< 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 that time, Hezekiah became [very] ill and was close to dying. [So] I went to see him. And I gave him this message: “This is what Yahweh says: ‘You should tell the people in your palace what you want them to do after you die, because you will not recover from this illness. You are going to die’”
2 'Halafu Hezekia akaugeukia ukuta na akamuomba Yahwe.
Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed this:
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.
“Yahweh, do not forget that I have always served you very faithfully, and I have done things that pleased you!” Then Hezekiah [started to] cry loudly.
4 Basi neno la Yawe likamjia Isaya, na kusema,
[I left his room, but] Yahweh gave me this message:
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 [back] to Hezekiah and tell him that this is what I, the God to whom your ancestor King David belonged, say: ‘I have heard what you prayed, and I have seen you crying. So listen: I will enable you to live 15 years more.
6 Na nitakukomboa wewe pamoja mji huu kutoka kwenye mkono wamfalme wa Asiria, na nitaulinda huu mji.
And, I will rescue you and this city from the power [MTY] of the King of Assyria. I will defend this city.
7 Na hii itakuwa alama kwako kutoka kwangu, Yahwe, kwamba nitafanya nilichokisema:
And this is what I will do to prove that I will do what I have just now promised. I will cause the shadow of the sun to move ten steps backward on the sundial that was built by King Ahaz.’”
8 Angalia, nitasababisha kimvuli katika nyumba ya Ahazi kwenda nyuma hautua kumi.'' hivvyo basi kivuli kilirudi nyuma hatua kumi juu ya nyumba iliyopanda juu.
So the shadow of the sun on the sundial moved backward ten steps.
9 Haya ndiyo maandishi ya maombi ya Hezekia mfalme wa Yuda, alipokuwa anaumwa halafu akapona:
When King Hezekiah was almost well again, he wrote this:
10 ''Nimesema kwamba nusu ya maisha yangu nitapita katika mlango wa kuzimu; Nilitumwa pale miaka yangu yote. (Sheol )
I thought to myself, “Is it necessary for me to die and go to the place where the dead people are during this time of my life when I am still strong? Is Yahweh going to rob me of the remaining years that I [should live]?” (Sheol )
11 Nikasema sitamuona tena Yahwe, Yahwe kaika nchi ninayoishi; sitaangalia watu tena au wenyeji wa dunia hii.
I said, “I will not see Yahweh [again] in this world where people are alive. I will not see my friends again, or be with others who [now] are alive in 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.
[It is as if] my life has been taken away like [SIM] a tent [whose pegs] have been pulled up by a shepherd and taken away. My time to live has been cut short, like a piece of cloth that a weaver [cuts and] rolls up [after he has finished weaving a cloth].” Suddenly, [it seemed that] my life was ending.
13 Nililia mpaka asubuhi; kama simba anaivunja mifupa yangu. Kati ya usiku na mchana ameyakomesha maisha yangu.
I waited patiently all during the night, but [my pain was as though] [MET] I was being torn apart by lions. [It seemed that] my life was finished.
14 Kama mbayuwayu ndivyo nilivyolia; nililia kama njiwa; macho yangu yalichoka kuangalia juu. Bwana ninateseka; nisaidie mimi.
[I was delirious, and] I chirped like a swift or a swallow, and moaned like a dove. My eyes became tired looking up [toward heaven] for help. I cried out, Lord, help me, [because] I am distressed!’
15 Niseme nini? wote wameongea na mimi na amefanya hivyo; Nitatembea taratibu miaka yangu yote maana ninayashinda kwa huzuni.
But there was really nothing [RHQ] that I could say and ask him to reply to me, because it was Yahweh who sent this illness. [So now] I will live humbly during my [remaining] years because I am very anguished.
16 Bwana, mateso uliyoyatuma ni mazuri kwangu; ikiwezekana nirudishiwe tena maisha yangu; umeyahifadhi maisha maisha yangu na afya yangu.
Yahweh, the sufferings (OR, the promises) that you give are good, [because] what you do and what you say bring [new] life and health to us. And you restore/heal me and allow me [to continue] to live!
17 Ni kwa faida yangu kwamba nimwpitia huzuni kama hii. Umenikomboa kutoka kwenye shimo la uharibifu; maana umetupa dhambi zangu nyuma yako.
Truly, my suffering was good for me; you loved me, and as a result you have rescued me from dying and have also 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 )
Dead people [MTY] cannot praise you; they cannot sing to praise you. Those who have descended to their graves cannot confidently expect you to faithfully [do things for them]. (Sheol )
19 Mtu anayeishi, mtu anayeishi, ndiye anayekushukuru wewe, kama ninavyofanya leo; baba atawjulisha watoto uaminifu wako.
Only people who are still alive, like I am, can praise you. Fathers tell their children how you are faithful, [and if I remain alive, I will do the same thing].
20 Yahwe anakarbia kunikomboa mimi, na tutasherekea kwa mziki siku zote za maisha yetu katika nyumba ya Yahwe.''
[I know that] Yahweh will fully heal me, [so] I will sing to praise him while others praise him playing musical instruments; I will do that every day of my life, in the temple of Yahweh.”
21 Sasa Isaya alisema, ''Waacheni wachukue donge mitini na kuliweka kweye jipu naye atapona.
I had [previously] said to Hezekiah’s servants, “Prepare an ointment from [mashed] figs, and spread it on his boil, and then he will recover.” [So they did that, and Hezekiah recovered].
22 ''Hezekia pia alisema, ''Je ni ishara gan ya kwamba nitaiende juu katika nyumba ya Yahwe?''
And Hezekiah had [previously] asked, “What will Yahweh do to prove that I will [recover and be able to] go to his temple?”