Isaya 8
1 Bwana akaniambia, “Chukua gombo kubwa, uandike juu yake kwa kalamu ya kawaida jina: Maher-Shalal-Hash-Bazi.
And Jehovah said to me, Take thee a great tablet, and with a man's writing-instrument write on it, Hasteth-the-prey, Speedeth-the-spoil.
2 Nami nitawaita kuhani Uria, na Zekaria mwana wa Yeberekia kama mashahidi wangu waaminifu.”
And I took with me faithful witnesses, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah, the son of Berechiah.
3 Kisha nikaenda kwa nabii mke, naye akapata mimba, akazaa mwana. Kisha Bwana akaniambia, “Mwite huyo mtoto Maher-Shalal-Hash-Bazi.
I went in to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son. Then said Jehovah to me, Call his name, Hasteth-the-prey, Speedeth-the-spoil.
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 learn to say, My father, and My mother, the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be borne away before the king of Assyria.
5 Bwana akasema nami tena:
Moreover, Jehovah spake to me again, saying:
6 “Kwa sababu watu hawa wamekataa maji ya Shilo yatiririkayo taratibu wakamfurahia Resini na mwana wa Remalia,
Because this people despiseth The soft-flowing waters of Siloah, And rejoiceth in Rezin, and the son of Remaliah,
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,
Therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth upon them the strong and mighty waters of the river; [[The king of Assyria and all his glory.]] He shall rise above 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 pass through Judah, overflowing and spreading; Even to the neck shall he reach, And his stretched-out wings shall fill the whole 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!
Rage, ye nations, and despair! Give ear, all ye distant parts of the earth! Gird yourselves, and despair! Gird yourselves, and despair!
10 Wekeni mikakati yenu, lakini itashindwa; fanyeni mipango yenu, lakini haitafanikiwa, kwa maana Mungu yu pamoja nasi.
Form your plan, and it shall come to naught; Give the command, 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 thus spake Jehovah to me with a strong hand, Instructing me not to walk in the way of this people:
12 “Usiite fitina kila kitu ambacho watu hawa hukiita fitina, usiogope kile wanachokiogopa, wala usikihofu.
Call not everything a confederacy which this people calleth a confederacy; Fear ye not what they fear, Neither be afraid!
13 Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote ndiye peke yake ikupasaye kumheshimu kuwa mtakatifu, ndiye peke yake utakayemwogopa, ndiye peke yake utakayemhofu,
Jehovah of hosts, sanctify ye him; 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 to you a sanctuary; But a stone of stumbling, and a rock to strike against, To the two houses of Israel, A trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
15 Wengi wao watajikwaa; wataanguka na kuvunjika, watategwa na kunaswa.”
And many among them shall stumble; They shall fall, and be broken; They shall be ensnared and taken.
16 Funga ushuhuda na kutia muhuri sheria miongoni mwa wanafunzi wangu.
Bind up the revelation, Seal the word, with my disciples!
17 Nitamngojea Bwana, ambaye ameificha nyumba ya Yakobo uso wake. Nitaliweka tumaini langu kwake.
I will, therefore, wait for Jehovah, Who now hideth his face from the house of Jacob; Yet will I 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 which Jehovah hath given me, Are signs and tokens in Israel From Jehovah of hosts, who dwelleth upon 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 to you, “Inquire of the necromancers and the wizards, That chirp, and that murmur,” [[Then say ye, ]] “Should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead for the living?”
20 Kwa sheria na kwa ushuhuda! Kama hawatasema sawasawa na neno hili, hawana mwanga wa mapambazuko.
To the word, to the revelation! If they speak not according to this, For them no bright morning shall arise.
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.
They shall pass through the land distressed and famished; And when they are famished, they shall be enraged, and curse their king and their God, And look upward.
22 Kisha wataangalia duniani na kuona tu dhiki na giza, hofu na huzuni tupu, nao watasukumiwa kwenye giza nene kabisa.
And if they look to the earth, Behold distress and darkness, fearful darkness! And into darkness shall they be driven.
