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, you people of Israel, listen to Yahweh, the one who established your nation. The one who caused you to become a nation [DOU] says this: “Do not be afraid, because I previously rescued you. I enabled you to have a personal relationship with me [MTY], and you belong to me.
2 Unapopita kwenye maji makuu, nitakuwa pamoja nawe, unapopita katika mito ya maji, hayatakugharikisha. Utakapopita katika moto, hutaungua, miali ya moto haitakuunguza.
When you [experience dangerous situations], and [you feel like] [MET] you are crossing deep rivers, I will be with you. When you have very big troubles/difficulties, you will [LIT] be able to endure them. When [people try to kill you like they tried to kill Daniel’s three friends by] throwing them in a fire, you will not [die, just like Daniel’s three friends were not] burned up,
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.
because I am Yahweh, your God, the Holy One of Israel, the one who rescues you. I will enable [the army of the emperor of Persia] to conquer Egypt instead of conquering you; similarly I will enable them to conquer Ethiopia, and Seba [in Arabia], in order that you can be saved.
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.
I will cause other countries to be conquered, instead of your country; I will trade them for you, in order that you will not be killed, because you are very precious [DOU] to me and because I love you.
5 Usiogope, kwa kuwa mimi nipo pamoja nawe, nitawaleta watoto wako kutoka mashariki, na kukukusanya kutoka magharibi.
Do not be afraid, because I am with you. [Some day] I will gather your descendants from the east and from the west.
6 Nitaiambia kaskazini, ‘Watoe!’ nayo kusini, ‘Usiwazuie.’ Walete wana wangu kutoka mbali, na binti zangu kutoka miisho ya dunia:
I will command the [rulers of the nations to] the north and to the south, ‘Allow all the people of Israel to return [to their country], from the most distant places on the earth.
7 kila mmoja ambaye ameitwa kwa Jina langu, niliyemuumba kwa utukufu wangu, niliyemhuluku na kumfanya.”
Allow all those who belong to me [MTY] to return, because I have caused them to become a nation in order that they would honor me; I am the one who has done that [DOU].’
8 Uwaongoze wale wenye macho lakini hawaoni, wenye masikio lakini hawasikii.
Summon the people who have eyes but [it is as though] they are blind; summon those who have ears but [because they do not listen to me, it is as though] they are deaf.
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.”
Gather people of all nations together, ones from all people-groups, [and ask them this]: ‘Has any of their idols foretold the things that are happening now? And can any of them predict what will happen in the future?’ Then bring people who will testify and say ‘I heard them predict things, and what they predicted was what happened,’ [but they will be lying].”
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.
But Yahweh says, “You people of Israel (are my witnesses/know what I have done), and you are the ones who serve me. I chose you in order that you would know me, believe in me, and understand that I am the only one who is [truly] God. There is no other [true] God. There was no other [true] God previously, and there will never be another [true] God.
11 Mimi, naam mimi, ndimi Bwana, zaidi yangu hakuna mwokozi.
I, [only] I, am Yahweh, and there is no other one who can save you.
12 Nimedhihirisha, kuokoa na kutangaza: Mimi, wala si mungu mgeni katikati yenu. Ninyi ni mashahidi wangu,” asema Bwana, “kwamba Mimi ndimi Mungu.
I said that I would rescue [your ancestors], and then I rescued them, and I proclaimed [that I had done it]. No foreign god among you did that! And you are witnesses that only I, Yahweh, am God.
13 Naam, tangu siku za kale, Mimi ndiye. Hakuna hata mmoja awezaye kuokoa kutoka mkononi wangu. Mimi ninapotenda, ni nani awezaye kutangua?”
I am God, the one who has existed forever and who will exist forever; no one can snatch people from my hand, and no one can alter/change what I have done.”
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.
Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel, is the one who rescues you; and this is what he says: “For your sake, I will send [an army] to [attack] Babylon. They will force the people of that city to flee in ships which they have been proud of.
15 Mimi ndimi Bwana, yeye Aliye Mtakatifu wako, Muumba wa Israeli, Mfalme wako.”
I am Yahweh, your Holy One, the one who caused Israel to become a nation, and the one who is really your king.
16 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana, yeye aliyefanya njia baharini, mahali pa kupita kwenye maji mengi,
I am Yahweh, the one who opened a path through the water, making a road through the [Red] Sea.
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:
Then I summoned the great army [of Egypt] to come with all their chariots and horses. [But when they tried to pursue my people], I caused the waves to flow over them [and they drowned]; their lives ended [like the light of a candle ends when someone] [MET] snuffs out the wick.
18 “Msiyakumbuke mambo yaliyopita, wala msiyatafakari mambo ya zamani.
But do not think [only] about what happened in the past, long ago [DOU].
19 Tazama, nitafanya jambo jipya! Sasa litachipuka, je, hamtalitambua? Nitafanya njia jangwani na vijito vya maji katika nchi kame.
Instead, consider the new thing that I am going to do. I have already started to do it; can you see it? I am going to make a road through the desert. And I will cause there to be streams in the wasteland/desert.
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 jackals/wolves and owls and other wild creatures will thank me for giving them water in the desert. I will cause streams to appear in the dry desert in order that my people, the ones whom I have chosen, will have water;
21 watu wale niliowaumba kwa ajili yangu, ili wapate kutangaza sifa zangu.
I will do that for the people whom I have created [and chosen] to belong to me, and [some day] they will cause many others to praise me.
22 “Hata hivyo hukuniita mimi, ee Yakobo, hujajitaabisha kwa ajili yangu, ee Israeli.
But now, you descendants of Jacob, you refuse to request my help. It seems that you people of Israel have become tired of worshiping me.
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 brought to me sheep or goats for offerings that will be completely burned [on the altar]; you have not honored me by [bringing to me any] sacrifices, even though the offerings of grain and incense [that I asked you] to bring to me were not a burden to you.
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 bought for me fragrant reeds, and you have brought me the fat from your sacrifices. But these have not pleased me, because you have burdened me by all the sins that you have committed, and made me weary because of all (your iniquities/the wrong things that you have done).
25 “Mimi, naam mimi, ndimi nizifutaye dhambi zako, kwa ajili yangu mwenyewe, wala sizikumbuki dhambi zako tena.
I am the one who is able to forgive you for all your sins; I am the only one who can do that, with the result that I will never think about them again.
26 Tafakari mambo yaliyopita, njoo na tuhojiane, leta shauri lako uweze kupewa haki yako.
Tell me what I have done that you do not like. Do you think that when you state your case, you will prove that you (are innocent/have done nothing wrong) [IRO]?
27 Baba yako wa kwanza alitenda dhambi, wasemaji wako wameasi dhidi yangu.
No, [what has happened is that] the first ancestor of you Israelis sinned [against me], and since then, all your leaders have rebelled against me.
28 Kwa hiyo nitawaaibisha wakuu wa Hekalu lako, nami nitamtoa Yakobo aangamizwe, na Israeli adhihakiwe.
That is why I have caused your priests to be disgraced; and I have allowed others to destroy you people of Israel and caused you to be despised.”
