Isaya 37
1 Ikawa siku hiyo mfalme Hezekia aliposika taarifa zao, alichana mavazi yake, na kujifunika nguo za magunia, na akaenda kwenye nyumba ya Yahwe.
When King Hezekiah heard what they reported, he tore his clothes and put on clothes made of rough sackcloth [because he was very distressed]. Then he went into the temple of Yahweh [and prayed].
2 Na alimtuma Eliakimu, ambae ni kiongozi wa kaya na Shebna mwandishi, na wazee wa makuhani, wote walijifunika nguo za magunia, kwa Isaya mtoto wa Amozi, nabii.
Then he sent Eliakim, Shebna, and the (older/most important) priests, who were also wearing clothes made of rough sackcloth, to talk to me.
3 Wakamwambia yeye, Hezekia akasema hivi, 'Siku hii ni siku ya dhiki, kukemewa, na aibu, ni kama mtoto aliye tayari kuzaliwa lakini mama yake hana nguvu za kumsukuma mtoto.
He said to them, “Tell this to Isaiah: ‘King Hezekiah says that this is a day when we are greatly distressed. Other nations are causing us to be insulted and disgraced. We are like [SIM] a woman who is about to give birth to a baby, but she does not have the strength that she needs to do it.
4 Itakuwa Yahwe Mungu wenu atasikia maneno ya kamanda mkuu, ambao mfalme wa Asira Bwana wake alimtuma kumpinga Mungu anayeishi, na atakemea maneno ambayo Yahwe Mungu wenu ameyasikia. Sasa inueni maombi yenu juu mabaki yaliyoobakia hapa.''
[But] perhaps Yahweh our God has heard what the official from Assyria said. Perhaps he knows that his boss, the King of Assyria, sent him to insult the all-powerful God, and that Yahweh will punish the King of Assyria for what he said. And the king requests that you pray for the few of us who are still alive [here in Jerusalem].’”
5 Sasa watumishi wa mfalme Hezekia walikuja kwa Isaya,
After those men gave me that message,
6 na Isaya akawambia, ''Mwambieni Bwana wenu: 'Yahwe amesma, ''Msiogope kwa maneno mliyoyasikia, maneno ambayo mfalme wa Asiria amenitusi mimi.
I replied, “Tell the King, ‘This is what Yahweh says: “Those messengers from the King of Assyria have said evil things about me. But do not be disturbed by what they said.
7 Tazama nitaiweka roho yangu ndani yake na atasikiliiza taarifa fulani na atarudi kwenye nchi yake mwenyewe. Na nitamfanya anguke kwa upanga katika nchi yake mwenyewe.''
Listen to this: I will cause Sennacherib to hear a rumor [that the armies of Babylon are about to attack his country], and that will worry him. So he will return to his own country, and there I will cause him to be assassinated by [men using] swords.”’”
8 Basi kamanda mkuu alirudi na kumkuta mfalme wa Asira anapigana dhidi ya Libna, Maana aliskia kwamba mfalme amekwenda mbali kutoka Lachishi.
The official from Assyria found out that the King of Assyria [and his army] had captured Lachish [city] and that they were attacking Libnah, [which is a nearby city]. So the official left Jerusalem and went to Libnah [to report to the king what had happened in Jerusalem].
9 Halafu Sennacheribi alisikia kwamba Tirkhaka mfalme wa Ethiopia na Misri wamehamasishana kupigna dhidi yake. Hivyo akamtuma mjumbe mara nyingine kwa Hezekia apeleke ujumbe:
Soon after that, King [Sennacherib] received a report that King Tirhakah of Ethiopia was leading his army to attack them. So before King Sennacherib left Libnah [with his army to fight against the army from Ethiopia], he sent other messengers to Hezekiah in Jerusalem with a letter. [In the letter he wrote this] to Hezekiah:
10 ''Mwambie Hezekia, mfalme wa Yuda, 'Usimruhusu Mungu unayemwamini akudanganye, ''Yerusalemu haitatiwa mikononi mwa mfalme wa Asiria.''
“Do not allow your god, on whom you are relying, to deceive you by promising you that Jerusalem will not be captured by my army.
11 umesikia kitu ambacho mfalme wa Asiria alichokifanya kwa nchi yote kwa kuiangamiza kabisa. Je utawaokoa?
You have certainly heard what the armies of the kings of Assyria have done to all the other countries; our armies have destroyed them completely. So, (do you think that you will escape?/do not think that your god will save you!) [RHQ]
12 Je miungu ya mataifa imewakomboa? taifa ambalo baba yangu aliliangamiza: Gozani, Harani, Rezefi na watu wa Edeni katika Telassari?
Did the gods of the nations that were about to be destroyed by the armies of the previous kings of Assyria rescue them? Did those gods rescue Gozan [region], and Haran and Rezeph [cities in northern Syria], and the people of Eden [region] who were forced to go to Tel-Assar [city]?
13 Yuko wapi mfalme wa Hamathi, mfalme wa Arpadi, mfalme wa miji ya Sefarvaaimi, wa Hema na Ivva?''
What happened to the King of Hamath and the King of Arpad? What happened to the kings of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah [cities]? [Did their gods rescue them] [RHQ]?”
14 Hezekia alipokea barua hii kutoka mikononi mwa mjumbe na kisoma. Halafu akaenda juu kwenye nyumba ya Yahwe na kuusoma mbele yake.
Hezekiah received the letter that the messengers gave him, and he read it. Then he went up to the temple and spread out the letter in front of Yahweh.
15 Hezekia alimuomba Mungu:
And [then] Hezekiah prayed this:
16 Yahwe wa majeshi, Mungu wa Israeli, wewe ambae uko juu ya makerubi, wewe ni Mungu mwenywe juu falme zote za dunia. umezifanya mbingu na nchi.
“O Yahweh, Commander of the armies of angels, the God to whom [we] Israelis belong, you are seated on your throne above the statues of the creatures with wings, [above the Sacred Chest]. Only you are [truly] God. You rule all the kingdoms on this earth. You are the one who created everything on the earth and in the sky.
17 Jeuza masikio yako, Yahwe, na sikiliza. Fungua macho yako, Ee Yahwe na uone, na usikilize maneno ya Sanacheribi, ambayo ameyatuma kumfanyia mzadha Mungu anayeishi.
[So], Yahweh, [please] listen to what I am saying, and look at [what is happening]! And listen to what Sennacherib has said to insult you, the all-powerful God!
18 Ni kweli Yahwe, mfalme wa Asiria ameangamiza mataifa yote na aridhi yao.
Yahweh, it is true that [the armies of] the kings of Assyria have completely destroyed many nations and ruined their land.
19 Wameiweka miungu yao katika moto, maana haikuwa miungu lakini kazi ya mikono ya wanadamu, ni kuni na jiwe tu.
And they have thrown all the idols of those nations into fires and burned them. But they were not [really] gods. They were only idols made of wood and stone, [and that is why they were destroyed easily].
20 Hivyo Waasira wameawaangamiza wao. hivyo saa Yahwe Mungu wetu, tuokoe kwa nguvu zako, ili falme zote za duniani zijue kwamba wewe ni Yahwe peke yako.''
So now, Yahweh our God, [please] rescue us from the power [MTY] of [the King of Assyria], in order that [the people in] all the kingdoms of the world will know that you, Yahweh, are the only one who is [truly] God.”
21 Basi Isaya mtoto wa Amozi alituma ujumbe kwa Hezekia, na kusema, Yahwe Mungu wa Israeli amesema, Kwa sababu umeomba kwangu kuhusu Sannacheribi mfalme wa Asiria,
Then I sent this message to Hezekiah: “This is what Yahweh, the God to whom [we] Israelis belong, says: Because you prayed about what King Sennacherib of Assyria [said],
22 Haya ndiyo maneno ambayo Yahwe amezungumza kuhusu yeye, ''Binti bikira wa Sayuni wanakudharau na kukucheka kwa dharau; mabinti wa Yerusalemu wanatingisha vichwa vyao kwa ajili yako.
this is what I say to him: ‘The people of Jerusalem despise you and make fun of you. They will wag/shake their heads to mock you while you flee from here.
23 Ni nani unayempinga na kumtusi? na dhidi ya nani unayenyanyua sauti yako na kunyanyua macho yako kwa kiburi? dhidi ya mtakatifu wa Israeli.
Whom do you think you have been despising and ridiculing? Whom do you think you were shouting at? Whom do you think you were looking at [very] proudly/arrogantly? [It was I], the Holy One whom the Israelis worship!
24 Kwa kupitia watumishi wako umempinga Bwana na amesema, 'Kwa wingi wa gari nimepanda juu kwenye kilele cha milima, katika kilele cha mwuinuko wa Lebanoni. Nitaikata mierezi yake na kuchagua miti ya miseprasi pale, ni msitu uzao sana.
The messengers whom you sent made fun of me. You said, “With my many chariots I have gone to the highest mountains, [even] to the highest mountains in Lebanon. We have cut down its tallest cedar [trees] and its nicest pine/cypress [trees]. We have been to the most distant/remote peaks and to its densest forests.
25 Nimechimba kisima na kunywa maji; nimechimba mito yote ya Misri chini ya nyayo za miguu yangu.'
We have dug wells [in many countries] and drunk water [from them]. And by marching through [MTY] the streams of Egypt, we dried them all up [HYP]!”
26 Je haujasikia jinsi nilivyoamua toka siku nyingi na nimelifanyia kazi toka kipindi cha kale? ninayaleta sasa ili yaweze kutimia. Mko hapa kuhiaribu miji imara na yenye ulinzi wa kutosha na kuwa chungu cha uharibifu.
[But I, Yahweh, reply], “Have you never heard that long ago I determined [those things]; I planned them long ago, and now I have been causing those things to occur. I planned that your army would destroy cities and cause them to become piles of rubble.
27 Wakazi wake, waliowadhaifu, waliokata tamaa na wenye aibu. Wanaotesha shambani, majani mabichi, majani juu paa au kwenye shamba kabla ya upepo wa mashariki.
The people in those cities have no power, and as a result they are dismayed and discouraged. They are [as frail as] [MET] grass and plants in the fields, as frail as grass that grows on the roofs of houses and is scorched by the hot east wind.
28 Lakini najua kukaa kwenu chini, kutoka kwenu nje, mnapoingia ndani, na mnapokuwa wakali dhidi yangu.
[But] I know [everything about you]; I know when you are [in your house and] when you go outside; I also know that you are (raging/speaking very angrily) against me.
29 Kwa sababu mnakuwa wakali dhidi yangu, maana kiburi chenu kimeyafikia masikio yangu, Nitaweka ndoano katika pua zenu, na sauti katika midomo yenu; Nitawageuza nyuma kwenye njia mliyokuja nayo.
[So], because you have raged against me and because I have heard you speak very proudly/arrogantly, [it will be as though] I will put a hook in your nose and I will put an iron (bit/metal bar) in your mouth [in order that I can lead you where I want you to go], and I will force you to return [to your own country], on the same road on which you came [here, without conquering Jerusalem].”’
30 Hii itakuwa wimbo kwenu: mwaka huu mtakula kinachoota porini na mwaka pili mtakula kinachoota hapo hapo. Lakini mwaka wa tatu lazima mpande na mvune, pandeni mizabibu na mle matunda yake.
[Then I said to Hezekiah], ‘This will prove to you [that what I said will happen]: “This year, you(pl) will eat [only the crops] that grow by themselves, and next year the same thing will happen. But in the third year you will plant [crops] and harvest them; you will take care of your vineyards and eat the grapes.
31 Mabaki ya nyumba ya Yuda ambao wanaishi watachukua mzizi tena na kuzalisha matunda.
And [you] people who are still [here] in Judah, will be strong and prosper again [MET].
32 Maana katika Yerusalemu waliobaki watatoka; Kutoka kwenye mlima Sayuni waliobaki watakuja. Bidii ya Yahwe wa majeshi itafanikisha hili.''
A small number of my people will survive, and they will spread out from Jerusalem [DOU].” That will happen because [I], the Commander of the armies of angels, am desiring very much to accomplish it.’
33 Hivyo basi Yahwe asema hivi kuhusu Asiria: ''Atakuja katika miji, wala kurusha mkuki hapa. Wala atakuja hapa mbele kwa ngao au kujenga uzio njia panda dhidi yao.
And this is what [I], Yahweh, say about the King of Assyria: ‘His [armies] will not enter Jerusalem; they will not [even] shoot arrows into it. His soldiers will not [march outside] the city gates holding their shields, and they will not build high mounds of dirt against the walls of the city [to enable them to attack the city].
34 Njia atakayojia itakuwa njia hiyo hiyo atakayorudia; ataingia katika mji huu. Hili ni Tamko ya Yahwe.
And their king will return [to his own country] on the same road on which he came [here]. He will not enter this city!’ [That will happen because I], Yahweh, have said it!
35 Maana nitaulinda huu mji na kuuokoa, kwa niaba yangu mimi mwenyewe na kwa niaba Daudi mtumishi wangu.''
For the sake of my own reputation and because of what I promised King David, who served me [well], I will defend this city and prevent it from being destroyed.”
36 Halafu malaika wa Yahwe alienda nje na kuvamia kambi ya Waasiria, na kuwauwa askari 185, 000. Watu walipoamka asubuhi na mapema, miili iliyokufa imelala kila mahali.
[That night], an angel from Yahweh went out to where the army of Assyria had set up their tents and killed 185,000 of their soldiers. When [the rest of the soldiers] woke up the next morning, they saw that there were corpses everywhere.
37 Hivyo Sennacheribi mfalme wa Asiria aliiacha Israeli na kwenda nyumbani na akakaa Ninewi.
Then King Sennacherib left and returned home to Nineveh [in Assyria], and stayed there.
38 Baadaye, na alipokuwa anabudu katika nyumba ya Nisrochi mungu wake, mtoto wake Adramaleki na Shareza alimuua kwa upanga. Halafu wakakimbilia kwenye nchi ya Ararati. Halafu Esarhadoni mtoto wake akatawala katika sehemu ya baba yake.
[One day], when he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his two sons, Adrammelech and Sharezer, killed him with their swords. Then they escaped and went to the Ararat [region northwest of Nineveh]. And another of Sennacherib’s sons, Esarhaddon, became the King of Assyria.
