< Isaya 38 >
1 Katika siku hizo Hezekia akaugua, naye akawa karibu kufa. Nabii Isaya mwana wa Amozi akaenda kwake na kumwambia, “Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: Tengeneza mambo ya nyumba yako, kwa sababu utakufa, hutapona.”
In those days Hezekiah was sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, Thus saith Jehovah: Set thy house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.
2 Hezekia akaelekeza uso wake ukutani, akamwomba Bwana:
And Hezekiah turned his face to the wall, and prayed to Jehovah,
3 “Ee Bwana, kumbuka jinsi nilivyoenenda mbele zako kwa uaminifu na kujitoa kwa moyo wangu wote, na kufanya yaliyo mema machoni pako.” Naye Hezekia akalia kwa uchungu.
and said, Ah, Jehovah, remember, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept much.
4 Ndipo neno la Bwana likamjia Isaya, kusema:
And the word of Jehovah came to Isaiah, saying,
5 “Nenda ukamwambie Hezekia, ‘Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana, Mungu wa baba yako Daudi: Nimeyasikia maombi yako na nimeona machozi yako. Nitakuongezea miaka kumi na mitano katika maisha yako.
Go and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of David thy father: I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add to thy days fifteen years.
6 Nami nitakuokoa wewe pamoja na mji huu mkononi mwa mfalme wa Ashuru. Nitaulinda mji huu.
And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city.
7 “‘Hii ndiyo ishara ya Bwana kwako ya kwamba Bwana atafanya kile alichoahidi:
And this [shall be] the sign to thee from Jehovah, that Jehovah will do this thing that he hath spoken:
8 Nitafanya kivuli cha jua kwenye ngazi iliyojengwa na Ahazi kirudi nyuma madaraja kumi.’” Hivyo jua likarudi nyuma madaraja kumi ambayo lilikuwa limeshuka.
behold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees which hath gone down with the sun on the dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward. So the sun returned on the dial ten degrees, by which it had gone down.
9 Maandiko ya Hezekia mfalme wa Yuda baada ya kuugua kwake na kupona:
The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick and had recovered from his sickness:
10 Nilisema, “Katika ustawi wa maisha yangu, je, ni lazima nipite katika malango ya mauti, na kupokonywa miaka yangu iliyobaki?” (Sheol )
I said, In the meridian of my days I shall go to the gates of Sheol: I am deprived of the rest of my years. (Sheol )
11 Nilisema, “Sitamwona tena Bwana, Bwana katika nchi ya walio hai, wala sitamtazama tena mwanadamu, wala kuwa na wale ambao sasa wanakaa katika ulimwengu huu.
I said, I shall not see Jah, Jah in the land of the living. With those who dwell where all has ceased to be, I shall behold man no more.
12 Kama hema la mchunga mifugo, nyumba yangu imebomolewa na kutwaliwa kutoka kwangu. Kama mfumaji nimevingirisha maisha yangu, naye amenikatilia mbali kutoka kitanda cha mfumi. Mchana na usiku uliyakomesha maisha yangu.
Mine age is departed, and is removed from me as a shepherd's tent. I have cut off like a weaver my life. He separateth me from the thrum: — from day to night thou wilt make an end of me.
13 Nilingoja kwa uvumilivu hadi mapambazuko, lakini alivunja mifupa yangu yote kama simba. Mchana na usiku uliyakomesha maisha yangu.
I kept still until the morning; ...as a lion, so doth he break all my bones. From day to night thou wilt make an end of me.
14 Nililia kama mbayuwayu au korongo, niliomboleza kama hua aombolezaye. Macho yangu yalififia nilipotazama mbinguni. Ee Bwana, ninataabika, njoo unisaidie!”
Like a swallow [or] a crane, so did I chatter; I mourned as a dove; mine eyes failed [with looking] upward: Lord, I am oppressed; undertake for me.
15 Lakini niseme nini? Amesema nami, naye yeye mwenyewe amelitenda hili. Nitatembea kwa unyenyekevu katika miaka yangu yote kwa sababu ya haya maumivu makali ya nafsi yangu.
What shall I say? He hath both spoken unto me, and himself hath done [it]. I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul.
16 Bwana, kwa mambo kama haya watu huishi, nayo roho yangu hupata uzima katika hayo pia. Uliniponya na kuniacha niishi.
Lord, by these things [men] live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit; and thou hast recovered me, and made me to live.
17 Hakika ilikuwa ya faida yangu ndiyo maana nikapata maumivu makali. Katika upendo wako ukaniokoa kutoka shimo la uharibifu; umeziweka dhambi zangu zote nyuma yako.
Behold, instead of peace I had bitterness upon bitterness; but thou hast in love delivered my soul from the pit of destruction; for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.
18 Kwa maana kaburi haliwezi kukusifu, mauti haiwezi kuimba sifa zako; wale washukao chini shimoni hawawezi kuutarajia uaminifu wako. (Sheol )
For not Sheol shall praise thee, nor death celebrate thee; they that go down into the pit do not hope for thy truth. (Sheol )
19 Walio hai, walio hai: hao wanakusifu, kama ninavyofanya leo. Baba huwaambia watoto wao habari za uaminifu wako.
The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth.
20 Bwana ataniokoa, nasi tutaimba kwa vyombo vya nyuzi siku zote za maisha yetu katika Hekalu la Bwana.
Jehovah was [purposed] to save me. — And we will play upon my stringed instruments all the days of our life, in the house of Jehovah.
21 Isaya alikuwa amesema, “Tengenezeni dawa ya kubandika ya tini, mweke juu ya jipu, naye atapona.”
Now Isaiah had said, Let them take a cake of figs, and lay it for a plaster upon the boil, and he shall recover.
22 Hezekia alikuwa ameuliza, “Kutakuwa na ishara gani kwamba nitapanda kwenda Hekalu la Bwana?”
And Hezekiah had said, What is the sign that I shall go up into the house of Jehovah?