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.
“Listen before me in silence, you coastlands; let the nations renew their strength; let them come near and speak; let us come near together to argue a dispute.
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 has stirred up one from the east, calling him in righteousness to his service? He hands nations over to him and helps him subdue kings. He turns them to dust with his sword, like windblown stubble with his bow.
3 Aliwachukuwa wao na kuwapitisha salama, katika njia nyepesi ambayo miguu yake imegusa shida.
He pursues them and passes by safely, by a swift path that his feet scarcely touch.
4 Ni nani aliyeyafanya na kukamilisha matendo haya? Ni nanialiyechagua kizazi kutoka mwanzo? Mimi, Yahwe ni mwanzo na mwisho, mimi ndiye.
Who has performed and accomplished these deeds? Who has summoned the generations from the beginning? I, Yahweh, the first, and with the last ones, I am he.
5 Visiwa vimeona na kuogopa; miisho ya dunia yatetemeka; walikaribia n kuja.
The isles have seen and are afraid; the ends of the earth tremble; they approach and come.
6 Kila mmoja amsaidie jirani yake, na kila mmoja asemezane na mwenzake, 'Kuwa mfariji;
Everyone helps his neighbor, and every one says to one another, 'Be encouraged.'
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 carpenter encourages the goldsmith, and he who works with the hammer encourages him who works with an anvil, saying of the welding, 'It is good.' They fasten it with nails so it will not topple over.
8 Lakini wewe, Israeli mtumishi wangu, Yakobo niliyekuchagua, mtoto wa Ibrahimu rafiki yangu,
But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the offspring 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 am bringing back from the ends of the earth, and whom I called from the far away places, and to whom I said, 'You are my servant;' I have chosen you and not rejected you.
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.
Do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be anxious, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, and I will help you, and I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
11 Tazama, watakuwa na aibu na hawataheshimiwa, wale wote waliokuwa na hasira na wewe; watakuwa si kitu na watatokomea, wale watakao kupinga wewe.
See, they will be ashamed and disgraced, all who have been angry with you; they will be as nothing and will perish, those who oppose you.
12 Utawatafuta na wala hautawapata wale wanaopingana na wewe; wale wafanyao vita dhidi yako watakuwa kama si kitu, si kitu kabisa.
You will seek and will not find those who contended with you; those who warred against you will be like nothing, absolutely nothing.
13 Maana mimi Yahwe Mungu wako, nitawashika mkono wako wa kiume, nikikuambia wewe, 'Usiogope; Nitakusaidia wewe.
For I, Yahweh your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, 'Do not fear; I am helping you.'
14 Usiogope, Yakobo wewe mdudu, na enyi watu wa Israeli; Nitawasaidia''- hili ni tamko la Yahwe, Mkombozi wako, Mtakatifu wa Israeli.
Do not fear, Jacob you worm, and you men of Israel; I will help you—this is Yahweh's declaration, your Redeemer, 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.
Look, I am making you like a sharp threshing sledge, new and two-edged; you will thresh the mountains and crush them; you will make the hills like chaff.
16 Utawatawanya wao, na upepo utawabeba na kuwapeka mbali; upepo utawatanya wao. Utashanglia katika Yahwe, utashangiliakatika mtakatifu wa Israeli
You will winnow them, and the wind will carry them away; the wind will scatter them. You will rejoice in Yahweh, you will rejoice 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 oppressed and needy look for water, but there is none, and their tongues are parched for thirst; I, Yahweh, will respond to their prayers; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
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 streams to flow down the slopes, and springs in the middle of the valleys; I will make the desert into a pool of water, and the dry land into 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.
In the wilderness I will set the cedar, the acacia, and the myrtle, and the olive tree. I will set the cypress in the desert plain, with the pines and the cypress box trees.
20 Nitayafanya haya ili waweze kuona, kutambua na kuelewa kwa pamoja, kwamba mkono wa Yahwe umetenda haya, kama Mtakatifu wa Israeli aliyeliumba.
I will do this so that the people may see, recognize, and understand together, that the hand of Yahweh has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it.
21 Wakilisha keshi yako, '' asema Yahwe; ''wakilisha hoja zenu nzuri kwa sanamu yenu,'' asema Mfalme wa Yakobo.
“Present your case,” says Yahweh, “present your best arguments for your idols,” 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 them bring us their own arguments; have them come forward and declare to us what will happen, so we may know these things well. Have them tell us of earlier predictive declarations, so we can reflect on them and know how they were fulfilled.
23 Wajulishe kitu kuhusu baadaye, ili tujue kuwa ninyi ni miungu; fanya kitu kizuri au kibaya, ambacho kitatutisha na kutushangaza.
Tell things about the future, that we may know if you are gods; do something good or evil, that we may be frightened and impressed.
24 Tazama sanamu zenu si kitu na matendo yenu si kitu; aliyewachagua ni machukizo.
See, you idols are nothing and your deeds are nothing; the one who chooses you is detestable.
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 raised up one from the north, and he comes; from the sun's rising I summon him who calls on my name, and he will trample the rulers like mud, like a potter who is treading on the clay.
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 announced this from the beginning, that we might know? Before this time, that we may say, “He is right”? Indeed none of them decreed it, yes, none heard you say anything.
27 Kwanza nilizungumza na Sayuni, ''Tazama hapo walipo;'' Nimemtuma mhubiri Yerusalemu.
I first said to Zion, “Look here they are;” I sent a herald to Jerusalem.
28 Nilipoangalia, hakuna hata mmoja, hakuna hata miongoni mwao ambaye anaweza kutoa ushauri mzuri, nani, lini nimulize, awezaye kunijibu neno.
When I look, there is no one, not one among them who can give good advice, who, when I ask, can answer a word.
29 Tazama, matendo yao si kitu; sanamu zao za chuma zilizotupwa ni upepo na utupu.
Look, all of them are nothing, and their deeds are nothing; their cast metal figures are wind and emptiness.
