The Lord Chooses Israel
1“Family of Jacob, listen to me. You are my servant.
People of Israel, I have chosen you.
2I made you. I formed you when you were born as a nation.
I will help you.
So listen to what I am saying.
Family of Jacob, do not be afraid. You are my servant.
People of Israel, I have chosen you.
3I will pour out water on the thirsty land.
I will make streams flow on the dry ground.
I will pour out my Spirit on your children.
I will pour out my blessing on their children after them.
4They will spring up like grass in a meadow.
They will grow like poplar trees near flowing streams.
5Some will say, ‘We belong to the Lord.’
Others will call themselves by Jacob’s name.
Still others will write on their hands,
‘We belong to the Lord.’
And they will be called by the name of Israel.
Worship the Lord, Not False Gods
6“I am Israel’s King. I set them free.
I am the Lord who rules over all.
So listen to what I am saying.
I am the first and the last.
I am the one and only God.
7Who is like me? Let him come forward and speak boldly.
Let him tell me everything that has happened
since I created my people long ago.
And let him tell me what has not happened yet.
Let him announce ahead of time what is going to take place.
8Do not tremble with fear. Do not be afraid.
Didn’t I announce everything that has happened?
Didn’t I tell you about it long ago?
You are my witnesses. Is there any other God but me?
No! There is no other Rock. I do not know even one.”
9Those who make statues of gods don’t amount to anything.
And the statues they think so much of are worthless.
Those who would speak up for them are blind.
They don’t know anything.
So they will be put to shame.
10People make statues of gods.
But those gods can’t do any good.
11People who do that will be put to shame.
Those who make statues of gods are mere human beings.
Let all of them come together and state their case.
They will be terrified and put to shame.
12A blacksmith gets his tool.
He uses it to shape metal over the burning coals.
He uses his hammers to make a statue of a god.
He forms it with his powerful arm.
He gets hungry and loses his strength.
He doesn’t drink any water.
He gets weaker and weaker.
13A carpenter measures a piece of wood with a line.
He draws a pattern on it with a marker.
He cuts out a statue with sharp tools.
He marks it with compasses.
He shapes it into the form of a beautiful human being.
He does this so he can put it in a temple.
14He cuts down a cedar tree.
Or perhaps he takes a cypress or an oak tree.
It might be a tree that grew in the forest.
Or it might be a pine tree he planted.
And the rain made it grow.
15A man gets wood from trees to burn.
He uses some of it to warm himself.
He starts a fire and bakes bread.
But he also uses some of it to make a god and worship it.
He makes a statue of a god and bows down to it.
16He burns half of the wood in the fire.
He prepares a meal over it.
He cooks meat over it.
He eats until he is full.
He also warms himself. He says,
“Good! I’m getting warm.
The fire is nice and hot.”
17From the rest of the wood he makes a statue.
It becomes his god.
He bows down and worships it.
He prays to it. He says,
“Save me! You are my god!”
18People like that don’t even know what they are doing.
Their eyes are shut so that they can’t see the truth.
Their minds are closed so that they can’t understand it.
19No one even stops to think about this.
No one has any sense or understanding.
If anyone did, they would say,
“I used half of the wood for fuel.
I even baked bread over the fire.
I cooked meat. Then I ate it.
Should I now make a statue of a god
out of the wood that’s left over?
Should I bow down to a block of wood?
The Lord would hate that.”
20That’s as foolish as eating ashes!
The mind of someone like that
has led him astray.
He can’t save himself.
He can’t bring himself to say,
“This thing I’m holding in my right hand
isn’t really a god at all.”
21The Lord says, “Family of Jacob, remember these things.
People of Israel, you are my servant.
I have made you. You are my servant.
Israel, I will not forget you.
22I will sweep your sins away as if they were a cloud.
I will blow them away as if they were the morning mist.
Return to me.
Then I will set you free.”
23Sing for joy, you heavens!
The Lord does wonderful things.
Shout out loud, you earth!
Burst into song, you mountains!
Sing, you forests and all your trees!
The Lord sets the family of Jacob free.
He shows his glory in Israel.
People Will Live in Jerusalem Again
24The Lord says,
“People of Israel, I set you free.
I formed you when you were born as a nation.
“I am the Lord. I am the Maker of everything.
I alone stretch out the heavens.
I spread out the earth by myself.
25“Some prophets are not really prophets at all.
I show that their signs are fake.
I make those who practice evil magic look foolish.
I destroy the learning of those who think they are wise.
Their knowledge does not make any sense at all.
26I make the words of my servants the prophets come true.
I carry out what my messengers say will happen.
“I say about Jerusalem,
‘My people will live there again.’
I say about the towns of Judah,
‘They will be rebuilt.’
I say about their broken-down buildings,
‘I will make them like new again.’
27I say to the deep waters,
‘Dry up. Let your streams become dry.’
28I say about Cyrus,
‘He is my shepherd.
He will accomplish everything I want him to.
He will say about Jerusalem,
“Let it be rebuilt.”
And he will say about the temple,
“Let its foundations be laid.” ’
Isiraeli Ũrĩa Mũthuure
144:1 Kĩam 16:11“No rĩrĩ, ta thikĩrĩria, wee Jakubu, ndungata yakwa,
o we Isiraeli, ũrĩa niĩ thuurĩte.
244:2 Thab 139:13; Gũcook 32:15Jehova, ũrĩa wakũũmbire
na agĩgũthondeka ũrĩ nda ya maitũguo,
o ũrĩa ũrĩgũteithagia, ekuuga atĩrĩ:
Tiga gwĩtigĩra, wee Jakubu, ndungata yakwa,
o nawe Jeshuruni, ũrĩa niĩ thuurĩte.
344:3 Joel 3:18; Mar 1:8Nĩgũkorwo bũrũri ũrĩa mũngʼaru nĩngaũitĩrĩria maaĩ,
nakuo kũndũ kũrĩa kũmũ nĩgũgathereraga tũrũũĩ;
naruo rũciaro rwaku nĩngarũitĩrĩria Roho wakwa,
nacio njiaro cianyu ndĩciitĩrĩrie kĩrathimo gĩakwa.
4Nĩmakaingĩha o ta nyeki ya gĩtuamba ĩkunũkĩte,
o na kana ta mĩtĩ ya mĩribina ĩrĩa ĩkũraga hũgũrũrũ-inĩ cia njũũĩ.
544:5 Ayub 19:25; 1Maũ 17:20Mũndũ ũmwe nĩakoiga atĩrĩ, ‘Niĩ ndĩ wa Jehova’;
nake ũrĩa ũngĩ akeĩtania na Jakubu;
o nake ũngĩ eyandĩke guoko gwake atĩrĩ, ‘Ndĩ wa Jehova,’
na eetue rĩĩtwa rĩĩtanĩtio na Isiraeli.
Nĩ Jehova, ti Mĩhianano
644:6 Isa 41:4; Kũg 1:8, 17“Atĩrĩrĩ, Mũthamaki wa Isiraeli na Mũkũũri wao,
o we Jehova-Mwene-Hinya-Wothe, ekuuga atĩrĩ:
Nĩ niĩ wa mbere na nĩ niĩ wa kũrigĩrĩria,
gũtirĩ Ngai ũngĩ tiga niĩ.
744:7 Isa 41:22, 26Nũũ ũkĩhaana ta niĩ? Nĩarekwo oimbũre ũhoro ũcio.
Nĩaheane ũhoro ũcio na oimbũre arĩ mbere yakwa,
ũrĩa gwatariĩ kuuma rĩrĩa ndoombire andũ akwa a tene,
na onanie ũrĩa gũgaikara thuutha-inĩ;
ĩĩ, nĩakĩrathe ũhoro wa maũndũ marĩa magooka.
844:8 Isa 43:10; Kĩam 49:24Tigai kũinaina, o na kana mwĩtigĩre.
Githĩ ndioimbũrire maũndũ maya,
na ngĩratha ũhoro ũyũ kuuma o tene?
Inyuĩ nĩ inyuĩ aira akwa. Nĩ kũrĩ Ngai ũngĩ tiga niĩ?
Aca, gũtirĩ rwaro rũngĩ rwa Ihiga, niĩ ndirĩ ũngĩ njũũĩ.”
944:9 Thaam 20:24; Jer 22:22Andũ arĩa othe mathondekaga mĩhianano ya kũhooywo nĩ a tũhũ,
na indo iria meriragĩria mũno itirĩ bata.
Andũ arĩa mangĩaria ithenya rĩao nĩ atumumu;
gũtirĩ ũndũ mamenyaga, ũguo nĩguo ũmaconorithagia.
1044:10 Jer 10:5Nũũ wacũhagia mũhianano wa kũhooywo,
o na ageturĩra mũhianano wa gũtwekio ũrĩa ũtangĩmũguna?
11We na arĩa macihooyaga nĩmagaconorithio;
mabundi o nao no andũ matarĩ kĩene.
Othe nĩmongane hamwe na matue itua;
nao nĩmakanyiitwo nĩ guoya mũnene na maconorithio.
1244:12 Isa 40:19; Atũm 17:29Mũturi wa igera ooyaga kĩndũ kĩa wĩra,
na agakĩrutĩra wĩra agagĩcina na makara;
agathondeka ngai ya mũhianano na nyondo,
akaũtura na hinya wa guoko gwake.
Mũndũ ũcio ahũũtaga, akoorwo nĩ hinya;
akaga kũnyua maaĩ, akaringĩka.
1344:13 Isa 41:7; Atiir 17:4-5Mũtharamara aigaga rũrigi rwa kũrũngaria mũhari,
agacooka agakurura na karamu;
mũhianano ũcio egũthondeka akaũhũũra randa,
ningĩ akaũthima gĩthiũrũrĩ,
na agacooka kũwacũhia wega ũhaanane na mũhianĩre wa mũndũ,
o ta mũndũ ũrĩ na riiri wake wothe,
nĩgeetha ũtũũre ihooero-inĩ rĩaguo.
14Mũndũ aatemire mĩtarakwa,
na agĩĩthuurĩra mũkarakaba kana mũgandi.
Akĩreka ũkũranĩre na mĩtĩ ĩrĩa ĩngĩ ya mũtitũ,
kana akĩhaanda mũthengera, nayo mbura ĩkĩũkũria.
1544:15 Kũg 9:20; 2Maũ 25:14Mũtĩ ũcio nĩ wa kuunwo ngũ;
oyaga imwe agaakia mwaki, agoota,
no iria ingĩ agaakia mwaki, akaruga mĩgate.
Ningĩ gĩcunjĩ kĩmwe agethondekera ngai ya mũhianano, akamĩhooyaga.
Ĩĩ ti-itherũ, athondekaga mũhianano mũicũhie akaũinamagĩrĩra.
16Nuthu ya ngũ agaakia mwaki nacio;
akarugĩra irio ciake ho,
na akahĩhĩria nyama ciake ho, akarĩa, akahũũna.
Ningĩ agoota mwaki, akoiga atĩrĩ,
“Hĩ! Nĩndaigua ũrugarĩ; nĩndona mwaki.”
1744:17 1Ath 18:26; Atiir 10:14Ngũ iria ciatigara agathondeka ngai, mũhianano wake wa kũhooya;
akaũinamĩrĩra na akaũturĩria maru.
Akaũhooya, akoiga atĩrĩ,
“Honokia; wee nĩwe ngai yakwa.”
1844:18 Isa 6:9-10; Jer 4:22Matirĩ ũndũ mooĩ, na matirĩ ũndũ mamenyaga;
maitho mao nĩmahumbĩre, nĩ ũndũ ũcio matingĩona,
na meciiria mao nĩmahingĩtwo makaaga kũmenya maũndũ.
1944:19 Isa 45:20; Gũcook 27:15Gũtirĩ mũndũ ũkiraga ageciiria,
gũtirĩ mũndũ ũrĩ na ũũgĩ kana ũmenyo oige atĩrĩ,
“Nuthu ya ngũ ndahũthĩrire na gwakia mwaki;
o na ngĩrugĩra mĩgate makara-inĩ macio,
na ngĩcooka ngĩhĩhia nyama na ngĩrĩa.
Ti-itherũ no ngĩthondeke kĩndũ kĩrĩ magigi kuuma kũrĩ ngũ iria itigaire?
Ti-itherũ no nyinamĩrĩre gĩcunjĩ kĩa mũtĩ?”
2044:20 Ayub 15:31; Arom 1:25Arĩĩaga mũhu, ahĩtithĩtio nĩ ngoro ĩrĩa ĩheenekete;
ndangĩhota kwĩhonokia, kana oige atĩrĩ,
“Githĩ kĩndũ gĩkĩ kĩrĩ guoko gwakwa kwa ũrĩo ti maheeni?”
2144:21 Isa 46:8; Jer 31:20“Ririkana maũndũ maya, wee Jakubu,
o wee Isiraeli, tondũ ũrĩ ndungata yakwa.
Nĩ niĩ ndakũũmbire, wee ũrĩ ndungata yakwa;
atĩrĩ, wee Isiraeli, ndikaariganĩrwo nĩwe.
22Nĩnjeheretie mahĩtia maku magathira biũ,
o ta ũrĩa itu rĩa mbura rĩthiraga,
mehia maku ngamaniina ta kĩbii kĩa rũciinĩ.
Njookerera tondũ nĩngũkũũrĩte.”
2344:23 Thab 98:4; 1Maũ 16:31; Alaw 10:3Wee igũrũ ina nĩ gũkena,
nĩgũkorwo nĩ Jehova wĩkĩte ũndũ ũcio;
nawe thĩ ũrĩ rungu rwa igũrũ-rĩ, anĩrĩra.
Na inyuĩ irĩma-rĩ, inai rwĩmbo,
o na inyuĩ mĩtitũ na mĩtĩ yanyu yothe inai,
nĩgũkorwo Jehova nĩakũũrĩte Jakubu,
na akoonania riiri wake kũu Isiraeli.
Jerusalemu Nĩgũgatũũrwo
2444:24 Isa 43:14; Kĩam 2:1“Jehova, Mũkũũri waku,
ũrĩa wakũũmbĩire nda ya maitũguo, ekuuga atĩrĩ:
“Niĩ nĩ niĩ Jehova
ũrĩa wombire indo ciothe,
ũrĩa watambũrũkirie igũrũ ndĩ nyiki,
ũrĩa waaraganirie thĩ ndĩ nyiki,
2544:25 Mik 3:7; 1Akor 1:27nĩ niĩ ngiragĩrĩria ciama cia anabii a maheeni,
nao aragũri ngamatua irimũ,
ningĩ ngagarũra ũũgĩ wa arĩa oogĩ,
ngaũtua ũrimũ mũtheri.
2644:26 Zek 1:6; Math 5:18Nĩ niĩ njĩkagĩra ciugo cia ndungata ciakwa hinya,
na ngahingia ũrathi wa atũmwo akwa,
na ha ũhoro wa Jerusalemu ngoiga atĩrĩ, ‘Nĩrĩgatũũrwo,’
na ha ũhoro wa matũũra ma Juda ngoiga atĩrĩ, ‘Nĩmagaakwo,’
o na kũndũ gwakuo kũrĩa kwanangĩtwo ngoiga atĩrĩ, ‘Nĩngagũcookereria.’
27Nĩ niĩ njĩĩraga maaĩ ma kũrĩa kũriku atĩrĩ, ‘Hũai,
na nĩngahũithia tũrũũĩ twanyu.’
2844:28 2Maũ 36:22; Ezar 1:2-4Nĩ niĩ njugaga ũhoro wa Mũthamaki Kurusu atĩrĩ, ‘Nĩwe mũrĩithi wa mbũri ciakwa,
na nĩwe ũkaahingia ũrĩa wothe nyendaga wĩkwo;
Nĩakoiga ũhoro wa Jerusalemu atĩrĩ, “Nĩrĩakwo,”
na ha ũhoro wa hekarũ oige atĩrĩ, “Mĩthingi yayo nĩyakwo.” ’ ”
