< 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 visions of Isaiah, the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
2 Sikia enyi mbingu, tega sikio ewe nchi; kwa kuwa Yahwe amesema: ''Nimewatunza na kuwalea watoto, lakini wamenigeuka.
Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For Jehovah speaketh: “I have nourished and brought up children, And they have rebelled against 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 doth not know; My people do not consider.”
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.
Ah, sinful nation! a people laden with iniquity! A race of evil-doers! degenerate children! They have forsaken Jehovah; they have despised the Holy One of Israel; They have gone backward.
5 Kwa nini ulikuwa unaendelea kupigwa? Kwa nini unazidi kuasi zaudi na zaidi? Kichwa chote kinauma, moyo wote ni dhaifu.
Where can ye be smitten again, Since ye renew your rebellion? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint;
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 even to the head, there is no soundness in it; It is all bruises, and stripes, and flesh wounds, Neither pressed, nor bound up, nor softened with ointment.
7 Nchi yenu imeharibiwa; miji yenu imechomwa moto; mashamba yenu— mbele, wageni wamehiaribu; wamepatelekeza katika uharibifu, ulioangushwa na wageni
Your country is desolate; Your cities are burnt with fire; Your ground, strangers devour it before your eyes; It is become desolate, destroyed by an enemy.
8 Binti Sayuni ameacha kama kibanda katika shamba la mzabu, kama kivuli kitika shamba la matango, kama mji unaomba.
And the daughter of Zion is left as a shed in a vineyard, As a hut in a garden of cucumbers, As a besieged city.
9 Kama Yahwe wa majeshi hakutuasha kwa mda mfupi tungekuwa kama Sodoma, tungekuwa kama Gomora.
Had not Jehovah of hosts left us a small remnant, We had soon become as Sodom; We had been like to Gomorrah.
10 Sikiliza neno la Yahwe, enyi viongozi wa Sodomu; sikilizeni sheria ya Mungu wetu, enyi watu wa Gomora:
Hear ye the word of Jehovah, ye princes of Sodom! Give ear to the instruction of our God, ye people of Gomorrah!
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.
What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? saith Jehovah; I am satiated with burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; In the blood of bullocks and of lambs and of goats I have no delight.
12 Ulipokuja kuonekaa mbele yangu, Ni nani aliyehitaji hili juu yako, kukanyaga katika mahama yangu
When ye come to appear before me, Who hath required this of you, to tread 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.
Bring no more false oblations! Incense is an abomination to me, The new moon also, and the sabbath, and the calling of the assembly; Iniquity and festivals I cannot endure.
14 Ninaichukia sherehe yenu mpya ya mwenzi na sherehe zilizoteuliwa; ni mzigo kwangu; nimechoka kuubeba.
Your new moons and your feasts my soul hateth; They are a burden 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.
When ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; Yea, when ye multiply prayers, I will not hear: Your hands are full of blood!
16 Jiosheni, jitakaseni wenyewe; ondoeni matendo maovu mbele ya macho yangu; acheni kutenda dhambi;
Wash you; make you clean; Put away your evil doings from before mine eyes;
17 jifunze kutenda mema; tafuta ukweli; msiwanyanyase, wapeni haki yatima, walindeni wajane.''
Cease to do evil; Learn to do well; Seek justice; relieve the oppressed; Defend the fatherless; plead for 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.
Come, now, and let us argue together, saith Jehovah. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they be red as crimson, they shall be like wool.
19 Kama utakubali na kutii, utakula mema ya nchi,
If ye be willing and obedient, Ye shall consume the good of the land.
20 lakini ukikataa na kugeuka, upanga utakuangamiza, maama Yahwe amesema.
But if ye refuse, and be rebellious, The sword shall consume you; For the mouth of Jehovah hath said 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 become a harlot, She that was full of equity! Once justice dwelt in her, but now murderers!
22 Fedha zenu zimechafuka, na mvinyo wenu umechanganjwa na maji.
Thy silver is become dross; Thy wine is adulterated 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; Every one of them loveth gifts, and seeketh rewards; They render not justice to the fatherless, And the cause of the widow cometh not before 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;
Wherefore, thus saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel: Ha! I will ease me of mine adversaries, And avenge me of mine enemies.
25 Nitaugeuza mkono wangu juu yako, nitatakasa chuma kilicho chakaa na kuondoa kutu yote.
And I will again turn my hand toward thee, And wholly purge away thy dross, And take away all thy alloy.
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 thee judges, as at the first, And counsellors, as at the beginning. Then shalt thou be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.
27 Sayuni itakombolewa kwa haki, na wanaotubu kwa haki.
Through justice shall Zion be delivered, And her reformed sons through righteousness.
28 Waasi na wenye dhambi wataangamizwa pamoja, na wale wataenda kinyume na Yahwe watauliwa.
But destruction shall fall at once on the rebels and sinners; Yea, they that forsake Jehovah shall be consumed.
29 Kwakukuwa utaona aibu juu ya miti ya mialoni uliyoitamani, na utakuwa na hofu juu ya bustani uliyoichagua.
For ye shall be ashamed of the terebinths in which ye delighted; Ye shall blush for the gardens which ye loved;
30 Kwa kukuwa utakuwa kama mualoni ambao majani yake yamenyauka, na kama bustani isiyokuwa na maji.
And ye shall be as a terebinth-tree whose leaves are withered, And as a garden in which is no 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''.
The strong shall become tow, And his work a spark of fire; Both shall burn together, And none shall quench them.

< Isaya 1 >