Esajas 48

1 Hør dette, du Jakobs Hus, I, som kaldes med Israels Navn og er rundet af Judas Kilde, som sværger ved HERRENS Navn og priser Israels Gud — dog ikke redeligt og sandt —

Hear these [words], ye house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and have come forth out of Juda, who swear by the name of the Lord God of Israel, making mention [of it, but] not with truth, nor with righteousness;

2 fra den hellige By har de jo Navn, deres Støtte er Israels Gud, hvis Navn er Hærskarers HERRE:

maintaining also the name of the holy city, and staying themselves on the God of Israel: the Lord of hosts is his name. The former things I have already declared;

3 Jeg forudsagde det, som er sket, af min Mund gik det ud, saa det hørtes, brat greb jeg ind, og det indtraf.

and they that have proceeded out of my mouth, and it became well known; I wrought suddenly, and [the events] came to pass.

4 Thi stivsindet er du, det ved jeg, din Nakke et Jernbaand, din Pande af Kobber.

I know that thou art stubborn, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy forehead brazen.

5 Jeg sagde det forud til dig, kundgjorde det, førend det indtraf, at du ikke skulde sige: »Det gjorde mit Billede, mit skaarne og støbte bød det.«

And I told thee of old what [should be] before it came upon thee; I made it known to thee, lest thou shouldest say, [My] idols have done [it] for me; and shouldest say, [My] graven and molten images have commanded me.

6 Du hørte det, se det nu alt! Og vil I mon ikke staa ved det? Fra nu af kundgør jeg nyt, skjulte Ting, du ej kender;

Ye have heard all this, but ye have not known: yet I have made known to thee the new things from henceforth, which are coming to pass, and thou saidst not,

7 nu skabes det, ikke før, før i Dag har I ikke hørt det, at du ikke skulde sige: »Jeg vidste det.«

Now they come to pass, and not formerly: and thou heardest not of them in former days: say not thou, Yea, I know them.

8 Hverken har du hørt eller vidst det, det kom dig ej før for Øre. Thi jeg ved, du er gennemtroløs, fra Moders Liv hed du »Frafalden«;

Thou hast neither known, nor understood, neither from the beginning have I opened thine ears: for I knew that thou wouldest surely deal treacherously, and wouldest be called a transgressor even from the womb.

9 for mit Navns Skyld holder jeg Vreden hen, for min Ære vil jeg skaane, ej udrydde dig.

For mine own sake will I shew thee my wrath, and will bring before thee my glorious acts, that I may not utterly destroy thee.

10 Se, jeg smelted dig — Sølv blev det ikke — prøved dig i Lidelsens Ovn.

Behold, I have sold thee, [but] not for silver; but I have rescued thee from the furnace of affliction.

11 For min egen Skyld griber jeg ind; thi hvor krænkes dog ikke mit Navn! Jeg giver ej andre min Ære.

For mine own sake I will do [this] for thee, because my name is profaned; and I will not give my glory to another.

12 Hør mig dog nu, o Jakob, Israel, du, som jeg kaldte: Mig er det, jeg er den første, ogsaa jeg er den sidste.

Hear me, O Jacob, and Israel whom I call; I am the first, and I endure for ever.

13 Min Haand har grundlagt Jorden, min højre udspændt Himlen; saa saare jeg kalder paa dem, møder de alle frem.

My hand also has founded the earth, and my right hand has fixed the sky: I will call them, and they shall stand together.

14 Samler jer alle og hør: Hvem af dem forkyndte mon dette? Min Ven fuldbyrder min Vilje paa Babel og Kaldæernes Æt.

And all shall be gathered, and shall hear: who has told them these things? Out of love to thee I have fulfilled thy desire on Babylon, to abolish the seed of the Chaldeans.

15 Jeg, jeg har talet og kaldt ham, fik ham frem, hans Vej lod jeg lykkes.

I have spoken, I have called, I have brought him, and made his way prosperous.

16 Kom hid til mig og hør: Jeg taled ej fra først i Løndom, jeg var der, saa snart det skete. Og nu har den Herre HERREN sendt mig med sin Aand.

Draw nigh to me, and hear ye these words; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning: when it took place, there was I, and now the Lord, [even] the Lord, and his Spirit, hath sent me.

17 Saa siger HERREN, din Genløser, Israels Hellige: Jeg er HERREN, din Gud, som lærer dig, hvad der baader, leder dig ad Vejen, du skal gaa.

Thus saith the Lord that delivered thee, the Holy One of Israel; I am thy God, I have shewn thee how thou shouldest find the way wherein thou shouldest walk.

18 Ak, lytted du til mine Bud! Da blev din Fred som Floden, din Retfærd som Havets Bølger,

And if thou hadst hearkened to my commandments, [then] would thy peace have been like a river, and thy righteousness as a wave of the sea.

19 da blev dit Afkom som Sandet, din Livsfrugt talløs som Sandskorn; dit Navn skulde ej slettes ud og ej lægges øde for mit Aasyn.

Thy seed also would have been as the sand, and the offspring of thy belly as the dust of the ground: neither now shalt thou by any means be utterly destroyed, neither shall thy name perish before me.

20 Gaa ud af Babel, fly fra Kaldæa, kundgør, forkynd det med jublende Røst, udspred det lige til Jordens Ende, sig: »HERREN har genløst Jakob, sin Tjener,

Go forth of Babylon, thou that fleest from the Chaldeans: utter aloud a voice of joy, and let this be made known, proclaim it to the end of the earth; say ye, The Lord hath delivered his servant Jacob.

21 lod dem gaa gennem Ørk, de tørstede ikke, lod Vand vælde frem af Klippen til dem, kløvede Klippen, saa Vand strømmed ud.«

And if they shall thirst, he shall lead them through the desert; he shall bring forth water to them out of the rock: the rock shall be cloven, and the water shall flow forth, and my people shall drink.

22 De gudløse har ingen Fred, siger HERREN.

There is no joy, saith the Lord, to the ungodly.