Isaya 46
1 Beli anasujudu hadi nchi, Nebo anainama; sanamu zao zabebwa na wanyama wa mizigo. Vinyago hivi mnavyobeba kila mahali ni mzigo wa kulemea, mzigo kwa waliochoka.
[It is as though] Bel and Nebo, the statues of the gods [of Babylonia], are bowing down as those statues are put on animals and carried away! The statues are heavy burdens and will cause the animals to become tired [SAR]!
2 Vinyago pamoja na wale wanaovibeba wanainama chini; hiyo miungu haiwezi kuwaokoa watu, wote wanakwenda utumwani pamoja.
[It seems like] both gods are bowing down; not only can they not save themselves, but they themselves are being (exiled/taken to another country)!
3 “Nisikilizeni mimi, ee nyumba ya Yakobo, ninyi nyote mliobaki wa nyumba ya Israeli, ninyi ambao nimewategemeza tangu mlipotungwa mimba, nami nimewabeba tangu kuzaliwa kwenu.
[Yahweh says], “You descendants of Jacob who were exiled, [I am not like the gods of Babylonia that must be carried]; [instead, it is as though] I have carried you since you first became a nation [MET]. I carried you [even] before you became a nation.
4 Hata mpaka wakati wa uzee wenu na mvi, Mimi ndiye, Mimi ndiye nitakayewasaidia ninyi. Nimewahuluku, nami nitawabeba, nitawasaidia ninyi na kuwaokoa.
I will be your God, and I will carry you for many years, until [it is as though] [MET] your nation is an old man with gray hair. I caused [you to become a nation], and I will sustain you and rescue you.
5 “Mtanilinganisha na nani, au mtanihesabu kuwa sawa na nani? Ni nani mtakayenifananisha naye ili tuweze kulinganishwa?
There is certainly [RHQ] no one to whom I can be compared. There is [RHQ] no one who is equal to me [DOU].
6 Wengine humwaga dhahabu kutoka kwenye mifuko yao, na kupima fedha kwenye mizani; huajiri mfua dhahabu kutengeneza mungu, kisha huisujudia na kuiabudu.
[So it is stupid/ridiculous that] some people pour out gold and silver from their bags and weigh it on a scale. [Then] they hire a man who makes things from gold to make an idol from it. [After he makes an idol], they bow down and worship it!
7 Huiinua mabegani na kuichukua; huiweka mahali pake, papo hapo ndipo isimamapo. Wala haiwezi kusogea kutoka mahali pale. Ingawa mtu huililia, haimjibu; haiwezi kumwokoa kwenye taabu zake.
They lift it up and carry it on their shoulders. They put it in a [special] place, and it stays there. It cannot move! And when someone prays to it, it does not answer. So [obviously] it cannot rescue anyone from his troubles!
8 “Kumbukeni hili, litieni akilini, liwekeni moyoni, enyi waasi.
[You people of Judah], do not forget this; keep thinking about it, you sinful people!
9 Kumbukeni mambo yaliyopita, yale ya zamani za kale; mimi ndimi Mungu, wala hakuna mwingine; mimi ndimi Mungu, wala hakuna mwingine aliye kama mimi.
Think about the things [that I did] long ago. Only I am God; I am God, and there is no one like me.
10 Ni mimi nitangazaye mwisho tangu mwanzo, naam, tangu zamani za kale, mambo ambayo hayajatendeka. Ninasema: Kusudi langu ndilo litakalosimama, nami nitatenda mapenzi yangu yote.
Only I can tell what will happen in the future before it occurs; I tell it long before it happens. I will accomplish everything that I plan to accomplish, and I will do everything that I want to do.
11 Kutoka mashariki ninaita ndege awindaye; kutoka nchi ya mbali, mtu atakayetimiza kusudi langu. Lile ambalo nimelisema, ndilo nitakalolitimiza; lile nililolipanga, ndilo nitakalolitenda.
So I will summon [someone to come] from the east [like a swift and powerful] eagle; he will come from a distant country. He will accomplish what I want him to. [He is the one who] will do what I have said that I want him to do, what I have planned.
12 Nisikilizeni, ninyi wenye mioyo migumu, ninyi mlio mbali na haki.
You stubborn people [of Israel], [you think that] it will be a long time before you are allowed to return to your own country.
13 Ninaleta haki yangu karibu, haiko mbali; wala wokovu wangu hautachelewa. Nitawapa Sayuni wokovu, Israeli utukufu wangu.
But I will rescue you, and it will not be a long time [before that happens]. I will do it soon. I will rescue Jerusalem and show to you Israeli [people] that I am glorious.”
