< 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.
"Cry aloud, do not spare, lift up your voice like a trumpet, and declare to my people their disobedience, and to the house 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
Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways: as a nation that did righteousness, and did not forsake the ordinance of their God, they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to 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.
'Why have we fasted,' say they, 'and you do not see? Why have we afflicted our soul, and you take no knowledge?' "Look, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and exact all your labors.
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.
Look, you fast for strife and contention, and to strike with the fist of wickedness: you do not fast this day so as to make your voice 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 such the fast that I have chosen? the day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head as a rush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?
6 Hii sio mfungo ambao niliuchagua mimi: kufungua vifungo vya waovu, kufungua kamba za nira, kuwaweka huru walioangamizwa, na kuharibu kila nira?
"Isn't this the fast that I have chosen: to release the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?
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.
Isn't it to distribute your bread to the hungry, and that you bring the poor who are cast out to your house? When you see the naked, that you cover him; and that you not hide yourself from your own flesh?
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 shall break forth as the morning, and your healing shall spring forth speedily; and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
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 you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, 'Here I am.' "If you take away from the midst of you the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking wickedly;
10 Ikiwa wewe mwenyewe utawapa wenye njaa na kuwaridhisha wahitaji katika shida, na giza lako litakuwa kama mchana.
and if you draw out your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul: then your light shall rise in darkness, and your obscurity be as the noonday;
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.
and the LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in dry places, and make strong your bones; and you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
12 Baadhi yenu mtajenga tena sehumu za kale zilizoharibiwa; mtatengeneza sehemu zilizoharibiwana vizazi vingi; na mtaitwa ''Mrekebishaji wa ukuta,'' kuwarejesha katika mtaa ya kuishi.''
Those who shall be of you shall build the old waste places; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.
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 turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, and the holy of the LORD honorable; and shall honor it, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words:
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 shall delight yourself in the LORD; and I will make you to ride on the high places of the earth; and I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father:" for the mouth of the LORD has spoken it.

< Isaya 58 >