< Isaya 1 >

1 Maono ya Isaya mtoto wa Amozi ambayo aliyaona kuhusu Yuda na Yerusalemu katika vipindi vya 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 Sikia enyi mbingu, tega sikio ewe nchi; kwa kuwa Yahwe amesema: ''Nimewatunza na kuwalea watoto, lakini wamenigeuka.
Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for Jehovah has spoken. I have nourished and brought up sons, and they have rebelled against me.
3 Ng'ombe anamjua anayemmiliki na punda anajua sehemu anapowekewa chakula, lakini Israeli hawajui, wala hawafahamu.''
The ox knows his owner, and the donkey his master's crib, but Israel does not know; my people does not consider.
4 Ole! Taifa, wenye zambi, mtu muovu, watoto wa wenye zambi, watoto wanaoenda kinyume, Wamemtelekeza Yahwe, wamedharau aliye Mtakatifu wa Israeli, wamejitenga wenyew kutoka kwake.
Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, sons who deal corruptly! They have forsaken Jehovah. They have despised the Holy One of Israel. They have gone away backward.
5 Kwa nini ulikuwa unaendelea kupigwa? Kwa nini unazidi kuasi zaudi na zaidi? Kichwa chote kinauma, moyo wote ni dhaifu.
Why will ye still be stricken, that ye revolt more and more? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.
6 Kutoka kwenye unyayo wa mguu mpaka kichwani kila sehemu ina maumivu; ni madonda na majeraha mabichi yaliyoachwa wazi, ambayo hayajafungwa, kuasifishwa, kuwafunga vidonda vyao, wala kuwaponya kwa mafuta.
From the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness in it, but wounds, and bruises, and fresh stripes. They have not been closed nor bound up nor soothed with oil.
7 Nchi yenu imeharibiwa; miji yenu imechomwa moto; mashamba yenu— mbele, wageni wamehiaribu; wamepatelekeza katika uharibifu, ulioangushwa 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 strangers.
8 Binti Sayuni ameacha kama kibanda katika shamba la mzabu, kama kivuli kitika shamba la matango, kama mji unaomba.
And the daughter of Zion is left as a booth in a vineyard, as a shed in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.
9 Kama Yahwe wa majeshi hakutuasha kwa mda mfupi tungekuwa kama Sodoma, tungekuwa kama Gomora.
Unless Jehovah of hosts had left to us a seed, we should have been as Sodom, we should have been like Gomorrah.
10 Sikiliza neno la Yahwe, enyi viongozi wa Sodomu; sikilizeni sheria ya Mungu wetu, enyi watu wa Gomora:
Hear the word of Jehovah, ye rulers of Sodom, give ear to the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.
11 ''Sadaka zenu ni nyingi kiasi gani kwangu?'' asema Yahwe. ''Nimesikia vya kutosha kuhusu sadaka yenu ya mwana kondoo, na mnyama alionona; na damu ya ng'ombe, ndama, au mbuzi si vifurahii.
What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says Jehovah. I have had enough of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts. And I do not delight in the blood of bullocks or of lambs or of he-goats.
12 Ulipokuja kuonekaa mbele yangu, Ni nani aliyehitaji hili juu yako, kukanyaga katika mahama yangu
When ye come to appear before me, who has required this at your hand-to trample my courts?
13 Msilete tena sadaka zisizo na maana; maana zinaniongezea uchafu mmekusanyika katika siku yenu mpya ya mwenzi na sabato—Mimi siwezi vumlia mikusanyio hii ya waovu.
Bring no more vain oblations. Incense is an abomination to me. New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies-I cannot bear iniquity and the solemn meeting.
14 Ninaichukia sherehe yenu mpya ya mwenzi na sherehe zilizoteuliwa; ni mzigo kwangu; nimechoka kuubeba.
Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates. They are a trouble to me. I am weary of bearing them.
15 Hivyo basi mnapotawanya mikono yenu kitkika maombi, sitawangalia hata kama mkiomba sana, sitawasikiliza; mikono yenu imejaa damu.
And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you. Yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear; your hands are full of blood.
16 Jiosheni, jitakaseni wenyewe; ondoeni matendo maovu mbele ya macho yangu; acheni kutenda dhambi;
Wash you, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes. Cease to do evil.
17 jifunze kutenda mema; tafuta ukweli; msiwanyanyase, wapeni haki yatima, walindeni wajane.''
Learn to do good. Seek justice, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
18 Njooni sasa, njooni tusemezane, asema Yahwe, japokuwa dhambi zenu ni nyekundu kama bendera zitakuwa nyeupe kama theluji; japokuwa ni myekundu kama damu zitakuwa kama sufi.
Come now, and let us reason together, says Jehovah, 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 utakubali na kutii, utakula mema ya nchi,
If ye are willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land.
20 lakini ukikataa na kugeuka, upanga utakuangamiza, maama Yahwe amesema.
But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword, for the mouth of Jehovah has spoken it.
21 Ni kwa jinsi gani mji ulioaminika umekuwa kahaba! ulikuwa ni mij wenye usawa na haki, lakini sasa mji umejaa mauwaji.
How the faithful city has become a harlot! She who was full of justice! Righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers.
22 Fedha zenu zimechafuka, na mvinyo wenu umechanganjwa na maji.
Thy silver has become dross, thy wine mixed with water.
23 Viongozi wenu wamemgeuka Mungu wamekuwa marafiki wa wezi; yeyote anayopenda rushwa na kuikimbilia. Hawawajali yatima, wala wajane wanaokuja kuwanyenyekea mbele yao.
Thy rulers are rebellious, and companions of thieves. Everyone loves bribes, and follows after rewards. They judge not the fatherless, nor does the cause of the widow come to them.
24 Hivyo basi hili ndilo tamko la Bwana, Yahwe wa majeshi, Shujaa wa Israeli: Ole wao! nitachukua hatua kwa wale walio kinyume na mimi na niwaadhibu wale wanaonipinga;
Therefore says the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of my adversaries, and avenge me of my enemies.
25 Nitaugeuza mkono wangu juu yako, nitatakasa chuma kilicho chakaa na kuondoa kutu yote.
And I will turn my hand upon thee, and thoroughly purge away thy dross, and will take away all thy tin.
26 Nitailinda hukumu yako kama ilivyokuwa mwanzo, na washauri wako kama ilivyokuwa hapo mwanzo; baada ya hapo mtaitwa mji wa haki, mji wa imani.''
And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counselors as at the beginning. Afterward thou shall be called the city of righteousness, a faithful town.
27 Sayuni itakombolewa kwa haki, na wanaotubu kwa haki.
Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and her converts with righteousness.
28 Waasi na wenye dhambi wataangamizwa pamoja, na wale wataenda kinyume na Yahwe watauliwa.
But the destruction of transgressors and sinners shall be together, and those who forsake Jehovah shall be consumed.
29 Kwakukuwa utaona aibu juu ya miti ya mialoni uliyoitamani, na utakuwa na hofu juu ya bustani uliyoichagua.
For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen.
30 Kwa kukuwa utakuwa kama mualoni ambao majani yake yamenyauka, na kama bustani isiyokuwa na maji.
For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fades, and as a garden that has no water.
31 Mtu mwenye nguvu atakuwa kama kitu kikavu, na kazi yake itakuwa kama cheche; zitawaka moto kwa pamoja, na hakuna hata mmoja ataweza kuuzima''.
And the strong man shall be as flax, and his work as a spark. And they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.

< Isaya 1 >