Isaya 42
1 Tazama, mtumishi wangu, niliyekushika; niliyekuchagua, kwake ninapata furaha. Nimeiweka roho yangu juu yake; ataleta haki kwa mataifa.
Behold, my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights. I have put my Spirit upon him, he will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.
2 Hatalia wala kupiga kelele, wala sauti yake haitasikika mitaani.
He will not cry, nor lift up his voice, nor cause it to be heard in the street.
3 Mwanzi ulioangamizwa hatauvunja, na wala utambi unaowaka na kutoa mwanga hautaungua: atatekeleza haki kwa uaminifu.
A bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench, but he will bring forth justice in truth.
4 wala hatazimia wala kukata tamaa mpaka atakapoanzisha haki katika nchi; na pwani inasubiria sheria yake.
He will not fail nor be discouraged till he has set justice in the earth. And in his name Gentiles will hope.
5 Mungu Yahwe asema hivi—yeye aliyeziumba mbingu na yeye zinyoosha nje, yeye aliyeiumba nchi na vitu vyote izalishavyo, yeye aliyewapa punzi watu na wale waishio juu:
Thus says God, Jehovah, he who created the heavens, and stretched them forth, he who spread abroad the earth and that which comes out of it, he who gives breath to the people upon it, and spirit to those who walk in it,
6 Mimi Yahwe nimekuita kwa haki yangu na nitakushika kwa mkono wangu. Nitakutunza wewe, na nitakuweka wewe kama agano kwa watu wangu, kama mwanga wa wayunani
I, Jehovah, have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thy hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles,
7 Kuyafungua macho ya vipofu, kuwatoa waliofungwa gerezani, kuwatoa wale walio gizani kutoka kwenye nyumba iliyofungiwa.
to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, and those who sit in darkness out of the prison-house.
8 Mimi ni Yahwe, Hilo ndilo jina langu; na utukufu wangu sitashiriana na mtu mwingine wala sifa zangu sitashirkiana na sanamu ya kuchonga.
I am Jehovah. That is my name, and I will not give my glory to another, nor my praise to graven images.
9 Tazama, mambo ya nyuma yamekuja na kupita, sasa ninakaribia kutangaza mambo mapya. Kabla hayajaanza kutokea nitawambia kuhusu wao.''
Behold, the former things have come to pass, and I declare new things. Before they spring forth I tell you of them.
10 Mwimbieni Yahwe wimbo mpya, na sifa zake kutoka mwisho wa nchi; wewe ushukae chini kwenye bahari, na vyote vilivyomo ndani yake, waishio pwani na wale wanaoishi huko.
Sing to Jehovah a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye who go down to the sea, and all that is therein, the isles, and the inhabitants thereof.
11 Wacha jangwa na miji ilie, vijiji anavyoishi na Kaderi, lia kwa furaha! waache wenyeji wa Sela waimbe; waache wapige kelele juu ya kilele cha mlima.
Let the wilderness and the cities of it lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar inhabits. Let the inhabitants of Sela sing. Let them shout from the top of the mountains.
12 waache wamtukuze Yahwe na kutangaza sifa zake katika aridhi ya pwani.
Let them give glory to Jehovah, and declare his praise in the islands.
13 Yahwe atatoka nje kama shujaa; kama mtu wa vita ataichochea bidii yake. Atapiga kelele, ndio, atalia kw kishindo katika vita yake; atawaonyesha adui zake nguvu zake.
Jehovah will go forth as a mighty man. He will stir up his zeal like a man of war. He will cry, yea, he will shout aloud. He will do mightily against his enemies.
14 Nimenyamaza kimyi kwa mda mrefu; bado nimendelea kujizuia mimi mwenyewe; Nitalia kama mwanamke anayetaka kuzaa; nitatweta na kuugua.
I have for a long time held my peace. I have been still, and refrained myself. Now I will cry out like a travailing woman. I will gasp and pant together.
15 Nitaiharibu milima na vilima na kukausha uoto wake wa asili; nitajeuza mito kuwa visiwa na nitakausha matindiga.
I will lay waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs. And I will make the rivers islands, and will dry up the pools.
16 Nitawaleta vipofu kwa njia wasioijua; katika njia wasiyoijua Nitawapitisha wao. Nitaligeuza giza kuwa mwanga mbele yao, na kupanyoosha mahali palipopotoka. Mambo yote haya nitayafanya, na sitaachana na wao.
And I will bring the blind by a way that they know not. I will lead them in paths that they know not. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. These things I will do, and I will not forsake them.
17 Watageuka nyuma, wataabishwa sana, wale wote wanaoiamini sanamu ya kuchonga, wanaosema na kuziambia sanamu za chuma, ''Nyinyi ni miungu wetu.''
They shall be turned back, they shall be utterly put to shame, who trust in graven images, who say to molten images, Ye are our gods.
18 Sikilizeni ewe kiziwi; tazama, ewe kipofu, ili uweze kuona.
Hear, ye deaf, and look, ye blind, that ye may see.
19 aliye kipofu ila mtumishi wangu? au kiziwi ni kama mjumbe niliyemtuma? Ni nani aliye kipofu kama mpenzi wangu wa agano, au kipofu kama mtumishi wa Yahwe?
Who is blind, but my servant, or deaf, as my messenger that I send? Who is blind as he who is at peace with me, and blind as Jehovah's servant?
20 Mmeona mambo mengi, lakini hamuelewi; masikio yamefunguka, lakini hakuna anayesikia.
Thou see many things, but thou do not observe. His ears are open, but he does not hear.
21 Itampendeza Yahwe kuisifu haki yake na kuitukuza sheria yake.
It pleased Jehovah, for his righteousness' sake, to magnify the law, and make it honorable.
22 Lakini watu hawa ni wale waliokamtw na kutekwa; wote wamenaswa kwenye mashimo; wafungwa wote wamewekwa gerezani; wamekuwa mateka na hakuna hata mmoja wa kuwaokoa wao, hakuna asemaye, warudisheni.''
But this is a people robbed and plundered. They are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison-houses. They are for a prey, and none delivers, for a spoil, and none says, Restore.
23 Ni nani miongoni mwenu atalisikiliza hili? nani atayasikia na ni nani atasikia wakati ujao?
Who is there among you that will give ear to this, that will hearken and hear for the time to come?
24 Ni nani aliyemtoa Yakobo kwa majambazi, na Israeli kwa wanyang'anyi? Je hakuwa Yahwe, dhidi ya wale waliotenda dhambi, waliokataa kutembea katika njia zako na wale waliokataa kusheshimu sheria yako.
Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? Did not Jehovah? He against whom we have sinned, and in whose ways they would not walk, nor were they obedient to his law.
25 Hivyo basi humwaga asira yake kali nje dhidi yao, kwa uharibifu wa vita. Iliwaka kuwazunguka wao, hata hawakujua hilo, lakini hawakuyachukulia hayo moyoni mwao.
Therefore he poured upon him the fierceness of his anger, and the strength of battle. And it set him on fire round about, yet he knew not. And it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart.
