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

Ao, ɔsoro, montie! Ao, asase yɛ aso! Na Awurade akasa: “Matete mma ama wɔanyini, nanso wɔate 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.

Nantwie nim ne wura, afunumu nso nim ne wura mmoa adididaka, nanso Israel nnim, me nkurɔfoɔ nte aseɛ.”

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.

Aa, amumuyɛ ɔman, ɔman a afɔdie adesoa ahyɛ wɔn ma, nnebɔneyɛfoɔ kuo, mma a porɔeɛ ahyɛ wɔn ma! Wɔatwe wɔn ho afiri Awurade ho; Wɔapo Israel Kronkronni no, wɔadane 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 enti na mopɛ sɛ wɔkɔ so boro mo? Adɛn enti na moda so te atua? Wɔapira mo tiri, na mo akoma nso di yea.

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.

Ɛfiri mo nan ase kɔsi mo tiri so ahomeka biara nni mu, apirakuro ne nsoasoaeɛ nko ara akuro a anim deda hɔ na wɔnhohoro so anaa Wɔnkyekyereeɛ anaa wɔmfaa ngo nsrasraa so.

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 ɔman ada mpan, wɔde ogya ahyehye mo nkuropɔn; ananafoɔ regye mo mfuo a mo ani tua, na asɛe sɛdeɛ ɛyɛɛ ɛberɛ a ahɔhoɔ tuu mo guiɛ 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.

Wɔagya Ɔbabaa Sion te sɛ bobe turo mu sese te sɛ akuraa a ɛsi ɛferɛ afuo mu, te sɛ kuropɔn a atamfoɔ 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 Awurade tumfoɔ no annya yɛn asefoɔ a, anka yɛayɛ sɛ Sodom, na yɛadane 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!

Montie Awurade asɛm, mo Sodom sodifoɔ; montie yɛn Onyankopɔn mmara, mo Gomorafoɔ!

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 ahodoɔ bebree no, ɛdeɛn na ɛyɛ ma me?” Sɛdeɛ Awurade seɛ nie. “Mewɔ ɔhyeɛ afɔrebɔdeɛ ma ɛboro so, deɛ ɛyɛ nnwennini ne mmoa a wɔadɔre sradeɛ; mʼani nnye anantwinini, nnwammaa 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 hwan na ɔbisa yei firi mo hɔ? Hwan na ɔsomaa mo sɛ monnantenante me efie 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.

Monnyae afɔrebɔdeɛ a mode ba a ɛmfra no! Mo aduhwam yɛ me tan. Ɔbosome foforɔ, home nna ne nhyiamu ahodoɔ ne mo nhyiamu fi 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 bosome foforɔ afahyɛ ne mo apontoɔ a moahyehyɛ no, me kra kyiri. Ayɛ adesoa ama me; masoa mabrɛ.

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 mopagya mo nsa bɔ mpaeɛ a, mɛyi mʼani ato nkyɛn. Sɛ mobɔ mpaeɛ 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!

“Monnwira mo ho na mo ho nte. Monnyi mo nnebɔne mfiri mʼani so! Monnyae bɔne yɛ.

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 atɛntenenee Monhyɛ wɔn a wɔhyɛ wɔn so nkuran. Monni mma nwisiaa, monka akunafoɔ 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 yɛnnwene mmɔ mu,” sɛdeɛ Awurade seɛ nie. “Sɛ mo bɔne te sɛ kɔben a, ɛbɛyɛ fitaa sɛ sukyerɛmma; mpo sɛ ɛyɛ kɔkɔɔ te sɛ mogya a ɛbɛyɛ fitaa sɛ asaawa foturo.

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 ɔsetie a, mobɛdi 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 mote atua a, akofena bɛdi 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 sɛdeɛ kuropɔn nokwafoɔ no adane odwamanfoɔ. Ɛberɛ bi na atɛntenenee ahyɛ no ma na anka tenenee te ne mu, nanso seesei awudifoɔ ahyɛ mu ma!

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

Wo dwetɛ adane adeɛ a ɛho nni mfasoɔ, wɔde nsuo afra wo nsã 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 sodifoɔ yɛ atuatefoɔ, akorɔmfoɔ yɔnkonom; wɔn nyinaa pɛ adanmudeɛ, na wɔpere akyɛdeɛ ho. Wɔnni mma nwisiaa; na akunafoɔ 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, Otumfoɔ Awurade, deɛ ɔyɛ Kɛseɛ ma Israel no ka sɛ, “Aa, mɛnya ahomegyeɛ afiri mʼatamfoɔ 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 wo ho fi korakora na mayi mo ho nkekaawa 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 atemmufoɔ bio sɛ kane no, ne mo afutufoɔ sɛdeɛ na ɛteɛ, ahyɛaseɛ no. Yei akyi no, wɔbɛfrɛ wo Kuropɔn Tenenee Kuropɔn Nokwafoɔ.”

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

Wɔde atɛntenenee bɛgye Sion bio, na wɔn a wɔnu wɔn ho no, wɔde tenenee bɛgye wɔn.

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

Nanso atuatefoɔ ne nnebɔneyɛfoɔ deɛ, wɔbɛdwɛre 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 bɛwu ɛsiane odum anyame a monyaa wɔn mu anigyeɛ no; wɔbɛgu mo anim ase ɛsiane nturo a mosom abosom wɔ mu no enti.

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 nhahan apo, ne turo a ɛnnya nsuo.

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.

Ɔhoɔdenfoɔ bɛyɛ sɛ adeɛ a ɛhye ntɛm; nʼadwuma bɛyɛ sɛ ogya nturueɛ; ne mmienu no bɛhye abɔ mu, a obiara rentumi nnum.”