< Isaya 57 >
1 Mwenye haki hupotea, wala hakuna hata mmoja awazaye hilo moyoni mwake; watu wanaomcha Mungu huondolewa, wala hakuna hata mmoja anayeelewa kuwa wenye haki wameondolewa ili wasipatikane na maovu.
Righteous people [sometimes] die [when they are still young], and no one is concerned about it. Godly people [sometimes] die because of disasters, and no one understands why. They are taken away in order that they will not endure more calamities,
2 Wale waendao kwa unyofu huwa na amani; hupata pumziko walalapo mautini.
and now they have peace. They [continually] lived righteously, and [now] they rest [peacefully] in their graves.
3 “Lakini ninyi: Njooni hapa, ninyi wana wa wachawi, ninyi wazao wa wazinzi na makahaba!
[Yahweh says, ] “But you who practice sorcery, come here! You who worship idols [MET], [listen to me]!
4 Mnamdhihaki nani? Ni nani mnayemcheka kwa dharau, na kumtolea ndimi zenu? Je, ninyi si watoto wa waasi, uzao wa waongo?
Do you realize [RHQ] whom you are ridiculing, and whom you are insulting? Do you realize [RHQ] to whom you are sticking out your tongues? [You are insulting me, Yahweh]! You are [RHQ] always rebelling against me and always lying.
5 Mnawaka tamaa katikati ya mialoni na chini ya kila mti uliotanda matawi; mnawatoa kafara watoto wenu kwenye mabonde na chini ya majabali yenye mianya.
You are eager to have sex under every [big] green tree where you worship your gods. You kill your children as sacrifices [to your idols] in the dry riverbeds, and [also] offer them [as sacrifices to your idols] in the rocky caves.
6 “Sanamu zilizo katikati ya mawe laini ya mabondeni ndizo fungu lenu; hizo ndizo sehemu yenu. Naam, kwa hizo mmemimina sadaka za vinywaji, na kutoa sadaka za nafaka. Katika haya yote, niendelee kuona huruma?
[You take big] smooth stones from the riverbeds and worship them as your gods. You pour out [wine] to be an offering to them, and you bring grain [to burn for] an offering to them. Do you think that I should not punish you for doing all those things?
7 Umeweka kitanda chako juu kwenye kilima kirefu kilichoinuka, huko ulikwenda kutoa dhabihu zako.
You have sex [EUP] [with cult prostitutes] on every hill and mountain, and you go there to offer sacrifices [to your gods].
8 Nyuma ya milango yako na miimo yako umeweka alama zako za kipagani. Kwa kuniacha mimi, ulifunua kitanda chako, umepanda juu yake na kukipanua sana; ulifanya patano na wale ambao unapenda vitanda vyao, nawe uliangalia uchi wao.
You have put (fetishes/pagan symbols) behind your doors and doorposts, and you have deserted me. You have taken off your clothes [EUP] and climbed into your bed and invited more [of your lovers] to come to bed with you. You have paid them to have sex with you, and you have fondled their sexual organs.
9 Ulikwenda kwa Moleki ukiwa na mafuta ya zeituni, na ukaongeza manukato yako. Ukawatuma wajumbe wako mbali sana, ukashuka kwenye kaburi lenyewe! (Sheol )
You have given [fragrant] oil and lots of perfume to your god Molech, and you sent messengers to distant countries [to find other gods to worship]; you [even tried to] send [messengers] to the place of the dead [to search for new gods]. (Sheol )
10 Ulikuwa umechoshwa na njia zako zote, lakini hukusema, ‘Hakuna tumaini.’ Ulipata uhuisho wa nguvu zako, kwa sababu hiyo hukuzimia.
You became weary because of doing all those things, but you never said, ‘It is useless [for us to do that].’ You found new strength for worshiping idols, so you continued to do that [LIT].
11 “Ni nani uliyemhofu hivyo na kumwogopa hata ukawa mwongo kwangu, wala hukunikumbuka au kutafakari hili moyoni mwako? Si ni kwa sababu nimekuwa kimya muda mrefu hata huniogopi?
Was it because you were afraid [of those idols more than you were afraid of me] that you lied [about what you were doing], and you do not even think about [DOU, RHQ] me? Was it because I did not punish you for a long time that you are not afraid of me [RHQ]?
12 Nitaifunua haki yako na matendo yako, nayo hayatakufaidi.
You [think that] [IRO] the things that you have done are right, but I will tell the truth. It will not help you to do any of those things.
13 Utakapolia kwa kuhitaji msaada, sanamu zako ulizojikusanyia na zikuokoe! Upepo utazipeperusha zote, pumzi peke yake itazipeperusha, Lakini mtu atakayenifanya kimbilio lake, atairithi nchi na kuumiliki mlima wangu mtakatifu.”
When you cry out [for help] to your collection of idols, they will not rescue you. The wind will blow them away [DOU]. But those who trust in me will live in the land [of Israel], and [they will worship me on Zion], my sacred hill.”
14 Tena itasemwa: “Jengeni, jengeni, itengenezeni njia! Ondoeni vikwazo katika njia ya watu wangu.”
Yahweh will say, “Prepare [yourselves to receive] me, [like] [MET] people build and prepare a road [for a king to come on]. Get rid of [the things that are causing you to sin] [like] [MET] people remove from a road (obstacles/things that cause people to stumble).
15 Kwa maana hili ndilo asemalo Aliye juu, yeye aliyeinuliwa sana, yeye aishiye milele, ambaye jina lake ni Mtakatifu: “Ninaishi mimi mahali palipoinuka na patakatifu, lakini pia pamoja na yeye aliye na roho iliyotubu na mwenye roho ya unyenyekevu, ili kuzihuisha roho za wanyenyekevu na kuihuisha mioyo yao waliotubu.
Because this is what [I], Yahweh, who am holy and greatly honored and who live forever, say: I live in the highest heaven, where [everything] is holy, but I also am with those who are humble and who are sorry for the sinful things that they have done. I will greatly encourage [DOU] those who have repented.
16 Sitaendelea kulaumu milele, wala sitakasirika siku zote, kwa kuwa roho ya mwanadamu ingezimia mbele zangu: yaani pumzi ya mwanadamu niliyemuumba.
I will not accuse [people] forever; I will not always be angry [with them], because [if I did that], people would become weak/discouraged; all the people whom I created and caused to live would die.
17 Nilighadhibika na tamaa yake ya dhambi; nilimwadhibu, nikauficha uso wangu kwa hasira, na bado aliendelea katika njia zake za tamaa.
I was angry [with my people] because they sinned by wanting the things that others had. So because I was angry, I punished them and turned away from them, but they continued sinning.
18 Nimeziona njia zake, lakini nitamponya, nitamwongoza na kumrudishia upya faraja,
I have seen the evil things that they continually do, but I will restore them and lead them. I will encourage/comfort them. And to those who are mourning,
19 nikiumba sifa midomoni ya waombolezaji katika Israeli. Amani, amani, kwa wale walio mbali na kwa wale walio karibu,” asema Bwana. “Nami nitawaponya.”
I will enable them to sing songs to praise me. I will restore [all my people], those who live near [Jerusalem] and those who live far away, and I will cause things to go well for them.
20 Bali waovu ni kama bahari ichafukayo, ambayo haiwezi kutulia, mawimbi yake hutupa takataka na matope.
Wicked [people do not have peace in their inner beings]; they are like [SIM] a sea [whose waves are] always churning up mud,
21 Mungu wangu asema, “Hakuna amani kwa waovu.”
and [I], Yahweh, say that things will never (go well/be peaceful) for those who are evil.”