Isaya 58
1 “Piga kelele, usizuie. Paza sauti yako kama tarumbeta. Watangazieni watu wangu uasi wao, na kwa nyumba ya Yakobo dhambi zao.
Make a loud cry, do not be quiet, let your voice be sounding like a horn, and make clear to my people their evil doings, and to the family of Jacob their sins.
2 Kwa maana kila siku hunitafuta, wanaonekana kutaka kujua njia zangu, kana kwamba walikuwa taifa linalotenda lililo sawa, na ambalo halijaziacha amri za Mungu wake. Hutaka kwangu maamuzi ya haki, nao hutamani Mungu awakaribie.
Though they make prayer to me every day, and take pleasure in the knowledge of my ways: like a nation which has done righteousness, and has not given up the rules of their God, they make requests to me for the right orders, it is their delight to come near to God.
3 Wao husema, ‘Mbona tumefunga, nawe hujaona? Mbona tumejinyenyekeza, nawe huangalii?’ “Lakini katika siku ya kufunga kwenu, mnafanya mnavyotaka na kuwadhulumu wafanyakazi wenu wote.
They say, Why have we kept ourselves from food, and you do not see it? why have we kept ourselves from pleasure, and you take no note of it? If, in the days when you keep from food, you take the chance to do your business, and get in your debts;
4 Kufunga kwenu huishia kwenye magomvi na mapigano, na kupigana ninyi kwa ninyi kwa ngumi za uovu. Hamwezi kufunga kama mnavyofanya leo na kutazamia sauti zenu kusikiwa huko juu.
If keeping from food makes you quickly angry, ready for fighting and giving blows with evil hands; your holy days are not such as to make your voice come to my ears on high.
5 Je, hii ndiyo aina ya mfungo niliouchagua, siku moja tu ya mtu kujinyenyekeza? Je, ni kwa kuinamisha kichwa chini kama tete, na kwa kujilaza juu ya nguo ya gunia na majivu? Je, huo ndio mnaouita mfungo, siku iliyokubalika kwa Bwana?
Have I given orders for such a day as this? a day for keeping yourselves from pleasure? is it only a question of the bent head, of putting on haircloth, and being seated in the dust? is this what seems to you a holy day, well-pleasing to the Lord?
6 “Je, hii si ndiyo aina ya mfungo niliyoichagua: kufungua minyororo ya udhalimu, na kufungua kamba za nira, kuwaweka huru walioonewa, na kuvunja kila nira?
Is not this the holy day for which I have given orders: to let loose those who have wrongly been made prisoners, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the crushed go free, and every yoke be broken?
7 Je, sio kushirikiana chakula chako na wenye njaa na kuwapatia maskini wasiokuwa na makao hifadhi, unapomwona aliye uchi, umvike, wala si kumkimbia mtu wa nyama na damu yako mwenyewe?
Is it not to give your bread to those in need, and to let the poor who have no resting-place come into your house? to put a robe on the unclothed one when you see him, and not to keep your eyes shut for fear of seeing his flesh?
8 Ndipo nuru yako itajitokeza kama mapambazuko na uponyaji wako utatokea upesi; ndipo haki yako itakapokutangulia mbele yako, na utukufu wa Bwana utakuwa mlinzi nyuma yako.
Then will light be shining on you like the morning, and your wounds will quickly be well: and your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will come after you.
9 Ndipo utaita, naye Bwana atajibu, utalia kuomba msaada, naye atasema: Mimi hapa. “Kama ukiiondoa nira ya udhalimu, na kunyoosha kidole na kuzungumza maovu,
Then at the sound of your voice, the Lord will give an answer; at your cry he will say, Here am I. If you take away from among you the yoke, the putting out of the finger of shame, and the evil word;
10 nanyi kama mkimkunjulia mtu mwenye njaa nafsi zenu na kutosheleza mahitaji ya walioonewa, ndipo nuru yenu itakapongʼaa gizani, nao usiku wenu utakuwa kama adhuhuri.
And if you give your bread to those in need of it, so that the troubled one may have his desire; then you will have light in the dark, and your night will be as the full light of the sun:
11 Bwana atakuongoza siku zote, atayatosheleza mahitaji yako katika nchi kame, naye ataitia nguvu mifupa yako. Utakuwa kama bustani iliyonyweshwa vizuri, kama chemchemi ambayo maji yake hayakauki kamwe.
And the Lord will be your guide at all times; in dry places he will give you water in full measure, and will make strong your bones; and you will be like a watered garden, and like an ever-flowing spring.
12 Watu wako watajenga tena magofu ya zamani na kuinua misingi ya kale; utaitwa Mwenye Kukarabati Kuta Zilizobomoka, Mwenye Kurejeza Barabara za Makao.
And your sons will be building again the old waste places: you will make strong the bases of old generations: and you will be named, He who puts up the broken walls, and, He who makes ready the ways for use.
13 “Kama ukitunza miguu yako isivunje Sabato, na kutokufanya kama vile upendavyo katika siku yangu takatifu, kama ukiita Sabato siku ya furaha na siku takatifu ya Bwana ya kuheshimiwa, kama utaiheshimu kwa kutoenenda katika njia zako mwenyewe, na kutokufanya yakupendezayo au kusema maneno ya upuzi,
If you keep the Sabbath with care, not doing your business on my holy day; and if the Sabbath seems to you a delight, and the new moon of the Lord a thing to be honoured; and if you give respect to him by not doing your business, or going after your pleasure, or saying unholy words;
14 ndipo utakapojipatia furaha yako katika Bwana, nami nitakufanya upande juu ya miinuko ya nchi na kusherehekea urithi wa Yakobo baba yako.” Kinywa cha Bwana kimenena haya.
Then the Lord will be your delight; and I will put you on the high places of the earth; and I will give you the heritage of Jacob your father: for the mouth of the Lord has said it.
