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;

Listen, islands, to me; and listen, you peoples, from far: the LORD has called me from the womb; from the body of my mother has he made mention of my name:

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 shadow of his hand, he has hidden me; and he has made me a polished arrow, in his quiver has he kept me close:

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 I will be glorified."

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.«

But I said, "I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely the justice due to me is with the LORD, and my reward with my God."

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 —

Now says the LORD who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, and that Israel be gathered to him; for I am honorable in the eyes of the LORD, and my God has become 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.«

And he says, "Is it too insignificant a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the remnant of Israel? I will also give you as a light to the nations, that you may bring salvation to the farthest part 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.

Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to the one who is despised, to those abhorred as a nation, the servant of rulers: "Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall worship; because of the LORD who is faithful, even the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."

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

Thus says the LORD, "In an acceptable time I have answered you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you; and I will preserve you, and give you as a covenant to the people, to raise up the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritage:

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 bound, 'Come out.'; to those who are in darkness, 'Show yourselves.' "They shall feed in the ways, and on all bare heights shall be their pasture.

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

They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun strike them: for he who has mercy on them will lead them, even by springs of water he will guide them.

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

I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.

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

Look, these shall come from far; and look, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Syene."

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

Sing, heavens; and be joyful, earth; and break forth into singing, mountains: for the LORD has comforted his people, and will have compassion on his afflicted.

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

But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me, and my Lord has forgotten me."

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

"Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, these may forget, yet I will not forget you.

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

Look, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.

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

Your builders hurry; your destroyers and those who devastated you shall depart from 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.

Lift up your eyes all around, and see: all these gather themselves together, and come to you. As I live," says the LORD, "you shall surely clothe yourself with them all as with an ornament, and dress yourself 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, as for your waste and your desolate places, and your land that has been destroyed, surely now you shall be too small for the inhabitants, and those who swallowed you up shall 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 of your bereavement shall yet say in your ears, The place is too small for me; give place to me that I may dwell.

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 conceived these for me, since I have been bereaved of my children, and am solitary, an exile, and wandering back and forth? Who has brought up these? Look, I was left alone; these, where were they?'"

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.

Thus says the LORD, "Look, I will lift up my hand to the nations, and set up my banner to the peoples; and they shall bring your sons in their bosom, and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.

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.

Kings shall be your nursing fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers: they shall bow down to you with their faces to the earth, and lick the dust of your feet; and you shall know that I am the LORD; and those who wait for me shall not be disappointed."

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

Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the captives of a tyrant be delivered?

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 thus says the LORD, "Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the tyrant shall be delivered; for I will contend with him who contends with you, and I will save your children.

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.

I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh; and they shall be drunk with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I, the LORD, am your Savior, and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob."