< Isaya 7 >

1 Siku zile wakati Ahazi mtoto wa Yothani mtoto wa Uzia, mfalme wa Yuda, Rezeni mfalme wa Amramu, na Peka mtoto wa Remaelia, mfalme wa Israeli, walienda Yerusalemu kupigana vita nao, lakini hawakuweza kushinda vita.
Ahaz was the son of Jotham and grandson of Uzziah. During the time that Ahaz was the king of Judah, King Rezin of Syria and King Pekah of Israel marched [with their armies] to attack Jerusalem. But they could not conquer it.
2 Ilitaarifiwa kwa nyumba ya Daudi kwamba Amramu amejiunga na Efraimu. Moyo wake na moyo watu wake ukatetemeka, kama vile miti ya misitu inavyopepea kwa upepo.
[But before they attacked], everyone in the palace heard a report that the armies of Syria and Israel were [now] (allies/joined [to attack Jerusalem)]. So Ahaz and the people over whom he ruled were extremely afraid; they were shaking from fear like trees shake in a windstorm.
3 Ndipo Yahwe akamwambia Isaya, ''Nenda nje na kijana wako, Sheari Jashubu ukaonane na Ahazi mwisho wa mfereji wa birika la juu, katika njia kuu ya uwanja Dobi.
Then Yahweh said to me, “Take your son Shear-Jashub, and go to talk with [King] Ahaz. He is at the end of the (aqueduct/water channel) that brings water into the upper reservoir, near the road to the place where women wash clothes.
4 Mwambie, 'awe makini, awe mtulivu, asiogope au vitisho kwa sababu ya mikia hii miwili ya vingi hivi vitokavyo moshi, kwa sababu ya hasira kubwa ya Resini na Amramu, na mtoto wa Remalia.
Tell Ahaz to stop worrying [DOU]. Tell him that he does not need to be afraid of those two kings, Rezin and Pekah. They are very angry [with Judah], but they are [unable to harm his country any more than] completely burned-out coals [can harm him].
5 Amramu, Ephraimu, na mtoto wa Remaeli wamepanga mabaya juu yako; wamesema, '' njooni tuwavamie Yuda na kuwaogopesha,
Yes, they are planning to attack this land and saying,
6 njooni tujipange na tumueweke mfalme wetu ndani ya Yuda, mtoto wa Tabaeli.''
‘We will attack Judah and conquer it. Then we will appoint Tabeel’s son to be the king of Judah.’
7 Bwana Yahwe asema, ''haitatokea; haitaonekana,
But this is what Yahweh, the Lord, says: ‘It will not happen; they will not [conquer Jerusalem]!
8 maana kichwa cha Amramu ni Damaskasi, na kishwa cha Damaskasi ni Rezini. Ndani ya miaka sitini na tano, ndoto za Ephraimu zitasambaratishwa na hapatakuwa na watu.
The capital of Syria is Damascus, but Damascus is ruled [only] by its [unimportant/insignificant] king king Rezin. And as for Israel, within 65 years it will be conquered and completely destroyed.
9 Efraimu ni kichwa Samaria, na kishwa cha Samaria ni mtoto wa Remaria. Na kama hamtasimama imara katika imani yenu, hakika hamtakuwa salama''.
Israel’s capital is Samaria, and Samaria is ruled only by its [insignificant/unimportant] king king Pekah. [So you do not need to be afraid of those two countries]! [But you must trust me, because] if you do not trust me fully, you will be defeated.’”
10 Bwana akaongea tena na Ahazi,
[Later], Yahweh gave [me another message to tell to] King Ahaz.
11 ''Omba ishara ya Yahwe Mungu wako; omba juu ya hilo kwa kina au kwa kiwango cha juu.'' (Sheol h7585)
[He said to tell him], “Request me, Yahweh your God, to do something that will enable you to be sure [that I will help/protect you]. What you request can be [from a place that is] as high as the sky or as low as the place where the dead people are.” (Sheol h7585)
12 Lakini Ahazi anasema, sintomba wala kumjaribu Yahwe.''
But [when I told that to the king, he refused]. He said, “[No], I will not request Yahweh to do something to prove [that he will help/protect us]!”
13 Hivyo Isaya akajibu, ''sikilizen, nyumba ya Daudi. Je haijatosha kwa watu kuujaribu uvumilivu wa watu? Je ni lazima kuujaribu uvumilivu wa Mungu?
Then I said [to him], “You people who are descendants of King David, listen! You are causing me to be tired of being patient. Are you also going to cause my God to stop being patient with you [RHQ]?
14 Hivyo basi Mungu mwenyewe atawapa yeye mwenywe ishara: ona, mwanamke bikira atapata mimba na kumzaa mtoto, na atamwita Emanueli.
Yahweh himself will do something for you [to prove that he will help/protect you]. Listen to this: A young woman will become pregnant and give birth to a son. She will name him Immanuel, [which means ‘God is with us’].
15 Atakula siagi na asali na wakati anapojua kuyakataa maovu na kuchagua mema.
And by the time that child is old enough to eat curds/yogurt and honey, he will be able to reject what is evil and choose what is good.
16 Maana kabla mtoto ajajua kuyakataa maovu na kuchagua mema, nchi ambayo wewe unawachukia wafalme itakuwa ukiwa.
And before that child is old enough to do that, the lands of the two kings that you(sg) are very (afraid of/worried about) will be deserted.
17 Yahwe ataleta juu yako, juu ya watu wako, na juu ya nyumba ya baba yako siku hazijatimmia tangu Efraimu alipompokea Yuda- atamleta mfalme wa Asiria.''
[But then] Yahweh will cause you and your family and your entire nation to experience [terrible disasters]. Those disasters will be worse than any disasters that have occurred since the country of Israel separated from Judah. Yahweh will cause [the army of] the king of Assyria to attack you!”
18 Mda huo Yahwe atapuliza filimbikwa ajili ya kupaa kutoka mkondo wa umbali wa Misri, na maana nyuki kutoka nchi ya Asiria.
At that time, [it will be as though] Yahweh will whistle to summon the army from the south of Egypt as well as the army of Assyria. They will [come and surround your country like] [MET] flies and bees.
19 Zitakuja na kukaa chini ya korongo, ndani ya mapango ya miamba, kwenye vichaka vya miba, na kwenye malisho.
They will all come and settle/live [everywhere]—in the narrow valleys and caves in the rock cliffs, on land where there are thornbushes as well as on the fertile land.
20 Katika mda huo Bwana atamnyoa kichwani kichwani na nywele za miguuni kwa wembe ulioazimwa mto Efrarate— mfalme wa Asiria - na vilevile utasafisha ndevu zote.
At that time Yahweh will hire the king of Assyria to come [with his army] from east of the [Euphrates] River. [They will get rid of everything in your land—the crops and the people. They will destroy everything thoroughly]; it will be like [MET] a barber shaving not only a man’s hair but his beard and the hair on his legs.
21 Siku hiyo, mtu atahifadhi ndama na na kondoo wawili,
When that happens, a farmer will be able to have only one cow and two goats/sheep.
22 na kwasababu ya maziwa yatakayo patikana ni mengi, atakula siagi, maana kila atakaye bakia kwnye nchi atakula siagi na asali.
[However], those animals will give plenty of milk, with the result that the farmer will have curds/yogurt to eat. And [because there will not be many people left] in the land, all the people who remain there will have plenty of milk and honey.
23 Mda huo, kutakuwa na maelfu ya mizabibu na thamani elfu za shekeli, hakutakuwa na kitu zaidi ya kuzalisha mbigiri na miiba.
Now there are many areas where there are vineyards that are worth 1,000 pieces of silver, but at that time there will be only briers and thorns [DOU] in those fields.
24 Watu watenda pale kuwinda kwa upinde, kwa sababu nchi yote itazalisha mbigiri na miiba.
There will be only briers and thorns in the entire land, [and wild animals], with the result that men will take their bows and arrows and go there [to hunt and kill animals].
25 Watakaa mbali na vilima vitalimwa kwa jembe, kwa sababu ya hofu ya mbigiri na miiba, lakini hapo patakuwa mahali pa kuchungia ngo'mbe na kondoo
No one will go to where there previously were gardens on fertile hillsides, because briers and thorns will cover those hillsides. They will be areas where [only a few] cattle and sheep and goats wander around [searching for something to eat].

< Isaya 7 >