Isaya 58
1 ''Lia kwa sauti; usinyamaze. Paza sauti yako juu kama mbiu. Kabiliana na watu wangu wenye uasi, na nyumba ya Yakobo na dhambi zao.
Give a roar from the throat! Don't hold back! Shout out like a trumpet! Announce to my people how rebellious they are; denounce to the descendants of Jacob their sins.
2 Bali wananitafuta mimi kila siku na kufurahia katika maarifa ya njia zangu, kama taifa linalotenda haki na hawakuiacha sheria ya Mungu wao. Wananiuliza mimi kuhusu hukumu ya haki; wamepata furaha katika mawazo yao ya kwa kumkaribia Mungu
Every day they come to me, pleased to know my ways as if they were a nation that does what is right and follow the laws of their God! They ask me to treat them right; they like to be close to their God.
3 Kwa niini tulifunga; walisema, 'Lakini hamkuona hilo? Kwa nini tulijinyenyekeza wenywe, lakini hakutambua?' Tazama, siku ya kufunda kwanu utatafuta furaha yanu mwenyewe na kuwanyanyasa wafanyakazi wenu wote.
“Didn't you see that we fasted?” they ask. “Didn't you notice how we denied ourselves?” That's because whenever you fast you still do whatever you want, and you treat your workers badly.
4 Tazama, ninyi mnafunga ili muwe wepesi wa kugombana na kupigana, na kupiga kwa ngumi ya uovu wako; haujafunga leo kuifanya sauti yako isikike juu.
Can't you see that when you're fasting you quarrel and argue, and end up having a vicious fist-fight? When you fast like this you can't expect your prayers to be heard on high!
5 Kwa uhalisi aina ya mfungo huu ndio ambao ninauhitaji: Siku ambayo kila mtu hunyenyekea mwenyewe, huinamisha kichwa chake chini kama mwanzi, na hutawanya mavazi ya magunia na majivu chini yake? Je kweli unauita huu ni mfungo, siku ya kumfurahisha Yahwe?
Is this the kind of fast I want when people act out their humility by bowing their heads down like a reed and by lying around in sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day the Lord appreciates?
6 Hii sio mfungo ambao niliuchagua mimi: kufungua vifungo vya waovu, kufungua kamba za nira, kuwaweka huru walioangamizwa, na kuharibu kila nira?
No, this is the fast I want: set free those who have been unjustly imprisoned, untie the cords of the yoke used to burden people, set free those who are oppressed, and get rid of every form of abuse.
7 Sio kwamba kula mkate na wenye njaa na kuwaleta masikini na kuwaleta wasio na makazi katika nyuma yako?'' Unapomuana mtu yuko uchi, unatakiwa vumvishe mavazi; na usijifiche mwenyewe na ndugu zako.
Share your food with the hungry, take the poor and homeless into your house. When you see people naked, give them clothes, and don't reject your own relatives.
8 Halafu mwanga wako utafunguliwa kama jua, na uponyaji wako utachipukia juu kwa haraka; haki yako itaenda mbele zake, na na utukufu wa Yahwe utakuwa nyuma kukulinda.
Then your light will shine out like the dawn, and you will be healed quickly; your salvation will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will go behind you.
9 Halafu utamuita, na Yahwe atakuitikia; utalia ukihitaji msaada, na atasema, ''Nipo hapa.'' Ikiwa utaitoa nira isiwepo miongoni mwako, kidole kinachoshataki, maongezi ya waovu,
Then when you call, the Lord will answer; when you cry out for help, the Lord will say, “I'm here.” If you get rid of oppression among you, if you stop pointing the finger and slandering others,
10 Ikiwa wewe mwenyewe utawapa wenye njaa na kuwaridhisha wahitaji katika shida, na giza lako litakuwa kama mchana.
if you dedicate yourselves to helping the hungry and give the poor what they need, then your light will shine out in the darkness, and your night will be like the sun at noon.
11 Halafu Yahwe ataendelea kuwaongoza ninyi na kuwa ridhisha ninyi katika mikoa ambayo hakuna maji, Ataimarisha mifupa yenu. Mtakuwa kama bustani iliyonyeshewa maji, na kama mkondo wa maji, ambaopo maji yake hayapungui.
The Lord will always lead you; he will give you all you need in you in a desolate land; he will make you strong again. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring that never runs dry.
12 Baadhi yenu mtajenga tena sehumu za kale zilizoharibiwa; mtatengeneza sehemu zilizoharibiwana vizazi vingi; na mtaitwa ''Mrekebishaji wa ukuta,'' kuwarejesha katika mtaa ya kuishi.''
Some among you will rebuild the ancient ruins; you will restore generations-old foundations. You will be called the Repairer of the Break in the Wall, the Restorer of Life's Pathways.
13 Tuseme kwamba ukigeuza nyuma miguu yenu kutoka safarini katika siku ya sabato, kufanya anasa siku yangu takatifu, Tuseme kwamba umeiita sabato siku ya furaha, na umeiita siku ya Bwana Yahwe mtakatifu na yenye kuheshimiwa. Tuseme kwamba unahieshimu sabato kwa kuacha biashara zako, na hautafuti anasa zako mwenyewe na uzungumzi maneno yako mwenyewe.
If you make sure you don't break the Sabbath by doing whatever you please on my holy day, if you say the Sabbath brings you pleasure and the Lord's day is to be honored, and if you honor it by leaving aside your own ways, by not doing whatever you please, and by avoiding everyday chatting,
14 ''Halafu utapata furaha kwa Yahwe; na nitaifanya safari yako juu ya urefu wa nchi; Nitakulisha wewe kwenye urithi wa Yakobo baba yenu- maana mdomo wa Yahwe umezungumza.''
then you'll find the Lord is the one who truly makes you happy, and I will give you high positions on the earth and give you what I promised to Jacob, your forefather. I, the Lord, have spoken.
