< 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, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression, and 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 forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching 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 thou seest not? [why] have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye 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.
Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as [ye do this] day, 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 it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? [is it] to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes [under him]? wilt thou 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?
[Is] not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye 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.
[Is it] not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou shouldst bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou shouldst cover him; and that thou shouldst not hide thyself from thy 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 shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rear-ward.
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 shalt thou call, and the LORD will answer; thou shalt cry, and he will say, Here I [am]. If thou shalt take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;
10 Ikiwa wewe mwenyewe utawapa wenye njaa na kuwaridhisha wahitaji katika shida, na giza lako litakuwa kama mchana.
And [if] thou shalt draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness [be] as the noon day:
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 thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drouth, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
12 Baadhi yenu mtajenga tena sehumu za kale zilizoharibiwa; mtatengeneza sehemu zilizoharibiwana vizazi vingi; na mtaitwa ''Mrekebishaji wa ukuta,'' kuwarejesha katika mtaa ya kuishi.''
And [they that shall be] of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt 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 thou shalt turn away thy foot from the sabbath, [from] doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honorable; and shalt honor him, not doing thy own ways, nor finding thy own pleasure, nor speaking [thy 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 shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken [it].