Esajas 49

1 Hør mig, I fjerne Strande, lyt til, I Folk i det fjerne! HERREN har fra Moders Liv kaldt mig, fra Moders Skød nævnet mit Navn;

Give ear, O sea-lands, to me; and take note, you peoples from far: I have been marked out by the Lord from the first; when I was still in my mother's body, he had my name in mind:

2 til et skarpt Sværd gjorde han min Mund og skjulte mig i Skyggen af sin Haand, til en sleben Pil har han gjort mig og gemt mig i sit Kogger,

And he has made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shade of his hand he has kept me; and he has made me like a polished arrow, keeping me in his secret place;

3 sagt til mig: »Du er min Tjener, Israel, ved hvem jeg vinder Ære.«

And he said to me, You are my servant, Israel, in whom my glory will be seen;

4 Jeg sagde: »Min Møje er spildt, paa Tomhed og Vind sled jeg mig op — dog er min Ret hos HERREN, min Løn er hos min Gud.«

And I said, I have undergone weariness for nothing, I have given my strength for no purpose or profit: but still the Lord will take up my cause, and my God will give me my reward.

5 Og nu siger HERREN, som danned mig fra Moders Liv til sin Tjener for at hjemføre Jakob til ham og samle Israel til ham — og i HERRENS Øjne er jeg æret, min Gud er blevet min Styrke —

And now, says the Lord, who made me his servant when I was still in my mother's body, so that I might make Jacob come back to him, and so that Israel might come together to him: and I was honoured in the eyes of the Lord, and my God became my strength.

6 han siger: »For lidt for dig som min Tjener at rejse Jakobs Stammer og hjemføre Israels frelste! Jeg gør dig til Hedningers Lys, at min Frelse maa naa til Jordens Ende.«

It is not enough for one who is my servant to put the tribes of Jacob again in their place, and to get back those of Israel who have been sent away: my purpose is to give you as a light to the nations, so that you may be my salvation to the end of the earth.

7 Saa siger HERREN, Israels Genløser, dets Hellige, til den dybt foragtede, skyet af Folk, Herskernes Træl: Konger skal se det og rejse sig, Fyrster skal kaste sig ned for HERRENS Skyld, den trofaste, Israels Hellige, der udvælger dig.

The Lord who takes up Israel's cause, even his Holy One, says to him whom men make sport of, who is hated by the nations, a servant of rulers: Kings will see and get up from their places, and chiefs will give worship: because of the Lord who keeps faith; even the Holy One of Israel who has taken you for himself.

8 Saa siger HERREN: Jeg hører dig i Naadens Stund, jeg hjælper dig paa Frelsens Dag, vogter dig og gør dig til Folkepagt for at rejse Landet igen, udskifte øde Lodder

This is the word of the Lord: I have given ear to you at a good time, and I have been your helper in a day of salvation: and I will keep you safe, and will make you a glory for the people, putting the land in order, and giving them the heritages which now are waste;

9 og sige til de bundne: »Gaa ud!« til dem i Mørket: »Kom frem!« Græs skal de finde langs Vejene, Græsgang paa hver nøgen Høj;

Saying to those who are in chains, Go free; to those who are in the dark, Come out into the light. They will get food by the way wherever they go, and have grass-lands on all the dry mountain-tops.

10 de hungrer og tørster ikke, dem stikker ej Hede og Sol. Thi deres Forbarmer fører dem, leder dem til Kildevæld;

They will not be in need of food or drink, or be troubled by the heat or the sun: for he who has mercy on them will be their guide, taking them by the springs of water.

11 jeg gør alle Bjerge til Vej, og alle Stier skal højnes.

And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways will be lifted up.

12 Se, nogle kommer langvejsfra, nogle fra Nord og Vest, nogle fra Sinims Land.

See, these are coming from far; and these from the north and the west; and these from the land of Sinim.

13 Jubler, I Himle, fryd dig, du Jord, I Bjerge, bryd ud i Jubel! Thi HERREN trøster sit Folk, forbarmer sig over sine arme.

Let your voice be loud in song, O heavens; and be glad, O earth; make sounds of joy, O mountains, for the Lord has given comfort to his people, and will have mercy on his crushed ones.

14 Dog siger Zion: »HERREN har svigtet mig, Herren har glemt mig!«

But Zion said, The Lord has given me up, I have gone from his memory.

15 Glemmer en Kvinde sit diende Barn, en Moder, hvad hun bar under Hjerte? Ja, selv om de kunde glemme, jeg glemmer ej dig.

Will a woman give up the child at her breast, will she be without pity for the fruit of her body? yes, these may, but I will not let you go out of my memory.

16 Se, i mine Hænder har jeg tegnet dig, dine Mure har jeg altid for Øje.

See, your name is marked on my hands; your walls are ever before me.

17 Dine Børn kommer ilende; de, som nedbrød og lagde dig øde, gaar bort.

Your builders are coming quickly; your haters and those who made you waste will go out of you.

18 Løft Øjnene, se dig om, de samles, kommer alle til dig. Saa sandt jeg lever, lyder det fra HERREN: Du skal bære dem alle som Smykke, binde dem som Bruden sit Bælte.

Let your eyes be lifted up round about, and see: they are all coming together to you. By my life, says the Lord, truly you will put them all on you as an ornament, and be clothed with them like a bride.

19 Thi dine Tomter og Grusdynger, dit hærgede Land — ja, nu er du Beboerne for trang; de, som aad dig, er borte;

For though the waste places of your land have been given to destruction, now you will not be wide enough for your people, and those who made you waste will be far away.

20 end skal du høre dem sige, din Barnløsheds Børn: »Her er for trangt, saa flyt dig, at jeg kan sidde!«

The children to whom you gave birth in other lands will say in your ears, The place is not wide enough for me: make room for me to have a resting-place.

21 Da tænker du i dit Hjerte: »Hvo fødte mig dem? Jeg var jo barnløs og gold, landflygtig og bortstødt, hvo fostrede dem? Ene sad jeg tilbage, hvor kommer de fra?«

Then you will say in your heart, Who has given me all these children? when my children had been taken from me, and I was no longer able to have others, who took care of these? when I was by myself, where then were these?

22 Saa siger den Herre HERREN: Se, jeg løfter min Haand for Folkene, rejser mit Banner for Folkeslag, og de bringer dine Sønner i Favnen, dine Døtre bæres paa Skulder.

This is the word of the Lord God: See, I will make a sign with my hand to the nations, and put up my flag for the peoples; and they will take up your sons on their beasts, and your daughters on their backs.

23 Konger bliver Fosterfædre for dig, deres Dronninger skal være dine Ammer. De kaster sig paa Ansigtet for dig, slikker dine Fødders Støv. Du skal kende, at jeg er HERREN; de, som bier paa mig, bliver ikke til Skamme.

And kings will take care of you, and queens will give you their milk: they will go down on their faces before you, kissing the dust of your feet; and you will be certain that I am the Lord, and that those who put their hope in me will not be shamed.

24 Kan Bytte fratages en Helt, kan den stærkes Fanger slippe bort?

Will the goods of war be taken from the strong man, or the prisoners of the cruel one be let go?

25 Thi saa siger HERREN: Om Fanger end fratages Helten, slipper Bytte end bort fra den stærke, jeg strider mod dem, der strider mod dig, og dine Børn vil jeg frelse.

But the Lord says, Even the prisoners of the strong will be taken from him, and the cruel made to let go his goods: for I will take up your cause against your haters, and I will keep your children safe.

26 Dem, der trænger dig, lader jeg æde deres eget Kød, deres Blod skal de drikke som Most; alt Kød skal kende, at jeg, HERREN, er din Frelser, din Genløser Jakobs Vældige.

And the flesh of your attackers will be taken by themselves for food; and they will take their blood for drink, as if it was sweet wine: and all men will see that I the Lord am your saviour, even he who takes up your cause, the Strong One of Jacob.