< Isaya 7 >
1 Wakati Ahazi mwana wa Yothamu, mwana wa Uzia, alipokuwa mfalme wa Yuda, Mfalme Resini wa Aramu, na Peka mwana wa Remalia mfalme wa Israeli walipanda kupigana dhidi ya Yerusalemu, lakini hawakuweza kuushinda.
Now in the days that Ahaz son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, Rezin king of Aram marched up to wage war against Jerusalem. He was accompanied by Pekah son of Remaliah the king of Israel, but he could not overpower the city.
2 Wakati huu nyumba ya Daudi iliambiwa, “Aramu wameungana na Efraimu.” Kwa hiyo mioyo ya Ahazi na watu wake ilitikiswa, kama miti ya msituni inavyotikiswa na upepo.
When it was reported to the house of David that Aram was in league with Ephraim, the hearts of Ahaz and his people trembled like trees in the forest shaken by the wind.
3 Ndipo Bwana akamwambia Isaya, “Toka uende, wewe na mwanao Shear-Yashubu, mkutane na Ahazi huko mwisho wa mfereji wa Bwawa la Juu, kwenye barabara iendayo Shamba la Dobi.
Then the LORD said to Isaiah, “Go out with your son Shear-jashub to meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct that feeds the upper pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field,
4 Mwambie, ‘Uwe mwangalifu, utulie na usiogope. Usife moyo kwa ajili ya watu hawa wawili walio kama visiki vya kuni vifukavyo moshi, kwa ajili ya hasira kali ya Resini na Aramu na ya mwana wa Remalia.
and say to him: Calm down and be quiet. Do not be afraid or disheartened over these two smoldering stubs of firewood—over the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and of the son of Remaliah.
5 Aramu, Efraimu na mwana wa Remalia wamepanga shauri baya ili wakuangamize, wakisema,
For Aram, along with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has plotted your ruin, saying:
6 “Tuishambulie Yuda, naam, tuirarue vipande vipande na kuigawa miongoni mwetu, na kumtawaza mwana wa Tabeeli awe mfalme juu yake.”
‘Let us invade Judah, terrorize it, and divide it among ourselves. Then we can install the son of Tabeal over it as king.’
7 Lakini Bwana Mwenyezi asema hivi: “‘Jambo hili halitatendeka, halitatokea,
But this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘It will not arise; it will not happen.
8 kwa kuwa kichwa cha Aramu ni Dameski, na kichwa cha Dameski ni Resini peke yake. Katika muda wa miaka sitini na mitano, Efraimu atakuwa ameharibiwa kiasi kwamba hataweza tena kuwa taifa.
For the head of Aram is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin. Within sixty-five years Ephraim will be shattered as a people.
9 Kichwa cha Efraimu ni Samaria, na kichwa cha Samaria ni mwana wa Remalia peke yake. Kama hamtasimama thabiti katika imani yenu, hamtaimarika kamwe.’”
The head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you do not stand firm in your faith, then you will not stand at all.’”
10 Bwana akasema na Ahazi tena,
Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying,
11 “Mwombe Bwana Mungu wako ishara, iwe kwenye vina virefu sana, au kwenye vimo virefu sana.” (Sheol )
“Ask for a sign from the LORD your God, whether from the depths of Sheol or the heights of heaven.” (Sheol )
12 Lakini Ahazi akasema, “Sitaomba; sitamjaribu Bwana.”
But Ahaz replied, “I will not ask; I will not test the LORD.”
13 Ndipo Isaya akasema, “Sikia sasa, ewe nyumba ya Daudi! Je, haitoshi kujaribu uvumilivu wa wanadamu? Je, mtaujaribu uvumilivu wa Mungu wangu pia?
Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, O house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God as well?
14 Kwa hiyo Bwana mwenyewe atawapa ishara: Bikira atachukua mimba, naye atamzaa mwana, na ataitwa Imanueli.
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.
15 Atakula jibini na asali atakapokuwa ameweza kukataa mabaya na kuchagua mema.
By the time He knows enough to reject evil and choose good, He will be eating curds and honey.
16 Lakini kabla mtoto hajajua kukataa mabaya na kuchagua mema, nchi ya wafalme hao wawili unaowaogopa itafanywa ukiwa.
For before the boy knows enough to reject evil and choose good, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste.
17 Bwana ataleta juu yako, juu ya watu wako, na juu ya nyumba ya baba yako wakati ambao haujawahi kuwako tangu Efraimu alipojitenga na Yuda: yeye atawaleteeni mfalme wa Ashuru.”
The LORD will bring on you and on your people and on the house of your father a time unlike any since the day Ephraim separated from Judah—He will bring the king of Assyria.”
18 Katika siku ile Bwana atawapigia filimbi mainzi kutoka vijito vya mbali vya Misri, na nyuki kutoka nchi ya Ashuru.
On that day the LORD will whistle to the flies at the farthest streams of the Nile and to the bees in the land of Assyria.
19 Wote watakuja na kukaa kwenye mabonde yenye miteremko, na kwenye nyufa za miamba, kwenye vichaka vyote vyenye miiba, na kwenye mashimo yote ya maji.
And they will all come and settle in the steep ravines and clefts of the rocks, in all the thornbushes and watering holes.
20 Katika siku ile Bwana atatumia wembe ulioajiriwa kutoka ngʼambo ya Mto, yaani mfalme wa Ashuru, kunyoa nywele za kichwa chako na malaika ya miguu yako, na kuziondoa ndevu zako pia.
On that day the Lord will use a razor hired from beyond the Euphrates —the king of Assyria—to shave your head and the hair of your legs, and to remove your beard as well.
21 Katika siku ile, mtu atahifadhi hai ndama mmoja na kondoo wawili.
On that day a man will raise a young cow and two sheep,
22 Kwa ajili ya wingi wa maziwa watakayotoa, atapata jibini ya kula. Wote watakaobakia katika nchi watakula jibini na asali.
and from the abundance of milk they give, he will eat curds; for all who remain in the land will eat curds and honey.
23 Katika siku ile, kila mahali palipokuwa na mizabibu elfu moja yenye thamani ya shekeli 1,000 za fedha, patakuwa na michongoma na miiba tu.
And on that day, in every place that had a thousand vines worth a thousand shekels of silver, only briers and thorns will be found.
24 Watu watakwenda huko wakiwa na upinde na mshale, kwa maana nchi itafunikwa na michongoma na miiba.
Men will go there with bow and arrow, for the land will be covered with briers and thorns.
25 Kuhusu vilima vyote vilivyokuwa vikilimwa kwa jembe, hamtakwenda huko tena kwa ajili ya hofu ya michongoma na miiba. Patakuwa mahali ambapo ngʼombe wataachiwa huru, na kondoo kukimbia kimbia.
For fear of the briers and thorns, you will no longer traverse the hills once tilled by the hoe; they will become places for oxen to graze and sheep to trample.