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.
Keep silent towards Me, O isles, And the peoples pass on [to] power, They come nigh, then they speak, 'Together — to judgment we draw near.'
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 stirred up from the east a righteous one? He calleth him to His foot, He giveth before him nations, And kings He causeth him to rule, He giveth [them] as dust [to] his sword, As driven stubble [to] his bow.
3 Aliwachukuwa wao na kuwapitisha salama, katika njia nyepesi ambayo miguu yake imegusa shida.
He pursueth them, he passeth over in safety A path with his feet he entereth not.
4 Ni nani aliyeyafanya na kukamilisha matendo haya? Ni nanialiyechagua kizazi kutoka mwanzo? Mimi, Yahwe ni mwanzo na mwisho, mimi ndiye.
Who hath wrought and done, Calling the generations from the first? I, Jehovah, the first, and with the last I [am] He.
5 Visiwa vimeona na kuogopa; miisho ya dunia yatetemeka; walikaribia n kuja.
Seen have isles and fear, ends of the earth tremble, They have drawn near, yea, they come.
6 Kila mmoja amsaidie jirani yake, na kila mmoja asemezane na mwenzake, 'Kuwa mfariji;
Each his neighbour they help, And to his brother he saith, 'Be strong.'
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.
And strengthen doth an artisan the refiner, A smoother [with] a hammer, Him who is beating [on] an anvil, Saying, 'For joining it [is] good,' And he strengtheneth it with nails, it is not moved!
8 Lakini wewe, Israeli mtumishi wangu, Yakobo niliyekuchagua, mtoto wa Ibrahimu rafiki yangu,
— And thou, O Israel, My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, Seed of Abraham, My lover,
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.
Whom I have taken hold of, from the ends of the earth, And from its near places I have called thee, And I say to thee, My servant Thou [art], I have chosen thee, and not rejected thee.
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.
Be not afraid, for with thee I [am], Look not around, for I [am] thy God, I have strengthened thee, Yea, I have helped thee, yea, I upheld thee, With the right hand of My righteousness.
11 Tazama, watakuwa na aibu na hawataheshimiwa, wale wote waliokuwa na hasira na wewe; watakuwa si kitu na watatokomea, wale watakao kupinga wewe.
Lo, all those displeased with thee, They are ashamed and blush, They are as nothing, yea, perish Do the men who strive with thee.
12 Utawatafuta na wala hautawapata wale wanaopingana na wewe; wale wafanyao vita dhidi yako watakuwa kama si kitu, si kitu kabisa.
Thou seekest them, and findest them not, The men who debate with thee, They are as nothing, yea, as nothing, The men who war with thee.
13 Maana mimi Yahwe Mungu wako, nitawashika mkono wako wa kiume, nikikuambia wewe, 'Usiogope; Nitakusaidia wewe.
For I, Jehovah thy God, Am strengthening thy right hand, He who is saying to thee, 'Fear not, I have helped thee.'
14 Usiogope, Yakobo wewe mdudu, na enyi watu wa Israeli; Nitawasaidia''- hili ni tamko la Yahwe, Mkombozi wako, Mtakatifu wa Israeli.
Fear not, O worm Jacob, ye men of Israel, I helped thee, an affirmation of Jehovah, Even thy 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.
Lo, I have set thee for a new sharp threshing instrument, Possessing teeth, thou threshest mountains, And beatest small, and hills as chaff thou makest.
16 Utawatawanya wao, na upepo utawabeba na kuwapeka mbali; upepo utawatanya wao. Utashanglia katika Yahwe, utashangiliakatika mtakatifu wa Israeli
Thou winnowest them, and a wind lifteth them up, And a whirlwind scattereth them, And thou — thou rejoicest in Jehovah, In the Holy One of Israel dost boast thyself.
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 the needy are seeking water, And there is none, Their tongue with thirst hath failed, I, Jehovah do answer them, The God of Israel — I forsake them not.
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 open on high places rivers, And in midst of valleys fountains, I make a wilderness become a pond of water, And a dry land become 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 give in a wilderness the cedar, Shittah, and myrtle, and oil-tree, I set in a desert the fir-pine and box-wood 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 see, and know, And regard, and act wisely together, For the hand of Jehovah hath done this, And the Holy One of Israel hath prepared it.
21 Wakilisha keshi yako, '' asema Yahwe; ''wakilisha hoja zenu nzuri kwa sanamu yenu,'' asema Mfalme wa Yakobo.
Bring near your cause, saith Jehovah, Bring nigh your mighty ones, saith 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.
They bring nigh, and declare to us that which doth happen, The first things — what they [are] declare ye, And we set our heart, and know their latter end, Or the coming things cause us to hear.
23 Wajulishe kitu kuhusu baadaye, ili tujue kuwa ninyi ni miungu; fanya kitu kizuri au kibaya, ambacho kitatutisha na kutushangaza.
Declare the things that are coming hereafter, And we know that ye [are] gods, Yea, ye may do good or do evil, And we look around and see [it] together.
24 Tazama sanamu zenu si kitu na matendo yenu si kitu; aliyewachagua ni machukizo.
Lo, ye [are] of nothing, and your work of nought, An abomination — it fixeth on you.
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 stirred up [one] from the north, And he cometh, From the rising of the sun he calleth in My name, And he cometh in [on] prefects as [on] clay, And as a potter treadeth down mire.
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 hath declared from the first, and we know? And beforetime, and we say, 'Righteous?' yea, there is none declaring, Yea, there is none proclaiming, Yea, there is none hearing your sayings.
27 Kwanza nilizungumza na Sayuni, ''Tazama hapo walipo;'' Nimemtuma mhubiri Yerusalemu.
First to Zion, Behold, behold them, And to Jerusalem one proclaiming tidings I give,
28 Nilipoangalia, hakuna hata mmoja, hakuna hata miongoni mwao ambaye anaweza kutoa ushauri mzuri, nani, lini nimulize, awezaye kunijibu neno.
And I see that there is no man, Yea, of these that there is no counsellor, And I ask them, and they return word:
29 Tazama, matendo yao si kitu; sanamu zao za chuma zilizotupwa ni upepo na utupu.
'Lo, all of them [are] vanity, Nought [are] their works, Wind and emptiness their molten images!'
