Isaya 40
1 Wafarijini, wafarijini watu wangu, asema Mungu wenu.
“Comfort, comfort My people,” says your God.
2 Sema na Yerusalemu kwa upole, umtangazie kwamba kazi yake ngumu imekamilika, kwamba dhambi yake imefanyiwa fidia, kwamba amepokea kutoka mkononi mwa Bwana maradufu kwa ajili ya dhambi zake zote.
“Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her forced labor has been completed; her iniquity has been pardoned. For she has received from the hand of the LORD double for all her sins.”
3 Sauti ya mtu aliaye: “Itengenezeni jangwani njia ya Bwana, nyoosheni njia kuu nyikani kwa ajili ya Mungu wetu.
A voice of one calling: “Prepare the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert.
4 Kila bonde litainuliwa, kila mlima na kilima kitashushwa; penye mabonde patanyooshwa, napo palipoparuza patasawazishwa.
Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill made low; the uneven ground will become smooth, and the rugged land a plain.
5 Utukufu wa Bwana utafunuliwa, nao wanadamu wote watauona pamoja. Kwa maana kinywa cha Bwana kimenena.”
And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all humanity together will see it.
6 Sauti husema, “Piga kelele.” Nami nikasema, “Nipige kelele gani?” “Wanadamu wote ni kama majani, nao utukufu wao wote ni kama maua ya kondeni.
A voice says, “Cry out!” And I asked, “What should I cry out?” “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field.
7 Majani hunyauka na maua huanguka, kwa sababu pumzi ya Bwana huyapuliza. Hakika wanadamu ni majani.
The grass withers and the flowers fall when the breath of the LORD blows on them; indeed, the people are grass.
8 Majani hunyauka na maua huanguka, lakini neno la Mungu wetu ladumu milele.”
The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.”
9 Wewe uletaye habari njema Sayuni, panda juu ya mlima mrefu. Wewe uletaye habari njema Yerusalemu, inua sauti yako kwa kupiga kelele, inua sauti, usiogope; iambie miji ya Yuda, “Yuko hapa Mungu wenu!”
Go up on a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news. Raise your voice loudly, O Jerusalem, herald of good news. Lift it up, do not be afraid! Say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!”
10 Tazameni, Bwana Mwenyezi anakuja na nguvu, nao mkono wake ndio utawalao kwa ajili yake. Tazameni, ujira wake u pamoja naye, nayo malipo yake yanafuatana naye.
Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and His arm establishes His rule. His reward is with Him, and His recompense accompanies Him.
11 Huchunga kundi lake kama mchungaji wa mifugo: Hukusanya wana-kondoo katika mikono yake na kuwachukua karibu na moyo wake, huwaongoza taratibu wale wanyonyeshao.
He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads the nursing ewes.
12 Ni nani aliyepima maji ya bahari kwenye konzi ya mkono wake, au kuzipima mbingu kwa shibiri yake? Ni nani aliyeyashika mavumbi ya dunia katika kikapu, au kupima milima kwenye kipimio na vilima kwenye mizani?
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or marked off the heavens with the span of his hand? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on a scale and the hills with a balance?
13 Ni nani aliyeyafahamu mawazo ya Bwana, au kumfundisha akiwa kama mshauri wake?
Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or informed Him as His counselor?
14 Ni nani ambaye Bwana ametaka shauri kwake ili kumwelimisha, naye ni nani aliyemfundisha njia iliyo sawa? Ni nani aliyemfundisha maarifa au kumwonyesha mapito ya ufahamu?
Whom did He consult to enlighten Him, and who taught Him the paths of justice? Who imparted knowledge to Him and showed Him the way of understanding?
15 Hakika mataifa ni kama tone ndani ya ndoo, ni kama vumbi jembamba juu ya mizani, huvipima visiwa kana kwamba vilikuwa vumbi laini.
Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are considered a speck of dust on the scales; He lifts up the islands like fine dust.
16 Lebanoni hautoshi kwa moto wa madhabahuni, wala wanyama wake hawatoshi kwa sadaka za kuteketezwa.
Lebanon is not sufficient for fuel, nor its animals enough for a burnt offering.
17 Mbele yake mataifa yote ni kama si kitu, yanaonekana yasio na thamani na zaidi ya bure kabisa.
All the nations are as nothing before Him; He regards them as nothingness and emptiness.
18 Basi, utamlinganisha Mungu na nani? Utamlinganisha na kitu gani?
To whom will you liken God? To what image will you compare Him?
19 Kwa habari ya sanamu, fundi huisubu, naye mfua dhahabu huifunika kwa dhahabu na kuitengenezea mikufu ya fedha.
To an idol that a craftsman casts and a metalworker overlays with gold and fits with silver chains?
20 Mtu aliye maskini sana asiyeweza kuleta sadaka kama hii huuchagua mti usiooza. Humtafuta fundi stadi wa kusimamisha sanamu ambayo haitatikisika.
To one bereft of an offering who chooses wood that will not rot, who seeks a skilled craftsman to set up an idol that will not topple?
21 Je, hujui? Je, hujasikia? Je, hujaambiwa tangu mwanzo? Je, hujafahamu tangu kuumbwa kwa dunia?
Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been declared to you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the foundation of the earth?
22 Anakaa kwenye kiti cha enzi juu ya duara ya dunia, nao watu wakaao ndani yake ni kama panzi. Huzitandaza mbingu kama chandarua, na kuzitandaza kama hema la kuishi.
He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth; its dwellers are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.
23 Huwafanya wakuu kuwa si kitu, na kuwashusha watawala wa dunia hii kuwa kitu bure.
He brings the princes to nothing and makes the rulers of the earth meaningless.
24 Mara baada ya kupandwa, mara baada ya kutiwa ardhini, mara baada ya kutoa mizizi yao ardhini, ndipo huwapulizia nao wakanyauka, nao upepo wa kisulisuli huwapeperusha kama makapi.
No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner have their stems taken root in the ground, than He blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like stubble.
25 “Utanilinganisha mimi na nani? Au ni nani anayelingana nami?” asema yeye Aliye Mtakatifu.
“To whom will you liken Me, or who is My equal?” asks the Holy One.
26 Inueni macho yenu mtazame mbinguni: Ni nani aliyeumba hivi vyote? Ni yeye aletaye nje jeshi la nyota moja baada ya nyingine na kuziita kila moja kwa jina lake. Kwa sababu ya uweza wake mkuu na nguvu zake kuu, hakuna hata mojawapo inayokosekana.
Lift up your eyes on high: Who created all these? He leads forth the starry host by number; He calls each one by name. Because of His great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.
27 Kwa nini unasema, ee Yakobo, nanyi ee Israeli, kulalamika, “Njia yangu imefichwa Bwana asiione, Mungu wangu hajali shauri langu?”
Why do you say, O Jacob, and why do you assert, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD, and my claim is ignored by my God”?
28 Je wewe, hufahamu? Je wewe, hujasikia? Bwana ni Mungu wa milele, Muumba wa miisho ya dunia. Hatachoka wala kulegea, wala hakuna hata mmoja awezaye kuupima ufahamu wake.
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary; His understanding is beyond searching out.
29 Huwapa nguvu waliolegea na huongeza nguvu za wadhaifu.
He gives power to the faint and increases the strength of the weak.
30 Hata vijana huchoka na kulegea, nao vijana wanaume hujikwaa na kuanguka,
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall.
31 bali wale wamtumainio Bwana atafanya upya nguvu zao. Watapaa juu kwa mbawa kama tai; watapiga mbio wala hawatachoka, watatembea kwa miguu wala hawatazimia.
But those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.
