< Isaya 66 >
1 Yahwe asema hivi, ''Mbinguni ni makao yangu, na nchi ni miguu yangu. Iko wapi nyumba uliyonitengenezea mimi? iko wapi sehemu amabayo ninaweza kupumzika?
This is what the LORD says: “Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me? Or where will My place of repose be?
2 Mkono wangu umeyafanya haya yote; hivi ndovyo jinsi ambavyo vitu vitatokeavyo—hili ndilo tamko la Yahwe. Mtu niliyempitisha, mwenye roho iliyopondeka na mwenye kujutia roho, na atetemekaye kwa ajili ya neno langu.
Has not My hand made all these things? And so they came into being,” declares the LORD. “This is the one I will esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, who trembles at My word.
3 Yeyote achinjae ng'ombe humuua mtu pia; yeye anayetoa sadaka ya kondoo huvunja shingo ya mbwa pia; yeye anayetoa sadaka ya mavuno anatoa sadaka ya damu yangurue; yeye anayetoa kumbukumbuvumba huwabariki wakosaji pia. Wamechagua njia zao wenyewe wanachukua radhi kwa uchafu wao wenyewe.
Whoever slaughters an ox is like one who slays a man; whoever sacrifices a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck; whoever presents a grain offering is like one who offers pig’s blood; whoever offers frankincense is like one who blesses an idol. Indeed, they have chosen their own ways and delighted in their abominations.
4 Katika njia hiyo hiyo nitachagua adhabu yao wenyewe; Nitaleta juu yao kitu wanachokiogopa, maana niilpowaita, hakuna aliyeitika; nilipozungumza aliyenisikiliza mimi. Walifanya yaliyo maovu mbele yangu, na kuchagua yasiyo nipenindeza mimi.''
So I will choose their punishment and I will bring terror upon them, because I called and no one answered, I spoke and no one listened. But they did evil in My sight and chose that in which I did not delight.”
5 Sikiliza neno la Yahwe, ewe utemekae kwa neno lake, ''Kaka zako wanaonichukia na kukutenga wewe kwa ajili ya jina langu walisema, 'Na atukuzwe Yahwe, halafu tutaiona furaha yenu; lakini mtatiwa katika aibu.
You who tremble at His word, hear the word of the LORD: “Your brothers who hate you and exclude you because of My name have said, ‘Let the LORD be glorified that we may see your joy!’ But they will be put to shame.”
6 Sauti ya vita vya ghasi vinakuja katika mji, sauti kutoka hekaluni, sauti ya Yahwe anawarudia maadui zake.
Hear the uproar from the city; listen to the voice from the temple! It is the voice of the LORD, repaying His enemies what they deserve!
7 Kabla ajaenda katika chumba, hujifungua; kabla ya uchungu kumtoka hujifungua mtoto wa kiume.
“Before she was in labor, she gave birth; before she was in pain, she delivered a boy.
8 Ni nani asikiaye mambo haya? Ni nani aonae mambo haya? Je taifa linaweza kuanzishwa kwa wakati mmoja? lakini kwa haraka Sayuni inapokwenda katika chumba, hujifungua watoto wake.
Who has heard of such as this? Who has seen such things? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be delivered in an instant? Yet as soon as Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her children.
9 Ninawezaje kumleta mtoto azaliwe na nisimruhusu mtoto azaliwe? Yahwe auliza? — au Je ninamleta mtoto wakati tu wa kujifungua na halafu nimshikilie tena - anauliza Yahwe.''
Shall I bring a baby to the point of birth and not deliver it?” says the LORD. “Or will I who deliver close the womb?” says your God.
10 Furahia na Yerusalemu na fuhahia kwa ajili yake, ninyi nyote mnaopenda yeye; furahia pamoja na yeye, ninyi mnaomboleza juu yake!
Be glad for Jerusalem and rejoice over her, all who love her. Rejoice greatly with her, all who mourn over her,
11 Maana utamuuguza na ataridhika, katika maziwa yake atakufariji; utakunywa mpaka ushibe na kufurahia kwa wingi wa utukufu wake.
so that you may nurse and be satisfied at her comforting breasts; you may drink deeply and delight yourselves in her glorious abundance.
12 Yahwe asema hivi, ''Ni nanakaribia kutawanya mafanikio juu katika mto, na utajiri wa mataifa kama wingi wa mkondo wa maji. Utamuuguza kwa upande wake, na kubebwa katika mikono yake, mtabebwa juu ya magoti yake.
For this is what the LORD says: “I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flowing stream; you will nurse and be carried on her arm, and bounced upon her knees.
13 Kama vile mama anavyomfariji mtoto wake, hivyo basi nami nitawafariji ninyi, na mtapata faraja katika Yerusalemu.''
As a mother comforts her son, so will I comfort you, and you will be consoled over Jerusalem.”
14 Utayaona haya, na moyo wako utafurahia, na mifupa yako itachipukia kama zabuni ya nyasi. Aridhi ya Yahweitajulikana kwa watumishi wake, lakini atawaonyesha hasira yake dhidi ya maadui zake.
When you see, you will rejoice, and you will flourish like grass; then the hand of the LORD will be revealed to His servants, but His wrath will be shown to His enemies.
15 Kwa kutazama, Yahwe anakuja kwa moto, na gari lake linakuja kama upepo wa dhoruba kuleta joto katika hasira yake na kukemea kwake ni kama moto uwakao.
For behold, the LORD will come with fire— His chariots are like a whirlwind— to execute His anger with fury and His rebuke with flames of fire.
16 Maana Yahwe ametekeleza hukumu juu ya watu kwa moto na kwa upanga wake. Wale watakaouliwa na Yahwe watakuwa wengi.
For by fire and by His sword, the LORD will execute judgment on all flesh, and many will be slain by the LORD.
17 Watajiweka wakfu wenyewe na kujisafisha wenywe, ili waweze kuingia katika bustani, kumfuata aliyeko katikati ya wale walao nyama ya nguruwe na vitu haramu kama panya. ''Watafika mwisho - hili ni tamko la Yahwe.
“Those who consecrate and purify themselves to enter the groves—to follow one in the center of those who eat the flesh of swine and vermin and rats—will perish together,” declares the LORD.
18 Maana ninayajua matendo yao na mawazo yao. Wakatiutafika nitakapoyakusanya mataifa yote na lugha zote. Watakuja na kuona utukufu wangu.
“And I, knowing their deeds and thoughts, am coming to gather all nations and tongues, and they will come and see My glory.
19 Nitaweka ishara ya ukuu wangu miongoni mwao. Halafu nitawatuma wakazi kutoka miongoni mwao kwa mataifa. Kwa Tarshishi, Puti, na Ludi, upinde wale wanaochukua upinde wao, kwa Tubali, Javani, na umbali kuelekea katika pwani kule ambapo hawajasikia chochote kuhusu mimi wala kuona utukufu wangu. Watatangaza utukufu wangu miongoni mwa mataifa.
I will establish a sign among them, and I will send survivors from among them to the nations—to Tarshish, Put, and the archers of Lud; to Tubal, Javan, and the islands far away who have not heard of My fame or seen My glory. So they will proclaim My glory among the nations.
20 Watawaleta kaka zako wote nje ya mataifa yote, kama sadaka kwa Yahwe. Watakuja kwa farasi na kwa gari, na kwa gari, juu ya nyumbu na juu ya ngamia, kuelekea mlima wangu mtakatifu Yerusalemu - asema Yahwe. Maana watu wangu wa Israeli wataleta sadaka ya mavuno kwenye vyombo visafi katika nyumba ya Yahwe.
And they will bring all your brothers from all the nations as a gift to the LORD on horses and chariots and wagons, on mules and camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,” says the LORD, “just as the Israelites bring an offering in a clean vessel to the house of the LORD.”
21 Baadhi ya vitu hivi nitavichagua kama makuhani na walawi — asema Yahwe.
“And I will select some of them as priests and Levites,” says the LORD.
22 Maana itakuwa mbingu mpya na nchi mpya ambayo nitakayoifanya ibaki mbele zangu— Hili ndilo tamko la Yahwe— Hivyo ndivyo ukoo wenu utakavyobakia, na jina lenu litabaki.
“For just as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, will endure before Me,” declares the LORD, “so your descendants and your name will endure.
23 Kutoka mwenzi mmoja mpaka mwingine, na kutoka sabato moja mpaka nyingine, watu wote watakuja kukuinamia chini— asema Yahwe.
From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come to worship before Me,” says the LORD.
24 Watakwenda nje na kuona miili ya wafu ya watu walioniasi mimi, maana wadudu wawalao wao hatakufa, na moto huwaunguzao hautazimika; na itakuwa ni chuki kwa wale wote wenye mwili.''
“As they go forth, they will see the corpses of the men who have rebelled against Me; for their worm will never die, their fire will never be quenched, and they will be a horror to all mankind.”