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 arrogance, to the inebriated of Ephraim, and to the falling flower, the glory of his exultation, to those who were at the top of the very fat valley, staggering from 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 Lord is powerful and steadfast, like a storm of hail, like a crushing whirlwind, like the force of many waters, inundating, sent forth over a spacious land.
3 Lile taji la maua, kiburi cha walevi cha Efraimu, kitakanyagwa chini ya nyayo.
The arrogant crown of the inebriated of Ephraim will be trampled underfoot.
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 falling flower, the glory of his exultation, who is at the summit of the fat valley, will be like a premature fruit before the ripeness of autumn, which, when the onlooker beholds it, as soon he takes it in his hand, he will devour it.
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 will be the crown of glory and the wreath of exultation for the remnant of his people.
6 Atakuwa roho ya haki kwa yeye aketiye katika kiti cha hukumu, chanzo cha nguvu kwa wale wazuiao vita langoni.
And he will be the spirit of judgment for those who sit in judgment, and the strength of those who return from war to the gates.
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.
Yet truly, these also have been ignorant due to wine, and they have gone astray due to inebriation. The priest and the prophet have been ignorant because of inebriation. They have been absorbed by wine. They have staggered in drunkenness. They have not known the One who sees. They have been ignorant of judgment.
8 Meza zote zimejawa na matapishi wala hakuna sehemu hata ndogo isiyokuwa na uchafu.
For all the tables have been filled with vomit and filth, so much so that there was no place left.
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 will he teach knowledge? And to whom will he grant an understanding of what is heard? To those who have been weaned from the milk, who have been pulled away from the breasts.
10 Kwa maana ni: Amri juu ya amri, amri juu ya amri, kanuni juu ya kanuni, kanuni juu ya kanuni; hapa kidogo, kule kidogo.”
So then: command, and command again; command, and command again; expect, and expect again; a little here, and a little there.
11 Sawa kabisa, kwa midomo migeni na kwa lugha ngeni, Mungu atasema na watu hawa,
For with the speech of lips and with a different language, he will speak to this people.
12 wale ambao aliwaambia, “Hapa ni mahali pa kupumzika, waliochoka na wapumzike,” na, “Hapa ni mahali pa mapumziko,” lakini hawakutaka kusikiliza.
He said to them: “This is my rest. Refresh the weary,” and, “This is my refreshment.” And yet they were unwilling to listen.
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.
And so, the word of the Lord to them will be: “Command, and command again; command, and command again; expect, and expect again; a little here, and a little there,” so that they may go forward and fall backward, and so that they may be broken and ensnared and captured.
14 Kwa hiyo sikieni neno la Bwana, enyi watu wenye dharau mnaotawala watu hawa wa Yerusalemu.
Because of this, listen to the word of the Lord, you mocking men, who lord it over my people who are at 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)
For you have said: “We struck a deal with death, and we formed a pact with Hell. When the inundating scourge passes through, it will not overwhelm us. For we have placed our hope in lies, and we are protected by what is false.” (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.
For this reason, thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will set a stone within the foundations of Zion, a tested stone, a cornerstone, a precious stone, which has been established in the foundation: whoever trusts in him need not hurry.
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 establish judgment in weights, and justice in measures. And a hailstorm will overturn hope in what is false; and waters will inundate its protection.
18 Agano lenu na kifo litabatilishwa, patano lenu na kuzimu halitasimama. Wakati pigo lifurikalo litakapowakumba, litawaangusha chini. (Sheol h7585)
And your deal with death will be abolished, and your pact with Hell will not stand. When the inundating scourge passes through, you will be trampled 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 passes through, it will take you away. For, at first light of morning, it will pass through, in the day and in the night, and vexation alone will make you understand what you hear.
20 Kitanda ni kifupi mno kujinyoosha juu yake, nguo ya kujifunikia ni nyembamba mno mtu hawezi kujifunikia.
For the bed has been narrowed, so much so that one alone would fall out, and the short blanket is not able to cover two.
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.
For the Lord will stand, just as at the mountain of divisions. He will be angry, just as in the valley which is in Gibeon, so that he may accomplish his work, his strange work, so that he may complete his work, his work which is foreign even to him.
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.
And now, do not be willing to mock, lest your chains be tightened. For I have heard, from the Lord, the God of hosts, about the consummation and the abridgement concerning the entire earth.
23 Sikilizeni msikie sauti yangu, tegeni masikio na msikie niyasemayo.
Pay close attention, and listen to my voice! Attend and hear my eloquence!
24 Wakati mkulima alimapo ili apande, je, hulima siku zote? Je, huendelea kubomoa ardhi na kusawazisha udongo?
Would the plowman, after plowing all day so that he may sow, instead cut open and hoe his soil?
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?
Will he not, when he has made the surface level, sow coriander, and scatter cumin, and plant wheat in rows, and barley, and millet, and vetch in their places?
26 Mungu wake humwelekeza na kumfundisha njia iliyo sahihi.
For he will be instructed in judgment; his God will teach him.
27 Iliki haipurwi kwa nyundo, wala gurudumu la gari halivingirishwi juu ya jira; iliki hupurwa kwa fimbo, na jira kwa ufito.
For coriander cannot be threshed with a saw, and a cartwheel cannot revolve over cumin. Instead, coriander is shaken out with a stick, and cumin with a staff.
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.
But grain for bread must be crushed. Truly, the thresher cannot thresh it unceasingly, and the cartwheel can neither disrupt it, nor break it with its surface.
29 Haya yote pia hutoka kwa Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, mwenye mashauri ya ajabu, na anayepita wote kwa hekima.
And this has gone forth from the Lord, the God of hosts, so that he may accomplish his miraculous plan and magnify justice.
