< Isaya 1 >

1 Maono kuhusu Yuda na Yerusalemu ambayo Isaya mwana wa Amozi aliyaona wakati wa utawala wa Uzia, Yothamu, Ahazi na Hezekia, wafalme wa Yuda.
THE VISION of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
2 Sikieni, enyi mbingu! Sikilizeni, enyi dunia! Kwa maana Bwana amesema: “Nimewalisha watoto na kuwalea, lakini wameniasi mimi.
Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the LORD hath spoken: Children I have reared, and brought up, and they have rebelled against Me.
3 Ngʼombe anamjua bwana wake, naye punda anajua hori la mmiliki wake, lakini Israeli hajui, watu wangu hawaelewi.”
The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib; but Israel doth not know, My people doth not consider.
4 Lo! Taifa lenye dhambi, watu waliolemewa na uovu, uzao wa watenda mabaya, watoto waliozoelea upotovu! Wamemwacha Bwana, Wamemkataa kwa dharau yeye Aliye Mtakatifu wa Israeli na kumgeuzia kisogo.
Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil-doers, children that deal corruptly; they have forsaken the LORD, they have contemned the Holy One of Israel, they are turned away backward.
5 Kwa nini mzidi kupigwa? Kwa nini kudumu katika uasi? Kichwa chako chote kimejeruhiwa, moyo wako wote ni mgonjwa.
On what part will ye yet be stricken, seeing ye stray away more and more? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint;
6 Kutoka wayo wako wa mguu hadi kwenye utosi wa kichwa chako hakuna uzima: ni majeraha matupu na makovu na vidonda vitokavyo damu, havikusafishwa au kufungwa wala kulainishwa kwa mafuta.
From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and festering sores: they have not been pressed, neither bound up, neither mollified with oil.
7 Nchi yenu imekuwa ukiwa, miji yenu imeteketezwa kwa moto; nchi yenu imeachwa tupu na wageni mbele ya macho yenu, imeharibiwa kama vile imepinduliwa na wageni.
Your country is desolate; your cities are burned with fire; your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by floods.
8 Binti Sayuni ameachwa kama kipenu katika shamba la mizabibu, kama kibanda katika shamba la matikitimaji, kama mji uliohusuriwa.
And the daughter of Zion is left as a booth in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.
9 Kama Bwana Mungu Mwenye Nguvu Zote asingelituachia walionusurika, tungelikuwa kama Sodoma, tungelifanana na Gomora.
Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, we should have been like unto Gomorrah.
10 Sikieni neno la Bwana, ninyi watawala wa Sodoma; sikilizeni sheria ya Mungu wetu, enyi watu wa Gomora!
Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.
11 Bwana anasema, “Wingi wa sadaka zenu, ni kitu gani kwangu? Ninazo sadaka za kuteketezwa nyingi kupita kiasi, za kondoo dume na mafuta ya wanyama walionona. Sipendezwi na damu za mafahali wala za wana-kondoo na mbuzi.
To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto Me? saith the LORD; I am full of the burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he-goats.
12 Mnapokuja kujihudhurisha mbele zangu, ni nani aliyewataka ninyi mfanye hivyo, huku kuzikanyaga nyua zangu?
When ye come to appear before Me, who hath required this at your hand, to trample My courts?
13 Acheni kuniletea sadaka zisizokuwa na maana! Uvumba wenu ni chukizo kwangu. Miandamo ya Mwezi, Sabato na makusanyiko ya ibada: siwezi kuvumilia makusanyiko yenu maovu.
Bring no more vain oblations; it is an offering of abomination unto Me; new moon and sabbath, the holding of convocations — I cannot endure iniquity along with the solemn assembly.
14 Sikukuu zenu za Miandamo ya Mwezi, na sikukuu zenu zilizoamriwa: moyo wangu unazichukia. Zimekuwa mzigo kwangu, nimechoka kuzivumilia.
Your new moons and your appointed seasons My soul hateth; they are a burden unto Me; I am weary to bear them.
15 Mnaponyoosha mikono yenu katika maombi, nitaficha macho yangu nisiwaone; hata mkiomba maombi mengi sitasikiliza. Mikono yenu imejaa damu;
And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide Mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear; your hands are full of blood.
16 jiosheni na mkajitakase. Yaondoeni matendo yenu maovu mbele zangu! Acheni kutenda mabaya,
Wash you, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before Mine eyes, cease to do evil;
17 jifunzeni kutenda mema! Tafuteni haki, watieni moyo walioonewa. Teteeni shauri la yatima, wateteeni wajane.
Learn to do well; seek justice, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
18 “Njooni basi tuhojiane,” asema Bwana. “Ingawa dhambi zenu ni kama rangi nyekundu, zitakuwa nyeupe kama theluji; ingawa ni nyekundu sana kama damu, zitakuwa nyeupe kama sufu.
Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
19 Kama mkikubali na kutii, mtakula mema ya nchi,
If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land;
20 lakini kama mkikataa na kuasi, mtaangamizwa kwa upanga.” Kwa kuwa kinywa cha Bwana kimenena.
But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword; for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken.
21 Tazama jinsi mji uliokuwa mwaminifu umekuwa kahaba! Mwanzoni ulikuwa umejaa unyofu, haki ilikuwa inakaa ndani yake, lakini sasa ni wauaji!
How is the faithful city become a harlot! She that was full of justice, righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers.
22 Fedha yenu imekuwa takataka, divai yenu nzuri imechanganywa na maji.
Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water.
23 Watawala wenu ni waasi, rafiki wa wevi, wote wanapenda rushwa na kukimbilia hongo. Hawatetei yatima, shauri la mjane haliletwi mbele yao lisikilizwe.
Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves; every one loveth bribes, and followeth after rewards; they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.
24 Kwa hiyo Bwana, Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, Mwenye Nguvu wa Israeli, asema hivi: “Lo, nitapata faraja kutoka kwa adui zangu na kujilipizia kisasi juu ya watesi wangu.
Therefore saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel: Ah, I will ease Me of Mine adversaries, and avenge Me of Mine enemies;
25 Nitauelekeza mkono wangu dhidi yenu, nitawasafisha takataka zenu zote na kuwaondolea unajisi wenu wote.
And I will turn My hand upon thee, and purge away thy dross as with lye, and will take away all thine alloy;
26 Nitawarudishia waamuzi wenu kama ilivyokuwa siku za zamani, nao washauri wenu kama ilivyokuwa mwanzoni. Baadaye utaitwa, Mji wa Haki, Mji Mwaminifu.”
And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning; afterward thou shalt be called The city of righteousness, the faithful city.
27 Sayuni itakombolewa kwa haki, wale waliomo ndani yake waliotubu kwa uaminifu.
Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and they that return of her with righteousness.
28 Lakini waasi na wenye dhambi wote wataangamizwa, nao wanaomwacha Bwana wataangamia.
But the destruction of the transgressors and the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed.
29 “Mtaaibika kwa sababu ya hiyo mialoni ambayo mlifurahia, mtafadhaika kwa sababu ya bustani mlizozichagua.
For they shall be ashamed of the terebinths which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen.
30 Mtakuwa kama mwaloni wenye majani yanayonyauka, kama bustani isiyokuwa na maji.
For ye shall be as a terebinth whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water.
31 Mtu mwenye nguvu atatoweka kama majani makavu yawakayo moto, na kazi yake kama cheche ya moto; vyote vitaungua pamoja, wala hakuna wa kuuzima huo moto.”
And the strong shall be as tow, and his work as a spark; and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.

< Isaya 1 >