Esajas 44
1 Men hør nu, Jakob, min Tjener, Israel, hvem jeg har udvalgt:
And now, listen, Jacob, my servant, and Israel, whom I have chosen.
2 Saa siger HERREN, som skabte dig og fra Moders Liv danned dig, din Hjælper: Frygt ikke, min Tjener Jakob, Jesjurun, hvem jeg har udvalgt!
Thus says the Lord, who made and formed you, your Helper from the womb: Do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant and my most righteous, whom I have chosen.
3 Thi jeg udgyder Vand paa det tørstende, Strømme paa det tørre Land, udgyder min Aand paa din Æt, min Velsignelse over dit Afkom;
For I will pour out waters upon the thirsty ground, and rivers upon the dry land. I will pour out my Spirit upon your offspring, and my benediction upon your stock.
4 de skal spire som Græs mellem Vande, som Pile ved Bækkenes Løb.
And they will spring up among the plants, like willows beside running waters.
5 En skal sige: »Jeg er HERRENS«, en kalde sig med Jakobs Navn, en skrive i sin Haand: »For HERREN!« og tage sig Israels Navn.
This one will say, “I am the Lord’s,” and that one will call himself by the name of Jacob, and yet another will write with his hand, “For the Lord,” and he will take the name Israel.
6 Saa siger HERREN, Israels Konge, dets Genløser, Hærskarers HERRE: Jeg er den første og den sidste, uden mig er der ingen Gud.
Thus says the Lord, the King and Redeemer of Israel, the Lord of hosts: I am the first, and I am the last, and there is no God apart from me.
7 Hvo der er min Lige, træde frem, forkynde og godtgøre for mig: Hvo kundgjorde fra Urtid det kommende? De forkynde os, hvad der skal ske!
Who is like me? Let him call out and announce it. And let him explain to me the order of things, since it is I who appointed the ancient people. The things of the near and the distant future, let him announce them.
8 Ræddes og ængstes ikke! Har ej længst jeg kundgjort og sagt det? I er mine Vidner: Er der Gud uden mig, er der vel anden Klippe? Jeg ved ikke nogen.
Do not be afraid, and do not be disturbed. From the time when I caused you to listen, I also announced it. You are my witnesses. Is there another God beside me, also a Maker, whom I have not known?
9 De, der laver Gudebilleder, er alle intet, og deres kære Guder gavner intet; deres Vidner ser intet og kender intet, at de maa blive til Skamme.
All of those who create idols are nothing, and their most beloved things will not benefit them. These are their witnesses, for they do not see, and they do not understand, so that they might be confounded.
10 Naar nogen laver en Gud og støber et Billede, er det ingen Gavn til;
Who has formed a god or cast a molten image, which is useful for nothing?
11 se, alle dets Tilbedere bliver til Skamme; Mestrene er jo kun Mennesker — lad dem samles til Hobe og træde frem, de skal alle som een forfærdes og blive til Skamme.
Behold, all those who partake in this will be confounded. For these makers are men. They will all assemble together. They will stand and be terrified. And they will be confounded together.
12 En smeder Jern til en Økse og arbejder ved Kulild, tildanner den med Hamre og gør den færdig med sin stærke Arm; faar han ikke Mad, afkræftes han, og faar han ikke Vand at drikke, bliver han træt.
The maker of iron has wrought with his file. With coals and hammers, he has formed it, and he has wrought with the strength of his arm. He will hunger and grow faint. He will not drink water, and he will become weary.
13 Saa fælder han Træer, udspænder Maalesnoren, tegner Billedet med Gravstikken, skærer det ud med Kniven og sætter det af med Cirkelen; han laver det efter en Mands Skikkelse, efter menneskelig Skønhed, til at staa i et Hus.
The maker of wood has extended his ruler. He has formed it with a plane. He has made it with corners, and he has smoothed its curves. And he has made the image of a man, a seemingly beautiful man, dwelling in a house.
14 Han fældede sig Cedre, tog Elm og Eg og arbejdede af al sin Kraft paa Skovens Træer, som Gud havde plantet og Regnen givet Vækst.
He has cut down cedars; he has taken the evergreen oak, and the oak that stood among the trees of the forest. He has planted the pine tree, which the rain has nourished.
15 Det tjener et Menneske til Brændsel, han tager det og varmer sig derved; han sætter Ild i det og bager Brød — og desuden laver han en Gud deraf og tilbeder den, han gør et Gudebillede deraf og knæler for det.
And it is used by men for fuel. He took from it and warmed himself. And he set it on fire and baked bread. But from the remainder, he made a god, and he adored it. He made an idol, and he bowed down before it.
16 Halvdelen brænder han i Ilden, og over Gløderne steger han Kød; han spiser Stegen og mættes; og han varmer sig derved og siger: »Ah, jeg bliver varm, jeg mærker Ilden« —
Part of it, he burned with fire, and with part of it, he cooked meat; he boiled food and was filled. And he was warmed, and so he said: “Ah, I am warm. I have gazed at the fire.”
17 og af Resten laver han en Gud, et Billede; han knæler for det, kaster sig ned og beder til det og siger: »Frels mig, thi du er min Gud!«
But from its remainder, he made a god and a graven image for himself. He bowed down before it, and he adored it, and he prayed to it, saying: “Free me! For you are my god.”
18 De skønner ikke, de fatter ikke, thi deres Øjne er lukket, saa de ikke ser, og deres Hjerter, saa de ikke skønner.
They have neither known nor understood. For their eyes are obscured, lest they see with their eyes and understand with their heart.
19 De tænker ikke over det, de har ikke Indsigt og Forstand til at sige sig selv: »Halvdelen brændte jeg i Baalet, over Gløderne bagte jeg Brød, stegte Kød og spiste; skulde jeg da af Resten gøre en Vederstyggelighed? Skulde jeg knæle for en Træklods?«
They do not consider in their mind, nor do they know, nor do they think to say: “I have burned part of it in the fire, and I have baked bread upon its coals. I have cooked flesh and I have eaten. And from its remainder, should I make an idol? Should I fall prostrate before the trunk of a tree?”
20 Den, som tillægger Aske Værd, ham har et vildfarende Hjerte daaret; han redder ikke sin Sjæl, saa han siger: »Er det ikke en Løgn, jeg har i min højre Haand?«
Part of it is ashes. His foolish heart adores it. And he will not liberate his soul, and he will not say, “Perhaps there is a lie in my right hand.”
21 Jakob, kom dette i Hu, Israel, thi du er min Tjener! Jeg skabte dig, du er min Tjener, ej skal du glemmes, Israel;
Remember these things, O Jacob, O Israel. For you are my servant. I have formed you. You are my servant, Israel. Do not forget me.
22 jeg sletted som Taage din Misgerning og som en Sky dine Synder. Vend om til mig, thi jeg genløser dig!
I have wiped away your iniquities like a cloud, and your sins like a mist. Return to me, because I have redeemed you.
23 Jubler, I Himle, thi HERREN greb ind, fryd jer, I Jordens Dybder, bryd ud i Jubel, I Bjerge, Skoven og alle dens Træer, thi HERREN genløser Jakob og herliggør sig ved Israel.
Give praise, O heavens! For the Lord has shown mercy. Shout with joy, O ends of the earth! Let the mountains resound with praise, with the forest and all its trees. For the Lord has redeemed Jacob, and Israel will be glorified.
24 Saa siger HERREN, din Genløser, som danned dig fra Moders Liv: Jeg er HERREN, som skabte alt, som ene udspændte Himlen, udbredte Jorden, hvo hjalp mig?
Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, and your Maker from the womb: I am the Lord, who makes all things, who alone extends the heavens, who makes the earth firm. And there is no one with me.
25 som tilintetgør Løgnernes Tegn og gør Spaamænd til Daarer, som tvinger de vise tilbage, beskæmmer deres Lærdom,
I make the signs of the diviners useless, and I turn the seers to madness. I turn the wise backwards, and make their knowledge into foolishness.
26 stadfæster sine Tjeneres Ord, fuldbyrder sine Sendebuds Raad. Jeg siger om Jerusalem: »Det skal bebos!« om Judas Byer: »De skal bygges!« Ruinerne rejser jeg atter!
I lift up the word of my servant, and I fulfill the counsel of my messengers. I say to Jerusalem, “You shall be inhabited,” and to the cities of Judah, “You shall be rebuilt,” and I will lift up its deserts.
27 Jeg siger til Dybet: »Bliv tørt, dine Floder gør jeg tørre!«
I say to the depths, “Be desolate,” and, “I will dry up your rivers.”
28 Jeg siger om Kyros: »Min Hyrde, som fuldbyrder al min Vilje!« Jeg siger om Jerusalem: »Det skal bygges!« om Templet: »Det skal grundes!«
I say to Cyrus, “You are my shepherd, and you will accomplish all that I will.” I say to Jerusalem, “You shall be built,” and to the Temple, “Your foundations shall be laid.”
