Esajas 44
1 Men hør nu, Jakob, min Tjener, Israel, hvem jeg har udvalgt:
But now hear, 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 God that made you, and he that formed you from the womb; You shall yet be helped: fear not, my servant Jacob; and beloved Israel, 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 give water to the thirsty that walk in a dry land: I will put my Spirit upon your seed, and my blessings upon your children:
4 de skal spire som Græs mellem Vande, som Pile ved Bækkenes Løb.
and they shall spring up as grass between brooks, and as willows on [the banks of] running water.
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.
One shall say, I am God's; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall write with his hand, I am God's, and shall call himself by the name of 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 God the King of Israel, and the God of hosts that delivered him; I am the first, and I am hereafter: beside me there is no God.
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 stand, and call, and declare, and prepare for me from the time that I made man for ever; and let them tell you the things that are coming before they arrive.
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.
Hide not yourselves, nor go astray: have you not heard from the beginning, and [have not] I told you? you are witnesses if there is a God beside me.
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.
But they that framed [false gods] did not then listen; and they that graved [images] are all vain, performing their own desires, which shall not profit them, but they shall be ashamed
10 Naar nogen laver en Gud og støber et Billede, er det ingen Gavn til;
that form a god, and all that grave worthless things:
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.
and all by whom they were made are withered: yes, let all the deaf be gathered from [among] men, and let them stand together; and let them be ashamed and 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.
For the artificer sharpens the iron; he fashions [the idol] with an axe, and fixes it with an awl, and fashions it with the strength of his arm: and he will be hungry and weak, and will drink no water.
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 artificer having chosen a piece of wood, marks it out with a rule, and fits it with glue, and makes it as the form of a man, and as the beauty of a man, to set it up in the 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 cuts wood out of the forest, which the Lord planted, [even] a pine tree, and the rain made it grow,
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.
that it might be for men to burn: and having taken part of it he warms himself; yes, they burn part of it, and bake loaves thereon; and [of] the rest they make for themselves gods, and they worship them.
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« —
Half thereof he burns in the fire, and with half of it he bakes loaves on the coals; and having roasted flesh on it he eats, and is satisfied, and having warmed himself he says, I am comfortable, for I have warmed myself, and have seen 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!«
And the rest he makes a graven god, and worships, and prays, saying, Deliver 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 no understanding to perceive; for they have been blinded so that they should not see with their eyes, nor perceive 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?«
And one has not considered in his mind, nor known in his understanding, that he has burnt up half of it in the fire, and baked loaves on the coals thereof and has roasted and eaten flesh, and of the rest of it he has made an abomination, and they worship it.
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?«
Know you that their heart is ashes, and they err, and no one is able to deliver his soul: see, you will not say, [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 and Israel; for you are my servant; I have formed you [to be] my servant: and do you, Israel, not forget me.
22 jeg sletted som Taage din Misgerning og som en Sky dine Synder. Vend om til mig, thi jeg genløser dig!
For behold, I have blotted out as a cloud your transgressions, and your sin as darkness: turn to me, and I will redeem 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.
Rejoice, you heavens; for God has had mercy upon Israel: sound the trumpet, you foundations of the earth: you mountains, shout [with] joy, you hills, and all the trees therein: for God has redeemed Jacob, and Israel shall 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 that redeems you, and who formed you from the womb, I am the Lord that performs all things: I stretched out the heaven alone, and established the earth.
25 som tilintetgør Løgnernes Tegn og gør Spaamænd til Daarer, som tvinger de vise tilbage, beskæmmer deres Lærdom,
Who else will frustrate the tokens of those that have divining spirits, and prophecies from the heart of [man]? turning the wise back, and making their counsel 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!
and confirming the word of his servant, and verifying the counsel of his messengers: who says to Jerusalem, You shall be inhabited; and to the cities of Idumea, You shall be built, and her desert places shall spring forth.
27 Jeg siger til Dybet: »Bliv tørt, dine Floder gør jeg tørre!«
Who says to the deep, You shall be dried up, and I will dry up the 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!«
Who bids Cyrus be wise, and he shall perform all my will: who says to Jerusalem, You shall be built, and I will lay the foundation of my holy house.
