1
Ufunuo juu ya Babeli; maono aliyoyaona Isaya, mwana wa Amozi.
This is the burden against Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz received:
2
Haya! Juu ya mlima usio na miti inueni bendera, wapazieni sauti zenu, wapungieni mkono, kwamba waingie katika malango ya wakuu.
Raise a banner on a barren hilltop; call aloud to them. Wave your hand, that they may enter the gates of the nobles.
3
Mimi mwenyewe nimewaamuru watu wangu waliowekwa wakfu kwangu, naam, nimewaita watu wangu walio hodari kwa ajili ya hasira yangu, watu wangu wenye kutakabari.
I have commanded My sanctified ones; I have even summoned My warriors to execute My wrath and exult in My triumph.
4
Kelele milimani kama kelele za watu wengi sana; kelele za falme za mataifa waliokutana pamoja; Bwana wa majeshi anapanga jeshi kwa vita;
Listen, a tumult on the mountains, like that of a great multitude! Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms, like nations gathered together! The LORD of Hosts is mobilizing an army for war.
5
watu waliotoka katika nchi iliyo mbali, tokea upande wa mwisho wa mbingu; naam, Bwana na silaha za ghadhabu yake, ili aiangamize nchi yote.
They are coming from faraway lands, from the ends of the heavens—the LORD and the weapons of His wrath—to destroy the whole country.
6
Pigeni kelele za hofu; maana siku ya Bwana i karibu; itanyesha kama maangamizi yatokayo kwa Mwenyezi Mungu.
Wail, for the Day of the LORD is near; it will come as destruction from the Almighty.
7
Kwa sababu hiyo mikono yote italegea, na moyo wa kila mtu utayeyuka.
Therefore all hands will fall limp, and every man’s heart will melt.
8
Nao watafadhaika; watashikwa na utungu na maumivu; watakuwa na utungu kama mwanamke aliye karibu na kuzaa; watakodoleana macho; nyuso zao zitakuwa ni nyuso za moto.
Terror, pain, and anguish will seize them; they will writhe like a woman in labor. They will look at one another, their faces flushed with fear.
9
Tazama, siku ya Bwana inakuja, siku kali, ya hasira na ghadhabu kuu, ili iifanye nchi kuwa ukiwa, na kuwaharibu watu wake, wenye dhambi, wasikae ndani yake.
Behold, the Day of the LORD is coming—cruel, with fury and burning anger—to make the earth a desolation and to destroy the sinners within it.
10
Maana nyota za mbinguni na matangamano havitatoa nuru yake; jua litatiwa giza wakati wa kucha kwake, na mwezi utaacha nuru yake isiangaze.
For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not give their light. The rising sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light.
11
Nami nitaadhibu ulimwengu kwa sababu ya ubaya wake, na wenye dhambi kwa sababu ya hatia yao; nami nitaikomesha fahari yao wenye kiburi; nami nitayaangusha chini majivuno yao walio wakali;
I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity. I will end the haughtiness of the arrogant and lay low the pride of the ruthless.
12
nitafanya wanadamu kuadimika kuliko dhahabu safi, na watu kuliko dhahabu ya Ofiri.
I will make man scarcer than pure gold, and mankind rarer than the gold of Ophir.
13
Kwa hiyo nitazitetemesha mbingu, na dunia itatikiswa itoke katika mahali pake, kwa sababu ya ghadhabu ya Bwana wa majeshi, na kwa sababu ya siku ya hasira yake kali.
Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken from its place at the wrath of the LORD of Hosts on the day of His burning anger.
14
Basi, itakuwa kama vile paa aliyetishwa, na kama kondoo wasio na mtu wa kuwakusanya; kila mtu atageukia watu wake; nao watakimbia, kila mtu aende nchi yake mwenyewe.
Like a hunted gazelle, like a sheep without a shepherd, each will return to his own people, each will flee to his native land.
15
Kila mtu atakayeonekana atatumbuliwa, na kila mtu atakayepatikana ataanguka kwa upanga.
Whoever is caught will be stabbed, and whoever is captured will die by the sword.
16
Na watoto wao wachanga watavunjwa-vunjwa mbele ya macho yao, nyumba zao zitatekwa nyara, na wake zao watatendwa jeuri.
Their infants will be dashed to pieces before their eyes, their houses will be looted, and their wives will be ravished.
17
Tazama, nitawaamsha Wamedi juu yao, ambao hawaoni fedha kuwa kitu, wala hawafurahii dhahabu.
Behold, I will stir up against them the Medes, who have no regard for silver and no desire for gold.
18
Na nyuta zao zitawaangusha vijana; wala hawatahurumia mazao ya tumbo; jicho lao halitawahurumia watoto.
Their bows will dash young men to pieces; they will have no mercy on the fruit of the womb; they will not look with pity on the children.
19
Na Babeli, huo utukufu wa falme, uzuri wa kiburi cha Wakaldayo, utakuwa kama Sodoma na Gomora hapo Mungu alipoiangamiza.
And Babylon, the jewel of the kingdoms, the glory of the pride of the Chaldeans, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah.
20
Hautakaliwa na watu tena kabisa, wala watu hawatakaa ndani yake tangu kizazi hata kizazi. Mwarabu hatapiga hema yake huko, wala wachungaji hawatalaza makundi yao huko.
She will never be inhabited or settled from generation to generation; no nomad will pitch his tent there, no shepherd will rest his flock there.
21
Lakini huko watalala hayawani wakali wa nyikani; na nyumba zao zitajaa bundi; mbuni watakaa huko; na majini watacheza huko.
But desert creatures will lie down there, and howling creatures will fill her houses. Ostriches will dwell there, and wild goats will leap about.
22
Na mbwa-mwitu watalia ndani ya ngome zake; na mbweha ndani ya majumba ya anasa; na wakati wake u karibu kufika, na siku zake hazitaongezeka.
Hyenas will howl in her fortresses and jackals in her luxurious palaces. Babylon’s time is at hand, and her days will not be prolonged.