Isaya 13
1 Neno kuhusu Babeli ambalo Isaya mwana wa Amozi aliliona:
A prophecy concerning Babylon, which Isaiah, the son of Amoz, saw.
2 Twekeni bendera juu ya mlima usio na kitu, wapazieni sauti, wapungieni mkono waingie katika malango ya wenye heshima.
Upon the bare mountain lift up a banner; Cry aloud to them, wave the hand, That they may enter the gates of the tyrants!
3 Nimewaamuru watakatifu wangu; nimewaita mashujaa wangu waitimize hasira yangu: wale wanaoshangilia ushindi wangu.
I have given orders to my consecrated ones, Yea, I have called upon my mighty ones to execute mine anger, My proud exulters!
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.
The noise of a multitude upon the mountains, like that of a great people! The tumultuous noise of kingdoms, of nations gathered together! Jehovah of hosts mustereth his army for battle.
5 Wanakuja kutoka nchi za mbali sana, kutoka miisho ya mbingu, Bwana na silaha za ghadhabu yake, kuangamiza nchi yote.
They come from a distant country, From the end of Heaven, Jehovah and the instruments of his indignation. To lay waste the whole land.
6 Ombolezeni, kwa maana siku ya Bwana i karibu, itakuja kama uharibifu kutoka kwa Mwenyezi.
Howl ye, for the day of Jehovah is at hand! Like a destruction from the Almighty, it cometh;
7 Kwa sababu ya hili, mikono yote italegea, moyo wa kila mtu utayeyuka.
Therefore shall all hands hang down, And every heart of man shall 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.
They shall be in consternation; Distress and anguish shall lay hold of them; As a woman in travail shall they writhe; They shall look upon one another with amazement: Their faces shall glow like flames.
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 Jehovah cometh, Terrible, full of wrath and burning indignation, To make the land a waste, And to destroy the sinners out of 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 the constellations thereof, Shall not give their light; The sun shall be darkened at his going forth, And the moon shall withhold her 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.
For I will punish the world for its guilt, And the wicked for their iniquity. I will put an end to the arrogance of the proud, And I will bring down the haughtiness of the tyrants.
12 Nitawafanya wanadamu kuwa adimu kuliko dhahabu safi, watakuwa wachache sana kuliko dhahabu ya Ofiri.
I will make men scarcer than gold; Yea, men 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 shall be shaken out of her place, In the anger of Jehovah of hosts, In the day of his burning indignation.
14 Kama swala awindwaye, kama kondoo wasio na mchungaji, kila mmoja atarudi kwa watu wake mwenyewe, kila mmoja atakimbilia nchi yake ya kuzaliwa.
Then shall they be like a chased doe; Like a flock, which no one gathereth together; Every one shall turn to his own people, And every one flee to his own land.
15 Yeyote atakayetekwa atapasuliwa tumbo, wote watakaokamatwa watauawa kwa upanga.
Every one that is overtaken shall be thrust through, And every one that is caught shall fall by the sword.
16 Watoto wao wachanga watavunjwa vipande vipande mbele ya macho yao; nyumba zao zitatekwa na wake zao watatendwa jeuri.
Their children shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; Their houses shall be plundered, and their wives ravished.
17 Tazama, nitawachochea Wamedi dhidi yao, ambao hawajali fedha wala hawafurahii dhahabu.
Behold, I stir up against them the Medes, Who make no account of silver, And as to gold, they do not regard it.
18 Mishale yao itawaangusha vijana, hawatakuwa na huruma kwa watoto wachanga wala hawataangalia watoto kwa huruma.
Their bows shall strike down the young men, And on the fruit of the womb they shall have no compassion; Their eye shall not pity the children.
19 Babeli, johari ya falme, utukufu wa kiburi cha Wababeli, itaangushwa na Mungu kama Sodoma na Gomora.
So shall Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, The proud ornament of the Chaldeans, Be like Sodom and Gomorrah, which God overthrew,
20 Hautakaliwa na watu kamwe wala watu hawataishi humo kwa vizazi vyote. Hakuna Mwarabu atakayepiga hema lake huko, hakuna mchungaji atakayepumzisha makundi yake huko.
It shall never more be inhabited; Nor shall it be dwelt in through all generations. Nor shall the Arabian pitch his tent there, Nor shall shepherds make their folds there.
21 Lakini viumbe wa jangwani watalala huko, mbweha watajaza nyumba zake, bundi wataishi humo nao mbuzi-mwitu watarukaruka humo.
But there shall the wild beasts of the desert lodge, And owls shall fill their houses; And ostriches shall dwell there, And satyrs shall dance there.
22 Fisi watalia ndani ya ngome zake, mbweha ndani ya majumba yake ya kifahari. Wakati wake umewadia, na siku zake hazitaongezwa.
Wolves shall howl in their palaces, And jackals in their pleasant edifices. Her time is near, And her days shall not be prolonged.
