< Isaiah 66 >
1 This is what the Lord says: Heaven is my throne, and the earth is where I place my feet. So where will this house be that you're going to build for me? Where will I lie down to rest?
Yei ne deɛ Awurade seɛ: “Ɔsoro yɛ mʼahennwa, na asase yɛ me nan ntiasoɔ. Ɛdan bɛn na wobɛsi ama me? Wobɛtumi asi ahomegyebea ama me?
2 I made everything; that's how it all came into existence, says the Lord. Those I look favorably on are humble and repentant, and they tremble when I speak.
Ɛnyɛ me nsa na ɛyɛɛ yeinom nyinaa, ɛna enti ɛbaa mu anaa?” Awurade na ɔseɛ. “Obi a mʼani sɔ no nie: deɛ ɔwɔ ahobrɛaseɛ ne ahonu honhom, na ne ho popo wɔ mʼasɛm ho.
3 When someone sacrifices a bull it's like human sacrifice, and when someone sacrifices a lamb, it's like breaking the neck of a dog. When they present a grain offering it's like presenting pig's blood, and when they burn incense it's like worshiping an idol. Since they have chosen to act like this and to love such disgusting things,
Nanso, obi a ɔde nantwinini bɔ afɔdeɛ no saa ɔnipa no afɔdeɛ te sɛ onipa a wɔakum no de no abɔ afɔdeɛ, na deɛ ɔde odwammaa ba no, saa onipa no afɔdeɛ te sɛ ɔkraman a wɔakum no de no abɔ afɔdeɛ; deɛ ɔbɔ aduane afɔdeɛ no saa onipa no afɔdeɛ te sɛ prako mogya a wɔde bɔ afɔdeɛ, deɛ ɔhye nnuhwam a ɛwɔ din no saa onipa no afɔdeɛ no te sɛ deɛ wɔde som ɔbosom. Wɔafa wɔn ankasa akwan na wɔn ɔkra ani gye wɔn akyiwadeɛ ho;
4 I will also choose to punish them severely and to terrify them, because I called out to them but no one answered; I spoke to them, but no one listened. Instead they did what's evil in my sight, choosing to do what I hate.
enti me nso mɛpɛ aniɛyaadeɛ ayɛ wɔn na mede deɛ wɔsuro bɛba wɔn so. Ɛfiri sɛ mefrɛeɛ no, obiara annye so, mekasaeɛ no, obiara antie. Wɔyɛɛ bɔne wɔ mʼani so na wɔyɛɛ deɛ mempɛ.”
5 Listen to what the Lord has to say, those of you who tremble when he speaks. This is what some of your people who hate you and throw you out have said, “Let the Lord be glorified, so we can see how happy you are!” but it's them who are going to be humiliated.
Montie Awurade asɛm, mo a mote nʼasɛm a mo ho popo: “Mo nuanom mmarimma a me din enti wɔtane mo na wɔatwa mo agya no, wɔka sɛ, ‘Monhyɛ Awurade animuonyam, na yɛahunu mo anigyeɛ!’ Nanso wɔn anim bɛgu ase.
6 Hear all the shouting from the city! Hear all the noise from the Temple! It's the sound of the Lord giving his enemies back what they deserve.
Montie hooyɛ a ɛfiri kuropɔn no mu, montie gyegyeegye a ɛfiri asɔredan no mu! Ɛyɛ Awurade nnyegyeeɛ a ɔde retua nʼatamfoɔ ka sɛdeɛ ɛfata wɔn.
7 She gave birth before she went into labor, she delivered a boy before the pains came.
“Ansa na ɔbaa bɛkyem no, ɔwo; ansa na ɔbɛte awoɔyaa no, ɔwo ɔbabarima.
8 Who has ever heard of anything like this? Who has seen this kind of thing before? Can a country be delivered in a day, can a nation be born in a moment? Yet as soon as Zion went into labor, she gave birth to her children.
Hwan na wate biribi sei ho asɛm pɛn? Hwan na wahunu biribi sei pɛn? Wɔbɛtumi de da koro akyekyere ɔmansin anaa wɔbɛtumi akyekyere ɔman ɛberɛ sin bi mu? Nanso awoɔ ka Sion ara pɛ a ɔwo ne mma.
9 Would I bring a baby to the point of birth and then not deliver it? the Lord asks. Would I who deliver the baby stop it from being born? the Lord asks again.
Mede obi bɛduru awokoɔ ano a memma no nwo anaa?” Sɛdeɛ Awurade seɛ nie. “Mesi awotwaa ano ɛberɛ a awoɔ aduru so anaa?” Wo Onyankopɔn na ɔseɛ.
10 Celebrate with Jerusalem and be happy for her, everyone who loves her; celebrate with her and sing for joy, everyone who mourns over her.
Mo ne Yerusalem ani nnye na monni ahurisie mma no, mo a modɔ no nyinaa; mo ne no nsɛpɛ mo ho yie, mo a modi ne ho awerɛhoɔ nyinaa.
11 Like a baby you can nurse at her breasts that bring comfort, drinking deeply and being satisfied by all she has to give.
Mobɛnum nʼawerɛkyekyerɛ nufoɔ no amee; mobɛnom aboro so na mo ani bɛgye deɛ abu so atra so no ho.
12 This is what the Lord says: Watch! I'm going to give her peace and prosperity like a flowing river, the wealth of nations like an overflowing stream. You will nurse and be carried on her hip and played with on her knees.
Na yei ne deɛ Awurade seɛ: “Mede asomdwoeɛ bɛma no sɛ asubɔnten, ne amanaman no ahonya nso sɛ asutene a ayiri. Mobɛnum na waturu mo wɔ ne basa so na ɔbɛgye mo agorɔ wɔ nʼanankoroma so.
13 Like a mother comforting her child, I will comfort you. You will be comforted in Jerusalem.
Sɛdeɛ ɔbaa kyekye ne ba werɛ no saa ara na mɛkyekye mo werɛ; na mobɛnya awerɛkyekyerɛ wɔ Yerusalem.”
14 When you see this happening, you'll be happy deep inside, and you'll prosper like growing grass. The Lord's power will be recognized as blessing his servants and cursing his enemies.
Sɛ mohunu yei a, mo akoma ani bɛgye na mobɛyɛ frɔmm sɛ ɛserɛ; wɔbɛhunu Awurade nsa wɔ ne nkoa so, nanso wɔbɛhunu nʼabufuhyeɛ wɔ nʼatamfoɔ so.
15 Look! The Lord is coming surrounded by fire, his chariots whirling like the wind, to express his anger with fury, to give his reprimand in flames of fire.
Hwɛ, Awurade de ogya reba, na ne nteaseɛnam te sɛ ntwahoframa; ɔde nʼabufuo bɛba wɔ anibereɛ so, na ɔde gyadɛreeɛ ayɛ nʼanimka.
16 The Lord will execute judgment on everyone by fire and by his sword. There will be many killed by the Lord.
Ogya ne nʼakofena na Awurade de bɛbu nnipa nyinaa atɛn, na wɔn a wɔbɛtotɔ wɔ Awurade nsa ano bɛyɛ bebree.
17 Those who dedicate themselves and make themselves pure in order to enter the sacred gardens, to worship the idol placed in the center, and to eat pork and vermin and rats and other disgusting things—they will all die together, says the Lord.
“Wɔn a wɔte wɔn ho na wɔdwira wɔn ho de kɔ nturo mu kɔsom abosom no, na wɔwe prakonam ne akusie ne nneɛma a ɛyɛ akyiwadeɛ no, wɔn nyinaa bɛhunu wɔn awieeɛ,” sɛdeɛ Awurade seɛ nie.
18 I know what they're doing and what they're thinking. I will soon come to gather all nations and peoples of different languages. They will come and see my glory.
“Esiane wɔn nneyɛɛ ne wɔn nsusuiɛ enti, me, mereba abɛboaboa amanaman ne kasa ahodoɔ ano, na wɔbɛba abɛhunu mʼanimuonyam.
19 I will give them a sign, and I will send some who survive to the nations. They will go to Tarshish, to the Libyans and Lydians (who are famous as archers), to Tubal and Greece, and to the distant lands that haven't heard about me or seen my glory. They will announce my glory among the nations.
“Na mɛyɛ nsɛnkyerɛnneɛ bi wɔ wɔn mu, na mede nkaeɛfoɔ no mu bi bɛkɔ amanaman no mu: Tarsis, Libiafoɔ ne Lidiafoɔ (wɔn a wɔagye edin wɔ agyantoɔ mu), Tubal ne Helafoɔ, ne nsupɔ a ɛwɔ akyirikyiri a wɔntee me din a ahyeta na wɔnhunuu mʼanimuonyam. Wɔbɛpae mu aka mʼanimuonyam wɔ amanaman mu.
20 They will bring back all your people from every nations to my holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to the Lord. They will come on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and camels, says the Lord. They will bring them in the same way the Israelites bring their grain offerings to the Lord's Temple using vessels that are ceremonially clean.
Na wɔde mo nuammarimanom nyinaa bɛfiri amanaman nyinaa so bɛba me bepɔ kronkron a ɛwɔ Yerusalem no so sɛ afɔrebɔdeɛ ama Awurade. Wɔtete apɔnkɔ so ne nteaseɛnam mu ne asako mu ne mfunumpɔnkɔ ne nyoma so bɛba,” sei na Awurade seɛ. “Wɔde wɔn bɛba sɛdeɛ Israelfoɔ de wɔn aduane afɔdeɛ kɔ Awurade asɔredan mu, wɔ afahyɛ nkuruwa a ɛho teɛ mu.
21 I will choose some of them as priests and Levites, says the Lord.
Na mɛyi wɔn mu bi ayɛ asɔfoɔ ne Lewifoɔ,” Awurade, na ɔseɛ!
22 As the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, will last forever, so your descendants and your reputation will also last forever, says the Lord.
“Sɛdeɛ ɔsorosoro foforɔ ne asase foforɔ bɛtena hɔ no, saa ara na mo din ne mo asefoɔ bɛtena hɔ,” sɛdeɛ Awurade seɛ nie.
23 Everyone will come and worship me, from one New Moon to the next, and from one Sabbath to the next, says the Lord.
“Ɛfiri Ɔsrane Foforɔ baako kɔpem foforɔ, ɛfiri Homeda baako kɔsi foforɔ no, adasamma nyinaa bɛba abɛkoto me,” sɛdeɛ Awurade seɛ nie.
24 They will go out and see the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me. The worms that eat them won't die, the fire that burns them won't go out, and everyone who sees them will be horrified.
“Na wɔbɛfiri adi akɔhunu wɔn a wɔtee atua tiaa me no afunu; wɔn asonsono renwu, na wɔn ogya nso rennum, na wɔn ho bɛyɛ adasamma nyinaa nwunu.”