< Isaya 8 >

1 Bwana akaniambia, “Chukua gombo kubwa, uandike juu yake kwa kalamu ya kawaida jina: Maher-Shalal-Hash-Bazi.
And the LORD said unto me: 'Take thee a great tablet, and write upon it in common script: The spoil speedeth, the prey hasteth;
2 Nami nitawaita kuhani Uria, na Zekaria mwana wa Yeberekia kama mashahidi wangu waaminifu.”
and I will take unto Me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.'
3 Kisha nikaenda kwa nabii mke, naye akapata mimba, akazaa mwana. Kisha Bwana akaniambia, “Mwite huyo mtoto Maher-Shalal-Hash-Bazi.
And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bore a son. Then said the LORD unto me: 'Call his name Maher-shalal-hashbaz.
4 Kabla mtoto hajaweza kusema ‘Baba yangu’ au ‘Mama yangu,’ utajiri wa Dameski na nyara za Samaria zitachukuliwa na mfalme wa Ashuru.”
For before the child shall have knowledge to cry: My father, and: My mother, the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be carried away before the king of Assyria.'
5 Bwana akasema nami tena:
And the LORD spoke unto me yet again, saying:
6 “Kwa sababu watu hawa wamekataa maji ya Shilo yatiririkayo taratibu wakamfurahia Resini na mwana wa Remalia,
Forasmuch as this people hath refused the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoiceth with Rezin and Remaliah's son;
7 kwa hiyo Bwana yu karibu kuleta dhidi yao mafuriko makubwa ya Mto: yaani mfalme wa Ashuru na fahari yake yote. Yatafurika juu ya mifereji yake yote, yatamwagikia juu ya kingo zake zote,
Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the River, mighty and many, even the king of Assyria and all his glory; and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks;
8 na kufika hadi Yuda, yakizunguka kwa kasi juu yake, yakipita katikati na yakifika hadi shingoni. Mabawa yake yaliyokunjuliwa yatafunika upana wa nchi yako, Ee Imanueli!”
And he shall sweep through Judah overflowing as he passeth through he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.
9 Inueni kilio cha vita, enyi mataifa, na mkavunjwevunjwe! Sikilizeni, enyi nyote nchi za mbali. Jiandaeni kwa vita, nanyi mkavunjwevunjwe! Jiandaeni kwa vita, nanyi mkavunjwevunjwe!
Make an uproar, O ye peoples, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces.
10 Wekeni mikakati yenu, lakini itashindwa; fanyeni mipango yenu, lakini haitafanikiwa, kwa maana Mungu yu pamoja nasi.
Take counsel together, and it shall be brought to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand; for God is with us.
11 Bwana alisema nami mkono wake wenye nguvu ukiwa juu yangu, akinionya nisifuate njia za taifa hili. Akasema:
For the LORD spoke thus to me with a strong hand, admonishing me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying:
12 “Usiite fitina kila kitu ambacho watu hawa hukiita fitina, usiogope kile wanachokiogopa, wala usikihofu.
'Say ye not: A conspiracy, concerning all whereof this people do say: A conspiracy; neither fear ye their fear, nor account it dreadful.
13 Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote ndiye peke yake ikupasaye kumheshimu kuwa mtakatifu, ndiye peke yake utakayemwogopa, ndiye peke yake utakayemhofu,
The LORD of hosts, Him shall ye sanctify; and let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread.
14 naye atakuwa mahali patakatifu; lakini kwa nyumba zote mbili za Israeli atakuwa jiwe lile linalosababisha watu kujikwaa na mwamba wa kuwaangusha. Kwa watu wa Yerusalemu, atakuwa mtego na tanzi.
And He shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
15 Wengi wao watajikwaa; wataanguka na kuvunjika, watategwa na kunaswa.”
And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.'
16 Funga ushuhuda na kutia muhuri sheria miongoni mwa wanafunzi wangu.
'Bind up the testimony, seal the instruction among My disciples.'
17 Nitamngojea Bwana, ambaye ameificha nyumba ya Yakobo uso wake. Nitaliweka tumaini langu kwake.
And I will wait for the LORD, that hideth His face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for Him.
18 Niko hapa, pamoja na watoto ambao Bwana amenipa. Sisi ni ishara na mfano wake katika Israeli, kutoka kwa Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, anayeishi juu ya Mlima Sayuni.
Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me shall be for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, who dwelleth in mount Zion.
19 Wakati watu wanapowaambia ninyi kutafuta ushauri kwa waaguzi na wenye kuongea na mizimu, ambao hunongʼona na kunungʼunika, je, watu wasingeuliza kwa Mungu wao? Kwa nini watake shauri kwa wafu kwa ajili ya walio hai?
And when they shall say unto you: 'Seek unto the ghosts and the familiar spirits, that chirp and that mutter; should not a people seek unto their God? on behalf of the living unto the dead
20 Kwa sheria na kwa ushuhuda! Kama hawatasema sawasawa na neno hili, hawana mwanga wa mapambazuko.
for instruction and for testimony?' — Surely they will speak according to this word, wherein there is no light. —
21 Watazunguka katika nchi yote, wakiwa na dhiki na njaa. Watakapotaabika kwa njaa, watapatwa na hasira kali, nao, wakiwa wanatazama juu, watamlaani mfalme wao na Mungu wao.
And they shall pass this way that are sore bestead and hungry; and it shall come to pass that, when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse by their king and by their God, and, whether they turn their faces upward,
22 Kisha wataangalia duniani na kuona tu dhiki na giza, hofu na huzuni tupu, nao watasukumiwa kwenye giza nene kabisa.
or look unto the earth, behold distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish, and outspread thick darkness.

< Isaya 8 >