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.
Pay attention, you islands, and listen closely, you far away peoples. The Lord has called me from the womb; from the womb of my mother, he has been mindful 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 appointed my mouth as a sharp sword. In the shadow of his hand, he has protected me. And he has appointed me as an elect arrow. In his quiver, he has hidden me.
3 Amesema na mimi, ''Wewe ni mtumishi wangu, Israeli, kupitia yeye nitaonyesha utukufu wangu.''
And he has said to me: “You are my servant, Israel. For in you, I will glory.”
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.
And I said: “I have labored toward emptiness. I have consumed my strength without purpose and in vain. Therefore, my judgment is with the Lord, and my work is 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 the Lord, who formed me from the womb as his servant, so that I may bring back Jacob to him, for Israel will not be gathered together, but I have been glorified in the eyes of the Lord 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.
and so he has said: “It is a small thing that you should be my servant so as to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and so as to convert the dregs of Israel. Behold, I have offered you as a light for the Gentiles, so that you may be my salvation, even to the furthest regions 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 the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, his Holy One, to a contemptible soul, to an abominable nation, to the servant of lords: The kings will see, and the princes will rise up, and they will adore, because of the Lord. For he is faithful, and he is the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.
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 the Lord: In a pleasing time, I have heeded you, and in the day of salvation, I have assisted you. And I have preserved you, and I have presented you as a covenant of the people, so that you would lift up the earth, and possess the scattered inheritances,
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.
so that you would say to those who are bound, “Go forth!” and to those who are in darkness, “Be released!” They will pasture along the roads, and their pastures will be in every open place.
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 will not hunger or thirst, nor will the heat of the sun beat down upon them. For the one who takes pity on them will rule them, and he will give them to drink from fountains of waters.
11 Na nitafanya milima yote kuwa barabara, na kufanya njia za juu kuwa sawa''
And I will make all my mountains into a road, and my paths will be exalted.
12 Tazama, haya yatatoka kutoka mbali, baadhi kutoka kaskazini na magharibi; na wengine kutoka nchi ya Sinimi.
Behold, some will come from far away, and behold, others from the north and from the sea, and still others from the land of the south.
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.
Give praise, O heavens! And exult, O earth! Let the mountains give praise with jubilation! For the Lord has consoled his people, and he will take pity on his poor ones.
14 Lakin Sayuni asema, Yahwe ameniacha mimi, na Bwana amenisahau mimi.''
And Zion said: “The Lord has abandoned 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 infant, so as not to take pity on the child of her womb? But even if she would forget, still I shall never forget you.
16 Tazama, nimeliandika jina lako kwenye kiganja cha mkono wangu; Kuta zako zinaendelea kuwa mbele yangu.
Behold, I have engraved you on my hands. Your walls are always before my eyes.
17 Watoto wangu wamerudi haraka, wakati wale wanowaangaimiza nyie wameenda mbali.
Your builders have arrived. Those who would tear you down and destroy you, they will depart from you.
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 your eyes all around, and see: all these have been gathered together; they have come to you. As I live, says the Lord, you shall be clothed with all these things, as if with an ornament. And like a bride, you shall wrap these things all around you.
19 Japo umeharibiwa na kuwa na ukiwa, nchi iliyoharibiwa, sasa itakuwa ndogo sana kwa wenyeji, na wale wanao waliokumeza watakuwa mbali,
For your deserts, and your solitary places, and the land of your ruination will now be too narrow, because of all the inhabitants. And those who devoured you will be chased 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.
Even the children of your barrenness will say in your ears: “This place is too narrow for me. Make me a spacious place in which to 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?''
And you will say in your heart: “Who has conceived them? I was barren and unable to give birth. I was taken away and held captive. And so, who has raised them? I was destitute and alone. And so, where have they been?”
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 God: Behold, I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles, and I will exalt my sign before the peoples. And they will carry your sons in their arms, and they will bear your daughters on 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 will be your caretakers, and queens will be your nursemaids. They will reverence you with their face to the ground, and they will lick the dust at your feet. And you will know that I am the Lord. For those who hope in him will not be confounded.
24 Je mateka wanaweza kuchukuliwa kwa shujaa, au wafungwa kukombolewa kutoka kwa mkali?
Can prey be taken from the strong? Or is anything taken captive by the powerful able to be saved?
25 Lakini Yahwe asema hivi, ''Wafungwa watachukuliwa kutoka kwa shujaa, na maeteka watakombolewa; maana utampinga adui yako na kuwakomboa watoto wako.
For thus says the Lord: Certainly, even the captives will be taken away from the strong, even what has been taken by the powerful will be saved. And truly, I will judge those who have judged you, and I will save your children.
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 your enemies their own flesh. And they will be inebriated with their own blood, as with new wine. And all flesh will know that I am the Lord, who saves you, and your Redeemer, the Strong One of Jacob.
