Isaya 44
1 “Lakini sasa sikiliza, ee Yakobo, mtumishi wangu, Israeli, niliyemchagua.
And 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 Jehovah, that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, who helpeth thee, Fear not, Jacob, my servant, and thou, Jeshurun, 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 pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring.
4 Nao watachipua kama manyasi katika shamba la majani, kama mierezi kando ya vijito vya maji yatiririkayo.
And they shall spring up among the grass, as willows by the water-courses.
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 Jehovah's; and another shall call [himself] by the name of Jacob; and another shall write with his hand: [I am] Jehovah's, and surname [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 Jehovah, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, Jehovah of hosts: I [am] the first, and I [am] the last, and 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.
And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? And the coming things, and those that shall happen, let them declare unto them.
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.”
Fear not, neither be afraid. Have I not caused thee to hear from that time, and have declared it? and ye are my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no Rock: I know not any.
9 Wote wachongao sanamu ni ubatili, navyo vitu wanavyovithamini havifai kitu. Wale ambao wanazitetea ni vipofu, ni wajinga, nao waaibika.
They that form a graven image are all of them vanity, and their delectable things are of no profit; and they are their own witnesses: they see not, nor know; — that they may be ashamed.
10 Ni nani atengenezaye mungu na kusubu sanamu, ambayo haiwezi kumfaidia kitu chochote?
Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?
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.
Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed; and the workmen are but men. Let them all be gathered together, let them stand up: they shall fear, they shall be ashamed 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.
The iron-smith [hath] a chisel, and he worketh in the coals, and he fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with his strong arm; — but he is hungry, and his strength faileth; he hath not drunk water, and he is faint.
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 worker in wood stretcheth out a line; he marketh it out with red chalk; he formeth it with sharp tools, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of man: that it may remain 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.
When he heweth him down cedars, he taketh also a holm-oak and a terebinth — he chooseth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth a pine, and the rain maketh [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.
And it shall be for a man to burn, and he taketh thereof, and warmeth himself; he kindleth it also, and baketh bread; he maketh also a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.
16 Sehemu ya kuni huziweka motoni, akapikia chakula chake, hubanika nyama na kula hadi ashibe. Huota moto na kusema, “Aha! Ninahisi joto, ninaona moto.”
He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh, he roasteth roast, and is satisfied; yea, he is warm, and saith, Aha, I am become warm, I have seen the fire.
17 Mabaki yake hutengeneza mungu, sanamu yake; yeye huisujudia na kuiabudu. Huiomba na kusema, “Niokoe; wewe ni mungu wangu.”
And with the remainder thereof he maketh a god, his graven image; he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, 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 knowledge, and understand not; for he hath plastered their eyes, that they may not see; and their hearts, that they may not understand.
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 none taketh it to heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire, and have also baked bread upon the coals thereof, I have roasted flesh, and eaten [it], and with the rest thereof shall I make an abomination? shall I bow down to a block of wood?
20 Hujilisha kwa majivu, moyo uliodanganyika humpotosha; hawezi kujiokoa mwenyewe, au kusema, “Je, kitu hiki kilichoko katika mkono wangu wa kuume si ni uongo?”
He feedeth on ashes; a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not 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: thou art my servant, Israel; thou shalt not be forgotten of me.
22 Nimeyafuta makosa yako kama wingu, dhambi zako kama ukungu wa asubuhi. Nirudie mimi, kwa kuwa nimekukomboa wewe.”
I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed 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.
Sing, ye heavens; for Jehovah hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth; break forth into singing, ye mountains, the forest, and every tree therein! For Jehovah hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.
24 “Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana, Mkombozi wako, aliyekuumba tumboni: “Mimi ni Bwana, niliyeumba vitu vyote, niliyezitanda mbingu peke yangu, niliyeitandaza nchi mwenyewe,
Thus saith Jehovah, thy Redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb: I [am] Jehovah, the maker of all things; who alone stretched out the heavens, who did spread forth the earth by myself;
25 “mimi huzipinga ishara za manabii wa uongo, na kuwatia upumbavu waaguzi, niyapinduaye maarifa ya wenye hekima, na kuyafanya kuwa upuzi,
— he that frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;
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,’
that confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built up, and I will raise up their ruins;
27 niambiaye kilindi cha maji, ‘Kauka, nami nitakausha vijito vyako,’
that saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers;
28 nisemaye kuhusu Koreshi, ‘Yeye ni mchungaji wangu, naye atatimiza yote yanipendezayo; atauambia Yerusalemu, “Ukajengwe tena,” na kuhusu Hekalu, “Misingi yake na iwekwe.”’
that saith of Cyrus, [He is] my shepherd, and he shall perform all my pleasure; even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.
