< Isaya 49 >

1 Nisikilize mimi, enyi mkao pwani! na kuwa makini, enyi watu mkao mbali. Yahwe amenita mimi kutoka kuzaliwa kwa jina, mama yangu aliponileta duniani.
Listen, O isles, to me, and hearken, ye peoples from far. Jehovah has called me from the womb. From the bowels of my mother he has made mention of my name.
2 Amefanya mdomo wangu kuwa kama upanga mkali; amenificha mimi katika kivuli cha mkono wake; amenifanya mimi kuwa mshale unaong'aa; katika podo yake amenificha mimi.
And he has made my mouth like a sharp sword. He has hid me in the shadow of his hand, and he has made me a polished shaft. He has kept me close in his quiver.
3 Amesema na mimi, ''Wewe ni mtumishi wangu, Israeli, kupitia yeye nitaonyesha utukufu wangu.''
And he said to me, Thou are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.
4 Lakini nilimjibu, ''Japo nilifikiria nilifanya kazi bure, nimetumia nguvu zangu bure, ikiwa haki yangu iko pamoja na Yahwe, na zawadi yangu iko kwa Mungu wangu.
But I said, I have labored in vain. I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity. Yet surely the justice due to me is with Jehovah, and my recompense with my God.
5 Na sasa Yahwe asema hivi, yeye aliyeniumba mimi toka kuzaliwa na kuwa mtumishi wake, kumrejesha Yakobo tena kwake mwenyewe, na Israeli wakusanyike kwake. Mimi ninaheshimika katika macho ya Yahwe, na Mungu wangu amekuwa nguvu zangu.
And now says Jehovah who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, and that Israel be gathered to him (for I am honorable in the eyes of Jehovah, and my God has become my strength),
6 Asema hivi, ''Ni kitu kidogo sana kwa wewe kuwa mtumishi wangu ili kuanzisha ukoo wa Yakobo, na kuwarejesha wanaoishi Israeli. Nitakufanya wewe kuwa mwanga kwa Wayunani, ili uwe wokovu wangu katika mipaka ya nchi.
yea, he says, It is too light a thing that thou should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel. I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou may be my salvation to the end of the earth.
7 Yahwe asema hivi, Mkombozi wa Israeli, Mtatakatifu wao, kwa yeye ambae maisha yake yamedharauliwa, kuchukiwa na mataifa, na mtumwa wa viongozi, ''Mfalme atakuona wewe na nyanyuka, na wakuu watakuona wewe na inama chini, kwa sababu ya Yahwe ambae ni mwaminifu, hata mtakatifu wa Israeli, aliyewachagua ninyi.''
Thus says Jehovah, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despises, to him whom the nation abhors, to a servant of rulers. Kings shall see and arise, rulers, and they shall worship, because of Jehovah who is faithful, even the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen thee.
8 Yahwe asema hivi, ''Kwa mda huu nimeamua kuwaonyesha neema yangu na nitawajibu ninyi, na siku ya wokovu nitawasaidi ninyi; Nitakulinda wewe; na nitawapa kama agano kwa watu, kuitengeneza tena nchi, kuwarihtisha urithi uliokuwa na ukiwa.
Thus says Jehovah, In an acceptable time I have heard thee, and in a day of salvation I have helped thee. And I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to raise up the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritages,
9 Utasema kwa wafungwa, 'Tokeni nje; kwa wale mlio katika giza gerezani, 'Jionyeshe mwenyewe. 'Watachunga pembeni ya barabara, na juu ya miteremko ya wazi yatakuwa malisho yake.
saying to those who are bound, Go forth; to those who are in darkness, Show yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pasture shall be on all bare heights.
10 Hawatasikia njaa wala kiu; wala joto au jua halitawaunguza, kwa yeye mwenye huruma juu yao atawaongoza wao; atawaongoza wao kwenye mikondo ya maji.
They shall not hunger nor thirst, neither shall the heat nor sun smite them. For he who has mercy on them will lead them. He will guide them even by springs of water.
11 Na nitafanya milima yote kuwa barabara, na kufanya njia za juu kuwa sawa''
And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.
12 Tazama, haya yatatoka kutoka mbali, baadhi kutoka kaskazini na magharibi; na wengine kutoka nchi ya Sinimi.
Lo, these shall come from far, and, lo, these from the north and from the west, and these from the land of Sinim.
13 Imba, ewe mbingu, na uwe na furaha, ewe nchi pazeni sauti ya kuimmba enyi milima! maana Yahwe anawafariji watu wake, na watakuwa na huruma kwa wale wanoteseka.
Sing, O heavens, and be joyful, O earth, and break forth into singing, O mountains. For Jehovah has comforted his people, and will have compassion upon his afflicted.
14 Lakin Sayuni asema, Yahwe ameniacha mimi, na Bwana amenisahau mimi.''
But Zion said, Jehovah has forsaken me, and the Lord has forgotten me.
15 ''Je mwanamke anaweza kumsahau mtoto wake, aliyemnyonyesha, hivyo hana huruma na mtoto aliye mzaa? ndio, hawakusahau, lakini siwezi kukusahau wewe.
Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, these may forget, yet I will not forget thee.
16 Tazama, nimeliandika jina lako kwenye kiganja cha mkono wangu; Kuta zako zinaendelea kuwa mbele yangu.
Behold, I have engraved thee upon the palms of my hands. Thy walls are continually before me.
17 Watoto wangu wamerudi haraka, wakati wale wanowaangaimiza nyie wameenda mbali.
Thy sons make haste. Thy destroyers and those who made thee waste shall go forth from thee.
18 Tazama karibu na uone, wote wamekusanyika na wanakuja kwako. Nitahakikisha kama ninaishi- hili ni tamko la Yahwe- hakika mtavivaaa kama kama kijiti; utajifungia kama bibi harusi.
Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold. All these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, says Jehovah, thou shall surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and gird thyself with them, like a bride.
19 Japo umeharibiwa na kuwa na ukiwa, nchi iliyoharibiwa, sasa itakuwa ndogo sana kwa wenyeji, na wale wanao waliokumeza watakuwa mbali,
For, as for thy waste and thy desolate places, and thy land that has been destroyed, surely now thou shall be too narrow for the inhabitants, and those who swallowed thee up shall be far away.
20 Watoto watakaozaliwa katika kipindi cha msiba watasema mkiwa mnawasikiliza, 'Sehemu hii ni duni kwetu, tengeneza chumba kwa ajili yetu, ili tuweze kuishi hapa.
The sons of thy bereavement shall yet say in thine ears, The place is too narrow for me. Give a place to me that I may dwell.
21 Halafu utajiuliza mwenyewe, ni nani aliyewazaa watu hawa kwangu? Mimi nilifiwa na ni tasa, niliyefungwa na kupewa talaka. Ni nani aliyewalea hawa watoto? Tazama, niliachiwa yote mimi mwenyewe; Je haya yametoka wapi?''
Then thou shall say in thy heart, Who has begotten these for me, seeing I have been bereaved of my sons, and am solitary, an exile, and wandering to and fro? And who has brought up these? Behold, I was left alone, these, where were they?
22 Yahwe asema hivi, ''Tazama, nitanyanyua mkono wangu juu ya mataifa; Nitanyanyua bendera yangu ya ishara kwa watu. Watawaleta watoto wako kwenye mikono yao na watawabeba binti zako juu ya mabega yao.
Thus says the lord Jehovah: Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations, and set up my ensign to the peoples. And they shall bring thy sons in their bosom, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.
23 Wafalme watakuwa baba zako wa kambo, na malikia watakuwa wafanyakazi wa ndani; watakuinamia chini wewe kw uso wao kwa nchi na kukung'uta mavumbi ya miguu yenu; wale wanonisubiri mimi hawataabika.''
And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers. They shall bow down to thee with their faces to the earth, and lick the dust of thy feet. And thou shall know that I am Jehovah, and those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.
24 Je mateka wanaweza kuchukuliwa kwa shujaa, au wafungwa kukombolewa kutoka kwa mkali?
Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captives be delivered?
25 Lakini Yahwe asema hivi, ''Wafungwa watachukuliwa kutoka kwa shujaa, na maeteka watakombolewa; maana utampinga adui yako na kuwakomboa watoto wako.
But thus says Jehovah, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered. For I will contend with him who contends with thee, and I will save thy sons.
26 Na nitawalisha wanowaonea kwa mwili wao wenyewe; na watalewa kwa damu zao wenyewe, kama iliyo mvinyo; na watu wote watajua kwamba Mimi Yahwe, ni Mokozi wenu na Mkombozi wenu, yeye aliyemkuu wa Isareli.
And I will feed those who oppress thee with their own flesh. And they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine. And all flesh shall know that I, Jehovah, am thy Savior and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

< Isaya 49 >