Isaya 22
1 Neno kuhusu Bonde la Maono: Nini kinachokutaabisha sasa, kwamba ninyi nyote mmepanda juu ya mapaa?
[I received] this message [from Yahweh] about Jerusalem, about the valley where [Yahweh showed me] this vision. Why is everyone foolishly running up to their [flat] rooftops?
2 Ewe mji uliojaa ghasia, ewe mji wa makelele na sherehe! Watu wenu waliokufa hawakuuawa kwa upanga, wala hawakufa vitani.
Everyone in the city [seems to] be shouting. [There are a lot of] corpses [in the city], [but they] were not killed by [their enemies’] swords. They did not die in battles; [instead, they died from diseases and hunger].
3 Viongozi wako wote wamekimbia pamoja, wamekamatwa bila kutumia upinde. Ninyi nyote mliokamatwa mlichukuliwa wafungwa pamoja, mlikimbia wakati adui alipokuwa bado mbali.
All the leaders of the city fled. [But then] they were captured because they did not have bows [and arrows to defend themselves]. Your [soldiers tried to] flee while the enemy [army] was still far away, but they also were captured.
4 Kwa hiyo nilisema, “Geukia mbali nami, niache nilie kwa uchungu. Usijaribu kunifariji juu ya maangamizi ya watu wangu.”
That is why I said, “Allow me to cry alone; do not try to comfort me [about my people being slaughtered].”
5 Bwana, Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, anayo siku ya ghasia, ya kukanyaga, na ya kuogofya katika Bonde la Maono, siku ya kuangusha kuta na ya kupiga kelele mpaka milimani.
The Commander of the armies of angels has [chosen] a time when there will be a great uproar, [soldiers] marching, and people being terrified in the valley [where I received this] vision. [It will be a time when our city] walls will be battered down and [the people’s] cries [for help] will be heard in the mountains.
6 Elamu analichukua podo, pamoja na waendesha magari ya vita na farasi. Kiri anaifungua ngao.
The armies from Elam and Kir [in Media] will attack, driving chariots and carrying shields.
7 Mabonde yako yaliyo mazuri sana yamejaa magari ya vita, nao wapanda farasi wamewekwa kwenye malango ya mji;
Our beautiful valleys will be filled with [our enemies’] chariots and the men who drive the chariots will stand outside [our city] gates.
8 ulinzi wa Yuda umeondolewa. Nawe ulitazama siku ile silaha katika Jumba la Kifalme la Mwituni,
The walls that protect [the cities in] Judah will fall down. You [people of Jerusalem] will run to get the weapons [that are stored in the building called] “the Hall of the Forest”.
9 mkaona kuwa Mji wa Daudi una matundu mengi katika ulinzi wake, mkaweka akiba ya maji kwenye Bwawa la Chini.
You will see that there are many breaks/holes in the walls of Jerusalem. You will store water in the lower pool [in the city].
10 Mlihesabu majengo katika Yerusalemu nanyi mkabomoa nyumba ili kuimarisha ukuta.
You will inspect the houses in Jerusalem, and [some of] them you will tear down to use the stones to repair the [city] wall.
11 Mlijenga bwawa la maji katikati ya kuta mbili kwa ajili ya maji ya Bwawa la Zamani, lakini hamkumtazama Yule aliyelitengeneza, au kuwa na heshima kwa Yule aliyeubuni tangu zamani za kale.
Between the walls [of the city] you will build a reservoir to [store] water from the old pool. But you will never request help from the one who made the city; you have never depended on Yahweh, who planned this city long ago.
12 Bwana, Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, aliwaita siku ile ili kulia na kuomboleza, kungʼoa nywele zenu na kuvaa nguo ya gunia.
The Commander of the armies of angels told you to weep and mourn; he told you to shave your heads and to wear rough sackcloth to show that you were sorry for the sins that you had committed.
13 Lakini tazama, kuna furaha na sherehe, kuchinja ngʼombe na kuchinja kondoo, kula nyama na kunywa mvinyo! Mnasema, “Tuleni na kunywa, kwa kuwa kesho tutakufa!”
But instead of doing that, you were happy and celebrating; you slaughtered cattle and sheep, [in order to cook their] meat and eat it and drink wine. You said, “Let’s eat and drink [all that we want to], because [it is possible that] we will die tomorrow!”
14 Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote amelifunua hili nikiwa ninasikia: Bwana, Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, asema: “Mpaka siku ya kufa kwenu, dhambi hii haitafanyiwa upatanisho.”
[So] the Commander of the armies of angels revealed this to me: “I will never forgive my people for sinning like this!”
15 Hili ndilo Bwana, Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, asemalo: “Nenda ukamwambie huyu wakili Shebna, ambaye ni msimamizi wa jumba la kifalme:
The Commander of the armies of angels said this [to me]: “Go to Shebna, the official who supervises the workers in the palace, and give this message to him:
16 Unafanya nini hapa, na ni nani aliyekupa ruhusa kujikatia kaburi lako mwenyewe, ukichonga kaburi lako mahali palipo juu, na kutoboa kwa patasi mahali pako pa kupumzikia katika mwamba?
'[Who do you think you are?] Who gave you the authority to build a beautiful tomb where you will be buried, chiseling it out of the rocky cliff high above this valley?
17 “Jihadhari, Bwana yu karibu kukukamata thabiti, na kukutupa mbali, ewe mtu mwenye nguvu.
You [think that you are] [IRO] a great man, but Yahweh is about to hurl you away. [It will be as though] he will seize you,
18 Atakuvingirisha uwe kama mpira na kukutupa katika nchi kubwa. Huko ndiko utakakofia, na huko ndiko magari yako ya vita ya fahari yatabakia, wewe unayeifedhehesha nyumba ya bwana wako!
and roll/crumple you into a ball and throw you away into a large distant land. You will die [and be buried] there, and your beautiful chariots will stay there [in the hands of your enemies]. And [because of what happens to you], your master, [the king], will be [very] ashamed/disgraced.
19 Nitakuondoa kutoka kazi yako, nawe utaondoshwa kutoka nafasi yako.
Yahweh will force you to quit working in the palace; you will be demoted from your important position.
20 “Katika siku ile, nitamwita mtumishi wangu, Eliakimu mwana wa Hilkia.
Then I will summon Hilkiah’s son Eliakim, who has served serve me [well], to replace you.
21 Nitamvika joho lako, nami nitamfunga mshipi wako kiunoni mwake, na kumkabidhi mamlaka yako. Yeye atakuwa baba kwa wale wanaoishi Yerusalemu na kwa nyumba ya Yuda.
I will allow him to wear your robe, and to fasten your sash around him, and I will give to him the authority that you had. He will be like [MET] a father to the people of Jerusalem and [all the other] towns in Judah.
22 Nitaweka mabegani mwake ufunguo wa nyumba ya Daudi. Kile afunguacho hakuna awezaye kufunga, na kile afungacho hakuna awezaye kufungua.
I will give to him authority [MTY] over [what happens in] the palace where King David [lived]; when he decides something [MET], no one will be able to oppose it; when he refuses to do something, no one will be able to force him to do it.
23 Nitamgongomea kama kigingi kilicho mahali palipo imara, naye atakuwa kiti cha enzi cha heshima kwa ajili ya nyumba ya baba yake.
I will cause his family to be greatly respected, because I will put him firmly in his position [as supervisor of the workers in the palace], like [SIM] a nail that is firmly hammered into a wall.
24 Utukufu wote wa jamaa yake utakuwa juu yake: Watoto wa jamaa hiyo na machipukizi yake, vyombo vyake vyote vidogo, tangu bakuli hadi magudulia yote.”
Others will enable him to have much responsibility, with the result that all the members of his family, even the most insignificant ones, will be honored.'”
25 Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote asema, “Katika siku ile, kigingi kilichogongomewa mahali imara kitaachia njia. Kitakatwa, nacho kitaanguka na mzigo ulioningʼinia juu yake utaanguka chini.” Bwana amesema.
[But] the Commander of the armies of angels also says, “[Shebna is like] [MET] a peg that is firmly fastened to the wall. But there will be a time when I will [remove him from his position]; he will lose his power/influence, and everything that he promoted [MET] will fail. [That will surely happen] because [I], Yahweh, have said it.”
