Isaya 36
1 Katika mwaka wa kumi na nne wa mfalme Hezekia, Senacherebi, mfalme wa Asiria, alivamia miji yote ya Yuda na kuwakamata.
And it came to pass in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah, and took them.
2 Halafu mfalme wa Asiria akamtuma kamanda mkuu na jeshi kubwa kutoka Lachishi mpaka Yerusalemu kwa mfalme Hezekia. Alipofika kwenye mfereji katika kisima cha juu, katika njia kuu na katika shamba la dobi na akasimama pale.
And the king of Assyria sent Rab-shakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem, to king Hezekiah, with a strong force. And he stood by the aqueduct of the upper pool, on the highway of the fuller's field.
3 Maofisa wa Israeli waliotumwa kuzungumza nao walikuwa ni Eliakimu mtoto wa Hilkia, kiongozi wa jumba, Shebna katibu wa mfalme, na Joa mtoto wa Asapha, anayeandika makubaliano ya serekali.
Then came forth to him Eliakim the son of Hilkijah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the chronicler.
4 Kamanda mkuu wa jeshi akawaambia wao, ''Mwambieni Hezekia kwamba mfalme mkuu, mfalme Asiria, asema, 'Nini chanzo cha ujasiri wako?
And Rab-shakeh said to them, Say now to Hezekiah, Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: What confidence is this in which thou trustest?
5 Unaongea maneno yasiyo na maana tu, nasema kama kuna shauri na nguvu za vita. Sasa ni nani unayemuamini? na ni nani aliyekupa ujasiri wa kuniasi mimi.
Thou sayest, but it is a word of the lips, [There is] counsel and strength for war. Now on whom dost thou rely, that thou hast revolted against me?
6 Tazama, umeweka imani yako Misri, maana banzi la mwanzi unalolitumia kama fimbo ya kutembelea, ikiwa mtu ataiegemea na kuishika kwenye mkono wake itamchoma. Hivyo ndovyo jinsi Farao mfalme wa Misri alivyo kwa yeyote anayemuamini.
Behold, thou reliest upon the staff of that broken reed, upon Egypt, on which if a man lean, it goes into his hand, and pierces it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that rely upon him.
7 Lakini ikiwa utasema nami, ''Tunamwamini Yahwe Mungu wetu,''Je sio yeye ambaye Hezekia ameondosha mahali palipoinuka na madhebau, asema kwa Yuda na Yerusalemu, ''Lazima tuabudu mbele ya madhebau hii katika Yerusalemu''?
And if thou say to me, We rely upon Jehovah our God: is it not he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar?
8 Hivyo sasa, nataka kukufanya wewe kuwa zawadi nzuri kwa Bwana mfalme Asiria. Nitakupa farasi elfu mbili, kama utaweza kuwatafutia dereva.
And now engage, I pray thee, with my master the king of Assyria, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.
9 Ni kwa jinsi gani unaweza kumpinga moja kati ya nahodha aliye mdogo katika watumishi wa Bwana wangu? Mmeweka imani yenu Misri katika gari na farasi!
How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master's servants? And thou reliest upon Egypt for chariots and for horsemen!
10 Halafu sasa, Je nimewezaje kusafiri mpaka hapa pasipo Yahwe kupigana dhidi ya nchi hii na kuhiaribu? Yahwe asema nami, Vamia nchi hii na uhiharibu.
And now am I come up without Jehovah against this land to destroy it? Jehovah said to me, Go up against this land and destroy it.
11 Halafu Eliakimu mtoto wa Hilkia, na Shebna na Joa asema kwa kamanda mkuu, Tafadhali zungumza na watu wako kwa lugha ya kiashuru, maana kiashuru tunakielewa. Usiongee na sisi kwa lugha kiyahudi katika masikio ya watu ambao wako ukutani.''
And Eliakim and Shebna and Joah said to Rab-shakeh, Speak, we pray thee, to thy servants in Syriac, for we understand it; and speak not to us in the Jewish [language] in the ears of the people that are upon the wall.
12 Lakini kamanda mkuu akasema, ''Je bwana wenu ametuma kwa bwana wako na kuzungumza haya maneno? Je hajanituma kwa watu walio kaa kwenye ukuta, ili wale kinyesi chaao mwenyewe na kunywa mkojo waomwenyewe?
And Rab-shakeh said, Is it to thy master and to thee that my master sent me to speak these words? Is it not to the men that sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own urine with you?
13 Halafu kamanda mkuu akasimama na kupiga kelele kwa sauti kubwa kwa lugha ya kiyahudi, na akisema,
And Rab-shakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jewish [language], and said, Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria!
14 ''Mfalme asema, ' Msimruhusu Hezekia awadanganye ninyi, maana hataweza kuwaokoa ninyi.
Thus says the king: Let not Hezekiah deceive you; for he will not be able to deliver you.
15 Msimruhusu Hezekia awafanye muumuamini Yahwe, Nawambieni Hakika Yahwe atatukomboa sisi; mjii huu hautachukuliwa na mfalme wa Asiria.''
Neither let Hezekiah make you rely upon Jehovah, saying, Jehovah will certainly deliver us; this city shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.
16 Msimsikilize Hezekia, maana hivi ndivyo mfalme wa Asiria anavyosema: 'Fanyeni amani na mimi na mje kwangu. Halafu kila mmoja wenu atakula kwenye mzabibu wake mwenyewe na tunda la mti wake mwenyewe, na kunjwa maji ya kisima chake mwenyewe.
Hearken not to Hezekiah; for thus says the king of Assyria: Make peace with me and come out to me; and eat every one of his vine, and every one of his fig-tree, and drink every one the waters of his own cistern;
17 Mtafanya hivi mpaka nije kuwachukua na kuwapeleka kwenye nchi kama ya kwenu. nchi ya mavuno na mvinyo mpya, nchi ya mkate na shamba.
until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards.
18 Msimruhusu Hezekia awapotoshe nyie, akisema, Yahwe atatuokoa nyie; Je kuna miungu ya aina yeyote ya watu iliyowakomboa kutoka mikononi mwa mfalme wa Asiria?
Let not Hezekiah persuade you, saying, Jehovah will deliver us. Has any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
19 Wako wapi miungu wa Hamathi na Arpadi? Iko wapi miungu ya Sefarvaimu? Je wameikomboa Samaria kutoka kwenye nguvu zangu?
Where are the gods of Hamath and of Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?
20 Miongoni mwa miungu yote ya nchi hii, Je kuna miungu ya aina yeyote iliyoikomboa nchi yao kutoka kwenye nguvu yangu, ni kama Yahwe anaweza kuawokoa Yerusalemu kutoka kwenye nguvu yangu?''
Who are they among all the gods of these countries that have delivered their country out of my hand, that Jehovah should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?
21 Lakini watu wanabaki kimya na hawataki kujibu, maana amri ya mfalme ilikuwa, ''Msimjibu''.
And they were silent, and answered him not a word; for the king's command was, saying, Answer him not.
22 Halafu Eliakimu mtoto wa Hilkia, yeye aliye juu ya kaya, Shebna mwandishi, na Joa mtoto wa Asafu, na mtunza kumbukumbu, walikuja kwa Hezekia na nguo zilizotoboka na wakapeleka maneno ya kamanda mkuu.
And Eliakim the son of Hilkijah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the chronicler, came to Hezekiah, with their garments rent, and told him the words of Rab-shakeh.
