Isaya 43
1 Lakini sasa hili ndilo asemalo Bwana, yeye aliyekuumba, ee Yakobo, yeye aliyekuhuluku, ee Israeli: “Usiogope kwa maana nimekukomboa, nimekuita wewe kwa jina lako, wewe u wangu.
But now, says the Lord your Maker, O Jacob, and your life-giver, O Israel: have no fear, for I have taken up your cause; naming you by your name, I have made you mine.
2 Unapopita kwenye maji makuu, nitakuwa pamoja nawe, unapopita katika mito ya maji, hayatakugharikisha. Utakapopita katika moto, hutaungua, miali ya moto haitakuunguza.
When you go through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not go over you: when you go through the fire, you will not be burned; and the flame will have no power over you.
3 Kwa kuwa Mimi ndimi Bwana, Mungu wako, yeye Aliye Mtakatifu wa Israeli, Mwokozi wako. Ninaitoa Misri kuwa fidia yako, Kushi na Seba badala yako.
For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your saviour; I have given Egypt as a price for you, Ethiopia and Seba for you.
4 Kwa kuwa wewe ni wa thamani na wa kuheshimiwa machoni pangu, nami kwa kuwa ninakupenda, nitatoa watu badala yako na mataifa badala ya maisha yako.
Because of your value in my eyes, you have been honoured, and loved by me; so I will give men for you, and peoples for your life.
5 Usiogope, kwa kuwa mimi nipo pamoja nawe, nitawaleta watoto wako kutoka mashariki, na kukukusanya kutoka magharibi.
Have no fear, for I am with you: I will take your seed from the east, and get you together from the west;
6 Nitaiambia kaskazini, ‘Watoe!’ nayo kusini, ‘Usiwazuie.’ Walete wana wangu kutoka mbali, na binti zangu kutoka miisho ya dunia:
I will say to the north, Give them up; and to the south, Do not keep them back; send back my sons from far, and my daughters from the end of the earth;
7 kila mmoja ambaye ameitwa kwa Jina langu, niliyemuumba kwa utukufu wangu, niliyemhuluku na kumfanya.”
Every one who is named by my name, and whom I have made for my glory, who has been formed and designed by me.
8 Uwaongoze wale wenye macho lakini hawaoni, wenye masikio lakini hawasikii.
Send out the blind people who have eyes, and those who have ears, but they are shut.
9 Mataifa yote yanakutanika pamoja, na makabila yanakusanyika. Ni nani miongoni mwao aliyetangulia kutuambia haya, na kututangazia mambo yaliyopita? Walete mashahidi wao ili kuwathibitisha kuwa walikuwa sahihi, ili wengine waweze kusikia, waseme, “Ni kweli.”
Let all the nations come together, and let the peoples be present: who among them is able to make this clear, and give us word of earlier things? let their witnesses come forward, so that they may be seen to be true, and that they may give ear, and say, It is true.
10 “Ninyi ni mashahidi wangu,” asema Bwana, “na mtumishi wangu niliyemchagua, ili mpate kunijua na kuniamini, na kutambua kwamba Mimi ndiye. Kabla yangu hakuna mungu aliyefanyizwa, wala hatakuwepo mwingine baada yangu.
You are my witnesses, says the Lord, and my servant whom I have taken for myself: so that you may see and have faith in me, and that it may be clear to you that I am he; before me there was no God formed, and there will not be after me.
11 Mimi, naam mimi, ndimi Bwana, zaidi yangu hakuna mwokozi.
I, even I, am the Lord; and there is no saviour but me.
12 Nimedhihirisha, kuokoa na kutangaza: Mimi, wala si mungu mgeni katikati yenu. Ninyi ni mashahidi wangu,” asema Bwana, “kwamba Mimi ndimi Mungu.
I gave the word, and made it clear, and there was no strange god among you: for this reason you are my witnesses, says the Lord.
13 Naam, tangu siku za kale, Mimi ndiye. Hakuna hata mmoja awezaye kuokoa kutoka mkononi wangu. Mimi ninapotenda, ni nani awezaye kutangua?”
From time long past I am God, and from this day I am he: there is no one who is able to take you out of my hand: when I undertake a thing, by whom will my purpose be changed?
14 Hili ndilo Bwana asemalo, Mkombozi wako, yeye Aliye Mtakatifu wa Israeli: “Kwa ajili yenu nitatumana Babeli na kuwaleta Wakaldayo wote kama wakimbizi, katika meli walizozionea fahari.
The Lord, who has taken up your cause, the Holy One of Israel, says, Because of you I have sent to Babylon, and made all their seers come south, and the Chaldaeans whose cry is in the ships.
15 Mimi ndimi Bwana, yeye Aliye Mtakatifu wako, Muumba wa Israeli, Mfalme wako.”
I am the Lord, your Holy One, the Maker of Israel, your King.
16 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana, yeye aliyefanya njia baharini, mahali pa kupita kwenye maji mengi,
This is the word of the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, and a road through the deep waters;
17 aliyeyakokota magari ya vita na farasi, jeshi pamoja na askari wa msaada, nao wakalala huko, wala hawatainuka tena kamwe, wakakomeshwa, na wakazimika kama utambi:
Who sends out the war-carriages and the horses, the army with all its force; they have come down, they will not get up again; like a feebly burning light they are put out.
18 “Msiyakumbuke mambo yaliyopita, wala msiyatafakari mambo ya zamani.
Give no thought to the things which are past; let the early times go out of your minds.
19 Tazama, nitafanya jambo jipya! Sasa litachipuka, je, hamtalitambua? Nitafanya njia jangwani na vijito vya maji katika nchi kame.
See, I am doing a new thing; now it is starting; will you not take note of it? I will even make a way in the waste land, and rivers in the dry country.
20 Wanyama wa mwituni wataniheshimu, mbweha na bundi, kwa sababu ninawapatia maji jangwani, na vijito katika nchi kame, ili kuwapa watu wangu maji, wale niliowachagua,
The beasts of the field will give me honour, the jackals and the ostriches: because I send out waters in the waste land, and rivers in the dry country, to give drink to the people whom I have taken for myself:
21 watu wale niliowaumba kwa ajili yangu, ili wapate kutangaza sifa zangu.
Even the people whom I made to be the witnesses of my praise.
22 “Hata hivyo hukuniita mimi, ee Yakobo, hujajitaabisha kwa ajili yangu, ee Israeli.
But you have made no prayer to me, O Jacob: and you have given no thought to me, O Israel.
23 Hujaniletea kondoo kwa ajili ya sadaka za kuteketezwa, wala kuniheshimu kwa dhabihu zako. Sikukulemea kwa sadaka za nafaka wala kukuchosha kwa kuhitaji uvumba.
You have not made me burned offerings of sheep, or given me honour with your offerings of beasts; I did not make you servants to give me an offering, and I did not make you tired with requests for perfumes.
24 Hukuninunulia uvumba wowote wenye manukato, wala hukunipa kwa ukarimu mafuta ya wanyama wa dhabihu zako. Lakini umenilemea kwa dhambi zako, na kunitaabisha kwa makosa yako.
You have not got me sweet-smelling plants with your money, or given me pleasure with the fat of your offerings: but you have made me a servant to your sins, and you have made me tired with your evil doings.
25 “Mimi, naam mimi, ndimi nizifutaye dhambi zako, kwa ajili yangu mwenyewe, wala sizikumbuki dhambi zako tena.
I, even I, am he who takes away your sins; and I will no longer keep your evil doings in mind.
26 Tafakari mambo yaliyopita, njoo na tuhojiane, leta shauri lako uweze kupewa haki yako.
Put me in mind of this; let us take up the cause between us: put forward your cause, so that you may be seen to be in the right.
27 Baba yako wa kwanza alitenda dhambi, wasemaji wako wameasi dhidi yangu.
Your first father was a sinner, and your guides have gone against my word.
28 Kwa hiyo nitawaaibisha wakuu wa Hekalu lako, nami nitamtoa Yakobo aangamizwe, na Israeli adhihakiwe.
Your chiefs have made my holy place unclean, so I have made Jacob a curse, and Israel a thing of shame.
