Isaiah 8

1 Then the LORD said to me, “Take a large scroll and write on it with an ordinary stylus: Maher-shalal-hash-baz.

1 Bwana akaniambia, “Chukua gombo kubwa, uandike juu yake kwa kalamu ya kawaida jina: Maher-Shalal-Hash-Bazi.

2 And I will appoint for Myself trustworthy witnesses—Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah.”

2 Nami nitawaita kuhani Uria, na Zekaria mwana wa Yeberekia kama mashahidi wangu waaminifu.”

3 And I had relations with the prophetess, and she conceived and gave birth to a son. The LORD said to me, “Name him Maher-shalal-hash-baz.

3 Kisha nikaenda kwa nabii mke, naye akapata mimba, akazaa mwana. Kisha Bwana akaniambia, “Mwite huyo mtoto Maher-Shalal-Hash-Bazi.

4 For before the boy knows how to cry ‘Father’ or ‘Mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the plunder of Samaria will be carried off by the king of Assyria.”

4 Kabla mtoto hajaweza kusema ‘Baba yangu’ au ‘Mama yangu,’ utajiri wa Dameski na nyara za Samaria zitachukuliwa na mfalme wa Ashuru.”

5 And the LORD spoke to me further:

5 Bwana akasema nami tena:

6 “Because this people has rejected the gently flowing waters of Shiloah and rejoiced in Rezin and the son of Remaliah,

6 “Kwa sababu watu hawa wamekataa maji ya Shilo yatiririkayo taratibu wakamfurahia Resini na mwana wa Remalia,

7 the Lord will surely bring against them the mighty floodwaters of the Euphrates—the king of Assyria and all his pomp. It will overflow its channels and overrun its banks.

7 kwa hiyo Bwana yu karibu kuleta dhidi yao mafuriko makubwa ya Mto: yaani mfalme wa Ashuru na fahari yake yote. Yatafurika juu ya mifereji yake yote, yatamwagikia juu ya kingo zake zote,

8 It will pour into Judah, swirling and sweeping over it, reaching up to the neck; its spreading streams will cover your entire land, O Immanuel!

8 na kufika hadi Yuda, yakizunguka kwa kasi juu yake, yakipita katikati na yakifika hadi shingoni. Mabawa yake yaliyokunjuliwa yatafunika upana wa nchi yako, Ee Imanueli!”

9 Huddle together, O peoples, and be shattered; pay attention, all you distant lands; prepare for battle, and be shattered; prepare for battle, and be shattered!

9 Inueni kilio cha vita, enyi mataifa, na mkavunjwevunjwe! Sikilizeni, enyi nyote nchi za mbali. Jiandaeni kwa vita, nanyi mkavunjwevunjwe! Jiandaeni kwa vita, nanyi mkavunjwevunjwe!

10 Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted; state a proposal, but it will not happen. For God is with us.”

10 Wekeni mikakati yenu, lakini itashindwa; fanyeni mipango yenu, lakini haitafanikiwa, kwa maana Mungu yu pamoja nasi.

11 For this is what the LORD has spoken to me with a strong hand, instructing me not to walk in the way of this people:

11 Bwana alisema nami mkono wake wenye nguvu ukiwa juu yangu, akinionya nisifuate njia za taifa hili. Akasema:

12 “Do not call conspiracy everything these people regard as conspiracy. Do not fear what they fear; do not live in dread.

12 “Usiite fitina kila kitu ambacho watu hawa hukiita fitina, usiogope kile wanachokiogopa, wala usikihofu.

13 The LORD of Hosts is the One you shall regard as holy. Only He should be feared; only He should be dreaded.

13 Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote ndiye peke yake ikupasaye kumheshimu kuwa mtakatifu, ndiye peke yake utakayemwogopa, ndiye peke yake utakayemhofu,

14 And He will be a sanctuary—but to both houses of Israel a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, to the dwellers of Jerusalem a trap and a snare.

14 naye atakuwa mahali patakatifu; lakini kwa nyumba zote mbili za Israeli atakuwa jiwe lile linalosababisha watu kujikwaa na mwamba wa kuwaangusha. Kwa watu wa Yerusalemu, atakuwa mtego na tanzi.

15 Many will stumble over these; they will fall and be broken; they will be ensnared and captured.”

15 Wengi wao watajikwaa; wataanguka na kuvunjika, watategwa na kunaswa.”

16 Bind up the testimony and seal the law among my disciples.

16 Funga ushuhuda na kutia muhuri sheria miongoni mwa wanafunzi wangu.

17 I will wait for the LORD, who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob. I will put my trust in Him.

17 Nitamngojea Bwana, ambaye ameificha nyumba ya Yakobo uso wake. Nitaliweka tumaini langu kwake.

18 Here am I, and the children the LORD has given me as signs and symbols in Israel from the LORD of Hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion.

18 Niko hapa, pamoja na watoto ambao Bwana amenipa. Sisi ni ishara na mfano wake katika Israeli, kutoka kwa Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, anayeishi juu ya Mlima Sayuni.

19 When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists who whisper and mutter, shouldn’t a people consult their God instead? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?

19 Wakati watu wanapowaambia ninyi kutafuta ushauri kwa waaguzi na wenye kuongea na mizimu, ambao hunongʼona na kunungʼunika, je, watu wasingeuliza kwa Mungu wao? Kwa nini watake shauri kwa wafu kwa ajili ya walio hai?

20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.

20 Kwa sheria na kwa ushuhuda! Kama hawatasema sawasawa na neno hili, hawana mwanga wa mapambazuko.

21 They will roam the land, dejected and hungry. When they are famished, they will become enraged; and looking upward, they will curse their king and their God.

21 Watazunguka katika nchi yote, wakiwa na dhiki na njaa. Watakapotaabika kwa njaa, watapatwa na hasira kali, nao, wakiwa wanatazama juu, watamlaani mfalme wao na Mungu wao.

22 Then they will look to the earth and see only distress and darkness and the gloom of anguish. And they will be driven into utter darkness.

22 Kisha wataangalia duniani na kuona tu dhiki na giza, hofu na huzuni tupu, nao watasukumiwa kwenye giza nene kabisa.