Isaya 48
1 Sikiliza hili, nyumba ya Jakobo, mlioitwa kwa jina la Israeli, na mmetoka katika mbegu ya Yuda; yeye akirie kwa jina la Yahwe na kumuhusisha Mungu wa Israeli, lakini sio kweli wala kwa namna ya haki.
“Listen to this, O house of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel, who have descended from the line of Judah, who swear by the name of the LORD, who invoke the God of Israel— but not in truth or righteousness—
2 Maana wanajiita wenyewewatu wa mji mtakatifu na kumuamini Mungu wa Israeli; Yahwe wa majeshi ndilo jina lake.
who indeed call yourselves after the holy city and lean on the God of Israel; the LORD of Hosts is His name.
3 ''Nimetangaza vitu kutoka siku nyingi; Wamekuja nje kutoka mdomoni mwangu, na nimewafanya wajulikane; halafu gafla nimewafanyia, na yakatimia.
I foretold the former things long ago; they came out of My mouth and I proclaimed them. Suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.
4 Kwa sababu nilijua kwamba wewe ni mkaiidi, misuli ya shingo yako ni kama ya chuma, na paji la uso ni kama shaba,
For I knew that you are stubborn; your neck is iron and your forehead is bronze.
5 Hivyo basi nilitangaza vitu hivi kabla havijatokeo hivyo, nilikujulisha wewe, 'Sanamu yangu imefanya haya au sanamu yangu ya kuchonga na sanamu yangu ya kuyeyusha, yamekwishisha vitu.
Therefore I declared it to you long ago; I announced it before it came to pass, so that you could not claim, ‘My idol has done this; my carved image and molten god has ordained it.’
6 Umesikia kuhusu mambo haya; angalia ushahidi wote; na wewe, Je hautakubali kwamba ninacho kisema ni cha kweli? Kuanzia sasa na kuendelea Nitawaonyesha vitu vipya, mambo yaliyofichika ambayo hamkuyajua.
You have heard these things; look at them all. Will you not acknowledge them? From now on I will tell you of new things, hidden things unknown to you.
7 Sasa, na sio yaliyopita, yamekuwa sasa, na kabla ya leo hamkusikia kuhusu wao, hivyo hautaweza kusema, 'Ndio, nilijua kuhusu wao.'
They are created now, and not long ago; you have not heard of them before today. So you cannot claim, ‘I already knew them!’
8 Haukusikia; haukuelewa; haya mambo hayakufuniliwa katika masikio kabla ya. Maana nilijua kwamba umekuwa mdanganyifu, na kwamba umekuwa muasi kutoka kuzaliwa.
You have never heard; you have never understood; for a long time your ears have not been open. For I knew how deceitful you are; you have been called a rebel from birth.
9 Kwa niaba ya jina langu nitahairisha asira yangu, na kwa heshima yangu nitajizuia kutokumuharibu yeye.
For the sake of My name I will delay My wrath; for the sake of My praise I will restrain it, so that you will not be cut off.
10 Tazama, Mimi niliwaandaa ninyi, lakini sio kama fedha; Nimekusafisha wewe katika tanuru la mateso.
See, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
11 Kwa niaba yangu, kwa niaba yangu nitafanya; maana ni kwa jinsi gani niruhusu jina langu lisiheshimike? Sitampa utukufu wangu mtu yeyote.
For My own sake, My very own sake, I will act; for how can I let Myself be defamed? I will not yield My glory to another.
12 Nisikilize mimi, Yakobo, na Israeli niliyekuita: Mimi ndiye; Mimi ni wa kwanza, na pia wa mwisho.
Listen to Me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I have called: I am He; I am the first, and I am the last.
13 Ndio, mkono wangu umeweka msingi wa nchi, na mkono wangu wa kuume ulizitawanya mbingu, zimesimama juu kwa pamoja.
Surely My own hand founded the earth, and My right hand spread out the heavens; when I summon them, they stand up together.
14 Jikusanyeni wenyewe, nyinyi nyote, na sikilizeni; ni nani miongoni mwenu atangazaye mambo haya? Yahwe atakamilisha lengo lake dhidi ya Babeli. Atachukua mapenzi ya Yahwe dhidi ya wa Wakaldayo.
Come together, all of you, and listen: Which of the idols has foretold these things? The LORD’s chosen ally will carry out His desire against Babylon, and His arm will be against the Chaldeans.
15 Mimi, nimezungumza, ndio, nimemchagua yeye, nimemleta yeye, na yeye atafanikiwa.
I, even I, have spoken; yes, I have called him. I have brought him, and he will succeed in his mission.
16 Sogea karibu na mimi, sikiliza hili; kutoka mwanzo sikuzungumza katika siri; lakini ilipotokea, Mimi niko hapa; na sasa Bwana Mungu amenituma mimi, na Roho wake.''
Come near to Me and listen to this: From the beginning I have not spoken in secret; from the time it happened, I was there.” And now the Lord GOD has sent me, accompanied by His Spirit.
17 Yahwe asema hivi, Mkombozi wenu, Mtakatifu wa Israeli anasema, ''Mimi ni Yahwe Mungu wenu, ninayewafundisha juu ya kufanikiwa, ninayewaonyesha njia mtakayoiptia.
Thus says the LORD your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you for your benefit, who directs you in the way you should go.
18 Ikiwa kama mtaheshimu amri zangu! Hivyo amani na maendeleo yatatiririka kama mto, na wokovu wenu ni kama mawimbi kwenye bahari.
If only you had paid attention to My commandments, your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like waves of the sea.
19 Watoto wako watakuwa wengi kama mchanga, na watoto kutoka kwenye tombo zenu watakuwa wengi kama nafaka kwenye mchanga; majina yao hayataondolewa wala kufutwa mbele yangu.
Your descendants would have been as countless as the sand, and your offspring as numerous as its grains; their name would never be cut off or eliminated from My presence.”
20 Tokeni nje ya Babeli! wakimbieni Wakaldayo! kwa sauti ya kupiga kelele tangaza kwamba! hakikisha hili linajulikana, hakikisha hili linafika mpaka miisho ya nchi! sema 'Yahwe amemkomboa Yakobo mtumishi wake.
Leave Babylon! Flee from the Chaldeans! Declare it with a shout of joy, proclaim it, let it go out to the ends of the earth, saying, “The LORD has redeemed His servant Jacob!”
21 Hawakupatwa na kiu alipowaongoza katika jangwa, alifanya maji kutokea kwenye mwamba kwa ajili yao; aliugawa na kufungua mwamba, na maji yakatoka nje.
They did not thirst when He led them through the deserts; He made water flow for them from the rock; He split the rock, and water gushed out.
22 Hakuna amani kwa watenda makosa- amesema Yahwe.''
“There is no peace,” says the LORD, “for the wicked.”
