Esajas 41
1 Hør mig i Tavshed, I fjerne Strande, lad Folkene hente ny Kraft, komme hid og tage til Orde, lad os sammen gaa frem for Retten!
“Keep silent before me, islands, and let the peoples renew their strength. Let them come near, then let them speak. Let’s meet together for judgement.
2 Hvo vakte i Østen ham, hvis Fod gaar fra Sejr til Sejr, hvo giver Folk i hans Vold og gør ham til Kongers Hersker? Han gør deres Sværd til Støv, deres Buer til flagrende Straa,
Who has raised up one from the east? Who called him to his feet in righteousness? He hands over nations to him and makes him rule over kings. He gives them like the dust to his sword, like the driven stubble to his bow.
3 forfølger dem, gaar uskadt frem ad en Vej, hans Fod ej har traadt.
He pursues them and passes by safely, even by a way that he had not gone with his feet.
4 Hvo gjorde og virkede det? Han, som længst kaldte Slægterne frem, jeg, HERREN, som er den første og end hos de sidste den samme.
Who has worked and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD, the first, and with the last, I am he.”
5 Fjerne Strande saa det med Gru, den vide Jord følte Rædsel, de nærmede sig og kom.
The islands have seen, and fear. The ends of the earth tremble. They approach, and come.
6 Den ene hjælper den anden og siger: »Broder, fat Mod!«
Everyone helps his neighbour. They say to their brothers, “Be strong!”
7 Mesteren opmuntrer Guldsmeden, Glatteren ham, der hamrer; Lodningen tager han god og sømmer det fast, saa det staar.
So the carpenter encourages the goldsmith. He who smooths with the hammer encourages him who strikes the anvil, saying of the soldering, “It is good;” and he fastens it with nails, that it might not totter.
8 Men Israel, du min Tjener, Jakob, hvem jeg har udvalgt, — Ætling af Abraham, min Ven —
“But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham my friend,
9 hvem jeg tog fra Jordens Grænser og kaldte fra dens fjerneste Kroge, til hvem jeg sagde: »Du min Tjener, som jeg valgte og ikke vraged«:
you whom I have taken hold of from the ends of the earth, and called from its corners, and said to you, ‘You are my servant. I have chosen you and have not cast you away.’
10 Frygt ikke, thi jeg er med dig, vær ej raadvild, thi jeg er din Gud! Med min Retfærds højre styrker, ja hjælper, ja støtter jeg dig.
Don’t you be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.
11 Se, Skam og Skændsel faar alle, som er dig fjendske, til intet bliver de, der trætter med dig, de forgaar.
Behold, all those who are incensed against you will be disappointed and confounded. Those who strive with you will be like nothing, and shall perish.
12 Du søger, men finder ej dem, der kives med dig, til intet, til Luft bliver de, der strides med dig.
You will seek them, and won’t find them, even those who contend with you. Those who war against you will be as nothing, as a nonexistent thing.
13 Thi jeg, som er HERREN din Gud, jeg griber din Haand, siger til dig: Frygt kun ikke, jeg er din Hjælper.
For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I will help you.’
14 Frygt ikke, Jakob, du Orm, Israel, du Kryb! Jeg hjælper dig, lyder det fra HERREN, din Genløser er Israels Hellige.
Don’t be afraid, you worm Jacob, and you men of Israel. I will help you,” says the LORD. “Your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.
15 Se, jeg gør dig til Tærskeslæde, en ny med mange Tænder; du skal tærske og knuse Bjerge, og Høje skal du gøre til Avner;
Behold, I have made you into a new sharp threshing instrument with teeth. You will thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and will make the hills like chaff.
16 du kaster dem, Vinden tager dem, Stormen hvirvler dem bort. Men du skal juble i HERREN, rose dig af Israels Hellige.
You will winnow them, and the wind will carry them away, and the whirlwind will scatter them. You will rejoice in the LORD. You will glory in the Holy One of Israel.
17 Forgæves søger de arme og fattige Vand, deres Tunge brænder af Tørst; jeg, HERREN, vil bønhøre dem, dem svigter ej Israels Gud.
The poor and needy seek water, and there is none. Their tongue fails for thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
18 Fra nøgne Høje sender jeg Floder og Kilder midt i Dale; Ørkenen gør jeg til Vanddrag, det tørre Land til Væld.
I will open rivers on the bare heights, and springs in the middle of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.
19 I Ørkenen giver jeg Cedre, Akacier, Myrter, Oliven; i Ødemark sætter jeg Cypresser tillige med Elm og Gran,
I will put cedar, acacia, myrtle, and oil trees in the wilderness. I will set cypress trees, pine, and box trees together in the desert;
20 at de maa se og kende, mærke sig det og indse, at HERRENS Haand har gjort det, Israels Hellige skabt det.
that they may see, know, consider, and understand together, that the LORD’s hand has done this, and the Holy One of Israel has created it.
21 Fremlæg eders Sag, siger HERREN, kom med Bevis! siger Jakobs Konge.
Produce your cause,” says the LORD. “Bring out your strong reasons!” says the King of Jacob.
22 De træde nu frem og forkynde os, hvad der herefter skal ske. Sig frem, hvad I har forudsagt, at vi kan granske derover og se, hvad Udfald det fik; eller kundgør os, hvad der kommer!
“Let them announce and declare to us what will happen! Declare the former things, what they are, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or show us things to come.
23 Forkynd, hvad der siden vil ske, at vi kan se, I er Guder! Gør noget, godt eller ondt, saa maaler vi os med hinanden!
Declare the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods. Yes, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and see it together.
24 Se, I er intet, eders Gerning Luft, vederstyggelig, hvo eder vælger.
Behold, you are nothing, and your work is nothing. He who chooses you is an abomination.
25 Jeg vakte ham fra Norden, og han kom, jeg kaldte ham fra Solens Opgang. Han nedtramper Fyrster som Dynd, som en Pottemager ælter sit Ler.
“I have raised up one from the north, and he has come, from the rising of the sun, one who calls on my name, and he shall come on rulers as on mortar, and as the potter treads clay.
26 Hvo forkyndte det før, saa vi vidste det, forud, saa vi sagde: »Han fik Ret!« Nej, ingen har forkyndt eller sagt det, ingen har hørt eders Ord.
Who has declared it from the beginning, that we may know? and before, that we may say, ‘He is right’? Surely, there is no one who declares. Surely, there is no one who shows. Surely, there is no one who hears your words.
27 Først jeg har forkyndt det for Zion, sendt Jerusalem Glædesbud.
I am the first to say to Zion, ‘Behold, look at them;’ and I will give one who brings good news to Jerusalem.
28 Jeg ser mig om — der er ingen, ingen af dem ved Raad, saa de svarer mig paa mit Spørgsmaal.
When I look, there is no man, even amongst them there is no counsellor who, when I ask, can answer a word.
29 Se, alle er de intet, deres Værker Luft, deres Billeder Vind og Tomhed.
Behold, all of their deeds are vanity and nothing. Their molten images are wind and confusion.
