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.’ ”
Yuda Kufanywa Upya
114:1 Isa 54:7-8; Zek 10:6; Mwa 18:19; Eze 47:22; Efe 2:12-19; Kut 12:43; Eze 47:22; Zek 8:22-23; Isa 11:10; Yer 3:18; Zek 2:12Bwana atamhurumia Yakobo,
atamchagua Israeli tena,
na kuwakalisha katika nchi yao wenyewe.
Wageni wataungana nao
na kujiunga na nyumba ya Yakobo.
214:2 Isa 11:12; 26:15; 49:7; 49:23; 54:3; 60:9; Sef 3:19; Zek 2:9; Za 49:14Mataifa watawachukua
na kuwaleta mahali pao wenyewe.
Nayo nyumba ya Israeli itamiliki mataifa
kama watumishi na wajakazi katika nchi ya Bwana.
Watawafanya watekaji wao kuwa mateka,
na kutawala juu ya wale waliowaonea.
314:3 Isa 11:10-12; Ay 3:17; Kut 1:14Katika siku Bwana atakapokuondolea mateso, udhia na utumwa wa kikatili, 414:4 Hab 2:6; Mik 2:4; Isa 13:19; 9:4utaichukua dhihaka hii dhidi ya mfalme wa Babeli:
Tazama jinsi mtesi alivyofikia mwisho!
Tazama jinsi ghadhabu yake kali ilivyokoma!
514:5 Isa 10:15; Za 125:3; 110:2Bwana amevunja fimbo ya mwovu,
fimbo ya utawala ya watawala,
614:6 2Fal 15:29; Isa 10:14; Za 47:3; Isa 47:6ambayo kwa hasira waliyapiga mataifa
kwa mapigo yasiyo na kikomo,
nao kwa ghadhabu kali waliwatiisha mataifa
kwa jeuri pasipo huruma.
714:7 Za 126:1-3; Hes 6:26; Yer 50:34; Zek 1:11Nchi zote ziko kwenye mapumziko na kwenye amani,
wanabubujika kwa kuimba.
814:8 1Nya 16:33; Za 65:13; Eze 31:16; 2Fal 19:23; Isa 37:24Hata misunobari na mierezi ya Lebanoni
inashangilia mbele yako na kusema,
“Basi kwa sababu umeangushwa chini,
hakuna mkata miti atakayekuja kutukata.”
914:9 Mit 30:16; Eze 32:21; Ay 26:5; Zek 10:3; Ay 3:14Kuzimu kote kumetaharuki
kukulaki unapokuja,
kunaamsha roho za waliokufa ili kukupokea,
wote waliokuwa viongozi katika ulimwengu,
kunawafanya wainuke kwenye viti vyao vya kifalme:
wale wote waliokuwa wafalme juu ya mataifa.
1014:10 Eze 26:20; 32:21Wote wataitikia,
watakuambia,
“Wewe pia umekuwa dhaifu, kama sisi tulivyo;
wewe umekuwa kama sisi.”
1114:11 Ay 7:5; 24:20; Hes 16:30; Mit 30:16; Isa 5:12; Eze 26:13; Amo 6:5; Ay 21:26Majivuno yako yote yameshushwa mpaka kuzimu,
pamoja na kelele ya vinubi vyako,
mafunza yametanda chini yako,
na minyoo imekufunika.
1214:12 Isa 34:4; 2Pet 1:19; Ufu 2:28; Lk 10:18; Eze 26:17; Ufu 2:28Tazama jinsi ulivyoanguka kutoka mbinguni,
ewe nyota ya asubuhi, mwana wa mapambazuko!
Umetupwa chini duniani,
wewe uliyepata kuangusha mataifa!
1314:13 Mt 11:23; Eze 28:2; 2The 2:4; Dan 8:10; 5:23; Isa 37:24Ulisema moyoni mwako,
“Nitapanda juu hadi mbinguni,
nitakiinua kiti changu cha enzi
juu ya nyota za Mungu,
nitaketi nimetawazwa
juu ya mlima wa kusanyiko,
kwenye vimo vya juu sana vya Mlima Mtakatifu.
1414:14 Hes 24:16; 2The 2:4; Ay 20:6; Isa 47:8; Yer 50:29; Dan 11:38; Isa 10:13Nitapaa juu kupita mawingu,
nitajifanya kama Yeye Aliye Juu Sana.”
1514:15 Mt 11:23; Lk 10:15; Mdo 12:23; Isa 13:6; 47:11; Ay 21:13; Eze 31:16Lakini umeshushwa chini hadi kuzimu,
hadi kwenye vina vya shimo.
1614:16 Yer 50:23; Ufu 18:18; Isa 2:19; 13:13; Yoe 3:16Wale wanaokuona wanakukazia macho,
wanatafakari hatima yako:
“Je, huyu ndiye yule aliyetikisa dunia
na kufanya falme zitetemeke,
1714:17 Isa 15:6; Za 52:7; 2Fal 15:29; Kut 7:14; Yer 50:33; Ufu 18:18yule aliyeifanya dunia kuwa jangwa,
aliyeipindua miji yake,
na ambaye hakuwaachia mateka wake
waende nyumbani?”
1814:18 Ay 21:32Wafalme wote wa mataifa wamelala kwa heshima
kila mmoja katika kaburi lake.
1914:19 Isa 22:16-18; Yer 36:30; Isa 34:3; 13:15; Yer 8:1; 41:7-9Lakini wewe umetupwa nje ya kaburi lako
kama tawi lililokataliwa,
umefunikwa na waliouawa
pamoja na wale waliochomwa kwa upanga,
wale washukao mpaka
kwenye mawe ya shimo.
Kama mzoga uliokanyagwa chini ya nyayo,
2014:20 Ay 18:19; Kum 32:16; Za 21:10; 1Fal 21:19Hutajumuika nao kwenye mazishi,
kwa kuwa umeharibu nchi yako
na kuwaua watu wako.
Mzao wa mwovu
hatatajwa tena kamwe.
2114:21 Mwa 9:25; Kut 20:5; Hes 16:27; Law 26:39Andaa mahali pa kuwachinjia wanawe
kwa ajili ya dhambi za baba zao,
wasije wakainuka ili kuirithi nchi
na kuijaza dunia kwa miji yao.
2214:22 2Sam 18:18; 1Fal 14:10; Za 94:16; Ay 18:17-19; Isa 13:18; Za 109:13Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote asema,
“Nitainuka dhidi yao,
nitalikatilia mbali jina lake kutoka Babeli pamoja na watu wake walionusurika,
watoto wake na wazao wake,”
asema Bwana.
2314:23 Law 11:16-18; Sef 2:14; Isa 34:11-15; Yer 25:12; 50:3; 51:62“Nitaifanya kuwa mahali pa bundi,
na kuwa nchi ya matope;
nitaifagia kwa ufagio wa maangamizi,”
asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.
Unabii Dhidi Ya Ashuru
2414:24 Isa 62:8; Eze 12:25; Mdo 4:28; Isa 45:23; 23:8-9; Dan 4:35; Isa 46:10-11Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote ameapa,
“Hakika, kama vile nilivyopanga, ndivyo itakavyokuwa,
nami kama nilivyokusudia, ndivyo itakavyosimama.
2514:25 Isa 37:36-37; 10:27; 9:4Nitamponda Mwashuru katika nchi yangu,
juu ya milima yangu nitawakanyagia chini.
Nira yake itaondolewa kutoka kwa watu wangu,
nao mzigo wake utaondolewa kutoka mabegani mwao.”
2614:26 Kut 15:12; Ay 30:21; Isa 23:9Huu ndio mpango uliokusudiwa kwa ajili ya ulimwengu wote,
huu ni mkono ulionyooshwa juu ya mataifa yote.
2714:27 2Nya 20:6; Ay 40:8; Dan 4:35; Yer 49:20; Kut 14:21Kwa kuwa Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote amekusudia,
ni nani awezaye kumzuia?
Mkono wake umenyooshwa,
ni nani awezaye kuurudisha?
Unabii Dhidi Ya Wafilisti
28Neno hili lilikuja mwaka ule Mfalme Ahazi alipofariki:
2914:29 Yos 13:3; Isa 11:8; Kum 8:15; 2Nya 26:6Msifurahi, enyi Wafilisti wote,
kwamba fimbo iliyowapiga imevunjika;
kutoka mzizi wa huyo nyoka
atachipuka nyoka mwenye sumu kali,
uzao wake utakuwa joka lirukalo,
lenye sumu kali.
3014:30 Isa 3:15; 25:4; 7:21-22; 8:21; 9:20; Sef 2:5Maskini kuliko maskini wote watapata malisho,
nao wahitaji watalala salama.
Lakini mzizi wako nitauangamiza kwa njaa,
nayo njaa itawaua walionusurika.
3114:31 Isa 3:26; Yer 47:2; Eze 32:30; Isa 13:6; 41:25; Mwa 10:14; Yer 13:20; 46:20-24Piga yowe, ee lango! Bweka, ee mji!
Yeyukeni, enyi Wafilisti wote!
Wingu la moshi linakuja toka kaskazini,
wala hakuna atakayechelewa katika safu zake.
3214:32 Za 51:18; Isa 37:9; Yak 2:5; Za 87:2; Isa 28:16; 44:28; 4:6Ni jibu gani litakalotolewa
kwa wajumbe wa taifa hilo?
“Bwana ameifanya imara Sayuni,
nako ndani yake watu wake walioonewa watapata kimbilio.”
