Esajas 41
1 Hør mig i Tavshed, I fjerne Strande, lad Folkene hente ny Kraft, komme hid og tage til Orde, lad os sammen gå frem for Retten!
Listen to me in silence, you people who live in lands beyond the sea. Let the nations regain their strength. Then let them come and speak, and let us join together for judgment.
2 Hvo vakte i Østen ham, hvis Fod går fra Sejr til Sejr, hvo giver Folk i hans Vold og gør ham til Kongers Hersker? Han gør deres Sværd til Støv, deres Buer til flagrende Strå,
Who has encouraged this one from the east who is called into God's service to do what is right? He gives him nations, and helps him trample kings underfoot. He makes them like dust with his sword, and turns them into chaff with his bow, blown before him on the wind.
3 forfølger dem, går uskadt frem ad en Vej, hans Fod ej har trådt.
He chases them down, and goes on unharmed, not following the usual routes.
4 Hvo gjorde og virkede det? Han, som længst kaldte Slægterne frem, jeg, HERREN, som er den første og end hos de sidste den samme.
Who has achieved and done this, calling into existence each generation from the beginning of time? I, the Lord, the first and the last, I am the one.
5 Fjerne Strande så det med Gru, den vide Jord følte Rædsel, de nærmede sig og kom.
The islands watch in fear, the distant lands tremble. They get together and consult.
6 Den ene hjælper den anden og siger: "Broder, fat Mod!"
They all help each other, encouraging one another to “Be strong!”
7 Mesteren opmuntrer Guldsmeden, Glatteren ham, der hamrer; Lodningen tager han god og sømmer det fast, så det står.
The craftsman encourages the goldsmith; the one who beats out the metal with a hammer encourages the one hitting the anvil, saying the soldering is good. They nail the idol down so it won't fall over.
8 Men Israel, du min Tjener, Jakob, hvem jeg har udvalgt, - Ætling af Abraham, min Ven -
But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, the ones I have chosen, descendants of my friend Abraham,
9 hvem jeg tog fra Jordens Grænser og kaldte fra dens fjerneste Kroge, til hvem jeg sagde: "Du min Tjener, som jeg valgte og ikke vraged":
I brought you back from distant lands, I called you back from faraway places, telling you, “You are my servants.” I have chosen you, and I have not abandoned you.
10 Frygt ikke, thi jeg er med dig, vær ej rådvild, thi jeg er din Gud! Med min Retfærds højre styrker, ja hjælper, ja støtter jeg dig.
Don't be afraid, for I am with you! Don't be frightened for I, your God, will make you strong, and I will certainly help you. I will support you with my strong hand, acting for what is right.
11 Se, Skam og Skændsel får alle, som er dig fjendske, til intet bliver de, der trætter med dig, de forgår.
See—everyone who is angry with you will be ashamed and disgraced. Those who fight against you will end up as nothing and die.
12 Du søger, men finder ej dem, der kives med dig, til intet, til Luft bliver de, der strides med dig.
Even though you look for your enemies, you won't find them. Those who attack you will become absolutely nothing.
13 Thi jeg, som er HERREN din Gud, jeg griber din Hånd, siger til dig: Frygt kun ikke, jeg er din Hjælper.
For I the Lord will grab you by the hand and tell you, “Don't be afraid! I myself will help you.
14 Frygt ikke, Jakob, du Orm, Israel, du Kryb! Jeg hjælper dig, lyder det fra HERREN, din Genløser er Israels Hellige.
Don't be frightened, Jacob, you little worm, you people of Israel, for I will help you,” declared the Lord your Savior, the Holy One of Israel.
15 Se, jeg gør dig til Tærskeslæde, en ny med mange Tænder; du skal tærske og knuste Bjerge, og Høje skal du gøre til Avner;
Look! I will make you into a new and sharp threshing device, with many pointed teeth. You will thresh the mountains and crush the hills, turning them into chaff.
16 du kaster dem, Vinden tager dem, Stormen hvirvler dem bort. Men du skal juble i HERREN, rose dig af Israels Hellige.
You will throw them into the air, the wind will carry them away, and a storm will scatter them. Then you will be happy in the Lord, and boast about the Holy One of Israel.
17 Forgæves søger de arme og fattige Vand, deres Tunge brænder af Tørst; jeg, HERREN, vil bønhøre dem, dem svigter ej Israels Gud.
The poor and needy search for water, but don't find any—their tongues are dry with thirst. I, the Lord, will respond to them; I, the God of Israel, won't abandon them.
18 Fra nøgne Høje sender jeg Floder og Kilder midt i Dale; Ørkenen gør jeg til Vanddrag, det tørre Land til Væld.
I will open up rivers in the desolate highlands and springs in the valleys. I will make pools in the wilderness and springs in the desert.
19 I Ørkenen giver jeg Cedre, Akacier, Myrter, Oliven; i Ødemark sætter jeg Cypresser tillige med Elm og Gran,
I will plant cedars, acacias, myrtles, and olive trees in the desert. I will place evergreens in the desert, firs and box trees together.
20 at de må se og kende, mærke sig det og indse, at HERRENs Hånd har gjort det, Israels Hellige skabt det.
In this way everyone can see and know, they can think about it and draw the conclusion that the it is the Lord who has done this, that the Holy One of Israel made it happen.
21 Fremlæg eders Sag, siger HERREN, kom med Bevis! siger Jakobs Konge.
“Now you submit your case,” says the Lord. “Present your evidence,” says the King of Jacob.
22 De træde nu frem og forkynde os, hvad der herefter skal ske. Sig frem, hvad I har forudsagt, at vi kan granske derover og se, hvad Udfald det fik; eller kundgør os, hvad der kommer!
“Let them come and tell us what's about to happen. Let them explain the things of the past, so that we can think about them and discover the final outcome. Or they can tell us about the future.
23 Forkynd, hvad der siden vil ske, at vi kan se, I er Guder! Gør noget, godt eller ondt, så måler vi os med hinanden!
Predict what's coming so we can know for sure that you are gods. At least do something, good or bad, to impress us when we see it.
24 Se, I er intet, eders Gerning Luft, vederstyggelig, hvo eder vælger.
But look at you! You're nothing, and you can't do anything! Anyone who chooses you is disgusting!
25 Jeg vakte ham fra Norden, og han kom, jeg kaldte ham fra Solens Opgang. Han nedtramper Fyrster som Dynd, som en Pottemager ælter sit Ler.
I have encouraged the one who comes from the north. He is from the east, and will respect me. He will tread on rulers as if they were mortar, like a potter treading on clay.
26 Hvo forkyndte det før, så vi vidste det, forud, så vi sagde: "Han fik Ret!" Nej, ingen har forkyndt eller sagt det, ingen har hørt eders Ord.
Who announced this beforehand so that we could know about it? Who let us know in the past, so that now we could say: ‘He was right’? None of you announced it, none of you predicted it, and nobody heard you say a word!
27 Først jeg har forkyndt det for Zion, sendt Jerusalem Glædesbud.
I was the first to announce to Zion: ‘Look, here they are!’ I was the one who brought to Jerusalem the good news.
28 Jeg ser mig om der er ingen, ingen af dem ved Råd, så de svarer mig på mit Spørgsmål.
I look at these idols, and find there is no one who can say anything. None of them can give advice; when I ask them something, they can't even answer.
29 Se, alle er de intet, deres Værker Luft, deres Billeder Vind og Tomhed.
Look at them! They're all evil, deceptive things. They can't do anything! They're just idols full of hot air!”
