Isaya 13
1 Neno kuhusu Babeli ambalo Isaya mwana wa Amozi aliliona:
This is the burden against Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz received:
2 Twekeni bendera juu ya mlima usio na kitu, wapazieni sauti, wapungieni mkono waingie katika malango ya wenye heshima.
Raise a banner on a barren hilltop; call aloud to them. Wave your hand, that they may enter the gates of the nobles.
3 Nimewaamuru watakatifu wangu; nimewaita mashujaa wangu waitimize hasira yangu: wale wanaoshangilia ushindi wangu.
I have commanded My sanctified ones; I have even summoned My warriors to execute My wrath and exult in My triumph.
4 Sikilizeni kelele juu ya milima, kama ile ya umati mkubwa wa watu! Sikilizeni, makelele katikati ya falme, kama mataifa yanayokusanyika pamoja! Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote anakusanya jeshi kwa ajili ya vita.
Listen, a tumult on the mountains, like that of a great multitude! Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms, like nations gathered together! The LORD of Hosts is mobilizing an army for war.
5 Wanakuja kutoka nchi za mbali sana, kutoka miisho ya mbingu, Bwana na silaha za ghadhabu yake, kuangamiza nchi yote.
They are coming from faraway lands, from the ends of the heavens— the LORD and the weapons of His wrath— to destroy the whole country.
6 Ombolezeni, kwa maana siku ya Bwana i karibu, itakuja kama uharibifu kutoka kwa Mwenyezi.
Wail, for the Day of the LORD is near; it will come as destruction from the Almighty.
7 Kwa sababu ya hili, mikono yote italegea, moyo wa kila mtu utayeyuka.
Therefore all hands will fall limp, and every man’s heart will melt.
8 Hofu itawakamata, uchungu na maumivu makali yatawashika, watagaagaa kama mwanamke aliye na utungu wa kuzaa. Watatazamana kwa hofu kila mtu na mwenzake, nyuso zao zikiwaka kama moto.
Terror, pain, and anguish will seize them; they will writhe like a woman in labor. They will look at one another, their faces flushed with fear.
9 Tazameni, siku ya Bwana inakuja, siku katili, yenye ghadhabu na hasira kali, kuifanya nchi kuwa ukiwa na kuwaangamiza wenye dhambi waliomo ndani yake.
Behold, the Day of the LORD is coming— cruel, with fury and burning anger— to make the earth a desolation and to destroy the sinners within it.
10 Nyota za mbinguni na makundi ya nyota havitatoa mwanga wake. Jua linalochomoza litatiwa giza na mwezi hautatoa nuru yake.
For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not give their light. The rising sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light.
11 Nitauadhibu ulimwengu kwa ajili ya uovu wake, waovu kwa ajili ya dhambi zao. Nitakomesha majivuno ya wenye kiburi, na nitakishusha kiburi cha watu wakatili.
I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity. I will end the haughtiness of the arrogant and lay low the pride of the ruthless.
12 Nitawafanya wanadamu kuwa adimu kuliko dhahabu safi, watakuwa wachache sana kuliko dhahabu ya Ofiri.
I will make man scarcer than pure gold, and mankind rarer than the gold of Ophir.
13 Kwa hiyo nitazifanya mbingu zitetemeke, nayo dunia itatikisika kutoka mahali pake katika ghadhabu ya Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, katika siku ya hasira yake iwakayo.
Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken from its place at the wrath of the LORD of Hosts on the day of His burning anger.
14 Kama swala awindwaye, kama kondoo wasio na mchungaji, kila mmoja atarudi kwa watu wake mwenyewe, kila mmoja atakimbilia nchi yake ya kuzaliwa.
Like a hunted gazelle, like a sheep without a shepherd, each will return to his own people, each will flee to his native land.
15 Yeyote atakayetekwa atapasuliwa tumbo, wote watakaokamatwa watauawa kwa upanga.
Whoever is caught will be stabbed, and whoever is captured will die by the sword.
16 Watoto wao wachanga watavunjwa vipande vipande mbele ya macho yao; nyumba zao zitatekwa na wake zao watatendwa jeuri.
Their infants will be dashed to pieces before their eyes, their houses will be looted, and their wives will be ravished.
17 Tazama, nitawachochea Wamedi dhidi yao, ambao hawajali fedha wala hawafurahii dhahabu.
Behold, I will stir up against them the Medes, who have no regard for silver and no desire for gold.
18 Mishale yao itawaangusha vijana, hawatakuwa na huruma kwa watoto wachanga wala hawataangalia watoto kwa huruma.
Their bows will dash young men to pieces; they will have no mercy on the fruit of the womb; they will not look with pity on the children.
19 Babeli, johari ya falme, utukufu wa kiburi cha Wababeli, itaangushwa na Mungu kama Sodoma na Gomora.
And Babylon, the jewel of the kingdoms, the glory of the pride of the Chaldeans, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah.
20 Hautakaliwa na watu kamwe wala watu hawataishi humo kwa vizazi vyote. Hakuna Mwarabu atakayepiga hema lake huko, hakuna mchungaji atakayepumzisha makundi yake huko.
She will never be inhabited or settled from generation to generation; no nomad will pitch his tent there, no shepherd will rest his flock there.
21 Lakini viumbe wa jangwani watalala huko, mbweha watajaza nyumba zake, bundi wataishi humo nao mbuzi-mwitu watarukaruka humo.
But desert creatures will lie down there, and howling creatures will fill her houses. Ostriches will dwell there, and wild goats will leap about.
22 Fisi watalia ndani ya ngome zake, mbweha ndani ya majumba yake ya kifahari. Wakati wake umewadia, na siku zake hazitaongezwa.
Hyenas will howl in her fortresses and jackals in her luxurious palaces. Babylon’s time is at hand, and her days will not be prolonged.
