< Isaya 54 >

1 “Imba, ewe mwanamke tasa, wewe ambaye kamwe hukuzaa mtoto; paza sauti kwa kuimba, piga kelele kwa furaha, wewe ambaye kamwe hukupata utungu; kwa sababu watoto wa mwanamke aliyeachwa ukiwa ni wengi kuliko wa mwanamke mwenye mume,” asema Bwana.
Yahweh says, “You [people of Jerusalem] [MET], start to sing! You [who are like] [MET] women who have never given birth to children, sing loudly and shout joyfully, because you, [who are like] [MET] childless women who have been abandoned [by their husbands], will [soon] have more children than women who have never had any children.
2 “Panua mahali pa hema lako, tandaza mapazia ya hema lako uyaeneze mbali, wala usiyazuie; ongeza urefu wa kamba zako, imarisha vigingi vyako.
Make your tents larger; make them wider, and fasten them firmly with tent pegs.
3 Kwa maana utaenea upande wa kuume na upande wa kushoto; wazao wako watayamiliki mataifa na kukaa katika miji yao iliyoachwa ukiwa.
[You will need to make your city much larger] because [soon] you and your descendants will spread all over the land. They will force the people of [other] nations [who now live in your cities] to leave, and you will live [again] in those cities [that were previously abandoned].
4 “Usiogope, wewe hutaaibika. Usiogope aibu, wewe hutaaibishwa. Wewe utasahau aibu ya ujana wako, wala hutakumbuka tena mashutumu ya ujane wako.
Do not be afraid; you will no [longer] be ashamed. Previously you were ashamed [because your enemies conquered you] and caused many of your women to become widows, but [soon] you will not even remember that.
5 Kwa maana Muumba wako ndiye mume wako, Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote ndilo jina lake, yeye Aliye Mtakatifu wa Israeli ni Mkombozi wako, yeye anaitwa Mungu wa dunia yote.
[I], the Commander of the armies of angels, the Holy one of Israel, who rules over the whole earth, the one who created you, will be [like] [MET] a husband to you.
6 Bwana atakuita urudi kana kwamba ulikuwa mke aliyeachwa na kuhuzunishwa rohoni; kama mke aliyeolewa bado angali kijana na kukataliwa,” asema Mungu wako.
You were like a woman whose husband left her, and caused you to be very sad; you were like a young woman who got married when she was [very] young, and then her husband abandoned her.
7 “Kwa kitambo kidogo nilikuacha, lakini kwa huruma nyingi nitakurudisha.
I abandoned you [people of Jerusalem] for a while, but [now] I am saying, ‘I will take you back.’
8 Katika ukali wa hasira nilikuficha uso wangu kwa kitambo, lakini kwa fadhili za milele nitakuwa na huruma juu yako,” asema Bwana Mkombozi wako.
I was very angry with you for a while, and I turned away from you. But I will act mercifully toward you and I will faithfully love you forever. That is what [I], Yahweh, your protector, say to you.
9 “Kwangu mimi jambo hili ni kama siku za Noa, nilipoapa kuwa maji ya Noa kamwe hayatafunika tena dunia. Hivyo sasa nimeapa sitawakasirikia ninyi, kamwe sitawakemea tena.
During the time that Noah lived, I solemnly promised that I would never again allow a flood to cover the earth. So [now] I solemnly promise that I will not be angry with you again and (rebuke you/threaten to punish you).
10 Ijapotikisika milima, na vilima viondolewe, hata hivyo upendo wangu usiokoma kwenu hautatikisika, wala agano langu la amani halitaondolewa,” asema Bwana, mwenye huruma juu yenu.
Even if the mountains and hills shake and collapse, I will not stop faithfully loving you, and I will not cancel my agreement to cause things to go well for you. That is what [I], Yahweh, who act mercifully, say.
11 “Ewe mji uliyeteswa, uliyepigwa kwa dhoruba na usiyetulizwa, nitakujenga kwa almasi, nitaweka misingi yako kwa yakuti samawi.
You [people of Jerusalem] [APO], [your enemies acted very violently toward you]; [it was as though] your city was battered by a severe storm, and no one helped you. But [now] I will cause your city to be rebuilt with stones made of (turquoise/valuable stones), and I will cause the foundations of the city to be made of (sapphires/valuable blue stones).
12 Nitafanya minara yako ya akiki, malango yako kwa vito vingʼaavyo, nazo kuta zako zote za vito vya thamani.
I will cause the towers on the city wall to be made of (rubies/valuable red stones), and all the gates of the city will be made of [other] very valuable stones.
13 Watoto wako wote watafundishwa na Bwana, nayo amani ya watoto wako itakuwa kuu.
I will be the one who will teach you people and cause things to go well with you.
14 Kwa haki utathibitika: Kuonewa kutakuwa mbali nawe; hutaogopa chochote. Hofu itakuwa mbali nawe; haitakukaribia wewe.
Your [government] will be strong because of acting justly/fairly; no one will (oppress you/cause you to suffer); you will not be afraid, because there will be nothing [PRS] that will (terrorize you/cause you to become extremely afraid).
15 Kama mtu yeyote akikushambulia, haitakuwa kwa ruhusa yangu; yeyote akushambuliaye atajisalimisha kwako.
If any army attacks you, it will not be because I have incited them to do that, and you will defeat any group that attacks you.
16 “Tazama, ni mimi niliyemuumba mhunzi, yeye afukutaye makaa kuwa moto, na kutengeneza silaha inayofaa kwa kazi yake. Tena ni mimi niliyemwambia mharabu kufanya uharibifu mwingi.
Think about this: (Blacksmiths/Men who make things from metal) fan the coals to make a very hot flame in order to produce weapons that can be used [in battles], but I am the one who has produced blacksmiths! And I am also the one who created people who destroy [other people and cities].
17 Hakuna silaha itakayofanyizwa dhidi yako itakayofanikiwa, nawe utauthibitisha kuwa mwongo kila ulimi utakaokushtaki. Huu ndio urithi wa watumishi wa Bwana na hii ndiyo haki yao itokayo kwangu,” asema Bwana.
[But I am promising you that I will] not allow you to be defeated/injured by soldiers using weapons that have been made to attack you, and when others try to accuse you, you will (refute them/show that they are wrong). That is the reward that I will give to the people who serve me; I will defend them; that is what [I], Yahweh, promise.”

< Isaya 54 >

A Dove is Sent Forth from the Ark
A Dove is Sent Forth from the Ark