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 of the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley of them that are smitten down with 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 hath a mighty and strong one, as a storm of hail, a tempest of destruction, as a storm of mighty waters overflowing, that casteth down to the earth with violence.
3 Lile taji la maua, kiburi cha walevi cha Efraimu, kitakanyagwa chini ya nyayo.
The crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim shall be trodden under foot;
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 his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be as the first-ripe fig before the summer, which when one looketh upon it, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up.
5 Katika siku ile, Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote atakuwa taji la utukufu, taji zuri la maua kwa mabaki ya watu wake.
In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of His people;
6 Atakuwa roho ya haki kwa yeye aketiye katika kiti cha hukumu, chanzo cha nguvu kwa wale wazuiao vita langoni.
And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn back the battle at the gate.
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.
But these also reel through wine, and stagger through strong drink; the priest and the prophet reel through strong drink, they are confused because of wine, they stagger because of strong drink; they reel in vision, they totter in judgment.
8 Meza zote zimejawa na matapishi wala hakuna sehemu hata ndogo isiyokuwa na uchafu.
For all tables are full of filthy vomit, and no place is clean.
9 “Yeye anajaribu kumfundisha nani? Yeye anamwelezea nani ujumbe wake? Je, ni kwa watoto walioachishwa kunyonya? Je, ni wale ambao ndipo tu wametolewa matitini?
Whom shall one teach knowledge? And whom shall one make to understand the message? Them that are weaned from the milk, them that are drawn 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.”
For it is precept by precept, precept by precept, line by line, line by line; here a little, there a little.
11 Sawa kabisa, kwa midomo migeni na kwa lugha ngeni, Mungu atasema na watu hawa,
For with stammering lips and with a strange tongue shall it be spoken to this people;
12 wale ambao aliwaambia, “Hapa ni mahali pa kupumzika, waliochoka na wapumzike,” na, “Hapa ni mahali pa mapumziko,” lakini hawakutaka kusikiliza.
To whom it was said: 'This is the rest, give ye rest to the weary; and this is the refreshing'; yet 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.
And so the word of the LORD is unto them precept by precept, precept by precept, line by line, line by line; here a little, there a little; that they may go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
14 Kwa hiyo sikieni neno la Bwana, enyi watu wenye dharau mnaotawala watu hawa wa Yerusalemu.
Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scoffers, the ballad-mongers of this people which 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 ye have said: 'We have made a covenant with death, and with the nether-world are we at agreement; when the scouring scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us; for we have made lies our refuge, and in falsehood have we hid ourselves'; (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 saith the Lord GOD: Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a costly corner-stone of sure foundation; he that believeth shall not make haste.
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 make justice the line, and righteousness the plummet; and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding-place.
18 Agano lenu na kifo litabatilishwa, patano lenu na kuzimu halitasimama. Wakati pigo lifurikalo litakapowakumba, litawaangusha chini. (Sheol h7585)
And your covenant with death shall be disannulled and your agreement with the nether-world shall not stand; when the scouring scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden 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.
As often as it passeth through, it shall take you; for morning by morning shall it pass through, by day and by night; and it shall be sheer terror to understand the message.
20 Kitanda ni kifupi mno kujinyoosha juu yake, nguo ya kujifunikia ni nyembamba mno mtu hawezi kujifunikia.
For the bed is too short for a man to stretch himself; and the covering too narrow when he gathereth himself up.
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 rise up as in mount Perazim, He will be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon; that He may do His work, strange is His work, and bring to pass His act, strange is His act.
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.
Now therefore be ye not scoffers, lest your bands be made strong; for an extermination wholly determined have I heard from the Lord, the GOD of hosts, upon the whole land.
23 Sikilizeni msikie sauti yangu, tegeni masikio na msikie niyasemayo.
Give ye ear, and hear my voice; attend, and hear my speech.
24 Wakati mkulima alimapo ili apande, je, hulima siku zote? Je, huendelea kubomoa ardhi na kusawazisha udongo?
Is the plowman never done with plowing to sow, with the opening and harrowing of his 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?
When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the black cummin, and scatter the cummin, and put in the wheat in rows and the barley in the appointed place and the spelt in the border thereof?
26 Mungu wake humwelekeza na kumfundisha njia iliyo sahihi.
For He doth instruct him aright; his God doth teach him.
27 Iliki haipurwi kwa nyundo, wala gurudumu la gari halivingirishwi juu ya jira; iliki hupurwa kwa fimbo, na jira kwa ufito.
For the black cummin is not threshed with a threshing-sledge, neither is a cart-wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the black cummin is beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod.
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.
Is bread corn crushed? Nay, he will not ever be threshing it; and though the roller of his wagon and its sharp edges move noisily, he doth not crush it.
29 Haya yote pia hutoka kwa Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, mwenye mashauri ya ajabu, na anayepita wote kwa hekima.
This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts: Wonderful is His counsel, and great His wisdom.
