Isaya 28
1 Ole kwa lile taji la maua, kiburi cha walevi wa Efraimu, kwa ua linalosinyaa, uzuri wa utukufu wake, uliowekwa kwenye kichwa cha bonde lenye rutuba: kwa ule mji, kiburi cha wale walioshushwa na mvinyo!
Woe to the crown of pride, the hirelings of Ephraim, the flower that has fallen from the glory of the top of the fertile mountain, they that are drunken without wine.
2 Tazama, Bwana anaye mmoja aliye na uwezo na nguvu. Kama dhoruba ya mvua ya mawe na upepo uharibuo, kama mvua inyeshayo kwa nguvu na mafuriko yashukayo, atakiangusha chini kwa nguvu.
Behold, the anger of the Lord is strong and severe, as descending hail where there is no shelter, violently descending; as a great body of water sweeping away the soil, he shall make rest for the land.
3 Lile taji la maua, kiburi cha walevi cha Efraimu, kitakanyagwa chini ya nyayo.
The crown of pride, the hirelings of Ephraim, shall be beaten down with the hands and with the feet.
4 Lile ua linalosinyaa, uzuri wa utukufu wake, uliowekwa kwenye kichwa cha bonde lenye rutuba, litakuwa kama tini iliyoiva kabla ya mavuno: mara mtu aionapo, huichuma na kuila.
And the fading flower of the glorious hope on the top of the high mountain shall be as the early fig; he that sees it, before he takes it into his hand, will desire to swallow it down.
5 Katika siku ile, Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote atakuwa taji la utukufu, taji zuri la maua kwa mabaki ya watu wake.
In that day the Lord of hosts shall be the crown of hope, the woven [crown] of glory, to the remnant of the people.
6 Atakuwa roho ya haki kwa yeye aketiye katika kiti cha hukumu, chanzo cha nguvu kwa wale wazuiao vita langoni.
They shall be left in the spirit of judgement for judgement, and for the strength of them that hinder slaying.
7 Hawa pia wanapepesuka kwa sababu ya mvinyo, wanayumbayumba kwa sababu ya kileo: Makuhani na manabii wanapepesuka kwa sababu ya kileo, wanachanganyikiwa kwa sababu ya mvinyo; wanapepesuka wanapoona maono, wanajikwaa wanapotoa maamuzi.
For these have trespassed through wine; they have erred through strong drink: the priest and the prophet are mad through strong drink, they are swallowed up by reason of wine, they have staggered through drunkenness; they have erred: this is [their] vision.
8 Meza zote zimejawa na matapishi wala hakuna sehemu hata ndogo isiyokuwa na uchafu.
A curse shall devour this counsel, for this [is their] counsel for the sake of covetousness.
9 “Yeye anajaribu kumfundisha nani? Yeye anamwelezea nani ujumbe wake? Je, ni kwa watoto walioachishwa kunyonya? Je, ni wale ambao ndipo tu wametolewa matitini?
To whom have we reported evils? and to whom have we reported a message? [even to those] that are weaned from the milk, who are drawn from the breast.
10 Kwa maana ni: Amri juu ya amri, amri juu ya amri, kanuni juu ya kanuni, kanuni juu ya kanuni; hapa kidogo, kule kidogo.”
Expect you affliction on affliction, hope upon hope: yet a little, [and] yet a little,
11 Sawa kabisa, kwa midomo migeni na kwa lugha ngeni, Mungu atasema na watu hawa,
by reason of the contemptuous [words] of the lips, by means of another language: for they shall speak to this people, saying to them,
12 wale ambao aliwaambia, “Hapa ni mahali pa kupumzika, waliochoka na wapumzike,” na, “Hapa ni mahali pa mapumziko,” lakini hawakutaka kusikiliza.
This is the rest to him that is hungry, and this is the calamity: but they would not hear.
13 Hivyo basi, neno la Bwana kwao litakuwa: Amri juu ya amri, amri juu ya amri, kanuni juu ya kanuni, kanuni juu ya kanuni, hapa kidogo, kule kidogo: ili waende na kuanguka chali, wakijeruhiwa, wakinaswa na kukamatwa.
Therefore the oracle of God shall be to them affliction on affliction, hope on hope, yet a little, [and] yet a little, that they may go and fall backward; and they shall be crushed and shall be in danger, and shall be taken.
14 Kwa hiyo sikieni neno la Bwana, enyi watu wenye dharau mnaotawala watu hawa wa Yerusalemu.
Therefore hear you the word of the Lord, you afflicted men, and you princes of this people that is in Jerusalem.
15 Ninyi mnajisifu, “Tumefanya agano na mauti, tumefanya mapatano na kuzimu. Wakati pigo lifurikalo litakapopita, haliwezi kutugusa sisi, kwa kuwa tumefanya uongo kuwa kimbilio letu na miungu ya uongo kuwa mahali petu pa kujificha.” (Sheol h7585)
Because you have said, We have made a covenant with Hades, and agreements with death; if the rushing storm should pass, it shall not come upon us: we have made falsehood our hope, and by falsehood shall we be protected: (Sheol h7585)
16 Kwa hiyo hivi ndivyo Bwana Mwenyezi asemavyo: “Tazama, ninaweka jiwe katika Sayuni, jiwe lililojaribiwa, jiwe la pembeni la thamani kwa ajili ya msingi thabiti. Yeye atumainiye kamwe hatatiwa hofu.
Therefore thus says the Lord, [even] the Lord, Behold, I lay for the foundations of Sion a costly stone, a choice, a corner-stone, a precious [stone], for its foundations; and he that believes [on him] shall by no means be ashamed.
17 Nitaifanya haki kuwa kamba ya kupimia na uadilifu kuwa timazi; mvua ya mawe itafagia kimbilio lenu, huo uongo, nayo maji yatafurikia mahali penu pa kujificha.
And I will cause judgement [to be] for hope, and my compassion shall be for [just] measures, and you that trust vainly in falsehood [shall fall]: for the storm shall by no means pass by you,
18 Agano lenu na kifo litabatilishwa, patano lenu na kuzimu halitasimama. Wakati pigo lifurikalo litakapowakumba, litawaangusha chini. (Sheol h7585)
except it also take away your covenant of death, and your trust in Hades shall by no means stand: if the rushing storm should come upon you, you shall be beaten down by it. (Sheol h7585)
19 Kila mara lijapo litawachukua, asubuhi baada ya asubuhi, wakati wa mchana na wakati wa usiku, litawakumba tangu mwanzo hadi mwisho.” Kuuelewa ujumbe huu utaleta hofu tupu.
Whenever it shall pass by, it shall take you; morning by morning it shall pass by in the day, and in the night there shall be an evil hope. Learn to hear,
20 Kitanda ni kifupi mno kujinyoosha juu yake, nguo ya kujifunikia ni nyembamba mno mtu hawezi kujifunikia.
you that are distressed; we can’t fight, but we are ourselves too weak for you to be gathered.
21 Bwana atainuka kama alivyofanya kwenye Mlima Perasimu, ataghadhibika kama alivyofanya katika Bonde la Gibeoni: ili kufanya kazi yake, kazi yake ya ajabu, ili kutimiza kazi yake, kazi yake ngeni.
The Lord shall rise up as a mountain of ungodly [men], and shall be in the valley of Gabaon; he shall perform his works with wrath, [even] a work of bitterness, and his wrath shall deal strangely, and his destruction shall be strange.
22 Sasa acheni dharau zenu, la sivyo minyororo yenu itakuwa mizito zaidi. Bwana, Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, ameniambia habari za maangamizi yaliyoamriwa dhidi ya nchi yote.
Therefore do not you rejoice, neither let your bands be made strong; for I have heard of works finished and cut short by the Lord of hosts, which he will execute upon all the earth.
23 Sikilizeni msikie sauti yangu, tegeni masikio na msikie niyasemayo.
Listen, and hear my voice; attend, and hear my words.
24 Wakati mkulima alimapo ili apande, je, hulima siku zote? Je, huendelea kubomoa ardhi na kusawazisha udongo?
Will the ploughman plough all the day? or will he prepare the seed beforehand, before he tills the ground?
25 Akiisha kusawazisha shamba, je, hatapanyi mbegu za bizari na kutawanya jira? Je, hapandi ngano katika sehemu yake, shayiri katika eneo lake, na nafaka nyingine katika shamba lake?
Does he not, when he has levelled the surface thereof, then sow the small black poppy, or cumin, and afterward sow wheat, and barley, and millet, and bread-corn in your borders?
26 Mungu wake humwelekeza na kumfundisha njia iliyo sahihi.
So you shall be chastened by the judgement of your God, and shall rejoice.
27 Iliki haipurwi kwa nyundo, wala gurudumu la gari halivingirishwi juu ya jira; iliki hupurwa kwa fimbo, na jira kwa ufito.
For the black poppy is not cleansed with harsh treatment, nor will a wagon-wheel pass over the cumin; but the black poppy is threshed with a rod, and the cumin shall be eaten with bread;
28 Nafaka lazima isagwe ili kutengeneza mkate, kwa hiyo mtu haendelei kuipura daima. Ingawa huendesha magurudumu ya gari lake la kupuria juu yake, farasi wake hawasagi.
for I will not be angry with you for ever, neither shall the voice of my anger crush you.
29 Haya yote pia hutoka kwa Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, mwenye mashauri ya ajabu, na anayepita wote kwa hekima.
And these signs came forth from the Lord of hosts. Take counsel, exalt vain comfort.
