Isaya 52
1 Amka, amka, ee Sayuni, jivike nguvu. Vaa mavazi yako ya fahari, ee Yerusalemu, mji mtakatifu. Asiyetahiriwa na aliye najisi hataingia kwako tena.
[You people who live in the] holy city of Jerusalem [APO], wake up! Be strong again! Show that [MTY] your city is beautiful and glorious; foreigners who do not believe in God will not enter your city again [to attack you].
2 Jikungʼute mavumbi yako, inuka, uketi kwenye kiti cha enzi, ee Yerusalemu. Jifungue minyororo iliyo shingoni mwako, ee Binti Sayuni uliye mateka.
People of Jerusalem, get up from [humbly] sitting in the dust and sit in places where people are honored! You people who have returned from being exiled, take off from your neck the chains which were fastened around you [as slaves in Babylonia],
3 Kwa kuwa hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: “Mliuzwa pasipo malipo, nanyi mtakombolewa bila fedha.”
because this is what Yahweh says: “[When you were taken to Babylonia], no one paid me for doing that. So now I will bring you back without [being required to] pay for you!”
4 Kwa maana hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenyezi: “Hapo kwanza watu wangu walishuka Misri kuishi, hatimaye, Ashuru wakawaonea.
Yahweh [our] Lord [also] says this: “Long ago, my people went to Egypt to live there. [Later] they were being (oppressed/treated cruelly) by [the soldiers of] Assyria.
5 “Basi sasa nina nini hapa?” asema Bwana. “Kwa kuwa watu wangu wamechukuliwa pasipo malipo, nao wale wanaowatawala wanawadhihaki,” asema Bwana. “Mchana kutwa jina langu limetukanwa bila kikomo.
But now think about what is happening: My people are being forced to be slaves again, this time by the [people of Babylonia]. And [those who have conquered them this time have also] paid me nothing, and they despise me [MTY] continually [DOU].
6 Kwa hiyo watu wangu watalijua Jina langu; kwa hiyo katika siku ile watajua kwamba ndimi niliyetangulia kulisema. Naam, ni mimi.”
But my people will then have a close relationship with [MTY] me, and when that happens, they will know that I am the one who predicted/promised [that it would happen]. It is I, [Yahweh, who will do it].”
7 Tazama jinsi miguu ya wale waletao habari njema ilivyo mizuri juu ya milima, wale wanaotangaza amani, wanaoleta habari njema, wanaotangaza wokovu, wauambiao Sayuni, “Mungu wako anatawala!”
It is a wonderful thing when messengers [MTY] arrive on the mountains/hills, bringing good news, the news about [God giving us] peace and saving us, the news that the God to whom we [Israeli people] belong is now ruling/king!
8 Sikiliza! Walinzi wako wanapaza sauti zao, pamoja wanapaza sauti zao kwa furaha. Wakati Bwana atakaporejea Sayuni, wataliona kwa macho yao wenyewe.
The watchmen [who are guarding the city] will shout and sing joyfully, because while they are watching they will see Yahweh returning to Jerusalem.
9 Pazeni sauti ya nyimbo za furaha pamoja, enyi magofu ya Yerusalemu, kwa maana Bwana amewafariji watu wake, ameikomboa Yerusalemu.
Jerusalem has been ruined, but the people who are there now should start to sing joyfully, because Yahweh will encourage his people; he will set his people free and bring them back to Jerusalem.
10 Mkono mtakatifu wa Bwana umefunuliwa machoni pa mataifa yote, nayo miisho yote ya dunia itaona wokovu wa Mungu wetu.
Yahweh will show all the nations that he is holy and powerful. People in the most remote/distant places on earth will know that he has rescued his people.
11 Ondokeni, ondokeni, tokeni huko! Msiguse kitu chochote kilicho najisi! Tokeni kati yake mwe safi, ninyi mchukuao vyombo vya Bwana.
So, leave [the places where you were taken to when you were captured], where [everything is] unacceptable to God. You men who carry the items used for the worship of Yahweh, leave there [and return to Jerusalem], and purify yourselves [in order to be acceptable to worship God].
12 Lakini hamtaondoka kwa haraka, wala hamtakwenda kwa kukimbia; kwa maana Bwana atatangulia mbele yenu, Mungu wa Israeli atakuwa mlinzi nyuma yenu.
But it will not [be necessary] for you to leave suddenly, to flee in panic, because Yahweh will (go in front of/lead) you; and he will [also] protect you [from being attacked] at the rear [while you travel].
13 Tazama, mtumishi wangu atatenda kwa hekima; atatukuzwa, na kuinuliwa juu, na kukwezwa sana.
[Yahweh says], “Listen carefully! My servant will act wisely (OR, do the right things to accomplish what he wants to), and I will highly exalt him.”
14 Kama walivyokuwa wengi walioshangazwa naye, kwani uso wake ulikuwa umeharibiwa sana zaidi ya mtu yeyote na umbo lake kuharibiwa zaidi ya mfano wa mwanadamu:
But many people will be appalled when they see what has happened to him. [Because of his being beaten very badly], his appearance will be changed; people will hardly recognize that he is a human.
15 hivyo atayashangaza mataifa mengi, nao wafalme watafunga vinywa vyao kwa sababu yake. Kwa kuwa yale ambayo hawakuambiwa, watayaona, nayo yale wasiyoyasikia, watayafahamu.
But he will cause [people of] many nations to be surprised; [even] kings will be silent when they stand in front of him, because they will see someone that no one had told them about [previously], and they will understand things that they had not heard about [before].
