Esajas 44
1 Men hør nu, Jakob, min Tjener, Israel, hvem jeg har udvalgt:
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!
This is what Yahweh says, he who made you and formed you in the womb and who will help you: “Do not fear, Jacob my servant; and you, Jeshurun, 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 water on the thirsty ground, and flowing streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your children.
4 de skal spire som Græs mellem Vande, som Pile ved Bækkenes Løb.
They will spring up among the grass, like willows by the streams of 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 will say, 'I belong to Yahweh,' and another will call out the name of Jacob, and another will write on his hand 'Belonging to Yahweh,' and name 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.
This is what Yahweh says—the King of Israel and his Redeemer, Yahweh of hosts: “I am the first, and I am the last; and there is no God but 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 announce it and explain to me the events that occurred since I established my ancient people, and let them declare the events to come.
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 fear or be afraid. Have I not declared to you long ago, and announced it? You are my witnesses: Is there any God besides me? There is no other Rock; I know of none.”
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 who fashion idols are nothing; the things they delight in are worthless; their witnesses cannot see or know anything, and they will be put to shame.
10 Naar nogen laver en Gud og støber et Billede, er det ingen Gavn til;
Who would form a god or cast an idol that is worthless?
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.
Look, all his associates will be put to shame; the craftsmen are only men. Let them take their stand together; they will cower and be put to shame.
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 smith works with his tools, forming it, working over the coals. He shapes it with hammers and works it with his strong arm. He is hungry, and his strength wanes; he drinks no water and becomes faint.
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 carpenter measures the wood with a line, and marks it with a stylus. He shapes it with his tools and marks it out with a compass. He shapes it after the figure of a man, like an attractive human, so it may stay 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 cuts down cedars, or chooses a cypress tree or an oak tree. He picks for himself trees in the forest. He plants a fir tree and the rain makes 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.
Then a man uses it for a fire and warms himself. Yes, he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Then he makes from it a god and bows down to it; he makes an idol and bows down to 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« —
He burns part of the wood for the fire, roasting his meat over it. He eats and is satisfied. He warms himself and says, “Ah, I am warm, I 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!«
With the rest of the wood he makes a god, his carved image; he bows down to it and reverences it, and prays to it saying, “Rescue 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 do not know, nor do they understand, for their eyes are blind and cannot see, and their hearts cannot perceive.
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?«
No one thinks, nor do they comprehend and say, “I have burned part of the wood in the fire; yes, I have also baked bread upon its coals. I have roasted meat over its coals and eaten. Now should I make the other part of the wood into something disgusting to worship? Should I bow down to a block of wood?”
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?«
It is as if he were eating ashes; his deceived heart misleads him. He cannot rescue himself, nor does he say, “This thing in my right hand is a false god.”
21 Jakob, kom dette i Hu, Israel, thi du er min Tjener! Jeg skabte dig, du er min Tjener, ej skal du glemmes, Israel;
Think about these things, Jacob, and Israel, for you are my servant: I have formed you; you are my servant: Israel, you will not be forgotten by me.
22 jeg sletted som Taage din Misgerning og som en Sky dine Synder. Vend om til mig, thi jeg genløser dig!
I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your rebellious deeds, and like a cloud, your sins; return to me, for 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.
Sing, you heavens, for Yahweh has done this; shout, you depths of the earth. Break out into singing, you mountains, you forest with every tree in it; for Yahweh has redeemed Jacob, and will show his glory in Israel.
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?
This is what Yahweh says, your Redeemer, he who formed you from the womb: “I am Yahweh, who made everything, who alone stretched out the heavens, who alone fashioned the earth.
25 som tilintetgør Løgnernes Tegn og gør Spaamænd til Daarer, som tvinger de vise tilbage, beskæmmer deres Lærdom,
I who frustrate the omens of the empty talkers and who disgrace those who read omens; I who overturn the wisdom of the wise and make their advice foolish.
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, Yahweh, who confirmed the words of his servant and brings to pass the predictions of his messengers, who says of Jerusalem, 'She will be inhabited,' and of the towns of Judah, 'They will be built again, and I will raise up their ruins';
27 Jeg siger til Dybet: »Bliv tørt, dine Floder gør jeg tørre!«
who says to the deep sea, 'Be dry, and I will dry up your currents.'
28 Jeg siger om Kyros: »Min Hyrde, som fuldbyrder al min Vilje!« Jeg siger om Jerusalem: »Det skal bygges!« om Templet: »Det skal grundes!«
Yahweh is the one who says of Cyrus, 'He is my shepherd, he will do my every wish; he will decree about Jerusalem, 'She will be rebuilt,' and about the temple, 'Let its foundations be laid.'”
