Isaya 1

1 Maono ya Isaya mtoto wa Amozi ambayo aliyaona kuhusu Yuda na Yerusalemu katika vipindi vya utawala wa Uzia, Yothamu, Ahazi, na Hezekia, wafalme wa Yuda.

The vision of Isaias the son of Amos I which he saw concerning Juda and Jerusalem in the days of Ozias, Joathan, Achaz, and Ezechias, kings of Juda.

2 Sikia enyi mbingu, tega sikio ewe nchi; kwa kuwa Yahwe amesema: ''Nimewatunza na kuwalea watoto, lakini wamenigeuka.

Hear, O ye heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the Lord hath spoken. I have brought up children, and exalted them: but they have despised me.

3 Ng'ombe anamjua anayemmiliki na punda anajua sehemu anapowekewa chakula, lakini Israeli hawajui, wala hawafahamu.''

The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel hath not known me, and my people hath not understood.

4 Ole! Taifa, wenye zambi, mtu muovu, watoto wa wenye zambi, watoto wanaoenda kinyume, Wamemtelekeza Yahwe, wamedharau aliye Mtakatifu wa Israeli, wamejitenga wenyew kutoka kwake.

Woe to the sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a wicked seed, ungracious children: they have forsaken the Lord, they have blasphemed the Holy One of Israel, they are gone away backwards.

5 Kwa nini ulikuwa unaendelea kupigwa? Kwa nini unazidi kuasi zaudi na zaidi? Kichwa chote kinauma, moyo wote ni dhaifu.

For what shall I strike you any more, you that increase transgression? the whole head is sick, and the whole heart is sad.

6 Kutoka kwenye unyayo wa mguu mpaka kichwani kila sehemu ina maumivu; ni madonda na majeraha mabichi yaliyoachwa wazi, ambayo hayajafungwa, kuasifishwa, kuwafunga vidonda vyao, wala kuwaponya kwa mafuta.

From the sole of the foot unto the top of the head, there is no soundness therein: wounds and bruises and swelling sores: they are not bound up, nor dressed, nor fomented with oil.

7 Nchi yenu imeharibiwa; miji yenu imechomwa moto; mashamba yenu— mbele, wageni wamehiaribu; wamepatelekeza katika uharibifu, ulioangushwa na wageni

Your land is desolate, your cities are burnt with fire: your country strangers devour before your face, and it shall be desolate as when wasted by enemies.

8 Binti Sayuni ameacha kama kibanda katika shamba la mzabu, kama kivuli kitika shamba la matango, kama mji unaomba.

And the daughter of Sion shall be left as a covert in a vineyard, and as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, and as a city that is laid waste.

9 Kama Yahwe wa majeshi hakutuasha kwa mda mfupi tungekuwa kama Sodoma, tungekuwa kama Gomora.

Except the Lord of hosts had left us seed, we had been as Sodom, and we should have been like to Gomorrha.

10 Sikiliza neno la Yahwe, enyi viongozi wa Sodomu; sikilizeni sheria ya Mungu wetu, enyi watu wa Gomora:

Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom, give ear to the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrha.

11 ''Sadaka zenu ni nyingi kiasi gani kwangu?'' asema Yahwe. ''Nimesikia vya kutosha kuhusu sadaka yenu ya mwana kondoo, na mnyama alionona; na damu ya ng'ombe, ndama, au mbuzi si vifurahii.

To what purpose do you offer me the multitude of your victims, saith the Lord? I am full, I desire not holocausts of rams, and fat of fatlings, and blood of calves, and lambs, and buck goats.

12 Ulipokuja kuonekaa mbele yangu, Ni nani aliyehitaji hili juu yako, kukanyaga katika mahama yangu

When you came to appear before me, who required these things at your hands, that you should walk in my courts?

13 Msilete tena sadaka zisizo na maana; maana zinaniongezea uchafu mmekusanyika katika siku yenu mpya ya mwenzi na sabato—Mimi siwezi vumlia mikusanyio hii ya waovu.

Offer sacrifice no more in vain: incense is an abomination to me. The new moons, and the sabbaths, and other festivals I will not abide, your assemblies are wicked.

14 Ninaichukia sherehe yenu mpya ya mwenzi na sherehe zilizoteuliwa; ni mzigo kwangu; nimechoka kuubeba.

My soul hateth your new moons, and your solemnities: they are become troublesome to me, I am weary of bearing them.

15 Hivyo basi mnapotawanya mikono yenu kitkika maombi, sitawangalia hata kama mkiomba sana, sitawasikiliza; mikono yenu imejaa damu.

And when you stretch forth your hands, I will turn away my eyes from you: and when you multiply prayer, I will not hear: for your hands are full of blood.

16 Jiosheni, jitakaseni wenyewe; ondoeni matendo maovu mbele ya macho yangu; acheni kutenda dhambi;

Wash yourselves, be clean, take away the evil of your devices from my eyes: cease to do perversely,

17 jifunze kutenda mema; tafuta ukweli; msiwanyanyase, wapeni haki yatima, walindeni wajane.''

Learn to do well: seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge for the fatherless, defend the widow.

18 Njooni sasa, njooni tusemezane, asema Yahwe, japokuwa dhambi zenu ni nyekundu kama bendera zitakuwa nyeupe kama theluji; japokuwa ni myekundu kama damu zitakuwa kama sufi.

And then come, and accuse me, saith the Lord: if your sins be as scarlet, they shall be made as white as snow: and if they be red as crimson, they shall be white as wool.

19 Kama utakubali na kutii, utakula mema ya nchi,

If you be willing, and will hearken to me, you shall eat the good things of the land.

20 lakini ukikataa na kugeuka, upanga utakuangamiza, maama Yahwe amesema.

But if you will not, and will provoke me to wrath: the sword shall devour you because the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

21 Ni kwa jinsi gani mji ulioaminika umekuwa kahaba! ulikuwa ni mij wenye usawa na haki, lakini sasa mji umejaa mauwaji.

How is the faithful city, that was full of judgment, become a harlot? justice dwelt in it, but now murderers.

22 Fedha zenu zimechafuka, na mvinyo wenu umechanganjwa na maji.

Thy silver is turned into dress: thy wine is mingled with water.

23 Viongozi wenu wamemgeuka Mungu wamekuwa marafiki wa wezi; yeyote anayopenda rushwa na kuikimbilia. Hawawajali yatima, wala wajane wanaokuja kuwanyenyekea mbele yao.

Thy princes are faithless, companions of thieves: they all love bribes, the run after rewards. They judge not for the fatherless: and the widow’s cometh not in to them.

24 Hivyo basi hili ndilo tamko la Bwana, Yahwe wa majeshi, Shujaa wa Israeli: Ole wao! nitachukua hatua kwa wale walio kinyume na mimi na niwaadhibu wale wanaonipinga;

Therefore saith the Lord the God of hosts, the mighty one of Israel: Ah! I will comfort myself over my adversaries: and I will be revenged of my enemies.

25 Nitaugeuza mkono wangu juu yako, nitatakasa chuma kilicho chakaa na kuondoa kutu yote.

And I will turn my hand to thee, and I will clean purge away thy dress, and I will take away all thy tin.

26 Nitailinda hukumu yako kama ilivyokuwa mwanzo, na washauri wako kama ilivyokuwa hapo mwanzo; baada ya hapo mtaitwa mji wa haki, mji wa imani.''

And I will restore thy judges as they were before, and thy counsellors as of old. After this thou shalt be called the city of the just, a faithful city.

27 Sayuni itakombolewa kwa haki, na wanaotubu kwa haki.

Sion shall be redeemed in judgment, and they shall bring her back in justice.

28 Waasi na wenye dhambi wataangamizwa pamoja, na wale wataenda kinyume na Yahwe watauliwa.

And he shall destroy the wicked, and the sinners together: and they that have forsaken the Lord, shall be consumed.

29 Kwakukuwa utaona aibu juu ya miti ya mialoni uliyoitamani, na utakuwa na hofu juu ya bustani uliyoichagua.

For they shall be confounded for the idols, to which they have sacrificed: and you shall be ashamed of the gardens which you have chosen.

30 Kwa kukuwa utakuwa kama mualoni ambao majani yake yamenyauka, na kama bustani isiyokuwa na maji.

When you shall be as an oak with the leaves falling off, and as a garden without water.

31 Mtu mwenye nguvu atakuwa kama kitu kikavu, na kazi yake itakuwa kama cheche; zitawaka moto kwa pamoja, na hakuna hata mmoja ataweza kuuzima''.

And your strength shall be as the ashes of tow, and your work as a spark: and both shall burn together, and there shall be none to quench it.