Isaya 47
1 Njoo chini na ukae kwenye mavumbi, binti bikira wa Babeli; kaa juu ya aridhi pasipo enzi, ewe binti wa Wakaldayo. Hautaitwa tena mpenda anasa na maisha ya anasa.
[Yahweh also says], “You people of Babylon, you should go and sit in the dust/dirt [to show that you are mourning], because your time to rule [MTY] [other countries] is almost ended. People will never again say that Babylonia is beautiful [like] a very attractive/beautiful young woman.
2 Chukua jiwe la kusagia na usage unga; ondoa pazia lako, ondoa mavazi yako, ondoa viatu miguuni, na vuka mkondo wa maji.
[You will be slaves, so] take heavy stones and grind grain [like slave women do]. Take off your [beautiful] veils and take off your robes [as you prepare to cross streams to go where you will be forced to go].
3 Uchi wako utafunuliwa, ndio, na aibu yako itaonekana; Nitachukua kizazi na sitamuacha mtu,
You will be naked and [very] ashamed. I will get vengeance on you and not pity you.”
4 Mkombozi, Yahwe wa majeshi ndilo jina lake, Mtakatifu wa Israeli.
The one who frees us [people of Judah], whom we call ‘the Commander of the armies of angels’, is the Holy One of Israel.
5 Kaa kimya na nenda katika giza, ewe binti wa Wakaldoyo; maana hautaitwa tena malikia wa falme.
[Yahweh says], “You people of Babylon, sit silently in the darkness, because people will never again say that your city is [like] [MET] a queen that rules many kingdoms.
6 Nilikuwa na hasira na watu wangu; Nimeunajisi urithi wangu na kuwakabidhi nyie katika mkono wenu, lakini hamkuomyesha huruma; umeweka nira kubwa kwa wazee.
I was angry with the people whom I chose [to belong to me], and I punished them. I allowed you [people of Babylon] to conquer them. But [when you conquered them], you did not have mercy on them. You (oppressed/treated cruelly) [MET] even the old people.
7 Umesema, ''Nitaongoza daima kama malikia huru.'' Haukuvichukua vitu hivi katika moyo, wala hakutafakari jinsi hivi vitu vitakavyojeuka.
You said, ‘We will rule [other nations] forever; [it is as though our city] will be the queen [of the world] forever!’ But you did not think about the things [that you were doing], or think about what would result.
8 Hivyo sasa sikiliza hili, Ewe upendae anasa na kukaa salama; ewe usemae katika moyo wako, 'Ninaishi, na hakuna mwingine kama mimi; Sitakaa kama mjane wala sitazoea kufiwa na watoto.
You people [of Babylon] who enjoy pleasure and sex, listen to this: You enjoy a luxurious life and you feel secure. You say, ‘We are [like gods], and there are no others like us. Our women will never become widows, and our children will never be killed [in wars].’
9 ''Lakini vitu hivi vitakuja kwako siku moja katika kipindi cha siku moja; kwa nguvu za kutosha yatakuja kwako, japo uchawi wako na dua zako na hirizi.
But both of those things will happen to you suddenly: Many of your women will become widows and many of your children will die, even though you perform much sorcery and many kinds of magic [to prevent bad things from happening to you].
10 Umeweka imani katika mapungufu yako; na kusema, ''Hakuna anayeniona mimi''; hekima na maarifa yako yanakupoteza, lakini unasema katika moyo wako, ''Nipo na hakuna hata mmoja kama mimi.''
You felt protected even though you were doing many wicked things, and you said, ‘No one will see what we [are doing]!’ [You thought that] you were very wise and knew many things, and you said, ‘We are gods, and there are no others like us,’ but you deceived yourselves.
11 Maafa yatakuzidi wewe; hautaweza kuyaondoa kwa dua zako mwenyewe. Uharibifu utakuwa juu yako; hautaweza kuukata. Maafa yatakuangamiza ghafla, kabla haujajua kitu.
So you will experience terrible things, and you will not be able to prevent them by working magic. You will experience disasters, and you will not be able to pay anyone to prevent those things from happening. (A catastrophe/Something terrible) will happen to you suddenly, something that you will not realize [is about to happen].
12 Endeleni kutoa uganga wako na wachawi wengi ambao mlioaminishwa kusoma toka utotoni mwao; labda utafanikiwa, labda utayashinda maafa.
So you can continue to perform all your magic spells [IRO]! You can perform the many kinds of sorcery that you have practiced for many years! Perhaps [doing those things will enable you to] be successful; perhaps you will be able to cause your enemies to be afraid of you!
13 Umejaribu sana kwa kushauriwa sana; waache hao watu wasimame na kukuokoa wewe- wale wanaoangalia mbingu na wanoangalia nyota, wale wanotangaza mwenzi mpya- waache wawaokoe nyie kutoka kwenye yaliyowapata.
But [all that has resulted from your] doing all the things that the magicians have told you to do is that you have become tired! The men who look at the stars every month and predict what will happen should come forward and rescue you [from the disasters that you are about to experience].
14 Tazama, watakuwa kama mabua. Moto utayachoma juu. Hayataweza kujisaidia yenyewe kutoka kwenye mkono wa moto. Hakuna makaa kuwapa joto wao na hakuna moto uliowekwa pembeni kwa ajili yao!
But [they cannot do that, because] they are like [SIM] straw that is burning in a fire; they cannot save themselves from being burned up in the flames. Those men are unable to help you [MET]; they are as useless as stubble [that burns quickly and produces no heat] for you.
15 Hivi ndio wamekuwa kwako, wale unaofanya nao kazi, na unauza na kununua na wao toka ulipo kuwa mdogo, na wale wanaendelea kufanya mambo yao ya kijinga; na unapolia kuhitaji msaada, hakuna hata mmjoa ambaye atakukomboa wewe.''
The people whom you have associated with and worked with since you were young [will not help you], because they will just continue doing their own foolish things, and they will not pay any attention to you [when you cry out for help].”
