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 proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim. And the fading flower of the beauty of his glory, That [is] on the head of the fat valley of the broken down of 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, a mighty and strong one [is] to the Lord, As a storm of hail—a destructive shower, As an inundation of mighty waters overflowing, He cast down to the earth with the hand.
3 Lile taji la maua, kiburi cha walevi cha Efraimu, kitakanyagwa chini ya nyayo.
The proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim is trodden down by 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 beauty of his glory That [is] on the head of the fat valley, Has been as its first-fruit before summer, That its beholder sees; He swallows it while it [is] yet in his hand.
5 Katika siku ile, Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote atakuwa taji la utukufu, taji zuri la maua kwa mabaki ya watu wake.
In that day YHWH of Hosts is For a crown of beauty, and for a circlet of glory, To 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 for a spirit of judgment To him who is sitting in the judgment, And for might [to] those turning back the battle to 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.
And even these have erred through wine, And have wandered through strong drink, Priest and prophet erred through strong drink, They have been swallowed up of the wine, They wandered because of the strong drink, They have erred in seeing, They have stumbled judicially.
8 Meza zote zimejawa na matapishi wala hakuna sehemu hata ndogo isiyokuwa na uchafu.
For all tables have been full of vomit, Filth—without place!
9 “Yeye anajaribu kumfundisha nani? Yeye anamwelezea nani ujumbe wake? Je, ni kwa watoto walioachishwa kunyonya? Je, ni wale ambao ndipo tu wametolewa matitini?
By whom does He teach knowledge? And by whom does He cause to understand the report? The weaned from milk, the removed from 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 rule on rule, rule on rule, Line on line, line on line, A little here, a little there,
11 Sawa kabisa, kwa midomo migeni na kwa lugha ngeni, Mungu atasema na watu hawa,
For by scorned lip, and by another tongue, Does He 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.
To whom He has said, “This [is] the rest, give rest to the weary, And this—the refreshing”: And they have not been willing to 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 to whom a word of YHWH has been, Rule on rule, rule on rule, Line on line, line on line, A little here, a little there, So that they go and have stumbled backward, And been broken, and snared, and captured.
14 Kwa hiyo sikieni neno la Bwana, enyi watu wenye dharau mnaotawala watu hawa wa Yerusalemu.
Therefore, hear a word of YHWH, you men of scorning, Ruling 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 death, And we have made a provision with Sheol, An overflowing scourge, when it passes over, Does not meet us, Though we have made a lie our refuge, And have been hidden in falsehood.” (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 said Lord YHWH: “Behold, I am laying a foundation in Zion, A stone—a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a settled foundation, He who is believing does 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 have put judgment for a line, And righteousness for a plummet, And hail sweeps away the refuge of lies, And waters overflow the secret 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 has been annulled, And your provision with Sheol does not stand, An overflowing scourge, when it passes over, Then you have been to it for a treading-place. (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.
From the fullness of its passing over it takes you, For it passes over morning by morning, By day and by night, And it has been only a trembling to consider the report.
20 Kitanda ni kifupi mno kujinyoosha juu yake, nguo ya kujifunikia ni nyembamba mno mtu hawezi kujifunikia.
For the bed has been shorter Than to stretch one’s self out in, And the covering has been narrower Than to wrap one’s self up in.
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 as YHWH rises [at] Mount Perazim, As He is troubled [at] the valley in Gibeon, To do His work—strange [is] His work, And to do His deed—strange [is] His deed.”
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 show yourselves scorners, Lest your bands are strong, For a consumption, that is determined, I have heard, by the Lord, YHWH of Hosts, [Is] for all the land.
23 Sikilizeni msikie sauti yangu, tegeni masikio na msikie niyasemayo.
Give ear, and hear my voice, Attend, and hear my saying:
24 Wakati mkulima alimapo ili apande, je, hulima siku zote? Je, huendelea kubomoa ardhi na kusawazisha udongo?
Does the plowman plow the whole day to sow? He opens and harrows 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?
Has he not, if he has made its face level, Then scattered fitches, and sprinkles cumin, And has placed the principal wheat, And the appointed barley, And the rye [in] its own border?
26 Mungu wake humwelekeza na kumfundisha njia iliyo sahihi.
And his God instructs him for judgment, He directs him.
27 Iliki haipurwi kwa nyundo, wala gurudumu la gari halivingirishwi juu ya jira; iliki hupurwa kwa fimbo, na jira kwa ufito.
For fitches are not threshed with a sharp-pointed thing, And the wheel of a cart turned around on cumin, For fitches are beaten out with a staff, And cumin 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.
Bread-[grain] is beaten small, For he does not severely thresh it forever, Nor has a wheel of his cart crushed [it], Nor do his hooves beat it small.
29 Haya yote pia hutoka kwa Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, mwenye mashauri ya ajabu, na anayepita wote kwa hekima.
Even this from YHWH of Hosts has gone out, He has made counsel wonderful, He has made wisdom great!
