Isaya 48
1 “Sikilizeni hili, ee nyumba ya Yakobo, ninyi mnaoitwa kwa jina la Israeli, na mnaotoka katika ukoo wa Yuda, ninyi mnaoapa kwa jina la Bwana, mnaomwomba Mungu wa Israeli, lakini si katika kweli au kwa haki;
“Hear this, O house of Jacob, Who are called by the name of Israel, And from the waters of Judah came out, Who are swearing by the Name of YHWH, And make mention of the God of Israel, Not in truth nor in righteousness.
2 ninyi mnaojiita raiya wa mji mtakatifu, na kumtegemea Mungu wa Israeli, Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote ndilo jina lake:
For they have been called from the Holy City, And been supported on the God of Israel, YHWH of Hosts [is] His Name.
3 Nilitoa unabii mambo ya kwanza tangu zamani, kinywa changu kiliyatangaza na kuyafanya yajulikane; kisha ghafula nikayatenda, nayo yakatokea.
I declared the former things from that time, And they have gone forth from My mouth, And I proclaim them, Suddenly I have done, and it comes.
4 Kwa kuwa nalijua jinsi ulivyokuwa mkaidi; mishipa ya shingo yako ilikuwa chuma, kipaji chako cha uso kilikuwa shaba.
From My knowing that you are obstinate, And your neck—a sinew of iron, And your forehead—bronze,
5 Kwa hiyo nilikuambia mambo haya tangu zamani, kabla hayajatokea nilikutangazia ili usije ukasema, ‘Sanamu zangu zilifanya hayo; kinyago changu cha mti na mungu wangu wa chuma aliyaamuru.’
And from that time I declare [it] to you, Before it comes I have caused you to hear, Lest you say, My idol has done them, And my carved image, And my molten image commanded them.
6 Umesikia mambo haya; yaangalie hayo yote. Je, hutayakubali? “Kuanzia sasa na kuendelea nitakueleza mambo mapya, juu ya mambo yaliyofichika usiyoyajua.
You have heard, see the whole of it, And you, do you not declare? I have caused you to hear new things from this time, And things reserved that you did not know.
7 Yameumbwa sasa, wala si tangu zamani; hukupata kuyasikia kabla ya siku ya leo. Hivyo huwezi kusema, ‘Naam, niliyajua hayo.’
Now they have been produced and not from that time, Indeed, before the day, and you have not heard them, Lest you say, Behold, I have known them.
8 Hujayasikia wala kuyaelewa, tangu zamani sikio lako halikufunguka. Ninafahamu vyema jinsi ulivyo mdanganyifu, uliitwa mwasi tangu kuzaliwa kwako.
Indeed, you have not heard, Indeed, you have not known, Indeed, your ear has not opened from that time, For I have known you deal treacherously, And [are] a transgressor from the belly, One is crying to you.
9 Kwa ajili ya Jina langu mwenyewe ninaichelewesha ghadhabu yangu, kwa ajili ya sifa zangu nimeizuia isikupate, ili nisije nikakukatilia mbali.
I defer My anger for My Name’s sake, And [for] My praise I restrain for you, So as not to cut you off.
10 Tazama, nimekusafisha, ingawa si kama fedha, nimekujaribu katika tanuru ya mateso.
Behold, I have refined you, and not with silver, I have chosen you in a furnace of affliction.
11 Kwa ajili yangu mwenyewe, kwa ajili yangu mwenyewe, nafanya hili. Jinsi gani niliache Jina langu lichafuliwe? Sitautoa utukufu wangu kwa mwingine.
For My sake, for My own sake, I do [it], For how is it defiled? And I do not give My glory to another.
12 “Ee Yakobo, nisikilize mimi, Israeli, ambaye nimekuita: Mimi ndiye; mimi ndimi mwanzo na mwisho.
Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, My called one, I [am] He, I [am] first, and I [am] last;
13 Mkono wangu mwenyewe uliweka misingi ya dunia, nao mkono wangu wa kuume umezitanda mbingu; niziitapo, zote husimama pamoja.
Also, My hand has founded earth, And My right hand stretched out the heavens, I am calling to them, they stand together.
14 “Kusanyikeni, ninyi nyote, msikilize: Ni ipi miongoni mwa hizo sanamu ambayo imetabiri vitu hivi? Watu wa Bwana waliochaguliwa na kuungana watatimiza kusudi lake dhidi ya Babeli; mkono wa Mungu utakuwa dhidi ya Wakaldayo.
Be gathered, all of you, and hear, Who among them declared these things? YHWH has loved him, He does His pleasure on Babylon, And His arm [is on] the Chaldeans.
15 Mimi, naam, Mimi, nimenena; naam, nimemwita yeye. Nitamleta, naye atafanikiwa katika lile nililomtuma.
I have spoken, indeed, I have called him, I have brought him in, And he has made his way prosperous.
16 “Nikaribieni na msikilize hili: “Tangu tangazo la kwanza sikusema kwa siri; wakati litokeapo, nitakuwako hapo.” Sasa Bwana Mwenyezi amenituma, kwa Roho wake.
Come near to Me, hear this, I have not spoken in secret from the beginning, From the time of its being, I [am] there, And now Lord YHWH has sent Me, and His Spirit.”
17 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana, Mkombozi wako, yeye Aliye Mtakatifu wa Israeli: “Mimi ni Bwana, Mungu wako, nikufundishaye ili upate faida, nikuongozaye katika njia ikupasayo kuiendea.
Thus said YHWH, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: “I [am] your God YHWH, teaching you to profit, Causing you to tread in the way you go.
18 Laiti ungesikiliza kwa makini maagizo yangu, amani yako ingekuwa kama mto, haki yako kama mawimbi ya bahari.
O that you had attended to My commands, Then your peace is as a river, And your righteousness as billows of the sea,
19 Wazao wako wangekuwa kama mchanga, watoto wako kama chembe zake zisizohesabika; kamwe jina lao lisingefutiliwa mbali, wala kuangamizwa kutoka mbele zangu.”
And your seed is as sand, And the offspring of your bowels as gravel, His name would not be cut off nor destroyed before Me.”
20 Tokeni huko Babeli, kimbieni kutoka kwa Wakaldayo! Tangazeni hili kwa kelele za shangwe na kulihubiri. Lipelekeni mpaka miisho ya dunia; semeni, “Bwana amemkomboa mtumishi wake Yakobo.”
Go out from Babylon, flee from the Chaldeans, Declare with a voice of singing, Cause this to be heard, Bring it forth to the end of the earth, Say, “YHWH has redeemed His servant Jacob.”
21 Hawakuona kiu alipowaongoza kupita jangwani; alifanya maji yatiririke kutoka kwenye mwamba kwa ajili yao; akapasua mwamba na maji yakatoka kwa nguvu.
And they have not thirsted in wastelands, He has caused them to go on, He has caused waters from a rock to flow to them, Indeed, he cleaves a rock, and waters flow.
22 “Hakuna amani kwa waovu,” asema Bwana.
“There is no peace,” said YHWH, “for the wicked!”
