Isaiah 38

1 In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Put your house in order, for you are about to die; you will not recover.’”

1 Katika siku hizo Hezekia akaugua, naye akawa karibu kufa. Nabii Isaya mwana wa Amozi akaenda kwake na kumwambia, “Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: Tengeneza mambo ya nyumba yako, kwa sababu utakufa, hutapona.”

2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD,

2 Hezekia akaelekeza uso wake ukutani, akamwomba Bwana:

3 saying, “Please, O LORD, remember how I have walked before You faithfully and with wholehearted devotion; I have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

3 “Ee Bwana, kumbuka jinsi nilivyoenenda mbele zako kwa uaminifu na kujitoa kwa moyo wangu wote, na kufanya yaliyo mema machoni pako.” Naye Hezekia akalia kwa uchungu.

4 And the word of the LORD came to Isaiah, saying,

4 Ndipo neno la Bwana likamjia Isaya, kusema:

5 “Go and tell Hezekiah that this is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: ‘I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life.

5 “Nenda ukamwambie Hezekia, ‘Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana, Mungu wa baba yako Daudi: Nimeyasikia maombi yako na nimeona machozi yako. Nitakuongezea miaka kumi na mitano katika maisha yako.

6 And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city.

6 Nami nitakuokoa wewe pamoja na mji huu mkononi mwa mfalme wa Ashuru. Nitaulinda mji huu.

7 This will be a sign to you from the LORD that He will do what He has promised:

7 “ ‘Hii ndiyo ishara ya Bwana kwako ya kwamba Bwana atafanya kile alichoahidi:

8 I will make the sun’s shadow that falls on the stairway of Ahaz go back ten steps.’” So the sunlight went back the ten steps it had descended.

8 Nitafanya kivuli cha jua kwenye ngazi iliyojengwa na Ahazi kirudi nyuma madaraja kumi.’” Hivyo jua likarudi nyuma madaraja kumi ambayo lilikuwa limeshuka.

9 This is a writing by Hezekiah king of Judah after his illness and recovery:

9 Maandiko ya Hezekia mfalme wa Yuda baada ya kuugua kwake na kupona:

10 I said, “In the prime of my life I must go through the gates of Sheol and be deprived of the remainder of my years.”

10 Nilisema, “Katika ustawi wa maisha yangu, je, ni lazima nipite katika malango ya mauti, na kupokonywa miaka yangu iliyobaki?”

11 I said, “I will never again see the LORD, even the LORD, in the land of the living; I will no longer look on mankind with those who dwell in this world.

11 Nilisema, “Sitamwona tena Bwana, Bwana katika nchi ya walio hai, wala sitamtazama tena mwanadamu, wala kuwa na wale ambao sasa wanakaa katika ulimwengu huu.

12 My dwelling has been picked up and removed from me like a shepherd’s tent. I have rolled up my life like a weaver; He cuts me off from the loom; from day until night You make an end of me.

12 Kama hema la mchunga mifugo, nyumba yangu imebomolewa na kutwaliwa kutoka kwangu. Kama mfumaji nimevingirisha maisha yangu, naye amenikatilia mbali kutoka kitanda cha mfumi. Mchana na usiku uliyakomesha maisha yangu.

13 I composed myself until the morning. Like a lion He breaks all my bones; from day until night You make an end of me.

13 Nilingoja kwa uvumilivu hadi mapambazuko, lakini alivunja mifupa yangu yote kama simba. Mchana na usiku uliyakomesha maisha yangu.

14 I chirp like a swallow or crane; I moan like a dove. My eyes grow weak as I look upward. O Lord, I am oppressed; be my security.”

14 Nililia kama mbayuwayu au korongo, niliomboleza kama hua aombolezaye. Macho yangu yalififia nilipotazama mbinguni. Ee Bwana, ninataabika, njoo unisaidie!”

15 What can I say? He has spoken to me, and He Himself has done this. I will walk slowly all my years because of the anguish of my soul.

15 Lakini niseme nini? Amesema nami, naye yeye mwenyewe amelitenda hili. Nitatembea kwa unyenyekevu katika miaka yangu yote kwa sababu ya haya maumivu makali ya nafsi yangu.

16 O Lord, by such things men live, and in all of them my spirit finds life. You have restored me to health and have let me live.

16 Bwana, kwa mambo kama haya watu huishi, nayo roho yangu hupata uzima katika hayo pia. Uliniponya na kuniacha niishi.

17 Surely for my own welfare I had such great anguish; but Your love has delivered me from the pit of oblivion, for You have cast all my sins behind Your back.

17 Hakika ilikuwa ya faida yangu ndiyo maana nikapata maumivu makali. Katika upendo wako ukaniokoa kutoka shimo la uharibifu; umeziweka dhambi zangu zote nyuma yako.

18 For Sheol cannot thank You; Death cannot praise You. Those who descend to the Pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness.

18 Kwa maana kaburi haliwezi kukusifu, mauti haiwezi kuimba sifa zako; wale washukao chini shimoni hawawezi kuutarajia uaminifu wako.

19 The living, only the living, can thank You, as I do today; fathers will tell their children about Your faithfulness.

19 Walio hai, walio hai: hao wanakusifu, kama ninavyofanya leo. Baba huwaambia watoto wao habari za uaminifu wako.

20 The LORD will save me; we will play songs on stringed instruments all the days of our lives in the house of the LORD.

20 Bwana ataniokoa, nasi tutaimba kwa vyombo vya nyuzi siku zote za maisha yetu katika Hekalu la Bwana.

21 Now Isaiah had said, “Prepare a lump of pressed figs and apply it to the boil, and he will recover.”

21 Isaya alikuwa amesema, “Tengenezeni dawa ya kubandika ya tini, mweke juu ya jipu, naye atapona.”

22 And Hezekiah had asked, “What will be the sign that I will go up to the house of the LORD?”

22 Hezekia alikuwa ameuliza, “Kutakuwa na ishara gani kwamba nitapanda kwenda Hekalu la Bwana?”