Isaya 8
1 Yahwe ameniambia mimi, '' chukua meza kubwa na uandike juu yake, 'Maheri Shalal Hash Baz.'
And the LORD said unto me: 'Take thee a great tablet, and write upon it in common script: The spoil speedeth, the prey hasteth;
2 Nitachagua mashahidi waaminifu wanishuhudie mimi, kuhani Uria, Zakaria mototo wa Yeberekia.''
and I will take unto Me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.'
3 Nilienda kwa huyo nabii mwanamke alipata mimba na kumzaa mtoto. Halafu Yahwe akaniambia, ''Muite jina lake Shalal Hash Baz;
And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bore a son. Then said the LORD unto me: 'Call his name Maher-shalal-hashbaz.
4 Maana kabla mtoto ajajua kulia, 'Baba yangu, 'Mama yangu; utajiri wa Damaskasi, na mateka wa Samaria watachuliwa na mfalme wa Asiria.
For before the child shall have knowledge to cry: My father, and: My mother, the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be carried away before the king of Assyria.'
5 Yahwe aliongea na mimi tena,
And the LORD spoke unto me yet again, saying:
6 Kwa sababu watu hawa wameyakataa maji ya Shiloa na ni furaha kwa Rezeni na mtoto wa Remalia,
Forasmuch as this people hath refused the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoiceth with Rezin and Remaliah's son;
7 Hivyo basi Bwana anakairbia kuwaletea maji maji ya mto, yenye nguvu na mengi, mfalme Asiria na utukufu wake utakuja juu na kupita juu ya mifereji yake atafurika juu ya kingo zote.
Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the River, mighty and many, even the king of Assyria and all his glory; and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks;
8 Mto utafurika kuelekea Yuda, utafurika mpaka kufika kwenye shingo yako. Mabawa yake yaliyonyooshwa utajaza upana wa nchi, Emanueli.''
And he shall sweep through Judah overflowing as he passeth through he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.
9 Nyie watu mtavunjika vipande vipande, Sikilizeni, nyote muishio nchi zilizo mbali; jiandaeni wenyewe na mtavunyika vipande vipande.
Make an uproar, O ye peoples, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces.
10 utatengeneza mpango, lakini haufanyiwa kazi; maana Mungu yuko pamoja nasi.
Take counsel together, and it shall be brought to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand; for God is with us.
11 Yahwe ameiniambia mimi, kwa mkono wake imara juu yangu, na amenikataza nisitembee katika njia za watu hawa. Nisiseme,
For the LORD spoke thus to me with a strong hand, admonishing me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying:
12 Ni fitina habari ya mambo ambayo watu hawatasema, ni fitina msihofu wala msiogope.
'Say ye not: A conspiracy, concerning all whereof this people do say: A conspiracy; neither fear ye their fear, nor account it dreadful.
13 Yahwe wa majeshi ambaye mtakaye muheshimu kama mtakatifu; yeye ndie mtakayemuogopa na yeye ndiye mtakayemuhofia.
The LORD of hosts, Him shall ye sanctify; and let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread.
14 mtakatifu; lakinia takuwa kama jiwe la kikwazo na mwamba wa kujikwaza kwa nyumba zote za Israeli. Na atakuwa mtego na mtego kwa watu wake Yerusalemu.
And He shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
15 Wengi watajikwaa juu yao na kuanguka na kuvunjika, na kutekwa na kukamata mateka.
And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.'
16 Ufunge huo ushuhuda, tia muhuri, na uwape wafuasi wangu,
'Bind up the testimony, seal the instruction among My disciples.'
17 Nitamsubiri Yahwe, afichaye uso wake kutoka nyumba ya Yakobo; Nitamsubiri yeye.
And I will wait for the LORD, that hideth His face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for Him.
18 Ona, Mimi na watoto ambaye Yahwe amenipa mimi ni ishara na maajabu tu katika Israeli kutoka kwa Yahwe wa Majeshi yeye aishiye mlima wa Sayuni.
Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me shall be for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, who dwelleth in mount Zion.
19 Watakuambia wewe, ''tafuta habari kwa watu wenye pepo na wachawi'', walio kama ndege na kunong'ona dua. Lakini hawataacha kutafuta habari kwa Mungu wao? Je waenende kwa watu waliokufa badala ya walio hai?
And when they shall say unto you: 'Seek unto the ghosts and the familiar spirits, that chirp and that mutter; should not a people seek unto their God? on behalf of the living unto the dead
20 Kwa sheria na kwa ushuhuda! kama hawatayasema mambo hayo ni kwa sababu hakuna mwanga wa alfajiri.
for instruction and for testimony?' — Surely they will speak according to this word, wherein there is no light. —
21 Nawatapita katikati ya nchi kwa shida kubwa na njaa. Walipokuwa na njaa, walipatwa na hasira na kumlaani mfalme wao na Mungu wao, na wakajeuza macho yao juu.
And they shall pass this way that are sore bestead and hungry; and it shall come to pass that, when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse by their king and by their God, and, whether they turn their faces upward,
22 Wataiangalia nchi na kuona dhiki, giza, na ukandamizaji wa viza. Watapelekwa kwenye nchi ya giza.
or look unto the earth, behold distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish, and outspread thick darkness.
