Isaya 13
1 Neno kuhusu Babeli ambalo Isaya mwana wa Amozi aliliona:
The oracle on Babylon, —of which Isaiah, son of Amoz had vision: —
2 Twekeni bendera juu ya mlima usio na kitu, wapazieni sauti, wapungieni mkono waingie katika malango ya wenye heshima.
Upon a bare mountain, lift ye up a standard, Raise high the voice to them, Wave the hand, That they may enter the doors of nobles.
3 Nimewaamuru watakatifu wangu; nimewaita mashujaa wangu waitimize hasira yangu: wale wanaoshangilia ushindi wangu.
I myself, have given charge to my hallowed ones, —Yea I have called My heroes in showing mine anger, My proudly exulting ones.
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 in the mountains, A resemblance of many people, —The noise of a tumult of kingdoms Nations gathered together, Yahweh of hosts, mustering a host for battle!
5 Wanakuja kutoka nchi za mbali sana, kutoka miisho ya mbingu, Bwana na silaha za ghadhabu yake, kuangamiza nchi yote.
They are coming in From a land far away. From the utmost bound of the heavens, —Yahweh—with his weapons of indignation, To destroy the land.
6 Ombolezeni, kwa maana siku ya Bwana i karibu, itakuja kama uharibifu kutoka kwa Mwenyezi.
Howl ye! for at hand is the day of Yahweh, —As a veritable destruction from the Almighty, shall it come.
7 Kwa sababu ya hili, mikono yote italegea, moyo wa kila mtu utayeyuka.
For this cause—All hands, shall hang down, —and Every mortal heart, 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.
And they shall be in distress—Writhings and pains, shall lay hold, As a woman in childbirth, shall they be in pangs, —Everyone, at his neighbour, shall look in amazement, Faces of flames, their faces!
9 Tazameni, siku ya Bwana inakuja, siku katili, yenye ghadhabu na hasira kali, kuifanya nchi kuwa ukiwa na kuwaangamiza wenye dhambi waliomo ndani yake.
Lo! the day of Yahweh, coming in, Fierce and overflowing, and burning with anger, —To devote the earth to desolation, And her sinners, will he destroy 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 the heavens and their constellations, shall not flash forth their light, —Obscured shall be the sun in his going forth, And the moon, shall not shed 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.
And I will visit, upon the inhabited earth, calamity!, And upon the lawless, their punishment, And will quiet the arrogance of the proud, And the loftiness of tyrants, will I lay low.
12 Nitawafanya wanadamu kuwa adimu kuliko dhahabu safi, watakuwa wachache sana kuliko dhahabu ya Ofiri.
I will cause, a man, to be more precious than fine gold, —Even a son of earth than, the finest 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.
For this cause, the heavens, will I disturb, And, the earth, shall tremble out of her place, —In the wrath of Yahweh of hosts, And in the day of the glow of his anger.
14 Kama swala awindwaye, kama kondoo wasio na mchungaji, kila mmoja atarudi kwa watu wake mwenyewe, kila mmoja atakimbilia nchi yake ya kuzaliwa.
And it shall be—Like a gazelle that is chased, And like a sheep with none to lift it up, —Each, to his own people, will they turn, And, each, to his own land, will they flee:
15 Yeyote atakayetekwa atapasuliwa tumbo, wote watakaokamatwa watauawa kwa upanga.
Every one found, shall be thrust through, —And, every one taken, shall fall by the sword;
16 Watoto wao wachanga watavunjwa vipande vipande mbele ya macho yao; nyumba zao zitatekwa na wake zao watatendwa jeuri.
And, their infants, shall be dashed to the ground, before their eyes, —Plundered shall be, their houses, and their wives ravished.
17 Tazama, nitawachochea Wamedi dhidi yao, ambao hawajali fedha wala hawafurahii dhahabu.
Behold me! stirring up against them the Medes, —Who of silver, shall take no account, And as for gold, they shall not delight in it;
18 Mishale yao itawaangusha vijana, hawatakuwa na huruma kwa watoto wachanga wala hawataangalia watoto kwa huruma.
And, bows, shall dash the young to pieces, —And on the fruit of the womb, will they have no pity, Over children, will their eye throw no shield.
19 Babeli, johari ya falme, utukufu wa kiburi cha Wababeli, itaangushwa na Mungu kama Sodoma na Gomora.
Thus shall Babylon—The most lovely of kingdoms, The majestic beauty of the Chaldees—Become as in the divine overthrow of 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.
It shall not be dwelt in for ever, Neither shall it be inhabited from generation to generation, —Neither shall encamp there, an Arab, Nor, shepherds, fold their flocks there.
21 Lakini viumbe wa jangwani watalala huko, mbweha watajaza nyumba zake, bundi wataishi humo nao mbuzi-mwitu watarukaruka humo.
Then shall lie down there, wild beasts, And filled shall be their houses with owls, —Then shall inhabit there, the ostrich, And shaggy creatures, shall dance there.
22 Fisi watalia ndani ya ngome zake, mbweha ndani ya majumba yake ya kifahari. Wakati wake umewadia, na siku zake hazitaongezwa.
And jackals shall answer, in their citadels, And wild dogs, in their voluptuous palaces, —And near to come is her time, And, her days, shall not be delayed.
