Esajas 46

1 I Knæ er Bel, og Nebo er bøjet, deres Billeder gives til Dyr og Fæ, de læsses som Byrde paa trætte Dyr.

Bel sinketh down; Nebo falleth; Their images are laid upon beasts and cattle; Those that ye once bore are packed upon them; A burden to the weary beast!

2 De bøjes, i Knæ er de alle, de kan ikke frelse Byrden, og selv maa de vandre i Fangenskab.

They sink down; they fall together; They cannot rescue the burden; They themselves go into captivity.

3 Hør mig, du Jakobs Hus, al Resten af Israels Hus, løftet fra Moders Liv, baaret fra Moders Skød.

Hearken to me, O house of Jacob, And all the remnant of the house of Israel; Ye that have been borne by me from your birth, That have been carried by me from your earliest breath!

4 Til Alderdommen er jeg den samme, jeg bærer jer, til Haarene graaner; ret som jeg bar, vil jeg bære, jeg, jeg vil bære og redde.

Even to your old age I am the same; Even to hoar hairs I will carry you; I have done it, and I will still bear you; I will carry, and will deliver you.

5 Med hvem vil I jævnstille, ligne mig, hvem vil I gøre til min Lige?

To whom will ye liken me, and compare me? Yea, to whom will ye compare me, that we may be like?

6 De øser Guld af Pung, Sølv faar de vejet paa Vægt, de lejer en Guldsmed, som gør det til en Gud, de bøjer sig, kaster sig ned;

They lavish gold out of the bag, And weigh silver in the balance; They hire a goldsmith, and he maketh it a god; They fall down, yea, they worship it.

7 de løfter den paa Skuldren og bærer den, sætter den paa Plads, og den staar, den rører sig ikke af Stedet; raaber de til den, svarer den ikke, den frelser dem ikke i Nød.

They lift him upon the shoulder, and carry him; They set him in his place, and there he standeth; From his place he moveth not; Yea, one may cry to him, yet doth he not answer, Nor save him out of his distress.

8 Kom dette i Hu, lad jer raade, I frafaldne, læg jer det paa Sinde!

Remember these things, and show yourselves men; Lay them to heart, ye apostates!

9 Kom i Hu, hvad er forudsagt før, thi Gud er jeg, ellers ingen, ja Gud, der er ingen som jeg,

Remember the former things in ancient times! For I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me.

10 der forud forkyndte Enden, tilforn, hvad der ikke var sket, som sagde: »Mit Raad staar fast, jeg fuldbyrder al min Vilje, «

Declaring the end from the beginning; From ancient times the things that were not yet done; Saying, My purpose shall stand, And I will do all my pleasure;

11 som fra Øst kalder Ørnen hid, fra det fjerne mit Raads Fuldbyrder. Jeg taled og lader det ske, udtænkte og fuldbyrder det.

Calling from the East the eagle, The man that executeth my purpose from a far country; I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.

12 Hør paa mig, I modløse, som tror, at Retten er fjern:

Hearken to me, ye stubborn-hearted, That are far from deliverance!

13 Jeg bringer min Ret, den er ej fjern, min Frelse tøver ikke; jeg giver Frelse paa Zion, min Herlighed giver jeg Israel.

I have brought near my deliverance; it is not far off; My salvation shall not tarry; I will give to Zion salvation, To Israel, my glory.