The servant of the Lord
1Listen to me, you islands;
hear this, you distant nations:
before I was born the Lord called me;
from my mother’s womb he has spoken my name.
2He made my mouth like a sharpened sword,
in the shadow of his hand he hid me;
he made me into a polished arrow
and concealed me in his quiver.
3He said to me, ‘You are my servant,
Israel, in whom I will display my splendour.’
4But I said, ‘I have laboured in vain;
I have spent my strength for nothing at all.
Yet what is due to me is in the Lord’s hand,
and my reward is with my God.’
5And now the Lord says –
he who formed me in the womb to be his servant
to bring Jacob back to him
and gather Israel to himself,
for I am49:5 Or him, / but Israel would not be gathered; / yet I will be honoured in the eyes of the Lord
and my God has been my strength –
6he says:
‘It is too small a thing for you to be my servant
to restore the tribes of Jacob
and bring back those of Israel I have kept.
I will also make you a light for the Gentiles,
that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.’
7This is what the Lord says –
the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel –
to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation,
to the servant of rulers:
‘Kings will see you and stand up,
princes will see and bow down,
because of the Lord, who is faithful,
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.’
Restoration of Israel
8This is what the Lord says:
‘In the time of my favour I will answer you,
and in the day of salvation I will help you;
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people,
to restore the land
and to reassign its desolate inheritances,
9to say to the captives, “Come out,”
and to those in darkness, “Be free!”
‘They will feed beside the roads
and find pasture on every barren hill.
10They will neither hunger nor thirst,
nor will the desert heat or the sun beat down on them.
He who has compassion on them will guide them
and lead them beside springs of water.
11I will turn all my mountains into roads,
and my highways will be raised up.
12See, they will come from afar –
some from the north, some from the west,
some from the region of Aswan.49:12 Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic Text Sinim’
13Shout for joy, you heavens;
rejoice, you earth;
burst into song, you mountains!
For the Lord comforts his people
and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.
14But Zion said, ‘The Lord has forsaken me,
the Lord has forgotten me.’
15‘Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget,
I will not forget you!
16See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
your walls are ever before me.
17Your children hasten back,
and those who laid you waste depart from you.
18Lift up your eyes and look around;
all your children gather and come to you.
As surely as I live,’ declares the Lord,
‘you will wear them all as ornaments;
you will put them on, like a bride.
19‘Though you were ruined and made desolate
and your land laid waste,
now you will be too small for your people,
and those who devoured you will be far away.
20The children born during your bereavement
will yet say in your hearing,
“This place is too small for us;
give us more space to live in.”
21Then you will say in your heart,
“Who bore me these?
I was bereaved and barren;
I was exiled and rejected.
Who brought these up?
I was left all alone,
but these – where have they come from?” ’
22This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
‘See, I will beckon to the nations,
I will lift up my banner to the peoples;
they will bring your sons in their arms
and carry your daughters on their hips.
23Kings will be your foster fathers,
and their queens your nursing mothers.
They will bow down before you with their faces to the ground;
they will lick the dust at your feet.
Then you will know that I am the Lord;
those who hope in me will not be disappointed.’
24Can plunder be taken from warriors,
or captives be rescued from the fierce49:24 Dead Sea Scrolls, Vulgate and Syriac (see also Septuagint and verse 25); Masoretic Text righteous?
25But this is what the Lord says:
‘Yes, captives will be taken from warriors,
and plunder retrieved from the fierce;
I will contend with those who contend with you,
and your children I will save.
26I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh;
they will be drunk on their own blood, as with wine.
Then all mankind will know
that I, the Lord, am your Saviour,
your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.’
Ndungata ya Jehova
149:1 Isa 44:24; Agal 1:5Atĩrĩrĩ, inyuĩ mũtũũraga icigĩrĩra-inĩ ta thikĩrĩriai;
o na inyuĩ andũ a mabũrũri ma kũraya ta iguai:
Jehova aanjĩtire itarĩ mũciare;
ndĩ o nda ya maitũ nĩguo aanjĩtire na rĩĩtwa rĩakwa.
249:2 Kũg 1:16; Gũcook 32:23Nĩatũmire kanua gakwa gatuĩke ta rũhiũ rũũgĩ rwa njora,
na akĩĩhitha kĩĩruru-inĩ gĩa guoko gwake;
agĩĩthondeka ta mũguĩ mũnyoroku,
na akĩĩhitha thiaka-inĩ wake.
349:3 Zek 3:8; Alaw 10:3Agĩcooka akĩnjĩĩra atĩrĩ, “Wee Isiraeli, nĩwe ndungata yakwa,
andũ nĩmarĩngoocaga nĩ ũndũ waku.”
4No ngiuga atĩrĩ, “Niĩ ndutĩte wĩra wa tũhũ;
hũthĩrĩte hinya wakwa wothe nĩ ũndũ wa maũndũ matarĩ kĩguni na ma tũhũ.
No rĩrĩ, ũhoro wakwa wa gũtuĩrwo ciira na kĩhooto uumaga harĩ Jehova,
narĩo irĩhi rĩakwa rĩrĩ na Ngai wakwa.”
549:5 Isa 43:4; Thab 18:1Na rĩu-rĩ, Jehova ũrĩa wanyũũmbire ndĩ nda ya maitũ nduĩke ndungata yake,
nĩguo hũndũre Jakubu, ndĩmũcookie harĩ we, na njookanĩrĩrie Isiraeli harĩ we,
nĩgũkorwo ndĩ mũtĩĩku maitho-inĩ ma Jehova,
na Ngai wakwa agakorwo arĩ hinya wakwa,
649:6 Luk 2:32; Atũm 13:47Jehova ekuuga atĩrĩ:
“Nĩ ũndũ mũhũthũ harĩwe gũtuĩka ndungata yakwa,
ya gũcookereria mĩhĩrĩga ya Jakubu,
na kũhũndũra matigari ma Isiraeli marĩa ndĩĩtigĩirie.
Ningĩ nĩngatũma ũtuĩke ũtheri wa gũtherera andũ a ndũrĩrĩ,
nĩgeetha ũtware ũhonokio wakwa ituri-inĩ ciothe cia thĩ.”
749:7 Isa 52:15; Kĩam 27:29; 2Akor 6:2Jehova, Mũkũũri wa Isiraeli,
o we Ũrĩa Mũtheru wa Isiraeli,
ekwarĩria ũrĩa mũnyarare na agathũũrwo nĩ ndũrĩrĩ,
akeera ũrĩa ndungata ya aathani atĩrĩ,
“Athamaki marĩkuonaga magakũrũgamĩra,
aanake a athamaki makuona magakũinamĩrĩra,
nĩ ũndũ wa Jehova, ũcio mwĩhokeku,
o we Ũrĩa Mũtheru wa Isiraeli, ũrĩa ũgũthuurĩte.”
Gũcookereria Isiraeli
849:8 Thab 37:9; Ndar 34:13Jehova ekuuga atĩrĩ,
“Hĩndĩ ya gwĩtĩkĩrĩka, nĩngagũcookeria ũhoro,
naguo mũthenya wa kũhonokania, nĩngagũteithia;
nĩndĩkũmenyagĩrĩra, na nĩngũkũheana
ũtuĩke wa kũrĩkanĩra kĩrĩkanĩro na andũ anyu
gĩa kũmacookeria bũrũri,
na ũtũme megwatĩre igai rĩa kũndũ kũrĩa gwatigirwo gũkirĩte ihooru,
949:9 Thab 107:10na ningĩ wĩre andũ arĩa mohetwo atĩrĩ, ‘Thiĩi, nĩmuohorwo,’
nao arĩa maikarĩte nduma-inĩ ũmeere atĩrĩ, ‘Umĩrai ũtheri-inĩ!’
“Makaarĩithagio mĩkĩra-inĩ ya njĩra,
na moonage gĩa kũrĩa tũrĩma-inĩ tuothe tũrĩa tũtarĩ kĩndũ.
1049:10 Thab 121:6; Kũg 7:16Matikaahũũta kana manyoote,
kana macinwo nĩ ũrugarĩ wa werũ-inĩ o na kana mahĩe nĩ riũa.
Nĩgũkorwo ũrĩa ũmaiguagĩra tha nĩwe ũkaamoonia njĩra
na amatongoragie amatware ithima-inĩ cia maaĩ.
1149:11 Isa 40:4Nĩngatũma kũgĩe njĩra irĩma-inĩ ciakwa ciothe,
nacio barabara ciakwa iria njariĩ ciambatĩrio na igũrũ.
1249:12 Isa 43:5-6; Math 8:11Atĩrĩrĩ, magooka moimĩte kũndũ kũraya:
amwe makoima gathigathini, na amwe moime ithũĩro,
na arĩa angĩ moime rũgongo rũa Sinimu.”
1349:13 Isa 40:1; Thab 9:12Wee igũrũ, anĩrĩra nĩ gũkena;
nawe thĩ ũcanjamũke,
na inyuĩ irĩma-rĩ, inai rwĩmbo!
Nĩgũkorwo Jehova nĩahooreretie andũ ake,
nao andũ ake arĩa anyariire akamaiguĩra tha.
14No rĩrĩ, Zayuni oigire atĩrĩ, “Jehova nĩandiganĩirie,
Mwathani nĩariganĩirwo nĩ niĩ.”
1549:15 1Ath 3:26“Nyina wa mwana-rĩ, no ariganĩrwo nĩ mwana ũrĩa arongithia,
na aage kũiguĩra tha mwana ũrĩa aciarĩte?
Hihi no kũhoteke ariganĩrwo,
no niĩ ndikaariganĩrwo nĩwe!
1649:16 Kĩam 38:18; Thab 48:12-13Atĩrĩrĩ, ngururĩte mũhiano waku hĩ-inĩ ciakwa,
nacio thingo ciaku ikoragwo mbere yakwa hĩndĩ ciothe.
17Ariũ aku mahiũhĩte magĩcookaga kũrĩ we,
nao arĩa makwanangĩte nĩmarakũũrĩra.
1849:18 Ndar 14:21; Isa 52:1Tiira maitho maku wĩrorere kũndũ guothe;
ariũ aku othe maracookanĩrĩra hamwe moke harĩwe.”
Jehova ekuuga atĩrĩ, “Ti-itherũ o ta ũrĩa niĩ ndũũraga muoyo-rĩ,
ũkaamehumba othe ta mathaga;
ũkaamehumba o ta ũrĩa mũhiki egemagia na mathaga make.
1949:19 Alaw 26:33; Zek 10:10“O na gũtuĩka nĩwanangĩtwo ũgakira ihooru,
o naguo bũrũri waku ũkonũhwo-rĩ,
bũrũri ũcio nĩũkanyiiha wage kũiganĩra andũ arĩa matũũraga kuo,
nao arĩa magũtambuurangĩte magaakorwo maingatĩtwo magathiĩ haraaya nawe.
2049:20 Isa 54:1-3Ciana iria ciaciarĩirwo bũrũri ũrĩa watahĩirwo,
ikoiga ũkĩiguaga atĩrĩ,
‘Bũrũri ũyũ nĩ mũnini, ndũngĩtũigana,
tũhe kũndũ kũngĩ gwa gũtũũra.’
2149:21 Isa 60:8; Thab 142:4; Jer 10:20 Hĩndĩ ĩyo nĩũkeyũria na ngoro yaku atĩrĩ,
‘Nũũ wanjiarĩire ciana ici,
kuona atĩ nĩndakuĩrĩirwo nĩ ciana ciakwa, ngĩtigwo ta ndĩ thaata;
ndaarĩ mũtahe na ngamenwo.
Nũũ warerire ciana ici?
Niĩ ndatigirwo nyiki,
no rĩrĩ, ciana ici ciumĩte nakũ?’ ”
22Mwathani Jehova ekuuga ũũ:
“Atĩrĩrĩ, nĩngeeta ndũrĩrĩ,
njooke nyambararie bendera yakwa kũrĩ andũ a mabũrũri;
nao nĩmakarehe ariũ aku mamakuuĩte na moko,
na makuue airĩtu aku na ciande ciao.
2349:23 Ndar 11:12; Kĩam 27:29; Thab 22:5Athamaki nĩo magaatuĩka mathoguo ma gũkũrera,
na atumia ao matuĩke ta aa maitũguo a gũkũrera.
Nĩmagakũinamĩrĩra maturumithĩtie mothiũ mao thĩ,
na nĩmagacũna rũkũngũ rũrĩa rũrĩ magũrũ-inĩ maku.
Hĩndĩ ĩyo nĩũkamenya atĩ niĩ nĩ niĩ Jehova;
arĩa manjĩhokaga matigaaconoka.”
2449:24 Math 12:29; Luk 11:21Anga njamba ĩrĩ hinya no ĩtunywo indo iria itahĩte,
o na kana andũ arĩa maanyiitĩtwo mahonokio kuuma kũrĩ andũ karaũ?
2549:25 Jer 50:33-34; 1Sam 24:15No rĩrĩ, Jehova ekuuga atĩrĩ:
“Ĩĩ, njamba cia ita nĩigatunywo andũ arĩa ciohete mĩgwate,
na indo iria itahĩtwo itunyanwo kuuma kũrĩ andũ arĩa karaũ;
nĩngahũũrana na andũ arĩa mahũũranaga nawe,
na nĩngahonokia ciana cianyu.
2649:26 Isa 9:20; Kũg 16:6; Kĩam 49:24Nĩngatũma andũ arĩa makũhinyagĩrĩria marĩe nyama cia mĩĩrĩ yao;
makaarĩĩo nĩ thakame yao ene o ta marĩĩtwo nĩ njoohi.
Nao andũ othe nĩmakamenya,
atĩ niĩ, Jehova, nĩ niĩ Mũhonokia waku,
na Mũkũũri waku, o niĩ Ũrĩa Mwene-Hinya wa Jakubu.”
