Isaya 48
1 Sikiliza hili, nyumba ya Jakobo, mlioitwa kwa jina la Israeli, na mmetoka katika mbegu ya Yuda; yeye akirie kwa jina la Yahwe na kumuhusisha Mungu wa Israeli, lakini sio kweli wala kwa namna ya haki.
Listen to this, descendants of Jacob, called by the name of Israel, and who come from the lineage of Judah. Listen, you people who swear by the name of the Lord, or who invoke the God of Israel, but not truly or sincerely.
2 Maana wanajiita wenyewewatu wa mji mtakatifu na kumuamini Mungu wa Israeli; Yahwe wa majeshi ndilo jina lake.
You say you're from the “Holy City,” and claim you're trusting in the God of Israel, whose name is the Lord Almighty.
3 ''Nimetangaza vitu kutoka siku nyingi; Wamekuja nje kutoka mdomoni mwangu, na nimewafanya wajulikane; halafu gafla nimewafanyia, na yakatimia.
I predicted long ago what was going to happen—I said it and let people know. Then suddenly I decided to act, and it all came true.
4 Kwa sababu nilijua kwamba wewe ni mkaiidi, misuli ya shingo yako ni kama ya chuma, na paji la uso ni kama shaba,
I know how stubborn you are, with necks as unbending as iron and foreheads as hard as bronze.
5 Hivyo basi nilitangaza vitu hivi kabla havijatokeo hivyo, nilikujulisha wewe, 'Sanamu yangu imefanya haya au sanamu yangu ya kuchonga na sanamu yangu ya kuyeyusha, yamekwishisha vitu.
I predicted these things to you long ago, before they happened. I explained them to you so that you couldn't say “My idol did this,” or “My image and my metal god ordered this to happen.”
6 Umesikia kuhusu mambo haya; angalia ushahidi wote; na wewe, Je hautakubali kwamba ninacho kisema ni cha kweli? Kuanzia sasa na kuendelea Nitawaonyesha vitu vipya, mambo yaliyofichika ambayo hamkuyajua.
You've heard all I predicted, and seen it happen. Won't you admit it? Now I'm going to tell you new things, secrets you don't know anything about.
7 Sasa, na sio yaliyopita, yamekuwa sasa, na kabla ya leo hamkusikia kuhusu wao, hivyo hautaweza kusema, 'Ndio, nilijua kuhusu wao.'
These are brand-new, not something from the past. Before today you won't have heard anything about them, so you can't say, “Oh yes, I know about that.”
8 Haukusikia; haukuelewa; haya mambo hayakufuniliwa katika masikio kabla ya. Maana nilijua kwamba umekuwa mdanganyifu, na kwamba umekuwa muasi kutoka kuzaliwa.
No, you've never heard that, and you've never known that! Nobody's told you about that before! I know how deviously you operate—you're called “rebels from birth”!
9 Kwa niaba ya jina langu nitahairisha asira yangu, na kwa heshima yangu nitajizuia kutokumuharibu yeye.
But because of my nature I am delaying my punishment; and because of my reputation, I'm not going to destroy you.
10 Tazama, Mimi niliwaandaa ninyi, lakini sio kama fedha; Nimekusafisha wewe katika tanuru la mateso.
Look how I've refined you, but not like silver—I chose you in the furnace of trouble.
11 Kwa niaba yangu, kwa niaba yangu nitafanya; maana ni kwa jinsi gani niruhusu jina langu lisiheshimike? Sitampa utukufu wangu mtu yeyote.
The reason I'm doing this is because of who I am, yes, because of my very nature. I won't let my reputation be damaged—I won't let anyone else have it.
12 Nisikilize mimi, Yakobo, na Israeli niliyekuita: Mimi ndiye; Mimi ni wa kwanza, na pia wa mwisho.
Listen to me, Jacon, and Israel, the one I called. Only I am God. I am the first, and I am the last.
13 Ndio, mkono wangu umeweka msingi wa nchi, na mkono wangu wa kuume ulizitawanya mbingu, zimesimama juu kwa pamoja.
I laid the foundations of the earth with my own hands; I personally spread out the heavens. When I call the stars, they all take their positions.
14 Jikusanyeni wenyewe, nyinyi nyote, na sikilizeni; ni nani miongoni mwenu atangazaye mambo haya? Yahwe atakamilisha lengo lake dhidi ya Babeli. Atachukua mapenzi ya Yahwe dhidi ya wa Wakaldayo.
Everyone gather round and listen. Which of your “gods” told you anything like this? The one the Lord loves will carry out the Lord's wishes against Babylon—he will attack the Babylonians.
15 Mimi, nimezungumza, ndio, nimemchagua yeye, nimemleta yeye, na yeye atafanikiwa.
I myself have spoken. I have called him to do this, and he will be successful in what he does.
16 Sogea karibu na mimi, sikiliza hili; kutoka mwanzo sikuzungumza katika siri; lakini ilipotokea, Mimi niko hapa; na sasa Bwana Mungu amenituma mimi, na Roho wake.''
Come close to me, and listen to this. From the very beginning I haven't spoken in secret; I am always there right when it happens. Now the Lord God and his Spirit has sent me to tell you this:
17 Yahwe asema hivi, Mkombozi wenu, Mtakatifu wa Israeli anasema, ''Mimi ni Yahwe Mungu wenu, ninayewafundisha juu ya kufanikiwa, ninayewaonyesha njia mtakayoiptia.
This is what the Lord says, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, I am the Lord your God. I am the one who teaches you what is good for you, who leads you along the way you should go.
18 Ikiwa kama mtaheshimu amri zangu! Hivyo amani na maendeleo yatatiririka kama mto, na wokovu wenu ni kama mawimbi kwenye bahari.
If you had only listened carefully to what I told you! Then your blessings would have flowed like a river, and goodness would have washed over you like the waves of the sea.
19 Watoto wako watakuwa wengi kama mchanga, na watoto kutoka kwenye tombo zenu watakuwa wengi kama nafaka kwenye mchanga; majina yao hayataondolewa wala kufutwa mbele yangu.
Your children, your descendants, would have been like all those grains of sand. They wouldn't have had to be destroyed, wiped out before me.
20 Tokeni nje ya Babeli! wakimbieni Wakaldayo! kwa sauti ya kupiga kelele tangaza kwamba! hakikisha hili linajulikana, hakikisha hili linafika mpaka miisho ya nchi! sema 'Yahwe amemkomboa Yakobo mtumishi wake.
Leave Babylon! Run away from Babylonia with happy shouts! Let everyone know, telling the whole earth, “The Lord has redeemed his servant Jacob!”
21 Hawakupatwa na kiu alipowaongoza katika jangwa, alifanya maji kutokea kwenye mwamba kwa ajili yao; aliugawa na kufungua mwamba, na maji yakatoka nje.
They weren't thirsty when he led them through the desert—he made water come out of the rock for them. He split the rock open and water poured out.
22 Hakuna amani kwa watenda makosa- amesema Yahwe.''
The wicked have no peace, says the Lord.
