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 from the waters of Judah came out, Who are swearing by the name of Jehovah, And of the God of Israel make mention, 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 from the Holy City they have been called, And on the God of Israel been supported, Jehovah of Hosts [is] His name.
3 ''Nimetangaza vitu kutoka siku nyingi; Wamekuja nje kutoka mdomoni mwangu, na nimewafanya wajulikane; halafu gafla nimewafanyia, na yakatimia.
The former things from that time I declared, And from my mouth they have gone forth, And I proclaim them, Suddenly I have done, and it cometh.
4 Kwa sababu nilijua kwamba wewe ni mkaiidi, misuli ya shingo yako ni kama ya chuma, na paji la uso ni kama shaba,
From my knowing that thou art obstinate, And a sinew of iron thy neck, And thy forehead 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.
And I declare to thee from that time, Before it cometh I have caused thee to hear, Lest thou say, 'Mine idol hath done them, And my graven image, And my molten image did command 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 the whole of it, And ye, do ye not declare? I have caused thee to hear new things from this time, And things reserved that ye knew not.
7 Sasa, na sio yaliyopita, yamekuwa sasa, na kabla ya leo hamkusikia kuhusu wao, hivyo hautaweza kusema, 'Ndio, nilijua kuhusu wao.'
Now they have been produced and not from that time, Yea, before the day, and thou hast not heard them, Lest thou say, 'Lo, I have known them.'
8 Haukusikia; haukuelewa; haya mambo hayakufuniliwa katika masikio kabla ya. Maana nilijua kwamba umekuwa mdanganyifu, na kwamba umekuwa muasi kutoka kuzaliwa.
Yea, thou hast not heard, Yea, thou hast not known, Yea, from that time not opened hath thine ear, For I have known thou dealest treacherously, And 'Transgressor from the belly,' One is crying to thee.
9 Kwa niaba ya jina langu nitahairisha asira yangu, na kwa heshima yangu nitajizuia kutokumuharibu yeye.
For My name's sake I defer Mine anger, And My praise I restrain for thee, So as not to cut thee off.
10 Tazama, Mimi niliwaandaa ninyi, lakini sio kama fedha; Nimekusafisha wewe katika tanuru la mateso.
Lo, I have refined thee, and not with silver, I have chosen thee in a 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 sake, for Mine own sake, I do [it], For how is it polluted? And Mine honour to another I give not.
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 one, I [am] He, I [am] first, and I [am] last;
13 Ndio, mkono wangu umeweka msingi wa nchi, na mkono wangu wa kuume ulizitawanya mbingu, zimesimama juu kwa pamoja.
Also, My hand hath founded earth, And My right hand stretched out the heavens, I am calling unto them, they stand 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.
Be gathered all of you, and hear, Who among them did declare these things? Jehovah hath loved him, He doth His pleasure on Babylon, And His arm [is on] the Chaldeans.
15 Mimi, nimezungumza, ndio, nimemchagua yeye, nimemleta yeye, na yeye atafanikiwa.
I — I have spoken, yea, I have called him, I have brought him in, And he hath made prosperous his way.
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 unto me, hear this, Not from the beginning in secret spake I, From the time of its being, there [am] I, And now the Lord Jehovah hath sent me, and 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 said Jehovah, thy redeemer, The Holy One of Israel, 'I [am] Jehovah thy God, teaching thee to profit, Causing thee to tread in the way thou goest.
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 attended to My commands, Then as a river is thy peace, And thy righteousness as billows 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.
And as sand is thy seed, And the offspring of thy bowels as its gravel, Not cut off nor destroyed his name 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 out from Babylon, flee from the Chaldeans, With a voice of singing declare, Cause ye this to be heard, Bring it forth unto the end of the earth, Say, Redeemed hath Jehovah 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 have not thirsted in waste places, He hath caused them to go on, Waters from a rock he hath caused to flow to them, Yea, he cleaveth a rock, and flow do waters.
22 Hakuna amani kwa watenda makosa- amesema Yahwe.''
There is no peace, said Jehovah, to the wicked!
