Isaya 59
1 Hakika mkono wa Bwana si mfupi hata usiweze kuokoa, wala sikio lake si zito hata lisiweze kusikia.
Behold, Jehovah's hand is not shortened that it cannot save, neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear;
2 Lakini maovu yenu yamewatenga ninyi na Mungu wenu, dhambi zenu zimewaficha ninyi uso wake, ili asisikie.
but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid [his] face from you, that he doth not hear.
3 Kwa maana mikono yenu imetiwa mawaa kwa damu na vidole vyenu kwa hatia. Midomo yenu imenena uongo, nazo ndimi zenu zimenongʼona mambo maovu.
For your hands are stained with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips speak lies, your tongue muttereth unrighteousness:
4 Hakuna hata mmoja anayedai kwa haki; hakuna hata mmoja anayetetea shauri lake kwa haki. Wanategemea mabishano matupu na kusema uongo, huchukua mimba ya magomvi na kuzaa uovu.
none calleth for justice, none pleadeth in truthfulness. They trust in vanity, and speak falsehood; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.
5 Huangua mayai ya nyoka wenye sumu kali na kutanda wavu wa buibui. Yeyote alaye mayai yao atakufa, na wakati moja lianguliwapo, nyoka hutoka humo.
They hatch serpents' eggs, and weave the spider's web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper.
6 Utando wao wa buibui haufai kwa nguo; hawawezi kujifunika kwa kile walichokitengeneza. Matendo yao ni matendo maovu, vitendo vya jeuri vipo mikononi mwao.
Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works; their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands.
7 Miguu yao hukimbilia kwenye dhambi, ni myepesi kumwaga damu isiyo na hatia. Mawazo yao ni mawazo maovu; uharibifu na maangamizi huonekana katika njia zao.
Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths;
8 Hawajui njia ya amani, hakuna haki katika mapito yao. Wameyageuza kuwa njia za upotovu, hakuna apitaye njia hizo atakayeifahamu amani.
the way of peace they know not, and there is no judgment in their goings; they have made their paths crooked: whoso goeth therein knoweth not peace.
9 Hivyo uadilifu uko mbali nasi, nayo haki haitufikii. Tunatazamia nuru, kumbe! Yote ni giza, tunatazamia mwanga, lakini tunatembea katika giza kuu.
Therefore is justice far from us, and righteousness overtaketh us not: we wait for light, and behold darkness; for brightness, [but] we walk in obscurity.
10 Tunapapasa ukuta kama kipofu, tunapapasa katika njia zetu kama watu wasio na macho. Adhuhuri tunajikwaa kama wakati wa gizagiza; katikati ya wenye nguvu, tuko kama wafu.
We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at midday as in the twilight; amongst the flourishing we are as the dead.
11 Wote tunanguruma kama dubu; tunalia kwa maombolezo kama hua. Tunatafuta haki, kumbe hakuna kabisa; tunatafuta wokovu, lakini uko mbali.
We roar all like bears, and mourn grievously like doves: we look for judgment, and there is none; for salvation, [but] it is far from us.
12 Kwa sababu makosa yetu ni mengi machoni pako, na dhambi zetu zinashuhudia dhidi yetu. Makosa yetu yako pamoja nasi daima, nasi tunayatambua maovu yetu:
For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us; for our transgressions are with us; and our iniquities, we know them:
13 Uasi na udanganyifu dhidi ya Bwana, kumgeuzia Mungu wetu kisogo, tukichochea udhalimu na maasi, tukinena uongo ambao mioyo yetu imeuhifadhi.
in transgressing and lying against Jehovah, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.
14 Hivyo uadilifu umerudishwa nyuma, nayo haki inasimama mbali, kweli imejikwaa njiani, uaminifu hauwezi kuingia.
And judgment is turned away backward, and righteousness standeth afar off; for truth stumbleth in the street, and uprightness cannot enter.
15 Kweli haipatikani popote, na yeyote aepukaye uovu huwa mawindo. Bwana alitazama naye akachukizwa kwamba hapakuwepo haki.
And truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey. And Jehovah saw [it], and it was evil in his sight that there was no judgment.
16 Aliona kuwa hakuwepo hata mtu mmoja, akashangaa kwamba hakuwepo hata mmoja wa kuingilia kati; hivyo mkono wake mwenyewe ndio uliomfanyia wokovu, nayo haki yake mwenyewe ndiyo iliyomtegemeza.
And he saw that there was no man, and he wondered that there was no intercessor; and his arm brought him salvation, and his righteousness, it sustained him.
17 Alivaa haki kama dirii kifuani mwake, na chapeo ya wokovu kichwani mwake, alivaa mavazi ya kisasi naye akajifunga wivu kama joho.
And he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on garments of vengeance [for] clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak.
18 Kulingana na kile walichokuwa wametenda, ndivyo atakavyolipa ghadhabu kwa watesi wake na kisasi kwa adui zake, atavilipa visiwa sawa na wanavyostahili.
According to deeds, so will he repay: fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence.
19 Kuanzia magharibi, watu wataliogopa jina la Bwana na kuanzia mawio ya jua, watauheshimu utukufu wake. Wakati adui atakapokuja kama mafuriko, Roho wa Bwana atainua kiwango dhidi yake na kumshinda.
And they shall fear the name of Jehovah from the west, and from the rising of the sun, his glory. When the adversary shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of Jehovah will lift up a banner against him.
20 “Mkombozi atakuja Sayuni, kwa wale wa Yakobo wanaozitubu dhambi zao,” asema Bwana.
And the Redeemer will come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith Jehovah.
21 “Kwa habari yangu mimi, hili ndilo agano langu nao,” asema Bwana. “Roho wangu, aliye juu yenu, na maneno yangu ambayo nimeyaweka katika vinywa vyenu, havitaondoka vinywani mwenu, wala kutoka vinywani mwa watoto wenu, wala kutoka vinywani mwa wazao wao, kuanzia sasa na hata milele,” asema Bwana.
And as for me, this is my covenant with them, saith Jehovah: My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith Jehovah, from henceforth and for ever.
