< Isaya 65 >
1 “Nilijifunua kwa watu wale ambao hawakuniulizia. Nimeonekana na watu wale ambao hawakunitafuta. Kwa taifa lile ambalo halikuliita Jina langu, nilisema, ‘Niko hapa, niko hapa.’
“I was ready to be sought out by those who did not ask; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek. I said, 'Here I am! Here I am!' to a nation that did not call on my name.
2 Mchana kutwa nimeinyoosha mikono yangu kwa watu wakaidi, wanaokwenda katika njia ambazo si nzuri, wafuatao mawazo yao wenyewe:
I have spread out my hands all day to a stubborn people, who walk in a way that is not good, who have walked after their own thoughts and plans!
3 taifa ambalo daima hunikasirisha machoni pangu, wakitoa dhabihu katika bustani na kufukiza uvumba juu ya madhabahu za matofali;
They are a people who continually offend me, offering sacrifices in gardens, and burning incense on brick tiles.
4 watu waketio katikati ya makaburi na kukesha mahali pa siri, walao nyama za nguruwe, nazo sufuria zao zina mchuzi wa nyama zilizo najisi,
They sit among the graves and keep watch all night, and eat pork with the broth of foul meat in their dishes.
5 wasemao, ‘Kaa mbali; usinikaribie, kwa maana mimi ni mtakatifu mno kwako!’ Watu wa aina hiyo ni moshi katika pua zangu, ni moto uwakao mchana kutwa.
They say, 'Stand away, do not come near to me, for I am holier than you.' These things are smoke in my nose, a fire that burns all day long.
6 “Tazama, jambo hili hubakia limeandikwa mbele zangu: sitanyamaza, bali nitalipiza kwa ukamilifu; nitalipiza mapajani mwao:
Look, it is written before me: I will not keep quiet, for I will pay them back; I will repay them into their laps,
7 dhambi zenu na dhambi za baba zenu,” asema Bwana. “Kwa sababu walitoa dhabihu za kuteketezwa juu ya milima na kunichokoza mimi juu ya vilima, nitawapimia mapajani mwao malipo makamilifu kwa matendo yao ya zamani.”
for their sins and the sins of their fathers together,” says Yahweh. “I will repay them for burning incense on the mountains and for mocking me on the hills. I will therefore measure out their past deeds into their laps.”
8 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: “Kama vile divai mpya ingali bado inapatikana katika kishada cha zabibu, nao watu husema, ‘Usikiharibu, kwa kuwa bado kuna kitu kizuri ndani yake,’ hivyo ndivyo nitakavyofanya kwa ajili ya watumishi wangu; sitawaangamiza wote.
This is what Yahweh says, “As when juice is found in a cluster of grapes, when one says, 'Do not ruin it, for there is good in it,' this is what I will do for my servants' sake: I will not ruin them all.
9 Nitawaleta wazao kutoka kwa Yakobo, na kutoka kwa Yuda wale watakaomiliki milima yangu, nao watu wangu wateule watairithi, nako huko wataishi watumishi wangu.
I will bring descendants from Jacob, and from Judah ones who will possess my mountains. My chosen ones will possess the land, and my servants will live there.
10 Sharoni itakuwa malisho kwa ajili ya makundi ya kondoo, na Bonde la Akori mahali pa kupumzikia kwa makundi ya ngʼombe, kwa ajili ya watu wangu wanaonitafuta.
Sharon will become a pasture for the flocks, and the Valley of Achor a resting place for herds, for my people who seek me.
11 “Bali kwenu ninyi mnaomwacha Bwana na kuusahau mlima wangu mtakatifu, ninyi mnaoandaa meza kwa ajili ya Bahati, na kujaza mabakuli ya mvinyo uliochanganywa kwa ajili ya Ajali,
But you who abandon Yahweh, who forget my holy mountain, who prepare a table for Fortune, and fill wine glasses of mixed wine for Destiny.
12 nitawaagiza mfe kwa upanga, nanyi nyote mtainama chini ili kuchinjwa; kwa kuwa niliwaita lakini hamkuitika, nilisema lakini hamkusikiliza. Mlitenda maovu machoni pangu, nanyi mkachagua mambo yale yanayonichukiza.”
I will appoint you for the sword, and you will all bow down to the slaughter, because when I called, you did not answer; when I spoke, you did not listen. But you did what was evil in my sight and and chose to do what displeases me.”
13 Kwa hiyo hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenyezi: “Watumishi wangu watakula, lakini ninyi mtaona njaa; watumishi wangu watakunywa lakini ninyi mtaona kiu; watumishi wangu watafurahi, lakini ninyi mtaona haya.
This is what the Lord Yahweh says, “Look, my servants will eat, but you will be hungry; look, my servants will drink, but you will be thirsty; look, my servants will rejoice, but you will be put to shame.
14 Watumishi wangu wataimba kwa furaha ya mioyo yao, lakini ninyi mtalia kutokana na uchungu wa moyoni, na kupiga yowe kwa sababu ya uchungu wa roho zenu.
Look, my servants will shout with joy because of gladness of heart, but you will cry because of the pain of the heart, and will wail because of the crushing of the spirit.
15 Mtaliacha jina lenu kuwa laana kwa watu wangu waliochaguliwa; Bwana Mwenyezi atawaua ninyi, lakini watumishi wake atawapa jina jingine.
You will leave behind your name as a curse for my chosen ones to speak; I, the Lord Yahweh, will kill you; I will call my servants by another name.
16 Yeye aombaye baraka katika nchi atafanya hivyo kwa Mungu wa kweli; yeye aapaye katika nchi ataapa kwa Mungu wa kweli. Kwa kuwa taabu za zamani zitasahaulika na kufichwa kutoka machoni pangu.
Whoever pronounces a blessing on the earth will be blessed by me, the God of truth. Whoever takes an oath on the earth will swear by me, the God of truth, because the former troubles will be forgotten, for they will be hidden from my eyes.
17 “Tazama, nitaumba mbingu mpya na dunia mpya. Mambo ya zamani hayatakumbukwa, wala hayatakuja akilini.
For see, I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things will not be remembered or be brought to mind.
18 Lakini furahini na kushangilia daima katika hivi nitakavyoumba, kwa kuwa nitaumba Yerusalemu uwe wa kupendeza, nao watu wake wawe furaha.
But you will be glad and rejoice forever in what I am about to create. See, I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and her people as a delight.
19 Nami nitaifurahia Yerusalemu na kuwafurahia watu wangu; sauti ya maombolezo na ya kilio haitasikika humo tena.
I will rejoice over Jerusalem and be glad over my people; weeping and cries of distress will no longer be heard in her.
20 “Kamwe hatakuwepo tena ndani yake mtoto mchanga atakayeishi siku chache tu, au mzee ambaye hataishi akatimiza miaka yake. Yeye atakayekufa akiwa na umri wa miaka mia moja atahesabiwa kwamba ni kijana tu, yeye ambaye hatafika miaka mia moja, atahesabiwa kuwa amelaaniwa.
Never again will an infant live there only a few days; nor will an old man die before his time. One who dies at one hundred years old will be considered a young person. Anyone who fails to reach the age of one hundred years old will be considered cursed.
21 Watajenga nyumba na kuishi ndani yake; watapanda mashamba ya mizabibu na kula matunda yake.
They will build houses and inhabit them, and they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22 Hawatajenga nyumba, nao watu wengine waishi ndani yake, au kupanda mazao na wengine wale. Kwa kuwa kama zilivyo siku za mti, ndivyo zitakavyokuwa siku za watu wangu, wateule wangu watafurahia kwa siku nyingi kazi za mikono yao.
No longer will they build a house and another live in it; they will not plant, and another eat; for as the days of trees will be the days of my people. My chosen will fully outlive the work of their hands.
23 Hawatajitaabisha kwa kazi bure, wala hawatazaa watoto ili wapatwe na majanga, kwa kuwa watakuwa taifa lililobarikiwa na Bwana, wao na wazao wao pamoja nao.
They will not labor in vain, nor give birth to dismay. For they are the children of those blessed by Yahweh, and their descendants with them.
24 Kabla hawajaita, nitajibu, nao wakiwa katika kunena, nitasikia.
Before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear.
25 Mbwa mwitu na mwana-kondoo watalisha pamoja, naye simba atakula nyasi kama maksai, lakini mavumbi yatakuwa chakula cha nyoka. Hawatadhuru wala kuharibu katika mlima wangu mtakatifu wote,” asema Bwana.
The wolf and the lamb will graze together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox; but dust will be the serpent's food. They will no longer hurt nor destroy on all my holy mountain,” says Yahweh.