Isaya 49
1 Nisikilizeni, enyi visiwa, sikieni hili, ninyi mataifa mlio mbali: Kabla sijazaliwa, Bwana aliniita, tangu kuzaliwa kwangu, amelitaja jina langu.
Listen, O isles, to me; and listen, you people, from far; The LORD has called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother has he made mention of my name.
2 Akafanya kinywa changu kuwa kama upanga ulionolewa, katika uvuli wa mkono wake akanificha; akanifanya kuwa mshale uliosuguliwa, na kunificha katika podo lake.
And he has made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand has he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver has he hid me;
3 Akaniambia, “Wewe u mtumishi wangu, Israeli, ambaye katika yeye nitaonyesha utukufu wangu.”
And said to me, You are my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.
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.”
Then I said, I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work 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 that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be 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.”
And he said, It is a light thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give you for a light to the Gentiles, that you may be my salvation to the end 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 of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despises, to him whom the nation abhors, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose 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,
Thus says the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard you, and in a day of salvation have I helped you: and I will preserve you, and give you for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;
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.
That you may say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Show yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.
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 shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that has mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.
11 Nitaifanya milima yangu yote kuwa barabara, na njia kuu zangu zitainuliwa.
And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.
12 Tazama, watakuja kutoka mbali: wengine kutoka kaskazini, wengine kutoka magharibi, wengine kutoka nchi ya Sinimu.”
Behold, these shall come from far: and, see, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.
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.
Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD has comforted his people, and will have mercy on his afflicted.
14 Lakini Sayuni alisema, “Bwana ameniacha, Bwana amenisahau.”
But Zion said, The LORD has forsaken me, and my 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 sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yes, they may forget, yet will I not forget you.
16 Tazama, nimekuchora kama muhuri katika vitanga vya mikono yangu, kuta zako zi mbele yangu daima.
Behold, I have graven you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.
17 Wana wako wanaharakisha kurudi, nao wale waliokuteka wanaondoka kwako.
Your children shall make haste; your destroyers and they that made you waste shall go forth of 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 round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to you. As I live, says the LORD, you shall surely clothe you with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on you, as a bride does.
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 waste and your desolate places, and the land of your destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swallowed you up shall be far away.
20 Watoto waliozaliwa wakati wa msiba wako bado watakuambia, ‘Mahali hapa ni finyu sana kwetu, tupe eneo kubwa zaidi la kuishi.’
The children which you shall have, after you have lost the other, shall say again in your ears, The place is too strait for me: give place to me that I may dwell.
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 shall you say in your heart, Who has begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? and who has brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where had they been?
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.
Thus says the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring your sons in their arms, and your daughters shall be carried 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.”
And kings shall be your nursing fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers: they shall bow down to you with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of your feet; and you shall know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.
24 Je, nyara zaweza kuchukuliwa kutoka kwa mashujaa wa vita, au mateka kuokolewa kutoka kwa watu wakali?
Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive 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.
But thus says the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contends 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.”
And I will feed them that oppress you with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the LORD am your Savior and your Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.
