Isaya 38
1 Siku zile Hezekia alikuwa anaumwa karibia na kufa. Hivyo Isaya mtoto wa Amozi, nabii alikuja kwake na kumwambia, ''Yahwe amesema, 'panga mambo yako maana utakufa, hautaishi.'
About this time Hezekiah fell very sick and was about to die. The prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz, went to him and said, “This is what the Lord says: Put your affairs in order, because you are going to die. You won't recover.”
2 'Halafu Hezekia akaugeukia ukuta na akamuomba Yahwe.
When Hezekiah heard this, he went to pray privately to the Lord, saying
3 Na akasema, ''samahani Yahwe, kumbuka jinsi nilivyoenenda kwa uaminifu mbele zako kwa moyo wangu wote, na jinsi nilivyofanya matendo mema katika macho yako.'' Na Hezekia akalia kwa sauti.
“Please remember Lord how I have followed you faithfully with all my heart. I have done what is good in your sight.” Then Hezekiah cried and cried.
4 Basi neno la Yawe likamjia Isaya, na kusema,
Then the Lord sent a message to Isaiah, saying,
5 ''Nenda ukamwambie Hezekia, kiongozi wa watu wangu, ''Hivi ndivyo Yahwe, Mungu wa Daudi babu yenu, amesema: Nimeyasikiliza maombi yako, na nimeyaona machozi yako. Ona ninakaribia kuongeza miaka kumi na tano katika maisha yako.
“Go and tell Hezekiah, This is what the Lord, the God of your forefather David, says: I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears. I will add fifteen years to your life.
6 Na nitakukomboa wewe pamoja mji huu kutoka kwenye mkono wamfalme wa Asiria, na nitaulinda huu mji.
I will save you and this city from the king of Assyria. I will defend this city.
7 Na hii itakuwa alama kwako kutoka kwangu, Yahwe, kwamba nitafanya nilichokisema:
This is the sign from the Lord to you that the Lord will do what he promised:
8 Angalia, nitasababisha kimvuli katika nyumba ya Ahazi kwenda nyuma hautua kumi.'' hivvyo basi kivuli kilirudi nyuma hatua kumi juu ya nyumba iliyopanda juu.
Look, I will make the shadow made by the sun go back the ten steps that it has gone down on the stairway of Ahaz. So the sun went back the ten steps that it had gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.”
9 Haya ndiyo maandishi ya maombi ya Hezekia mfalme wa Yuda, alipokuwa anaumwa halafu akapona:
This is what Hezekiah, king of Judah, wrote after he recovered from his sickness:
10 ''Nimesema kwamba nusu ya maisha yangu nitapita katika mlango wa kuzimu; Nilitumwa pale miaka yangu yote. (Sheol h7585)
I said to myself, “Do I have to go to my death just as my life is going well? Why can't I count on the rest of my years?” (Sheol h7585)
11 Nikasema sitamuona tena Yahwe, Yahwe kaika nchi ninayoishi; sitaangalia watu tena au wenyeji wa dunia hii.
I said, “I will never again see the Lord, the Lord, in the land of the living. I won't see anyone else again, none of the inhabitants of this world.
12 Maisha yangu yameondolea na kupelekwa mbali na mimi kama hema la mchungaji; Niliyakunja maisha yangu juu kama mfumaji; ameniondoa katika kifungo; kati ya mchana na usiku ameyakomesha maisha yangu.
Like a shepherd's tent, the place where I live has been pulled up and taken away from me. Like a weaver I have rolled up the cloth of my life and cut it from the loom. Day and night you bring me to an end.
13 Nililia mpaka asubuhi; kama simba anaivunja mifupa yangu. Kati ya usiku na mchana ameyakomesha maisha yangu.
I lie there patiently until the morning, but I feel like there's a lion breaking every bone in my body. Day and night you bring me to an end.
14 Kama mbayuwayu ndivyo nilivyolia; nililia kama njiwa; macho yangu yalichoka kuangalia juu. Bwana ninateseka; nisaidie mimi.
I scream like a swift or a songbird, I moan like a dove. My eyes grow dim as I look heavenwards. I'm being attacked, Lord, please come and support me!
15 Niseme nini? wote wameongea na mimi na amefanya hivyo; Nitatembea taratibu miaka yangu yote maana ninayashinda kwa huzuni.
Yet what can I say? He told me what was going to happen, and he himself did it. I will walk quietly for the rest of my life because of the painful experience I went through.
16 Bwana, mateso uliyoyatuma ni mazuri kwangu; ikiwezekana nirudishiwe tena maisha yangu; umeyahifadhi maisha maisha yangu na afya yangu.
Lord, we live by what you say and do, and I find life in all of this. You have given me back my health and allowed me to live.
17 Ni kwa faida yangu kwamba nimwpitia huzuni kama hii. Umenikomboa kutoka kwenye shimo la uharibifu; maana umetupa dhambi zangu nyuma yako.
It was definitely for my own good I went through this bitter experience. You in your love saved me from the pit of destruction and you have forgiven all my sins.
18 Maana kuzimu hapata kushukuru wewe; kifo hakikusifu wewe; wale wote waendao ndani ya shimo hawana matumaini ya uaminifu wako. (Sheol h7585)
Those in the grave cannot praise you, the dead cannot praise you. Those who go down into the pit can no longer hope in your faithfulness. (Sheol h7585)
19 Mtu anayeishi, mtu anayeishi, ndiye anayekushukuru wewe, kama ninavyofanya leo; baba atawjulisha watoto uaminifu wako.
It's only the living who can praise you as I'm doing today. Parents explain to their children how you can be trusted.
20 Yahwe anakarbia kunikomboa mimi, na tutasherekea kwa mziki siku zote za maisha yetu katika nyumba ya Yahwe.''
The Lord saved me! We will sing my songs with stringed instruments all the days of our lives in the Lord's Temple.”
21 Sasa Isaya alisema, ''Waacheni wachukue donge mitini na kuliweka kweye jipu naye atapona.
Isaiah had said, “Prepare a dressing of figs and spread it on the skin sores so he may recover.”
22 ''Hezekia pia alisema, ''Je ni ishara gan ya kwamba nitaiende juu katika nyumba ya Yahwe?''
Hezekiah had asked, “What is the sign to confirm that I will go to the Lord's Temple?”
