Isaya 65
1 “Nilijifunua kwa watu wale ambao hawakuniulizia. Nimeonekana na watu wale ambao hawakunitafuta. Kwa taifa lile ambalo halikuliita Jina langu, nilisema, ‘Niko hapa, niko hapa.’
[This is what Yahweh said]: “I was ready to reply [to my people], but no one requested me [to help them]. I was ready to help [even] those who did not call out to me. I continued to say, ‘I am here [to help you]!’
2 Mchana kutwa nimeinyoosha mikono yangu kwa watu wakaidi, wanaokwenda katika njia ambazo si nzuri, wafuatao mawazo yao wenyewe:
[It is as though] I have continually held out my arms [to show that I am ready to help] my people who rebel [against me], and who [continually] do the evil things that they want to do.
3 taifa ambalo daima hunikasirisha machoni pangu, wakitoa dhabihu katika bustani na kufukiza uvumba juu ya madhabahu za matofali;
They boldly continue to do things that cause me to be angry: They offer sacrifices [to their idols] in their gardens, and they burn incense [to them] on [altars made of] bricks.
4 watu waketio katikati ya makaburi na kukesha mahali pa siri, walao nyama za nguruwe, nazo sufuria zao zina mchuzi wa nyama zilizo najisi,
They secretly remain awake at night in burial caves, [talking with the spirits of] ([dead people/their ancestors]). They eat the meat of pigs, and their pots are full of [other] meat that is [also] unacceptable to me.
5 wasemao, ‘Kaa mbali; usinikaribie, kwa maana mimi ni mtakatifu mno kwako!’ Watu wa aina hiyo ni moshi katika pua zangu, ni moto uwakao mchana kutwa.
[Then] they say [to others], ‘Stay away from me; do not come near me, because I am very holy, [with the result that you should not touch me].’ People like that are [like] [MET] smoke in my nose [from] a fire that burns continually.
6 “Tazama, jambo hili hubakia limeandikwa mbele zangu: sitanyamaza, bali nitalipiza kwa ukamilifu; nitalipiza mapajani mwao:
I have written [a record of all the evil things that they have done]. And I will not do nothing about all those things; I will certainly punish them
7 dhambi zenu na dhambi za baba zenu,” asema Bwana. “Kwa sababu walitoa dhabihu za kuteketezwa juu ya milima na kunichokoza mimi juu ya vilima, nitawapimia mapajani mwao malipo makamilifu kwa matendo yao ya zamani.”
for the sins that they and their ancestors have committed. They have mocked/insulted me by burning incense [to their idols] on the hilltops. So I will punish them like they deserve for doing those things.”
8 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: “Kama vile divai mpya ingali bado inapatikana katika kishada cha zabibu, nao watu husema, ‘Usikiharibu, kwa kuwa bado kuna kitu kizuri ndani yake,’ hivyo ndivyo nitakavyofanya kwa ajili ya watumishi wangu; sitawaangamiza wote.
This is [also] what Yahweh said: “When there is a cluster of nice grapes on a vine, people do not throw them away, because they know that there is good juice in those grapes. Similarly, because there are some people [in Judah] who faithfully serve/worship me, I will not get rid of all of them.
9 Nitawaleta wazao kutoka kwa Yakobo, na kutoka kwa Yuda wale watakaomiliki milima yangu, nao watu wangu wateule watairithi, nako huko wataishi watumishi wangu.
I will spare some of the descendants of Jacob who are living on the hills of Judah. I have chosen them, and they will possess that land; they will worship/serve me, and they will live there.
10 Sharoni itakuwa malisho kwa ajili ya makundi ya kondoo, na Bonde la Akori mahali pa kupumzikia kwa makundi ya ngʼombe, kwa ajili ya watu wangu wanaonitafuta.
[Then all the land from the] Sharon [Plain near the Mediterranean Sea] and [as far east as] Achor Valley [near Jericho] will become pastureland where their cattle and sheep will rest.
11 “Bali kwenu ninyi mnaomwacha Bwana na kuusahau mlima wangu mtakatifu, ninyi mnaoandaa meza kwa ajili ya Bahati, na kujaza mabakuli ya mvinyo uliochanganywa kwa ajili ya Ajali,
But [it will be different] for you who have abandoned me, you who do not worship me on [Zion], my sacred hill, you who worship Gad and Meni, [the gods who you think will bring you] good luck and good fortune.
12 nitawaagiza mfe kwa upanga, nanyi nyote mtainama chini ili kuchinjwa; kwa kuwa niliwaita lakini hamkuitika, nilisema lakini hamkusikiliza. Mlitenda maovu machoni pangu, nanyi mkachagua mambo yale yanayonichukiza.”
[It is I, not Meni, who will decide/say what will happen to you]; you will all [be slaughtered by] swords. [That will happen] because you did not answer when I called out to you. I spoke to you, but you did not pay attention. Instead, you did things that I said are evil; you chose to do things that do not please me.
13 Kwa hiyo hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenyezi: “Watumishi wangu watakula, lakini ninyi mtaona njaa; watumishi wangu watakunywa lakini ninyi mtaona kiu; watumishi wangu watafurahi, lakini ninyi mtaona haya.
I, Yahweh the Lord, will give to those who worship and obey me things to eat and drink, and they will be happy; but [all] you evil people will be hungry and thirsty, and you will be [sad and] disgraced.
14 Watumishi wangu wataimba kwa furaha ya mioyo yao, lakini ninyi mtalia kutokana na uchungu wa moyoni, na kupiga yowe kwa sababu ya uchungu wa roho zenu.
Those who worship and obey me will sing joyfully, but you [evil people] will wail loudly because you will be suffering in your inner beings.
15 Mtaliacha jina lenu kuwa laana kwa watu wangu waliochaguliwa; Bwana Mwenyezi atawaua ninyi, lakini watumishi wake atawapa jina jingine.
Those whom I have chosen will use your names when they curse people; [I], Yahweh the Lord, will get rid of you. But I will give to those who worship and obey me a new name [that they will use when they bless people].
16 Yeye aombaye baraka katika nchi atafanya hivyo kwa Mungu wa kweli; yeye aapaye katika nchi ataapa kwa Mungu wa kweli. Kwa kuwa taabu za zamani zitasahaulika na kufichwa kutoka machoni pangu.
The people in this land have had many troubles, but I will cause those troubles to occur no more. Therefore those who ask me to bless them and those who solemnly promise to do something should never forget that I am God, who faithfully [do what I promise to do].”
17 “Tazama, nitaumba mbingu mpya na dunia mpya. Mambo ya zamani hayatakumbukwa, wala hayatakuja akilini.
“Note this: [Some day] I will create a new heaven and a new earth. [They will be very wonderful, with the result that] you will no longer think about all [the troubles] you had previously.
18 Lakini furahini na kushangilia daima katika hivi nitakavyoumba, kwa kuwa nitaumba Yerusalemu uwe wa kupendeza, nao watu wake wawe furaha.
Be glad and always rejoice because of what I will do: Jerusalem will be a place where [people] rejoice; the people who live there will always be happy.
19 Nami nitaifurahia Yerusalemu na kuwafurahia watu wangu; sauti ya maombolezo na ya kilio haitasikika humo tena.
I will rejoice about Jerusalem, and I will be delighted with my people. [People] will no longer weep or cry because of being distressed.
20 “Kamwe hatakuwepo tena ndani yake mtoto mchanga atakayeishi siku chache tu, au mzee ambaye hataishi akatimiza miaka yake. Yeye atakayekufa akiwa na umri wa miaka mia moja atahesabiwa kwamba ni kijana tu, yeye ambaye hatafika miaka mia moja, atahesabiwa kuwa amelaaniwa.
No child will die when it is still an infant; all people will live until they are very old. [People will consider that] anyone who is 100 years old is still young; [they will consider that] anyone who dies who is younger than that has been cursed.
21 Watajenga nyumba na kuishi ndani yake; watapanda mashamba ya mizabibu na kula matunda yake.
My people will build houses and [then] live in them. They will plant vineyards and then eat grapes from those vineyards.
22 Hawatajenga nyumba, nao watu wengine waishi ndani yake, au kupanda mazao na wengine wale. Kwa kuwa kama zilivyo siku za mti, ndivyo zitakavyokuwa siku za watu wangu, wateule wangu watafurahia kwa siku nyingi kazi za mikono yao.
As for the houses that they build, no one will [take those houses away from them and] live in them. No one will take a vineyard away from its owner. My chosen people will live a long time, like trees do, and they will enjoy what they have accomplished— [the houses that they have built and the crops that they have planted].
23 Hawatajitaabisha kwa kazi bure, wala hawatazaa watoto ili wapatwe na majanga, kwa kuwa watakuwa taifa lililobarikiwa na Bwana, wao na wazao wao pamoja nao.
They will not work hard in vain, and their children will not die from some (calamity/terrible thing happening to them). I will [certainly] bless their children and their grandchildren.
24 Kabla hawajaita, nitajibu, nao wakiwa katika kunena, nitasikia.
Before they call to me [to help them], I will answer; I will answer their prayers while they are still praying [for me to do something for them].
25 Mbwa mwitu na mwana-kondoo watalisha pamoja, naye simba atakula nyasi kama maksai, lakini mavumbi yatakuwa chakula cha nyoka. Hawatadhuru wala kuharibu katika mlima wangu mtakatifu wote,” asema Bwana.
No one will be harmed or injured anywhere on [Zion], my sacred hill: Wolves and lambs will eat grass together [peacefully]; lions will eat hay like oxen do, [and they will not attack people]. Snakes will [not hurt anyone; they will lie on the ground and] eat [only] dirt. [That is surely what it will be like because I], Yahweh, have said it.”
