Isaya 21
1 Tamko kuhusu jangwa pembezoni mwa bahari. Kama dhuruba yenye upepo inayotokea kupita Negevi kuelekea jangwani, kutoka kwenye aridhi ya kutisha.
The burden of the wilderness of the sea. As whirlwinds in the South sweeping on, it cometh from the wilderness, from a dreadful land.
2 Nimepewa maono ya kusikitisha: Wasaliti wamepanga hila, na waharibifu kuharibu. Nenda juu na uvamie, Elamu; zingira Media; Mimi nitasimamisha maumivu yao yote.
A grievous vision is declared unto me: 'The treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam! besiege, O Media! All the sighing thereof have I made to cease.'
3 Hivyo basi simba wangu wamejawa na maumivu; ni kama mwanamke anayejifungua kwa uchungu yamenipata mimi; Nimeina chini kwa kile nilichokisikia; nimesumbuliwa kwa kile nilichokiona.
Therefore are my loins filled with convulsion; pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman in travail; I am bent so that I cannot hear; I am affrighted so that I cannot see.
4 Moyo wangu unajinga, nimetitishika kwa hofu. Mapema jioni, mda wangu mzuri kwa siku, imeniletea hofu.
My heart is bewildered, terror hath overwhelmed me; the twilight that I longed for hath been turned for me into trembling.
5 Wameandaa meza, wametawanya vitambaa, na wanakula na kunjwa; tokea, mkuu, pakeni ngao yenu kwa mafuta.
They prepare the table, they light the lamps, they eat, they drink — 'Rise up, ye princes, anoint the shield.'
6 Hiili ndilo Bwana aliloniambia, ''Nenda, baada ya mlinzi; lazima atoe taarifa kwa kile atakacho kiona.
For thus hath the Lord said unto me: Go, set a watchman; let him declare what he seeth!
7 Kama ataona gari, jozi ya farasi, farasi juu ya punda na farasi juu ya ngamia, hivyo basi anatakiwa kuwa makini na kuwa macho.''
And when he seeth a troop, horsemen by pairs, a troop of asses, a troop of camels, he shall hearken diligently with much heed.
8 Mlinzi analia nje, ''Bwana, ninasimama juu ya mnara siku zote, kila siku, na kwa nguzo yangu nitasimama usiku wote.''
And he cried as a lion: 'Upon the watch-tower, O Lord, I stand continually in the daytime, and I am set in my ward all the nights.'
9 Tazama gari linakuja na wakiwa wawili wawili. anaita, ''Babeli umeanguka, umeanguka, na sanamu za kuchonga za miungu yao zimevunjika chini.''
And, behold, there came a troop of men, horsemen by pairs. And he spoke and said: 'Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the graven images of her gods are broken unto the ground.'
10 Watu wangu niliwapururu na kuwapepeta, watoto niliyewatoa kwenye sakafu yangu mwenyeweNilichokisikia kutoka kwa Yahwe wa majeshi, Mungu wa Israeli, Nimekutangazia wewe.
O thou my threshing, and the winnowing of my floor, that which I have heard from the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you.
11 Tamko kuhusu Duma. Mtu mmoja amenita mimi kutoka Seiri, ''Mlinzi, ni kitu gani kilichobakizwa usiku?
The burden of Dumah. One calleth unto me out of Seir: 'Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?'
12 Mlinzi akasema, ''Asubuhi itafika na vilevile usiku. Ikiwa unataka kuuliza basi uliza; na urudi tena.''
The watchman said: 'The morning cometh, and also the night — if ye will inquire, inquire ye; return, come.'
13 Tamko kuhusu Arabia. Katika jangwa la Arabia mmeutumia usiku, enyi misafara ya Dedanite.
The burden upon Arabia. In the thickets in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye caravans of Dedanites.
14 Leteni maji kwa wenye kiu; wenyeji wa nchi ya Tema, waoneni watuhumiwa kwa mikate.
Unto him that is thirsty bring ye water! The inhabitants of the land of Tema did meet the fugitive with his bread.
15 Maana wameukimbia upanga, kutoka upanga unaotolewa, kutoka kwenye upinde ulopinda, na kutokana na uzito wa vita.
For they fled away from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.
16 Maana hili ndilo Bwana alichosema na mimi, ''Ndani ya mwaka mmoja, kama mtu aliyeajiriwa kwa mwaka ataona, utukufu wa Kedari utakwisha.
For thus hath the Lord said unto me: 'Within a year, according to the years of a hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail;
17 Ni baadhi ya ya wavuta upinde, mashujaa wa Kader watabakia,'' maana Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, amesema.
and the residue of the number of the archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished; for the LORD, the God of Israel, hath spoken it.'
