Isaiah 1

1 This is the vision that Isaiah, son of Amoz, saw about Judah and Jerusalem in the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

Saa anisoadehu a ɛfa Yuda ne Yerusalem ho no baa Amos babarima Yesaia so wɔ Yuda ahemfo Usia, Yotam, Ahas ne Hesekia mmere so.

2 Heavens, listen! Earth, pay attention! For the Lord has spoken! I brought up children, I cared for them, but they have rebelled against me.

Ɔsoro, muntie! Asase, yɛ aso! Na Awurade akasa: “Matetew mma ama wɔanyinyin, nanso wɔatew me so atua.

3 An ox knows its owner, and a donkey knows its feeding trough; but my people don't know me, they don't understand me.

Nantwi nim ne wura, afurum nso nim ne wura mmoa adididaka, nanso Israel nnim, me nkurɔfo nte ase.”

4 What a sinful nation—a people carrying such a load of guilt, an evil generation, corrupt children! They have abandoned the Lord. They have despised Israel's Holy One. They have become strangers. They have gone backwards.

Nnome nka, amumɔyɛ man, ɔman a wɔn afɔdi so, nnebɔneyɛfo kuw, mma a porɔwee ahyɛ wɔn ma! Wɔatwe wɔn ho afi Awurade ho; wɔapo Israel Kronkronni no, wɔadan wɔn akyi akyerɛ no.

5 Are you wanting to be punished? Are you going to continue to rebel? The whole of your head is damaged, and your heart is totally giving out.

Adɛn nti na mopɛ sɛ wɔkɔ so boro mo? Adɛn nti na moda so tew atua? Wɔapira mo ti, na mo koma nso di yaw.

6 You're injured from head to toe, bruised and sore, with open wounds that haven't been cleaned or bandaged or treated with olive oil.

Efi mo nan ase kosi mo ti so, ahomeka biara nni mu, apirakuru ne ahonhon nko ara akuru a anim deda hɔ na wɔnhohoro so anaa wɔnkyekyeree anaa wɔmfaa ngo nsrasraa so ɛ.

7 Your country has been devastated, your towns burned down, your fields stripped bare by foreigners right in front of you, as they turn it all into a wasteland.

Mo man ada mpan, wɔde ogya ahyehyew mo nkuropɔn; ananafo regye mo mfuw a mo ani tua, na asɛe sɛnea ɛyɛɛ bere a ahɔho tuu mo gui no.

8 The daughter of Zion is left like a shack in a vineyard, like a hut in a cucumber field, like a city under attack.

Wɔagyaw Ɔbabea Sion te sɛ bobeturo mu sese te sɛ akuraa a esi ɛfere afuw mu, te sɛ kuropɔn a atamfo atwa ho ahyia.

9 If the Lord Almighty hadn't let a few of us survive, we would have become like Sodom and Gomorrah.

Sɛ Asafo Awurade annyaw yɛn asefo a, anka yɛayɛ sɛ Sodom, na yɛadan ayɛ sɛ Gomora.

10 Listen to what the Lord has to say, you rulers of Sodom! Pay attention to the instructions of our God, you people of Gomorrah!

Muntie Awurade asɛm, mo Sodom sodifo; muntie yɛn Nyankopɔn mmara, mo Gomorafo!

11 What use are all your many sacrifices to me? asks the Lord. I am sick and tired of your burnt offerings of rams and the fat of sacrificial animals. I don't delight in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats!

“Mo afɔrebɔ ahorow bebree no, dɛn na ɛyɛ ma me?” Sɛnea Awurade se ni. “Mewɔ ɔhyew afɔrebɔde ma ɛboro so, nea ɛyɛ adwennini ne mmoa a wɔadɔ srade; mʼani nnye anantwinini, nguantenmma ne mpapo mogya ho.

12 When you come to appear before me in worship, who asked you to proudly tramp around my courts?

Sɛ moba mʼanim a hena na obisa eyi fi mo hɔ, sɛ mutiatia me fi yi?

13 Don't bring me any more meaningless offerings; your incense is offensive to me. Your new moon festivals and Sabbath observations and your calling of special religious meetings—I can't stand them because they're evil, as are your solemn assemblies.

Munnyae afɔrebɔde a ɛmfra a mode ba no! Mo aduhuam yɛ me tan. Ɔsram foforo, homenna ne nhyiamu ahorow, mo nhyiamu hunu no afono me.

14 I detest your new moon and yearly festivals with my whole being! They've become just a burden to me—I can't bear them anymore!

Mo ɔsram foforo afahyɛ ne mo aponto a moahyehyɛ, me kra kyi. Ayɛ adesoa ama me; masoa abrɛ.

15 When you hold up your hands to me in prayer, I'll look away. Even though you pray many prayers, I won't pay attention to them, because your hands are full of blood.

Sɛ momema mo nsa so bɔ mpae a, meyi mʼani ato nkyɛn. Sɛ mobɔ mpae bebree mpo a merentie. “Mogya bebree agu mo nsa ho fi.

16 Wash yourselves and clean yourselves up. Get rid of your sins—I don't want to see them! Stop doing evil!

“Munnwira mo ho na mo ho ntew. Munnyi mo nnebɔne mfi mʼani so! Munnyae bɔneyɛ,

17 Learn to do good; strive for justice, condemn those who oppress others; support the rights of orphans, take up cases to defend widows.

Monyɛ papa! Monhwehwɛ atɛntrenee. Monhyɛ wɔn a wɔhyɛ wɔn so nkuran Munni mma ayisaa, monka akunafo nsɛm mma wɔn.

18 Come on, let's argue this out, says the Lord. Even though your sins are like scarlet, they will become white like snow. Even though they are red like crimson, they will become like wool.

“Afei mommra na yennwen mmɔ mu,” sɛnea Awurade se ni. “Sɛ mo bɔne te sɛ ɔkɔben a, ɛbɛyɛ fitaa sɛ sukyerɛmma; mpo sɛ ɛyɛ kɔkɔɔ te sɛ mogya a ɛbɛyɛ fitaa sɛ asaawa mfuturu.

19 If you really want this, and if you do as you're told, then you yourselves will eat the best things that the land produces.

Sɛ mopene so na moyɛ osetie a, mubedi asase no so nnepa.

20 But if you are defiant, and if you are rebellious, you'll be killed by the sword. This is what the Lord has declared!

Na sɛ moampene na motew atua a, afoa bedi mo nam.” Awurade na wakasa.

21 The city that used to be faithful has turned into a prostitute! Once she operated on principles of justice and followed what was right, but now only murderers live there.

Hwɛ sɛnea kuropɔn nokwafo no adan oguamanfo. Bere bi, na atɛntrenee ahyɛ no ma na anka trenee te ne mu, nanso mprempren, awudifo ahyɛ mu ma!

22 Your silver has become worthless waste; you wine has been watered down.

Wo dwetɛ adan ade a so nni mfaso, wɔde nsu afra wo nsa papa mu.

23 Your leaders are rebels, friends of thieves. They all love bribes and want to get kickbacks. They don't defend the rights of orphans, and refuse to take cases to help widows.

Wo sodifo yɛ atuatewfo, akorɔmfo yɔnkonom; wɔn nyinaa pɛ adanmude, na wɔpere akyɛde ho. Wonni mma ayisaa; na akunafo nsɛm nkɔ wɔn anim.

24 So this is what the Lord says, the Lord Almighty, the Mighty One of Israel: Ha! I will take satisfaction in punishing my enemies, by paying back those who hate me!

Enti, Awurade, Asafo Awurade, nea ɔyɛ Ɔkɛse ma Israel no ka se, “Aa, menya ahomegye afi mʼatamfo hɔ na matɔ wɔn so were.

25 I will turn against you. I will refine you in a furnace, removing all impurities.

Mɛma me nsa so, atia mo; mɛhohoro mo ho fi korakora na mayi mo ho nkekae nyinaa.

26 I will give you good leaders as you used to have before, wise counselors as you had in the beginning. After that you will once again be called the City of Integrity, the Faithful City.

Mɛma mo atemmufo bio sɛ kan no, ne mo afotufo sɛnea na ɛte, mfiase no. Eyi akyi no, wɔbɛfrɛ wo Kuropɔn Trenee, Kuropɔn Nokwafo.”

27 Zion will be rescued by justice, those who repent by doing right.

Wɔde atɛntrenee begye Sion bio, na wɔn a wonu wɔn ho no, wɔde trenee begye wɔn.

28 But rebels and sinners will be destroyed together, and those who abandon the Lord will die.

Nanso atuatewfo ne nnebɔneyɛfo de, wɔbɛdwerɛw wɔn abɔ mu, na wɔn a wɔpa Awurade akyi bɛyera.

29 You will be ashamed about how you enjoyed your pagan worship among the oak trees; you will be embarrassed because you chose the pleasure gardens of idols.

“Mo ani bewu, esiane odum anyame a munyaa wɔn mu anigye no; wobegu mo anim ase, esiane nturo a mosom abosom wɔ mu no nti.

30 As a result you will become like an oak whose leaves have withered, a dried-out garden that has no water.

Mobɛyɛ sɛ odum a ne nhaban apo, ne turo a ennya nsu.

31 Your strong people will become like tinder, and their work will become like a spark. They will burn together, and nobody will be able to put out the flames.

Ɔhoɔdenfo bɛyɛ sɛ ade a ɛhyew ntɛm nʼadwuma bɛyɛ sɛ ogya a aturuw; abien no bɛhyew abɔ mu, a obiara rentumi nnum.”