kama bustani isiyokuwa na maji.
when you were like an oak with falling leaves, and like a garden without water.
31 Mtu mwenye nguvu atatoweka kama majani makavu yawakayo moto, na kazi yake kama cheche ya moto; vyote vitaungua pamoja, wala hakuna wa kuuzima huo moto.”
And your strength will be like the embers from stubble, and your work will be like a spark, and both will burn together, and there will be no one to extinguish it.
