1
Nisikilizeni, enyi visiwa; tegeni masikio yenu, enyi kabila za watu mlio mbali sana; Bwana ameniita tangu tumboni; toka tumbo la mama yangu amenitaja jina langu.
Listen to Me, O islands; pay attention, O distant peoples: The LORD called Me from the womb; from the body of My mother He named Me.
2
Naye anifanya kinywa changu kuwa kama upanga mkali; katika kivuli cha mkono wake amenisitiri; naye amenifanya kuwa mshale uliosuguliwa; katika podo lake amenificha;
He made My mouth like a sharp sword; He hid Me in the shadow of His hand. He made Me like a polished arrow; He hid Me in His quiver.
3
akaniambia; Wewe u mtumishi wangu, Israeli, ambaye katika wewe nitatukuzwa.
He said to Me, “You are My Servant, Israel, in whom I will display My glory.”
4
Lakini nikasema, Nimejitaabisha bure, nimetumia nguvu zangu bure bila faida; lakini hakika hukumu yangu ina Bwana, na thawabu yangu ina Mungu wangu.
But I said, “I have labored in vain, I have spent My strength in futility and vanity; yet My vindication is with the LORD, and My reward is with My God.”
5
Na sasa Bwana asema hivi, yeye aliyeniumba tangu tumboni niwe mtumishi wake, ili nimletee Yakobo tena, na Israeli wakusanyike mbele zake tena; (maana mimi nimepata heshima mbele ya macho ya Bwana, na Mungu wangu amekuwa nguvu zangu);
And now says the LORD, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, to bring Jacob back to Him, that Israel might be gathered to Him—for I am honored in the sight of the LORD, and My God is My strength—
6
naam, asema hivi, Ni neno dogo sana wewe kuwa mtumishi wangu ili kuziinua kabila za Yakobo, na kuwarejeza watu wa Israeli waliohifadhiwa; zaidi ya hayo nitakutoa uwe nuru ya mataifa, upate kuwa wokovu wangu hata miisho ya dunia.
He says: “It is not enough for You to be My Servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the protected ones of Israel. I will also make You a light for the nations, to bring My salvation to the ends of the earth.”
7
Bwana, mkombozi wa Israeli, Mtakatifu wake, amwambia hivi yeye anayedharauliwa na wanadamu; yeye anayechukiwa na taifa hili; yeye aliye mtumishi wao watawalao; Wafalme wataona, watasimama; wakuu nao watasujudu; kwa sababu ya Bwana aliye mwaminifu, Mtakatifu wa Israeli aliyekuchagua
Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel, to Him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the Servant of rulers: “Kings will see You and rise, and princes will bow down, because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen You.”
8
Bwana asema hivi, Wakati uliokubalika nimekujibu, na siku ya wokovu nimekusaidia; nami nitakuhifadhi, nitakutoa uwe agano la watu hawa, ili kuiinua nchi hii, na kuwarithisha urithi uliokuwa ukiwa;
This is what the LORD says: “In the time of favor I will answer You, and in the day of salvation I will help You; I will keep You and appoint You to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land, to apportion its desolate inheritances,
9
kuwaambia waliofungwa, Haya, tokeni; na hao walio katika giza, Jionyesheni. Watajilisha katika njia, na juu ya majabali watapata malisho.
to say to the prisoners, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.’ They will feed along the pathways, and find pasture on every barren hill.
10
Hawataona njaa, wala hawataona kiu; hari haitawapiga, wala jua; kwa maana yeye aliyewarehemu atawatangulia, naam, karibu na chemchemi za maji atawaongoza.
They will not hunger or thirst, nor will scorching heat or sun beat down on them. For He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water.
11
Nami nitafanya milima yangu yote kuwa njia, na njia kuu zangu zitatukuzwa zote.
I will turn all My mountains into roads, and My highways will be raised up.
12
Tazama, hawa watakuja kutoka mbali; na tazama, hawa kutoka kaskazini, na kutoka magharibi, na hawa kutoka nchi ya Sinimu.
Behold, they will come from far away, from the north and from the west, and from the land of Aswan.”
13
Imbeni, enyi mbingu; ufurahi, Ee nchi; Pazeni sauti ya kuimba, enyi milima; Kwa kuwa Bwana amewafariji watu wake, Naye atawahurumia watu wake walioteswa.
Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; break forth in song, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted His people, and He will have compassion on His afflicted ones.
14
Bali Sayuni alisema, YEHOVA ameniacha, Bwana amenisahau.
But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me; the Lord has forgotten me!”
15
Je! Mwanamke aweza kumsahau mtoto wake anyonyaye, hata asimhurumie mwana wa tumbo lake? Naam, hawa waweza kusahau, lakini mimi sitakusahau wewe.
“Can a woman forget her nursing child, or lack compassion for the son of her womb? Even if she could forget, I will not forget you!
16
Tazama, nimekuchora katika vitanga vya mikono yangu; kuta zako ziko mbele zangu daima.
Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are ever before Me.
17
Watoto wako wafanya haraka, hao wakuharibuo, nao waliokufanya ukiwa, watatoka kwako.
Your builders hasten back; your destroyers and wreckers depart from you.
18
Inua macho yako, ukatazame pande zote; hao wote wanajikusanya na kukujia. Kama niishivyo, asema Bwana, hakika utajivika na hao wote, kama kwa uzuri, nawe utajifungia hao, kama bibi arusi.
Lift up your eyes and look around. They all gather together; they come to you. As surely as I live,” declares the LORD, “you will wear them all as jewelry and put them on like a bride.
19
Maana katika habari za mahali pako palipokuwa ukiwa, pasipokaliwa na watu, na nchi yako iliyoharibika hakika sasa utakuwa mwembamba usiwatoshe wenyeji wako, nao waliokumeza watakuwa mbali.
For your ruined and desolate places and your ravaged land will now indeed be too small for your people, and those who devoured you will be far away.
20
Watoto ulionyang'anywa watasema masikioni mwako, Mahali hapa ni pembamba, hapanitoshi; nipe nafasi nipate kukaa.
Yet the children of your bereavement will say in your hearing, ‘This place is too small for us; make room for us to live here.’
21
Ndipo utasema moyoni mwako, Ni nani aliyenizalia watoto hawa, na mimi nimefiwa na watoto wangu, nami ni peke yangu, nimehamishwa, ninatanga-tanga huko na huku? Tena ni nani aliyewalea hawa? Tazama, naliachwa peke yangu; hawa je! Walikuwa wapi?
Then you will say in your heart, ‘Who has begotten these for me? I was bereaved and barren; I was exiled and rejected. So who has reared them? Look, I was left all alone, so where did they come from?’”
22
Bwana MUNGU asema hivi, Tazama, nitawainulia mataifa mkono wangu, na kuwatwekea kabila za watu bendera yangu; nao wataleta wana wako vifuani mwao, na binti zako watachukuliwa mabegani mwao.
This is what the Lord GOD says: “Behold, I will lift up My hand to the nations, and raise My banner to the peoples. They will bring your sons in their arms and carry your daughters on their shoulders.
23
Na wafalme watakuwa baba zako za kulea, na malkia zao mama zako za kulea; watainama mbele yako kifudifudi, na kuramba mavumbi ya miguu yako; nawe utajua ya kuwa mimi ni Bwana, tena waningojeao hawatatahayarika.
Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow to you facedown and lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in Me will never be put to shame.”
24
Je! Aliye hodari aweza kunyang'anywa mateka yake, au jeshi lao waliofungwa halali wataokoka?
Can the plunder be snatched from the mighty, or the captives of a tyrant be delivered?
25
Naam, Bwana asema hivi, Hata jeshi la wafungwa wake aliye hodari watapokonywa mikononi mwake, na mateka yake aliye jabari wataokoka; kwa maana nitateta na yeye atetaye nawe, nami nitawaletea wana wako wokovu.
Indeed, this is what the LORD says: “Even the captives of the mighty will be taken away, and the plunder of the tyrant will be retrieved; I will contend with those who contend with you, and I will save your children.
26
Na hao wanaokuonea nitawalisha nyama yao wenyewe, nao watalewa kwa kuinywa damu yao wenyewe, kama kwa mvinyo mpya; na wote wenye mwili watajua ya kuwa mimi, Bwana, ni mwokozi wako, na Mkombozi wako ni Mwenye enzi wa Yakobo.
I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh; they will be drunk on their own blood, as with wine. Then all mankind will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”