< Isaya 42 >

1 Tazama, mtumishi wangu, niliyekushika; niliyekuchagua, kwake ninapata furaha. Nimeiweka roho yangu juu yake; ataleta haki kwa mataifa.
“Here is My Servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen One, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations.
2 Hatalia wala kupiga kelele, wala sauti yake haitasikika mitaani.
He will not cry out or raise His voice, nor make His voice heard in the streets.
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 smoldering wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice.
4 wala hatazimia wala kukata tamaa mpaka atakapoanzisha haki katika nchi; na pwani inasubiria sheria yake.
He will not grow weak or discouraged before He has established justice on the earth. In His law the islands will put their 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:
This is what God the LORD says— He who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and its offspring, who gives breath to the people on it and life 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, the LORD, have called you for a righteous purpose, and I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and appoint you to be a covenant for the people and a light to the nations,
7 Kuyafungua macho ya vipofu, kuwatoa waliofungwa gerezani, kuwatoa wale walio gizani kutoka kwenye nyumba iliyofungiwa.
to open the eyes of the blind, to bring prisoners out of the dungeon and those sitting in darkness out from 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 the LORD; that is My name! I will not yield My glory to another or My praise to idols.
9 Tazama, mambo ya nyuma yamekuja na kupita, sasa ninakaribia kutangaza mambo mapya. Kabla hayajaanza kutokea nitawambia kuhusu wao.''
Behold, the former things have happened, and now I declare new things. Before they spring forth I proclaim them to you.”
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 the LORD a new song— His praise from the ends of the earth— you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you islands, and all who dwell in them.
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 desert and its cities raise their voices; let the villages of Kedar cry aloud. Let the people of Sela sing for joy; let them cry out from the mountaintops.
12 waache wamtukuze Yahwe na kutangaza sifa zake katika aridhi ya pwani.
Let them give glory to the LORD 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.
The LORD goes forth like a mighty one; He stirs up His zeal like a warrior. He shouts; yes, He roars in triumph over His enemies:
14 Nimenyamaza kimyi kwa mda mrefu; bado nimendelea kujizuia mimi mwenyewe; Nitalia kama mwanamke anayetaka kuzaa; nitatweta na kuugua.
“I have kept silent from ages past; I have remained quiet and restrained. But now I will groan like a woman in labor; I will at once gasp and pant.
15 Nitaiharibu milima na vilima na kukausha uoto wake wa asili; nitajeuza mito kuwa visiwa na nitakausha matindiga.
I will lay waste the mountains and hills and dry up all their vegetation. I will turn the rivers into dry land and drain the marshes.
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.
I will lead the blind by a way they did not know; I will guide them on unfamiliar paths. I will turn darkness into light before them and rough places into level ground. These things I will do for them, 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.''
But those who trust in idols and say to molten images, ‘You are our gods!’ will be turned back in utter shame.
18 Sikilizeni ewe kiziwi; tazama, ewe kipofu, ili uweze kuona.
Listen, you deaf ones; look, you blind ones, that you 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 like the messenger I am sending? Who is blind like My covenant partner, or blind like the servant of the LORD?
20 Mmeona mambo mengi, lakini hamuelewi; masikio yamefunguka, lakini hakuna anayesikia.
Though seeing many things, you do not keep watch. Though your ears are open, you do not hear.”
21 Itampendeza Yahwe kuisifu haki yake na kuitukuza sheria yake.
The LORD was pleased, for the sake of His righteousness, to magnify His law and make it glorious.
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 plundered and looted, all trapped in caves or imprisoned in dungeons. They have become plunder with no one to rescue them, and loot with no one to say, “Send them back!”
23 Ni nani miongoni mwenu atalisikiliza hili? nani atayasikia na ni nani atasikia wakati ujao?
Who among you will pay attention to this? Who will listen and obey hereafter?
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 up for spoil, and Israel to the plunderers? Was it not the LORD, against whom we have sinned? They were unwilling to walk in His ways, and they would not obey 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.
So He poured out on them His furious anger and the fierceness of battle. It enveloped them in flames, but they did not understand; it consumed them, but they did not take it to heart.

< Isaya 42 >