1The Lord will show tender love toward Jacob’s people.
Once again he will choose Israel.
He’ll give them homes in their own land.
Outsiders will join them.
They and the people of Jacob will become one people.
2Nations will help Israel
return to their own land.
Israel will possess other nations.
They will serve Israel as male and female servants in the Lord’s land.
The Israelites will make prisoners of those who had held them as prisoners.
Israel will rule over those who had crushed them.
3The Lord will put an end to Israel’s suffering and trouble. They will no longer be forced to do hard labor. At that time, 4they will make fun of the king of Babylon. They will say,
“See how the one who crushed others has fallen!
See how his anger has come to an end!
5The Lord has taken away the authority of evil people.
He has broken the power of rulers.
6When they became angry, they struck down nations.
Their blows never stopped.
In their anger they brought nations under their control.
They attacked them again and again.
7All the lands now enjoy peace and rest.
They break out into singing.
8Even the juniper trees show how happy they are.
The cedar trees of Lebanon celebrate too.
They say, ‘Babylon, you have fallen.
Now no one comes and cuts us down.’
9“King of Babylon, many people in the place of the dead are really excited.
They’re excited about meeting you when you go down there.
The spirits of the dead get up to welcome you.
At one time all of them were leaders in the world.
They were kings over the nations.
They get up from their thrones.
10All of them call out to you.
They say,
‘You have become weak, just as we are.
You have become like us.’
11Your grand show of power has been brought down to the grave.
The noise of your harps has come down here along with your power.
Maggots are spread out under you.
Worms cover you.
12“King of Babylon, you thought you were the bright morning star.
But now you have fallen from heaven!
You once brought down nations.
But now you have been thrown down to the earth!
13You said in your heart,
‘I will go up to the heavens.
I’ll raise my throne
above the stars of God.
I’ll sit as king on the mountain where the gods meet.
I’ll set up my throne on the highest slopes of Mount Zaphon.
14I will rise above the tops of the clouds.
I’ll make myself like the Most High God.’
15But now you have been brought down to the place of the dead.
You have been thrown into the deepest part of the pit.
16“Those who see you stare at you.
They think about what has happened to you.
They say to themselves,
‘Is this the man who shook the earth?
Is he the one who made kingdoms tremble with fear?
17Did he turn the world into a desert?
Did he destroy its cities?
Did he refuse to let his prisoners go home?’
18“All the kings of the nations are buried with honor.
Each of them lies in his own tomb.
19But you have been thrown out of your tomb.
You are like a branch that is cut off and thrown away.
You are covered with the bodies
of those who have been killed by swords.
You have been tossed into a stony pit along with them.
You are like a dead body that people have walked on.
20You won’t be buried like other kings.
That’s because you have destroyed your land.
You have killed your people.
“Let the children of that evil man be killed.
Let none of them be left to carry on the family name.
21So prepare a place to kill his children.
Kill them because of the sins of the rulers
who lived before them.
They must not rise to power.
They must not rule over the world.
They must not cover the earth with their cities.”
22“I will rise up against them,”
announces the Lord who rules over all.
“I will destroy Babylon.
It will not be remembered anymore.
No one will be left alive there.
I will destroy its people and their children after them,”
announces the Lord.
23“I will turn it into a place where nothing but owls can live.
I will turn it into a swamp.
I will sweep through it like a broom and destroy everything,”
announces the Lord who rules over all.
24The Lord who rules over all has made a promise. He has said,
“You can be sure that what I have planned will happen.
What I have decided will take place.
25I will crush the Assyrians in my land.
On my mountains I will walk all over them.
The yokes they put on my people will be removed.
The heavy load they put on their shoulders will be taken away.”
26That’s how the Lord carries out his plan all over the world.
That’s how he reaches out his powerful hand to punish all the nations.
27The Lord who rules over all has planned it.
Who can stop him?
He has reached out his powerful hand.
Who can keep him from using it?
A Prophecy Against the Philistines
28This prophecy came to me from the Lord in the year King Ahaz died. The Lord said,
29“The rod of Assyria has struck all of you Philistines.
But do not be glad that it is broken.
That rod is like a snake that will produce an even more poisonous snake.
It will produce a darting, poisonous serpent.
30Even the poorest people in Israel will have plenty to eat.
Those who are in need will lie down in safety.
But I will destroy your families.
They will die of hunger.
I will kill any of them who are still left alive.
31“Cities of Philistia, cry out for help! Scream in pain!
All you Philistines, melt away in fear!
An army is coming from the north in a cloud of dust.
No one in its ranks is falling behind.
32What answer should be given
to the messengers from that nation?
Tell them, ‘The Lord has made Zion secure.
His suffering people will find safety there.’ ”
1Yehova adzachitira chifundo Yakobo;
adzasankhanso Israeli
ndi kuwalola kuti akhalenso mʼdziko lawo.
Alendo adzabwera kudzakhala nawo
ndi kudziphatika okha kukhala ngati a mʼnyumba ya Yakobo.
2Anthu a mitundu ina adzaperekeza a Israeli
ku dziko lawo.
Tsono Aisraeli adzasandutsa anthu a mitundu ina aja
kukhala antchito awo aamuna ndi aakazi mʼdziko la Yehova.
Ndiye kuti Aisraeli adzasandutsa akapolo anthu amene kale anali ambuye awo.
Iwo adzasandutsa akapolo anthu amene kale ankawalamulira ndi kuwazunza.
3Yehova akadzakupumitsani ku zowawa ndi mavuto, ndiponso kuntchito yakalavulagaga imene ankakugwiritsani, 4mudzayankhula monyogodola mfumu ya Babuloni kuti,
Wopsinja uja watha!
Ukali wake uja watha!
5Yehova wathyola chikwapu cha anthu oyipa,
Iye waphwanya ndodo ya olamulira.
6Mfumu ya ku Babuloni inkakantha mitundu ya anthu mwaukali
powamenya kosalekeza,
Iyo inkagonjetsa anthu a mitundu ina mwaukali
ndikuwazunza kosalekeza.
7Koma tsopano mayiko onse ali pa mpumulo ndi pa mtendere;
ndipo akuyimba mokondwa.
8Ngakhale mitengo ya payini ndi mikungudza ya ku Lebanoni
ikuyimba za iwe mokondwa ndipo ikuti,
“Chigwetsedwere chako pansi,
palibe wina anabwera kudzatigwetsa.”
9Ku manda kwatekeseka
kuti akulandire ukamabwera;
mizimu ya anthu akufa, aja amene anali atsogoleri
a dziko lapansi, yadzutsidwa.
Onse amene anali mafumu a mitundu ya anthu
ayimiritsidwa pa mipando yawo.
10Onse adzayankha;
adzanena kwa iwe kuti,
“Iwenso watheratu mphamvu ngati ife;
Iwe wafanana ndi ife.”
11Ulemerero wako wonse walowa mʼmanda,
pamodzi ndi nyimbo za azeze ako;
mphutsi zayalana pogona pako
ndipo chofunda chako ndi nyongolotsi.
12Wagwa pansi bwanji kuchoka kumwamba,
iwe nthanda, mwana wa mʼbandakucha!
Wagwetsedwa pansi pa dziko lapansi,
Iwe amene unagonjetsapo mitundu ya anthu!
13Mu mtima mwako unkanena kuti,
“Ndidzakwera mpaka kumwamba;
ndidzakhazika mpando wanga waufumu
pamwamba pa nyenyezi za Mulungu;
ndidzakhala pa mpando waufumu pa phiri losonkhanirako,
pamwamba penipeni pa phiri la kumpoto.
14Ndidzakwera pamwamba pa mitambo;
ndidzafanana ndi Wammwambamwamba.”
15Koma watsitsidwa mʼmanda
pansi penipeni pa dzenje.
16Anthu akufa adzakupenyetsetsa
nadzamalingalira za iwe nʼkumati,
“Kodi uyu ndi munthu uja anagwedeza dziko lapansi
ndi kunjenjemeretsa maufumu,
17munthu amene anasandutsa dziko lonse chipululu,
amene anagwetsa mizinda yake
ndipo sankalola kuti anthu ogwidwa abwerere kwawo?”
18Mafumu onse a mitundu ya anthu akugona mwaulemu
aliyense mʼmanda akeake.
19Koma iwe watayidwa kunja kwa manda ako,
ngati nthambi yowola ndi yonyansa.
Mtembo wako waphimbidwa ndi anthu ophedwa;
amene anabayidwa ndi lupanga,
anatsikira mʼdzenje lamiyala
ngati mtembo woponderezedwa.
20Sudzayikidwa nawo mʼmanda mwaulemu,
chifukwa unawononga dziko lako
ndi kupha anthu ako.
Zidzukulu za anthu oyipa
sizidzakumbukika nʼpangʼono pomwe.
21Konzani malo woti muphere ana ake aamuna
chifukwa cha machimo a makolo awo;
kuti angadzuke ndi kulanda dziko lapansi
ndi kulidzaza dziko lonselo ndi mizinda yawo.
22Yehova Wamphamvuzonse akuti,
“Ine ndidzathira nkhondo mzinda wa Babuloni.
Ndidzachotseratu mu Babuloni dzina lake ndi onse otsaliramo.
Ndiye kuti sipadzakhala ana kapena zidzukulu,”
akutero Yehova.
23“Ndidzawusandutsa mzindawo malo okhalamo anungu
ndiponso dambo lamatope;
ndidzawusesa ndi tsache lowononga,”
akutero Yehova Wamphamvuzonse.
Za Kulangidwa kwa Asiriya
24Yehova Wamphamvuzonse walumbira kuti,
“Ndithudi, monga ndaganizira ndidzachitadi choncho,
ndipo monga momwe ndatsimikizira zidzakhala momwemo ndithu.
25Ndidzawawononga Asiriya mʼdziko langa;
ndidzawapondereza ndi mapazi pa mapiri anga;
ndidzachotsa goli lawo pa anthu anga,
ndipo ndidzachotsa katundu wawo pa mapewa awo.”
26Izi ndizo ndakonza kuti zichitike pa dziko lonse lapansi,
ndatambasula dzanja pa anthu a mitundu yonse.
27Pakuti Yehova Wamphamvuzonse watsimikiza, ndipo ndani angamuletse?
Dzanja lake latambasulidwa ndipo ndani angalibweze?
Za Kulangidwa kwa Afilisti
28Uthenga uwu unabwera chaka chimene mfumu Ahazi anamwalira:
29Musakondwere inu Afilisti nonse
kuti Asiriya amene anali ngati ndodo yokukanthani anathedwa;
chifukwa kuchokera ku njoka yomweyi (mfumu ya Aasiriya) mudzatuluka mphiri,
ndipo chipatso chake chidzakhala njoka yaliwiro ndiponso yaululu.
30Osaukitsitsa adzapeza chakudya
ndipo amphawi adzakhala mwamtendere.
Koma anthu ako ndidzawawononga ndi njala,
ndipo njalayo idzapha ngakhale opulumuka ako.
31Lirani kwambiri, anthu a pa chipata! Fuwulani kwambiri, anthu a mu mzinda!
Njenjemerani ndi mantha, inu Afilisti nonse!
Mtambo wa utsi ukuchokera kumpoto,
ndipo palibe wamantha pakati pa ankhondo ake.
32Kodi tidzawayankha chiyani
amithenga a ku Filisitiya?
“Yehova wakhazikitsa Ziyoni,
ndipo mu mzinda wakewu, anthu ozunzika apeza populumukira.”
