The Lord Will Bring Comfort
1 If you want to do right
and obey the Lord,
follow Abraham's example.
He was the rock from which
you were chipped.
2 God chose Abraham and Sarah
to be your ancestors.
The Lord blessed Abraham,
and from that one man
came many descendants.
3 Though Zion is in ruins,
the Lord will bring comfort,
and the city will be as lovely
as the garden of Eden
that he provided.
Then Zion will celebrate;
it will be thankful
and sing joyful songs.
The Lord's Victory Will Last
4 The Lord says:
You are my people and nation!
So pay attention to me.
My teaching will cause justice
to shine like a light
for every nation.
5 Those who live across the sea
are eagerly waiting
for me to rescue them.
I am strong and ready;
soon I will come to save
and to rule all nations.
6 Look closely at the sky!
Stare at the earth.
The sky will vanish like smoke;
the earth will wear out
like clothes.
Everyone on this earth
will die like flies.
But my victory will last;
my saving power never ends.
7 If you want to do right
and obey my teaching
with all your heart,
then pay close attention.
Don't be discouraged
when others insult you
and say hurtful things.
8 They will be eaten away
like a moth-eaten coat.
But my victory will last;
my saving power
will never end.
A Prayer for the Lord's Help
9 Wake up! Do something, Lord.
Be strong and ready.
Wake up! Do what you did
for our people long ago.
Didn't you chop up
Rahab the monster?
10 Didn't you dry up the deep sea
and make a road for your people
to follow safely across?
11 Now those you have rescued
will return to Jerusalem,
singing on their way.
They will be crowned
with great happiness,
never again to be burdened
with sadness and sorrow.
The Lord Gives Hope
12 I am the Lord, the one
who encourages you.
Why are you afraid
of mere humans?
They dry up and die like grass.
13 I spread out the heavens
and laid foundations
for the earth.
But you have forgotten me,
your Lord and Creator.
All day long you were afraid
of those who were angry
and hoped to oppress you.
Where are they now?
14 Everyone crying out in pain
will be quickly set free;
they will be rescued
from the power of death
and never go hungry.
15 I will help them
because I am your God,
the Lord All-Powerful,
who makes the ocean roar.
16 I have told you what to say,
and I will keep you safe
in the palm of my hand.
I spread out the heavens
and laid foundations
for the earth.
Now I say, “Jerusalem,
your people are mine.”
A Warning to Jerusalem
17 Jerusalem, wake up! Stand up!
You've drunk too much
from the cup filled
with the Lord's anger.
You have swallowed every drop,
and you can't walk straight.
18 Not one of your many children
is there to guide you
or to offer a helping hand.
19 You have been destroyed
by war and by famine;
I cannot comfort you.
20 The Lord your God is angry,
and on every street corner
your children lie helpless,
like deer trapped in nets.
21 You are in trouble and drunk,
but not from wine.
So pay close attention
22 to the Lord your God,
who defends you and says,
“I have taken from your hands
the cup filled with my anger
that made you drunk.
You will never be forced
to drink it again.
23 Instead I will give it
to your brutal enemies,
who treated you like dirt
and walked all over you.”
Matama anonyaladza Jerusalema
1 “Mundihwilile imwi banotatamila ndulamo,
imwi munoshaka Yahwe.
Lingani ku shongwe yamakwamugwa mu yili,
ne ku gomba lamakatshiwa mu lili.
2 Lingani kuna Abhurahama tate benyu
ne kuna Sara wakamuzwala.
Pandakan'dana wakabe ali nng'ompela koga
ngono ankombolela an'wanisa bana banjinji.
3 Zwakwako Yahwe banowonyaladza Ziyoni,
banowonyaladza matongo ayo wose,
ngono banowothama tjilambanyika tjayo tjikanga Edeni,
tjilambanyika tjayo tjikanga nnda wa Yahwe.
Kushatha ne mpululu zowowang'wa muili,
mboko ne njimbo kowohwika muili.
4 “Mundihwilile bathu bangu,
munditeedze itjaba tjangu,
ngoti nlayo unowobhuda mundili,
ne kutambunuka kwangu kube tjedza tje bathu.
5 Kusunungula kwangu kosedzela pejo kulibilidza,
jidzo langu limu zila laswika, ngono ndowobusa njudzi.
Shango dze tjekelo dze gungwa dzakandilindila,
nge kugalabgwe mu simba langu.
6 Milidzani mesho mulinge kudzimu zhuzhugwi,
kakale mulinge mu shango pasi,
kudzimu kowopela se busi,
shango inowoshakala se tjiambalo
bagali bayo banowofa se thuzi,
koga jidzo langu lowogala nge kusingapele,
ndulamo yangu ayingapele.
7 “Mundihwilile imwi banoziba ndulamo,
imwi bathu bana nlayo wangu mu mimoyo yenyu,
musitje kutukwa nge bathu,
musipaluke moyo ha bemugongobola.
8 Ngoti sole dzowobaja se dzinoja tjiambalo,
zwithusi zowobabhatsha se zwinothusa hwuni,
koga kusunungula kwangu kowogalila tjose,
ne jidzo langu loyenda nge zwizekugwana zose.”
9 Milikani, milikani muzwiambadze kusima,
imwi luboko gwa Yahwe,
milikani se mu mazhuba akapinda,
se mu zwizekugwana zwantolo.
Apa ate imwi makathubulila Rahabi zwitibhutibhu,
ate imwi makabhaya bhophona kene?
10 Apa ate imwi makapkhwisa gungwa,
mupkhwisa vula dzakangina,
muthama kuti gungwa gwakangina gube ne zila
kuti bakadzutunugwa batjuluke kene?
11 Badzutunugwa ba Yahwe
banowoshanduka bakabuya ku Ziyoni
nge njimbo dze kushatha,
kushatha kusingame kowobe mubali,
banowobe ne kupembela ne kushatha,
buyendasi ne tjililo zowotizhila kutjena.
12 Imi, ndimi iye unomunyaladza.
Iwe ndiwe ani unotja nthu iye unofa,
nkololo we nthu unotjila bufutshwanana se bushwa?
13 Makakangang'wa Yahwe Mbumbi wenyu,
iye wakatambunudza kudzimu,
kateya thiwa dze shango.
Modwilila mutja zhuba lose,
muikhwa nge bushongola gwe ntshambilidzi,
ha ezwilulwamisila kukolomodza.
Koga gungayi bushongola gwe ntshambilidzi?
14 Nsungwa unowosunungugwa tjinyolotjo,
aangafe kangina mu gomba
ne zojiwa aangazwishete.
15 Kana ndimi Yahwe Ndzimu wenyu,
imi ndinoti adzonga gungwa kuti mapundu e vula yalo awone, zina Yahwe Masimbawose ndilo zina lawo.
16 Ndakalonga dama langu mu nlomo uwo,
akusumbika mu nthutshi we tjiazha tjangu,
atambunudza kudzimu
ateya thiwa dze shango,
ngono ndoti ku Ziyoni, “Imwi mu bathu bangu.”
Bhelelo le kudziyila kwe Jerusalema
17 Muka! Muka!
Ima nge makumbo iwe Jerusalema,
iwe wakang'wa mu luboko gwa Yahwe
mu bhepe le bushongola gwabo,
wakang'wa ukakunika madzongwe
anotshatsharikisa mu bhepe.
18 Akuna unontungamila,
pakati kwe bakololo bose baakazwala,
akuna ungankweba nge luboko
pakati kwe bakololo bose baakalela.
19 Zwithu izwezwi zwibili zwakakuwila,
ndiani unowolila nawe?
Kuthukudzika ne golomodzo, bhamba ne thumo,
ndiani unowokunyaladza?
20 Bana babo bakatimbama,
balele mu n'dzibo mmwe ne mmwe we zila,
banonga ngolomu yabhakhwa nge dati,
bushongola gwa Yahwe gumu bali,
ne kutjemela kwe Ndzimu uwo.
21 Ndizo wali hwilila woku, iwe wakakubadziwa,
iwe wakalaladza, koga kusi nge nkumbi we zhambi.
22 Yahwe Ndzimu uwo ibo banogwila bathu bawo bakati,
“Bona, ndadusa mu luboko gugo
bhepe lina tjinotshatsharikisa,
amutjowong'wa kakale
mu bhepe le bushongola gwangu.
23 Ngono ndowoyilonga mu maboko e badziyidzi babo
ibaba bakakudwa bakati,
‘Lala pasi ndizo tiyende pezhugwi kuko,’
ngono ukathama nshongoshongo uwo ukanga pasi,
ukanga zila kuti bayende pezhugwi.”