Isaya 44
1 “Lakini sasa sikiliza, ee Yakobo, mtumishi wangu, Israeli, niliyemchagua.
But now hear, Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen.
2 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana, yeye aliyekuhuluku, aliyekuumba tumboni, yeye atakayekusaidia: Usiogope, ee Yakobo, mtumishi wangu, Yeshuruni, niliyekuchagua.
Thus saith the Lord God that made thee, and he that formed thee from the womb; Thou shalt yet be helped: fear not, my servant Jacob; and beloved Israel, whom I have chosen.
3 Kwa maana nitamimina maji juu ya nchi yenye kiu, na vijito vya maji juu ya ardhi iliyokauka; nitamimina Roho wangu juu ya watoto wako, nayo baraka yangu juu ya wazao wako.
For I will give water to the thirsty that walk in a dry land: I will put my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessings upon thy children:
4 Nao watachipua kama manyasi katika shamba la majani, kama mierezi kando ya vijito vya maji yatiririkayo.
and they shall spring up as grass between brooks, and as willows on [the banks of] running water.
5 Mmoja atasema, ‘Mimi ni wa Bwana’; mwingine atajiita kwa jina la Yakobo; vilevile mwingine ataandika juu ya mkono wake, ‘Wa Bwana,’ na kujiita kwa jina la Israeli.
One shall say, I am God's; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall write with his hand, I am God's, and shall call himself by the name of Israel.
6 “Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana, Mfalme wa Israeli na Mkombozi, Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: Mimi ni wa kwanza na Mimi ni wa mwisho; zaidi yangu hakuna Mungu.
Thus saith God the King of Israel, and the God of hosts that delivered him; I am the first, and I am hereafter: beside me there is no God.
7 Ni nani basi aliye kama mimi? Yeye na atangaze. Yeye atangaze na kuweka mbele yangu ni kitu gani kilichotokea tangu nilipoumba watu wangu wa kale, tena ni nini kitakachotokea: naam, yeye na atoe unabii ni nini kitakachokuja.
Who is like me? let him stand, and call, and declare, and prepare for me from the time that I made man for ever; and let them tell you the things that are coming before they arrive.
8 Msitetemeke, msiogope. Je, sikutangaza hili, na kutoa unabii tangu zamani? Ninyi ni mashahidi wangu. Je, yuko Mungu zaidi yangu mimi? Hasha, hakuna Mwamba mwingine; mimi simjui mwingine.”
Hide not yourselves, nor go astray: have ye not heard from the beginning, and [have not] I told you? ye are witnesses if there is a God beside me.
9 Wote wachongao sanamu ni ubatili, navyo vitu wanavyovithamini havifai kitu. Wale ambao wanazitetea ni vipofu, ni wajinga, nao waaibika.
But they that framed [false gods] did not then hearken; and they that graved [images] are all vain, performing their own desires, which shall not profit them, but they shall be ashamed
10 Ni nani atengenezaye mungu na kusubu sanamu, ambayo haiwezi kumfaidia kitu chochote?
that form a god, and all that grave worthless things:
11 Yeye pamoja na wenziwe wa aina yake wataaibishwa, mafundi wao si kitu ila ni wanadamu tu. Wote wakusanyike pamoja na kuwa na msimamo wao, watashushwa chini kwa hofu na kwa fedheha.
and all by whom they were made are withered: yea, let all the deaf be gathered from [among] men, and let them stand together; and let them be ashamed and confounded together:
12 Muhunzi huchukua kifaa na kukifanyia kazi kwenye makaa ya moto, hutengeneza sanamu kwa nyundo, huifanyiza kwa nguvu za mkono wake. Huona njaa na kupoteza nguvu zake, asipokunywa maji huzimia.
For the artificer sharpens the iron; he fashions [the idol] with an axe, and fixes it with an awl, and fashions it with the strength of his arm: and he will be hungry and weak, and will drink no water.
13 Seremala hupima kwa kutumia kamba na huuchora mstari kwa kalamu; huchonga kwa patasi na kutia alama kwa bikari. Huifanyiza katika umbo la binadamu, la mwanadamu katika utukufu wake wote, ili iweze kukaa katika sehemu yake ya ibada ya miungu.
The artificer having chosen a piece of wood, marks it out with a rule, and fits it with glue, and makes it as the form of a man, and as the beauty of a man, to set it up in the house.
14 Hukata miti ya mierezi, huchukua mtiriza au mwaloni. Huuacha ukue miongoni mwa miti ya msituni, au hupanda msunobari, nayo mvua huufanya ukue.
He cuts wood out of the forest, which the Lord planted, [even] a pine tree, and the rain made it grow,
15 Ni kuni ya binadamu: yeye huchukua baadhi yake na kuota moto, huwasha moto na kuoka mkate. Lakini pia huutumia kumtengeneza mungu na akamwabudu, huitengeneza sanamu na kuisujudia.
that it might be for men to burn: and having taken part of it he warms himself; yea, they burn part of it, and bake loaves thereon; and [of] the rest they make for themselves gods, and they worship them.
16 Sehemu ya kuni huziweka motoni, akapikia chakula chake, hubanika nyama na kula hadi ashibe. Huota moto na kusema, “Aha! Ninahisi joto, ninaona moto.”
Half thereof he burns in the fire, and with half of it he bakes loaves on the coals; and having roasted flesh on it he eats, and is satisfied, and having warmed himself he says, I am comfortable, for I have warmed myself, and have seen the fire.
17 Mabaki yake hutengeneza mungu, sanamu yake; yeye huisujudia na kuiabudu. Huiomba na kusema, “Niokoe; wewe ni mungu wangu.”
And the rest he makes a graven god, and worships, and prays, saying, Deliver me; for thou art my God.
18 Hawajui chochote, hawaelewi chochote, macho yao yamefungwa hata hawawezi kuona, akili zao zimefungwa hata hawawezi kufahamu.
They have no understanding to perceive; for they have been blinded so that they should not see with their eyes, nor perceive with their heart.
19 Hakuna anayefikiri, hakuna mwenye maarifa wala ufahamu wa kusema, “Sehemu yake nilitumia kwa kuni; hata pia nilioka mkate juu ya makaa yake, nikabanika nyama na kuila. Je, nifanye machukizo kwa kile kilichobaki? Je, nisujudie gogo la mti?”
And one has not considered in his mind, nor known in his understanding, that he has burnt up half of it in the fire, and baked loaves on the coals thereof and has roasted and eaten flesh, and of the rest of it he has made an abomination, and they worship it.
20 Hujilisha kwa majivu, moyo uliodanganyika humpotosha; hawezi kujiokoa mwenyewe, au kusema, “Je, kitu hiki kilichoko katika mkono wangu wa kuume si ni uongo?”
Know thou that their heart is ashes, and they err, and no one is able to deliver his soul: see, ye will not say, [There is a] lie in my right hand.
21 “Ee Yakobo, kumbuka mambo haya, ee Israeli, kwa kuwa wewe ni mtumishi wangu. Nimekuumba wewe, wewe ni mtumishi wangu. Ee Israeli, sitakusahau.
Remember these things, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant; I have formed thee [to be] my servant: and do thou, Israel, not forget me.
22 Nimeyafuta makosa yako kama wingu, dhambi zako kama ukungu wa asubuhi. Nirudie mimi, kwa kuwa nimekukomboa wewe.”
For behold, I have blotted out as a cloud thy transgressions, and thy sin as darkness: turn to me, and I will redeem thee.
23 Enyi mbingu, imbeni kwa furaha, kwa maana Bwana amefanya jambo hili. Ee vilindi vya dunia, piga kelele. Enyi milima, pazeni sauti kwa nyimbo, enyi misitu na miti yenu yote, kwa maana Bwana amemkomboa Yakobo, ameuonyesha utukufu wake katika Israeli.
Rejoice, ye heavens; for God has had mercy upon Israel: sound the trumpet, ye foundations of the earth: ye mountains, shout [with] joy, ye hills, and all the trees therein: for God has redeemed Jacob, and Israel shall be glorified.
24 “Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana, Mkombozi wako, aliyekuumba tumboni: “Mimi ni Bwana, niliyeumba vitu vyote, niliyezitanda mbingu peke yangu, niliyeitandaza nchi mwenyewe,
Thus saith the Lord that redeems thee, and who formed thee from the womb, I am the Lord that performs all things: I stretched out the heaven alone, and established the earth.
25 “mimi huzipinga ishara za manabii wa uongo, na kuwatia upumbavu waaguzi, niyapinduaye maarifa ya wenye hekima, na kuyafanya kuwa upuzi,
Who else will frustrate the tokens of those that have divining spirits, and prophecies from the heart of [man]? turning the wise back, and making their counsel foolishness;
26 niyathibitishaye maneno ya watumishi wake, na kutimiza utabiri wa wajumbe wake, “niambiaye Yerusalemu, ‘Itakaliwa na watu,’ niambiaye miji ya Yuda kuwa, ‘Itajengwa,’ na kuhusu magofu yake, ‘Mimi nitayatengeneza,’
and confirming the word of his servant, and verifying the counsel of his messengers: who says to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Idumea, Ye shall be built, and her desert places shall spring forth.
27 niambiaye kilindi cha maji, ‘Kauka, nami nitakausha vijito vyako,’
Who says to the deep, Thou shalt be dried up, and I will dry up the rivers.
28 nisemaye kuhusu Koreshi, ‘Yeye ni mchungaji wangu, naye atatimiza yote yanipendezayo; atauambia Yerusalemu, “Ukajengwe tena,” na kuhusu Hekalu, “Misingi yake na iwekwe.”’
Who bids Cyrus be wise, and he shall perform all my will: who says to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built, and I will lay the foundation of my holy house.
