Isaya 41
1 ''Sikilizeni mbele yangu kwa ukimya, enyi mkao pwani; wacha mataifa yapate nguvu kwa upya; waache waje karibu na kuzungumza; na tusogee karibu tujadili mgogoro.
Come quietly before me, O sea-lands, and let the peoples get together their strength: let them come near; then let them say what they have to say: let us put forward our cause against one another.
2 Nani aliyechochea juu mmoja kutoka mashariki, anamuita katika haki yake kwenye huduma yake? Amemkabidhi mataifa juu yake ili amsaidie yeye kuwaangamiza wafalme. Aliwajeuza kuwa mavumbi kwa neno lake, kama upepo unaovuma kwenye mabua kwa upinde wake.
Who sent out from the east one who is right wherever he goes? he gives the nations into his hands, and makes him ruler over kings; he gives them as the dust to his sword, as dry stems before the wind to his bow.
3 Aliwachukuwa wao na kuwapitisha salama, katika njia nyepesi ambayo miguu yake imegusa shida.
He goes after them safely, not touching the road with his feet.
4 Ni nani aliyeyafanya na kukamilisha matendo haya? Ni nanialiyechagua kizazi kutoka mwanzo? Mimi, Yahwe ni mwanzo na mwisho, mimi ndiye.
Whose purpose and work was it? His who sent out the generations from the start. I the Lord, the first, and with the last, I am he.
5 Visiwa vimeona na kuogopa; miisho ya dunia yatetemeka; walikaribia n kuja.
The sea-lands saw it, and were in fear; the ends of the earth were shaking: they came near.
6 Kila mmoja amsaidie jirani yake, na kila mmoja asemezane na mwenzake, 'Kuwa mfariji;
They gave help everyone to his neighbour; and everyone said to his brother, Take heart!
7 Hivyo basi seremala anamfariji mfua dhahabu, na yule anayefanya kazi kwa kutumia nyundo anamfariji anayefanya kazi kwa chuma, akisema kwa msemo wa kurehemu, ''Ni mizuri; Naye ataupigilia kwa makini misumari ili isipinduke.
So the metal-worker put heart into the gold-worker, and he who was hammering the metal smooth said kind words to the iron-worker, saying of the plate, It is ready: and he put it together with nails, so that there might be no slipping.
8 Lakini wewe, Israeli mtumishi wangu, Yakobo niliyekuchagua, mtoto wa Ibrahimu rafiki yangu,
But as for you, Israel, my servant, and you, Jacob, whom I have taken for myself, the seed of Abraham my friend:
9 wewe ambaye ninakurudisha kutoka miisho ya nchi, na ambaye niliyekuita kutoka sehemu ya mbali, na kwako niliyekuambia, 'Wewe ni mtumishi wangu; 'Nimekuchagua wewe na sijakukataa.
You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and sent for from its farthest parts, saying to you, You are my servant, whom I have taken for myself, and whom I have not given up:
10 Usiogope maana mimi niko pamoja na wewe. Usiwe na wasiwasi, maana mimi ni Mungu wako. Nitakutia nguvu, na nitakusaidia, wewe, na Nitakushika kwa mkono wa haki yangu.
Have no fear, for I am with you; do not be looking about in trouble, for I am your God; I will give you strength, yes, I will be your helper; yes, my true right hand will be your support.
11 Tazama, watakuwa na aibu na hawataheshimiwa, wale wote waliokuwa na hasira na wewe; watakuwa si kitu na watatokomea, wale watakao kupinga wewe.
Truly, all those who are angry with you will be made low and put to shame: those desiring to do you wrong will come to nothing and never again be seen.
12 Utawatafuta na wala hautawapata wale wanaopingana na wewe; wale wafanyao vita dhidi yako watakuwa kama si kitu, si kitu kabisa.
You will make search for your haters but they will not be there; those who make war against you will be as nothing and will come to destruction.
13 Maana mimi Yahwe Mungu wako, nitawashika mkono wako wa kiume, nikikuambia wewe, 'Usiogope; Nitakusaidia wewe.
For I, the Lord your God, have taken your right hand in mine, saying to you, Have no fear; I will be your helper.
14 Usiogope, Yakobo wewe mdudu, na enyi watu wa Israeli; Nitawasaidia''- hili ni tamko la Yahwe, Mkombozi wako, Mtakatifu wa Israeli.
Have no fear, you worm Jacob, and you men of Israel; I will be your helper, says the Lord, even he who takes up your cause, the Holy One of Israel.
15 Tazama, ninakufanya wewe kuwa chombo kikali cha kuparulia chenye makali pande mbili; utaparua milima na kuiponda; utafanya vilima kama makapi.
See, I will make you like a new grain-crushing instrument with teeth, crushing the mountains small, and making the hills like dry stems.
16 Utawatawanya wao, na upepo utawabeba na kuwapeka mbali; upepo utawatanya wao. Utashanglia katika Yahwe, utashangiliakatika mtakatifu wa Israeli
You will send the wind over them, and it will take them away; they will go in all directions before the storm-wind: you will have joy in the Lord, and be glad in the Holy One of Israel.
17 Waliodhulumiwa na masikini wanatafuta maji, lakini hakuna kitu, ndimi zao zimekauka kwa kiu; Mimi Yahwe, nitajibu maombi yao; Mimi Mungu wa Israeli, sitawacha wao.
The poor and crushed are looking for water where no water is, and their tongue is dry for need of it: I the Lord will give ear to their prayer, I the God of Israel will not give them up.
18 Nitatengeneza mikondo ya maji kushusha chini, na chemichem katikati ya mabonde; nitalifanya jangwa kuwa kisima cha maji, na aridhi kavu kuwa chemichem ya maji.
I will make rivers on the dry mountain-tops, and fountains in the valleys: I will make the waste land a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.
19 Katika jangwa nitapanda mierezi, mshita, mhadisi, na mti wa mizeituni. Nitaotesha mberoshi katika uwazi wa jangwa, pamoja na mbono nitapanda mberoshi kitika jangwa lililowazi.
I will put in the waste land the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle, and the olive-tree; and in the lowland will be planted the fir-tree, the plane, and the cypress together:
20 Nitayafanya haya ili waweze kuona, kutambua na kuelewa kwa pamoja, kwamba mkono wa Yahwe umetenda haya, kama Mtakatifu wa Israeli aliyeliumba.
So that they may see and be wise and give their mind to it, and that it may be clear to them all that the hand of the Lord has done this, and that the Holy One of Israel has made it.
21 Wakilisha keshi yako, '' asema Yahwe; ''wakilisha hoja zenu nzuri kwa sanamu yenu,'' asema Mfalme wa Yakobo.
Put forward your cause, says the Lord; let your strong argument come out, says the King of Jacob.
22 Waache walete hoja zao wenyewe; waache waje mbele na watutangazie sisi nini kitakachotokea, ili tuweze kuelewa haya mambo vizuri. Tuawaache watupe tamko mapema, ili tuweze kulitafakari na tuweze kujua n kwa jinsi gani litatimia.
Let the future be made clear to us: give us news of the past things, so that we may give thought to them; or of the things to come, so that we may see if they are true.
23 Wajulishe kitu kuhusu baadaye, ili tujue kuwa ninyi ni miungu; fanya kitu kizuri au kibaya, ambacho kitatutisha na kutushangaza.
Give us word of what will be after this, so that we may be certain that you are gods: yes, do good or do evil, so that we may all see it and be surprised.
24 Tazama sanamu zenu si kitu na matendo yenu si kitu; aliyewachagua ni machukizo.
But you are nothing, and your work is of no value: foolish is he who takes you for his gods.
25 Nimemnyanyua mmoja kutoka kaskazini, naye amekuja kutoka mawio ya jua nimemchagua yeye alitajae jina langu, na atawakanyaga viongozi kama matope, kama mfinyanzi akanyagavyo udongo.
I have sent for one from the north, and from the dawn he has come; in my name he will get rulers together and go against them; they will be like dust, even as the wet earth is stamped on by the feet of the potter.
26 Ni nani aliyetangaza hili tangu mwanzo, ili tuweze kujua? na kabla ya mda, ili tuseme, ''Yuko sawasawa''? Kweli hakuna hata mmoja aliyekiri hili, ndio hakuna hata mmoja aliyekusikia ukisema chochote.
Who has given knowledge of it from the first, so that we may be certain of it? and from the start, so that we may say, His word is true? There is no one who gives news, or says anything, or who gives ear to your words.
27 Kwanza nilizungumza na Sayuni, ''Tazama hapo walipo;'' Nimemtuma mhubiri Yerusalemu.
I was the first to give word of it to Zion, and I gave the good news to Jerusalem.
28 Nilipoangalia, hakuna hata mmoja, hakuna hata miongoni mwao ambaye anaweza kutoa ushauri mzuri, nani, lini nimulize, awezaye kunijibu neno.
And I saw that there was no man, even no wise man among them, who might give an answer to my questions.
29 Tazama, matendo yao si kitu; sanamu zao za chuma zilizotupwa ni upepo na utupu.
Truly they are all nothing, their works are nothing and of no value: their metal images are of no more use than wind.
