Isaiah 44
1 And now, listen, Jacob, my servant, and Israel, whom I have chosen.
“Na, afei, Ao Yakob me ɔsomfoɔ, Israel, deɛ mapa no.
2 Thus says the Lord, who made and formed you, your Helper from the womb: Do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant and my most righteous, whom I have chosen.
Sei na Awurade seɛ, deɛ ɔnwonoo wo, na ɔyɛɛ wo wɔ awotwaa mu, ɔno na ɔbɛboa wo: Nsuro, Ao Yakob, me ɔsomfoɔ, Yeshurun, a mapa noɔ.
3 For I will pour out waters upon the thirsty ground, and rivers upon the dry land. I will pour out my Spirit upon your offspring, and my benediction upon your stock.
Na mɛhwie nsuo agu asase a awo no so, ne asutene wɔ asase kesee so; mɛhwie me Honhom agu wo mma so, ne me nhyira agu wʼasefoɔ so.
4 And they will spring up among the plants, like willows beside running waters.
Wɔbɛfifiri sɛdeɛ ɛserɛ fifiri wɔ mmoa adidibea, te sɛ mpampuro a ɛwɔ asutene ho.
5 This one will say, “I am the Lord’s,” and that one will call himself by the name of Jacob, and yet another will write with his hand, “For the Lord,” and he will take the name Israel.
Obi bɛka sɛ, ‘Meyɛ Awurade dea’; ɔfoforɔ bɛfrɛ ne ho sɛ Yakob; bio ɔfoforɔ bɛtwerɛ ne nsa ho sɛ, ‘Awurade dea,’ na wafa edin Israel.
6 Thus says the Lord, the King and Redeemer of Israel, the Lord of hosts: I am the first, and I am the last, and there is no God apart from me.
“Sei na Awurade Israelhene ne Ɔgyefoɔ, Asafo Awurade seɛ: Mene Ahyɛaseɛ ne Awieeɛ; Onyankopɔn biara nni hɔ sɛ me.
7 Who is like me? Let him call out and announce it. And let him explain to me the order of things, since it is I who appointed the ancient people. The things of the near and the distant future, let him announce them.
Hwan na ɔne me sɛ? Ma ɔmpae mu nka. Ma ɔnka na ɔnkyerɛ wɔ mʼanim deɛ asisi firi ɛberɛ a megyee me tete nkurɔfoɔ sii hɔ, ne deɛ ɛrebɛba, aane, ma ɔnhyɛ deɛ ɛreba ho nkɔm.
8 Do not be afraid, and do not be disturbed. From the time when I caused you to listen, I also announced it. You are my witnesses. Is there another God beside me, also a Maker, whom I have not known?
Mommma mo ho mpopo, monnsuro. Mampae mu anka yei, manna no adi teteete anaa? Mone mʼadansefoɔ. Onyankopɔn foforɔ bi ka me ho anaa? Dabi, Ɔbotan foforɔ bi nni hɔ; mennim obiara.”
9 All of those who create idols are nothing, and their most beloved things will not benefit them. These are their witnesses, for they do not see, and they do not understand, so that they might be confounded.
Wɔn a wɔyɛ ahoni nyinaa nka hwee, na nneɛma a ɛsom wɔn bo no ho nni mfasoɔ. Wɔn a anka wɔkasa ma wɔn no ani afira; wɔnnim wɔn ankasa animguaseɛ ho hwee.
10 Who has formed a god or cast a molten image, which is useful for nothing?
Hwan na ɔsene onyame na ɔgu ohoni, a ne ho mma no mfasoɔ biara?
11 Behold, all those who partake in this will be confounded. For these makers are men. They will all assemble together. They will stand and be terrified. And they will be confounded together.
Ɔno ne wɔn a wɔte sɛ no nyinaa anim bɛgu ase; adwumfoɔ nyɛ hwee sɛ nnipa. Momma wɔn nyinaa mmɔ mu nsɔre nnyina, ehu ne animguaseɛ na ɛbɛka wɔn.
12 The maker of iron has wrought with his file. With coals and hammers, he has formed it, and he has wrought with the strength of his arm. He will hunger and grow faint. He will not drink water, and he will become weary.
Ɔtomfoɔ fa nʼatondadeɛ ɔde hyehyɛ egyasramma mu; ɔde asaeɛ bobɔ so yɛ no ohoni, ɔde nʼabasamu ahoɔden mmorosoɔ na ɛyɛ; ɛkɔm de no na ɔyɛ mmrɛ; ɔnnom nsuo enti ɔtɔ baha.
13 The maker of wood has extended his ruler. He has formed it with a plane. He has made it with corners, and he has smoothed its curves. And he has made the image of a man, a seemingly beautiful man, dwelling in a house.
Duadwumfoɔ de ahoma susu na ɔde twerɛdua sensane; na ɔde fitiɛ yiyi ho afei ɔde kɔmpase hyɛ no agyiraeɛ. Ɔsene na ɛyɛ sɛ onipa sɛso, ɛyɛ sɛ onipa wɔ nʼanimuonyam nyinaa mu, sɛ wɔde bɛsi abosonnan mu.
14 He has cut down cedars; he has taken the evergreen oak, and the oak that stood among the trees of the forest. He has planted the pine tree, which the rain has nourished.
Ɔtwitwaa ntweneduro, anaasɛ ebia ɔfaa kwabɔhɔrɔ anaa odum. Ɔmaa ɛnyiniiɛ wɔ kwaeɛ mu, anaa ɔduaa pepeaa, na osutɔ ma ɛnyiniiɛ.
15 And it is used by men for fuel. He took from it and warmed himself. And he set it on fire and baked bread. But from the remainder, he made a god, and he adored it. He made an idol, and he bowed down before it.
Ɛyɛ deɛ onipa de sɔ ogya; ɔde ebi ka ne ho hye, ɔde bi sɔ ogya to burodo. Nanso ɔde ebi sene onyame nso na ɔsɔre no; ɔyɛ ohoni na ɔkoto no.
16 Part of it, he burned with fire, and with part of it, he cooked meat; he boiled food and was filled. And he was warmed, and so he said: “Ah, I am warm. I have gazed at the fire.”
Ɔde dua no mu fa sɔ ogya; ɛso na ɔnoa nʼaduane, ɔtoto ne nam wɔ so na wawe amee. Afei ɔka ne ho hye na ɔka sɛ, Aa! Mahunu ogya; me ho ayɛ me hye.
17 But from its remainder, he made a god and a graven image for himself. He bowed down before it, and he adored it, and he prayed to it, saying: “Free me! For you are my god.”
Nkaeɛ no ɔde yɛ onyame, ne honi; ɔkoto no na ɔsɔre no. Ɔbɔ no mpaeɛ sɛ, “Gye me; wone me nyame.”
18 They have neither known nor understood. For their eyes are obscured, lest they see with their eyes and understand with their heart.
Wonnim hwee, na wɔnte hwee ase; wɔasram wɔn ani so enti wɔnhunu adeɛ, wɔato wɔn adwene mu enti wɔnte hwee ase.
19 They do not consider in their mind, nor do they know, nor do they think to say: “I have burned part of it in the fire, and I have baked bread upon its coals. I have cooked flesh and I have eaten. And from its remainder, should I make an idol? Should I fall prostrate before the trunk of a tree?”
Obiara nna nnwene ho, obiara nni nimdeɛ anaa nhunumu a ɔde bɛka sɛ, “Mede ɛfa sɔɔ ogya; na mpo metoo burodo wɔ ne gyaframa so; metotoo nam wɔ so weeɛ. Ɛsɛ sɛ mede nkaeɛ no yɛ akyiwadeɛ anaa? Ɛsɛ sɛ mekoto gyentia anaa?”
20 Part of it is ashes. His foolish heart adores it. And he will not liberate his soul, and he will not say, “Perhaps there is a lie in my right hand.”
Nsõ na ɔdie, nnaadaa akoma ma no yera kwan; ɔrentumi nye ne ho, anaa ɔrentumi nka sɛ, “Deɛ mekura wɔ me nsa nifa yi nnyɛ atorɔ anaa?”
21 Remember these things, O Jacob, O Israel. For you are my servant. I have formed you. You are my servant, Israel. Do not forget me.
“Kae saa nneɛma yi, Ao, Yakob, ɛfiri sɛ, woyɛ me ɔsomfoɔ, Ao Israel. Me na meyɛɛ wo, woyɛ me ɔsomfoɔ; Ao Israel, me werɛ remfiri wo.
22 I have wiped away your iniquities like a cloud, and your sins like a mist. Return to me, because I have redeemed you.
Mapra wo mfomsoɔ agu te sɛ ɛbɔ ne wo bɔne te sɛ anɔpa bosuo. Sane bra me nkyɛn, ɛfiri sɛ magye wo.”
23 Give praise, O heavens! For the Lord has shown mercy. Shout with joy, O ends of the earth! Let the mountains resound with praise, with the forest and all its trees. For the Lord has redeemed Jacob, and Israel will be glorified.
Momfa ahosɛpɛ nto dwom, Ao ɔsorosoro, na Awurade na wayɛ yei. Mommɔ ose, Ao, asase ase. Momma nnwontoɔ so, mo mmepɔ, mo kwaeɛ ne emu nnua nyinaa, na Awurade agye Yakob, wada nʼanimuonyam adi wɔ Israel.
24 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, and your Maker from the womb: I am the Lord, who makes all things, who alone extends the heavens, who makes the earth firm. And there is no one with me.
“Sei na Awurade seɛ, wo Gyefoɔ a ɔnwonoo wo wɔ awotwaa mu no: “Mene Awurade, deɛ wayɛ nneɛma nyinaa, deɛ ɔno nko ara trɛɛ ɔsoro mu deɛ ɔno nko ara twee asase mu,
25 I make the signs of the diviners useless, and I turn the seers to madness. I turn the wise backwards, and make their knowledge into foolishness.
deɛ ɔsɛe atorɔ adiyifoɔ nsɛnkyerɛnneɛ na ɔma nkɔmhyɛfoɔ yɛ nkwaseafoɔ; deɛ ɔtutu anyansafoɔ adenim guo na ɔdane no nkwaseasɛm,
26 I lift up the word of my servant, and I fulfill the counsel of my messengers. I say to Jerusalem, “You shall be inhabited,” and to the cities of Judah, “You shall be rebuilt,” and I will lift up its deserts.
deɛ ɔma nʼasomfoɔ nsɛm ba mu deɛ ɔhyɛ nʼasomafoɔ nkɔmhyɛ no mu ma, “deɛ ɔka fa Yerusalem ho sɛ, ‘Wɔbɛtena ne mu,’ ne Yuda nkuro ho sɛ, ‘Wɔbɛkyekyere,’ ne mmubuiɛ ho sɛ, ‘Mɛyɛ no foforɔ,’
27 I say to the depths, “Be desolate,” and, “I will dry up your rivers.”
deɛ ɔka kyerɛ nsubunu sɛ, ‘We, na mɛma wo asutene awewe,’
28 I say to Cyrus, “You are my shepherd, and you will accomplish all that I will.” I say to Jerusalem, “You shall be built,” and to the Temple, “Your foundations shall be laid.”
deɛ ɔka wɔ Kores ho sɛ, ‘Ɔyɛ me dwanhwɛfoɔ na ɔbɛwie deɛ mepɛ nyinaa yɛ; ɔbɛka afa Yerusalem ho sɛ, “Ma wɔnkyekyere bio,” na waka afa asɔredan no ho sɛ, “Ma wɔnto ne fapem.”’”
