Isaya 36
1 Katika mwaka wa kumi na nne wa utawala wa Mfalme Hezekia, Senakeribu mfalme wa Ashuru akaishambulia miji yote ya Yuda yenye ngome na kuiteka.
Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of the reign of Ezekias, [that] Sennacherim, king of the Assyrians, came up against the strong cities of Judea, and took them.
2 Kisha mfalme wa Ashuru akamtuma jemadari wa jeshi pamoja na jeshi kubwa kutoka Lakishi hadi kwa Mfalme Hezekia huko Yerusalemu. Jemadari wa jeshi akasimama kwenye mfereji wa Bwawa la Juu, lililojengwa katika barabara iendayo kwenye Uwanja wa Dobi.
And the king of the Assyrians sent Rabsaces out of Laches to Jerusalem to king Ezekias with a large force: and he stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the way of the fuller's field.
3 Eliakimu mwana wa Hilkia aliyekuwa msimamizi wa jumba la kifalme, Shebna aliyekuwa katibu, na Yoa mwana wa Asafu mwandishi wakamwendea.
And there went forth to him Heliakim the steward, the [son] of Chelcias, and Somnas the scribe, and Joach the [son] of Asaph, the recorder.
4 Jemadari wa jeshi akawaambia, “Mwambieni Hezekia, “‘Hili ndilo asemalo mfalme mkuu, mfalme wa Ashuru: Ni wapi unapoweka hili tumaini lako?
And Rabsaces said to them, Say to Ezekias, Thus says the great king, the king of the Assyrians, Why are you secure?
5 Unasema mnayo mikakati na nguvu za kijeshi, lakini unasema maneno matupu tu. Je, wewe unamtegemea nani, hata ukaniasi mimi?
Is war carried on with counsel and [mere] words of the lips? and now on whom do you trust, that you rebel against me?
6 Tazama sasa, unaitegemea Misri, fimbo ile ya mwanzi uliopasuka, ambayo huuchoma na kuujeruhi mkono wa mtu akiiegemea! Hivyo ndivyo alivyo Farao mfalme wa Misri, kwa wote wanaomtegemea.
Behold, you trust on this bruised staff of reed, on Egypt: [as soon] as a man leans upon it, it shall go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharao king of Egypt and all that trust in him.
7 Nawe kama ukiniambia, “Tunamtumainia Bwana Mungu wetu”: je, siyo yeye ambaye Hezekia aliondoa mahali pake pa juu pa kuabudia miungu na madhabahu zake, akiwaambia Yuda na Yerusalemu, “Ni lazima mwabudu mbele ya madhabahu haya”?
But if you say, We trust in the Lord our God;
8 “‘Njooni sasa, fanyeni mapatano na bwana wangu, mfalme wa Ashuru: Nitakupa farasi elfu mbili, kama unaweza kuwapandisha waendesha farasi juu yao!
yet now make an agreement with my lord the king of the Assyrians, and I will give you two thousand horses, if you shall be able to set riders upon them.
9 Utawezaje kumzuia hata afisa mmoja aliye mdogo kati ya maafisa wa bwana wangu, ijapo unategemea Misri kwa magari ya vita na wapanda farasi?
And how can you [then] turn to the face of the satraps? They that trust on the Egyptians for horse and rider, are [our] servants.
10 Zaidi ya hayo, je, nimekuja kushambulia na kuangamiza nchi hii bila Bwana? Bwana mwenyewe ndiye aliniambia niishambulie nchi hii na kuiangamiza.’”
And now, Have we come up against this land to fight against it without the Lord? The Lord said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.
11 Ndipo Eliakimu, Shebna na Yoa wakamwambia yule jemadari wa jeshi, “Tafadhali zungumza na watumishi wako kwa lugha ya Kiaramu, kwa kuwa tunaifahamu. Usiseme nasi kwa Kiebrania watu walioko juu ya ukuta wakiwa wanasikia.”
Then Eliakim and Somnas and Joach said to him, Speak to your servants in the Syrian tongue; for we understand [it]: and speak not to us in the Jewish tongue: and therefore speak you in the ears of the men on the wall?
12 Lakini yule jemadari wa jeshi akajibu, “Je, bwana wangu amenituma kutoa ujumbe huu kwa bwana wenu na kwenu tu? Je, hakunituma pia kwa watu walioketi ukutani, ambao, kama ninyi, itawabidi kula mavi yao na kunywa mikojo yao wenyewe?”
And Rabsaces said to them, Has my lord sent me to your lord or to you, to speak these words? [has he] not [sent] me to the men that sit on the wall, that they may eat dung, and drink [their] water together with you?
13 Kisha yule jemadari wa jeshi akasimama na kuita kwa lugha ya Kiebrania, akasema: “Sikieni maneno ya mfalme mkuu, mfalme wa Ashuru!
And Rabsaces stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jewish language, and said, Hear you the words of the great king, the king of the Assyrians:
14 Hili ndilo asemalo mfalme: Msikubali Hezekia awadanganye. Hawezi kuwaokoa!
thus says the king, Let not Ezekias deceive you with words: he will not be able to deliver you.
15 Msikubali Hezekia awashawishi kumtumaini Bwana kwa kuwaambia, ‘Hakika Bwana atatuokoa. Mji huu hautaangukia mikononi mwa mfalme wa Ashuru.’
And let not Ezekias say to you, That God will deliver you, and this city will not at all be delivered into the hand of the king of the Assyrians.
16 “Msimsikilize Hezekia. Hili ndilo mfalme wa Ashuru asemalo: Fanyeni amani nami na mje kwangu. Kisha kila mmoja wenu atakula kutoka kwa mzabibu wake na mtini wake mwenyewe, na kunywa maji kutoka kisima chake mwenyewe,
Listen not to Ezekias: thus says the king of the Assyrians, If you wish to be blessed, come out to me: and you shall eat every one [of] his vine and his fig-trees, and you shall drink water out of your own cisterns:
17 mpaka nije nikawapeleke katika nchi iliyo kama nchi yenu wenyewe, nchi ya nafaka na divai mpya, nchi ya mkate na ya mashamba ya mizabibu.
until I come and take you to a land, like your own land, a land of corn and wine, and bread, and vineyards.
18 “Msikubali Hezekia awapotoshe asemapo, ‘Bwana atatuokoa.’ Je, yuko mungu wa taifa lolote aliyewahi kuokoa nchi yake kutoka mkononi mwa mfalme wa Ashuru?
Let not Ezekias deceive you, saying, God will deliver you. Have the gods of the nations delivered each one his own land out of the hand of the king of the Assyrians?
19 Iko wapi miungu ya Hamathi na ya Arpadi? Iko wapi miungu ya Sefarvaimu? Je, imeokoa Samaria kutoka mkononi mwangu?
Where is the god of Emath, and Arphath? and where is the god of Eppharuaim? have they been able to deliver Samaria out of my hand?
20 Ni yupi miongoni mwa miungu yote ya nchi hizi ameweza kuokoa nchi yake mkononi mwangu? Inawezekanaje basi Bwana aiokoe Yerusalemu mkononi mwangu?”
Which is the god of all these nations, that has delivered his land out of my hand, that God should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?
21 Lakini wale watu wakakaa kimya, wala hawakujibu lolote, kwa kuwa mfalme alikuwa amewaamuru, “Msimjibu lolote.”
And they were silent, and none answered him a word; because the king had commanded that none should answer.
22 Kisha Eliakimu mwana wa Hilkia msimamizi wa jumba la kifalme, Shebna katibu, na Yoa mwana wa Asafu, mwandishi wakamwendea Hezekia, nguo zao zikiwa zimeraruliwa, na kumwambia yale jemadari wa jeshi aliyoyasema.
And Heliakim the [son] of Chelcias, the steward, and Somnas the military scribe, and Joach the [son] of Asaph, the recorder, came in to Ezekias, having their garments tore, and they reported to him the words of Rabsaces.
