Isaya 49
1 Nisikilizeni, enyi visiwa, sikieni hili, ninyi mataifa mlio mbali: Kabla sijazaliwa, Bwana aliniita, tangu kuzaliwa kwangu, amelitaja jina langu.
Listen to Me, O islands; pay attention, O distant peoples: The LORD called Me from the womb; from the body of My mother He named Me.
2 Akafanya kinywa changu kuwa kama upanga ulionolewa, katika uvuli wa mkono wake akanificha; akanifanya kuwa mshale uliosuguliwa, na kunificha katika podo lake.
He made My mouth like a sharp sword; He hid Me in the shadow of His hand. He made Me like a polished arrow; He hid Me in His quiver.
3 Akaniambia, “Wewe u mtumishi wangu, Israeli, ambaye katika yeye nitaonyesha utukufu wangu.”
He said to Me, “You are My Servant, Israel, in whom I will display My glory.”
4 Lakini nilisema, “Nimetumika bure, nimetumia nguvu zangu bure bila faida. Hata hivyo linalonistahili liko mkononi mwa Bwana, nao ujira wangu uko kwa Mungu wangu.”
But I said, “I have labored in vain, I have spent My strength in futility and vanity; yet My vindication is with the LORD, and My reward is with My God.”
5 Sasa Bwana asema: yeye aliyeniumba tumboni kuwa mtumishi wake, kumrudisha tena Yakobo kwake na kumkusanyia Israeli, kwa maana nimepata heshima machoni pa Bwana, naye Mungu wangu amekuwa nguvu yangu;
And now says the LORD, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, to bring Jacob back to Him, that Israel might be gathered to Him— for I am honored in the sight of the LORD, and My God is My strength—
6 yeye asema: “Je, ni jambo dogo sana wewe kuwa mtumishi wangu ili kurejeza makabila ya Yakobo, na kuwarudisha wale Waisraeli niliowahifadhi? Pia nitakufanya uwe nuru kwa ajili ya watu wa Mataifa, ili upate kuleta wokovu wangu hata miisho ya dunia.”
He says: “It is not enough for You to be My Servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the protected ones of Israel. I will also make You a light for the nations, to bring My salvation to the ends of the earth.”
7 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana, yeye Mkombozi na Aliye Mtakatifu wa Israeli, kwake yeye aliyedharauliwa na kuchukiwa na taifa, kwa mtumishi wa watawala: “Wafalme watakuona na kusimama, wakuu wataona na kuanguka kifudifudi, kwa sababu ya Bwana, aliye mwaminifu, yeye Aliye Mtakatifu wa Israeli, aliyekuchagua wewe.”
Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel, to Him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the Servant of rulers: “Kings will see You and rise, and princes will bow down, because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen You.”
8 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: “Wakati wangu uliokubalika nitakujibu, nami katika siku ya wokovu nitakusaidia; nitakuhifadhi, nami nitakufanya kuwa agano kwa ajili ya watu, ili kurudisha nchi na kugawanyia urithi tena wale waliokuwa ukiwa,
This is what the LORD says: “In the time of favor I will answer You, and in the day of salvation I will help You; I will keep You and appoint You to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land, to apportion its desolate inheritances,
9 kuwaambia mateka, ‘Tokeni nje,’ nao wale walio gizani, ‘Kuweni huru!’ “Watajilisha kando ya barabara na kupata malisho yao juu ya kila kilima kilicho kitupu.
to say to the prisoners, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.’ They will feed along the pathways, and find pasture on every barren hill.
10 Hawataona njaa wala kuona kiu, wala hari ya jangwani au jua halitawapiga. Yeye mwenye huruma juu yao atawaonyesha njia, na kuwaongoza kando ya chemchemi za maji.
They will not hunger or thirst, nor will scorching heat or sun beat down on them. For He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water.
11 Nitaifanya milima yangu yote kuwa barabara, na njia kuu zangu zitainuliwa.
I will turn all My mountains into roads, and My highways will be raised up.
12 Tazama, watakuja kutoka mbali: wengine kutoka kaskazini, wengine kutoka magharibi, wengine kutoka nchi ya Sinimu.”
Behold, they will come from far away, from the north and from the west, and from the land of Aswan.”
13 Pigeni kelele kwa furaha, enyi mbingu; furahi, ee dunia; pazeni sauti kwa kuimba, enyi milima! Kwa maana Bwana anawafariji watu wake, naye atakuwa na huruma kwa watu wake walioumizwa.
Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; break forth in song, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted His people, and He will have compassion on His afflicted ones.
14 Lakini Sayuni alisema, “Bwana ameniacha, Bwana amenisahau.”
But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me; the Lord has forgotten me!”
15 “Je, mama aweza kumsahau mtoto aliyeko matitini mwake akinyonya, wala asiwe na huruma juu ya mtoto aliyemzaa? Ingawa anaweza kusahau, mimi sitakusahau wewe!
“Can a woman forget her nursing child, or lack compassion for the son of her womb? Even if she could forget, I will not forget you!
16 Tazama, nimekuchora kama muhuri katika vitanga vya mikono yangu, kuta zako zi mbele yangu daima.
Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are ever before Me.
17 Wana wako wanaharakisha kurudi, nao wale waliokuteka wanaondoka kwako.
Your builders hasten back; your destroyers and wreckers depart from you.
18 Inua macho yako ukatazame pande zote: wana wako wote wanakusanyika na kukujia. Kwa hakika kama vile niishivyo, utawavaa wote kama mapambo, na kujifunga nao kama bibi arusi,” asema Bwana.
Lift up your eyes and look around. They all gather together; they come to you. As surely as I live,” declares the LORD, “you will wear them all as jewelry and put them on like a bride.
19 “Ingawa uliangamizwa na kufanywa ukiwa, na nchi yako ikaharibiwa, sasa nafasi itakuwa finyu kwa ajili ya watu wako, nao wale waliokuangamiza watakuwa mbali sana.
For your ruined and desolate places and your ravaged land will now indeed be too small for your people, and those who devoured you will be far away.
20 Watoto waliozaliwa wakati wa msiba wako bado watakuambia, ‘Mahali hapa ni finyu sana kwetu, tupe eneo kubwa zaidi la kuishi.’
Yet the children of your bereavement will say in your hearing, ‘This place is too small for us; make room for us to live here.’
21 Ndipo utasema moyoni mwako, ‘Ni nani aliyenizalia hawa? Nilikuwa nimefiwa, tena tasa; nilikuwa nimehamishwa na kukataliwa. Ni nani aliyewalea hawa? Niliachwa peke yangu, lakini hawa wametoka wapi?’”
Then you will say in your heart, ‘Who has begotten these for me? I was bereaved and barren; I was exiled and rejected. So who has reared them? Look, I was left all alone, so where did they come from?’”
22 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenyezi: “Tazama, nitawaashiria watu wa Mataifa, nitainua bendera yangu kwa mataifa; watawaleta wana wako mikononi yao, na kuwabeba binti zenu juu ya mabega yao.
This is what the Lord GOD says: “Behold, I will lift up My hand to the nations, and raise My banner to the peoples. They will bring your sons in their arms and carry your daughters on their shoulders.
23 Wafalme watakuwa baba zenu wa kuwalea, na malkia wao watakuwa mama zenu wa kuwalea. Watasujudu mbele yako nyuso zao zikigusa ardhi; wataramba mavumbi yaliyo miguuni mwako. Ndipo utajua ya kuwa Mimi ndimi Bwana; wale wanaonitumaini mimi hawataaibika.”
Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow to you facedown and lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in Me will never be put to shame.”
24 Je, nyara zaweza kuchukuliwa kutoka kwa mashujaa wa vita, au mateka kuokolewa kutoka kwa watu wakali?
Can the plunder be snatched from the mighty, or the captives of a tyrant be delivered?
25 Lakini hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: “Naam, mateka watachukuliwa kutoka kwa mashujaa, na nyara zitapokonywa kutoka kwa watu wakali. Nitashindana na wale wanaoshindana nawe, nami nitawaokoa watoto wako.
Indeed, this is what the LORD says: “Even the captives of the mighty will be taken away, and the plunder of the tyrant will be retrieved; I will contend with those who contend with you, and I will save your children.
26 Nitawafanya wale wanaokuonea kula nyama yao wenyewe, watalewa kwa damu yao wenyewe, kama vile kwa mvinyo. Ndipo wanadamu wote watajua ya kuwa Mimi, Bwana, ni Mwokozi wako, Mkombozi wako, niliye Mwenye Nguvu wa Yakobo.”
I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh; they will be drunk on their own blood, as with wine. Then all mankind will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”
