< 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.
Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and have come forth out of the waters of Judah, who swear by the name of the LORD, and make mention of the God of Israel, [but] not in truth, nor in righteousness.
2 Maana wanajiita wenyewewatu wa mji mtakatifu na kumuamini Mungu wa Israeli; Yahwe wa majeshi ndilo jina lake.
For they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves upon 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 have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth from my mouth, and I showed them; I did [them] suddenly, 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,
Because I knew that thou [art] obstinate, and thy neck [is] an iron sinew, and thy brow brass;
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.
I have even from the beginning declared [it] to thee; before it came to pass I showed [it] thee: lest thou shouldst say, My idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, hath commanded them.
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.
Thou hast heard, see all this; and will not ye declare [it]? I have showed ye new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them.
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 from the beginning; even before the day when thou heardst them not; lest thou shouldst say, Behold, I knew them.
8 Haukusikia; haukuelewa; haya mambo hayakufuniliwa katika masikio kabla ya. Maana nilijua kwamba umekuwa mdanganyifu, na kwamba umekuwa muasi kutoka kuzaliwa.
Yes, thou heardst not; yes, thou knewest not; yes, from that time [that] thy ear was not opened: for I knew that thou wouldst deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb.
9 Kwa niaba ya jina langu nitahairisha asira yangu, na kwa heshima yangu nitajizuia kutokumuharibu yeye.
For my name's sake will I defer my anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off.
10 Tazama, Mimi niliwaandaa ninyi, lakini sio kama fedha; Nimekusafisha wewe katika tanuru la mateso.
Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee 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, [even] for my own sake, will I do [it]: for how should [my name] be profaned? and I will not give my glory to another.
12 Nisikilize mimi, Yakobo, na Israeli niliyekuita: Mimi ndiye; Mimi ni wa kwanza, na pia wa mwisho.
Hearken to me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I [am] he; I [am] the first, I also [am] the last.
13 Ndio, mkono wangu umeweka msingi wa nchi, na mkono wangu wa kuume ulizitawanya mbingu, zimesimama juu kwa pamoja.
My hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: [when] I call to 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.
All ye, assemble yourselves and hear; who among them hath declared these [things]? The LORD hath loved him: he will do his pleasure on Babylon, and his arm [shall be on] 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 shall make his way prosperous.
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 ye near to me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there [am] I: and now the LORD God, and his Spirit, hath sent me.
17 Yahwe asema hivi, Mkombozi wenu, Mtakatifu wa Israeli anasema, ''Mimi ni Yahwe Mungu wenu, ninayewafundisha juu ya kufanikiwa, ninayewaonyesha njia mtakayoiptia.
Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I [am] the LORD thy God, who teacheth thee to profit, who leadeth thee by the way [that] thou shouldst go.
18 Ikiwa kama mtaheshimu amri zangu! Hivyo amani na maendeleo yatatiririka kama mto, na wokovu wenu ni kama mawimbi kwenye bahari.
O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the 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.
Thy seed also had been as the sand, and the offspring of thy bowels like its gravel; his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me.
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.
Go ye forth from Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter it [even] to the end of the earth; say ye, The LORD hath 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.
And they thirsted not, [when] he led them through the deserts: he caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them: he cleaved the rock also, and the waters gushed out.
22 Hakuna amani kwa watenda makosa- amesema Yahwe.''
[There is] no peace, saith the LORD, to the wicked.