< Isaiah 44 >
1 Yet now hear, O Jacob My servant, and Israel, whom I have chosen;
“Ke azɔ la, ɖo to, o nye dɔla Yakob, Israel, ame si metia.
2 Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, who will help thee: Fear not, O Jacob My servant, and thou, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.
Ale Yehowa ame si wɔ wò, ame si me wò ɖe vidzidɔ me, ame si akpe ɖe ŋuwò la gblɔe nye esi, Mègavɔ̃ o, O! Yakob, nye dɔla. Yerusalem, ame si metia,
3 For I will pour water upon the thirsty land, and streams upon the dry ground; I will pour My spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thine offspring;
elabena makɔ tsi ɖe kuɖiɖinyigba dzi kple tɔʋuwo ɖe anyigba ƒuƒu dzi. Makɔ nye gbɔgbɔ ɖe viwòwo dzi kple nye yayra ɖe wò dzidzimeviwo dzi.
4 And they shall spring up among the grass, as willows by the watercourses.
Woamie abe gbe si le gbedzi ene, eye woanɔ abe amutiwo le tɔʋuwo to ene.
5 One shall say: 'I am the LORD'S'; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel.
Ɖeka agblɔ be, ‘Yehowa tɔ menye.’ Bubu atsɔ Yakob ƒe ŋkɔ na eɖokui, eye ame bubu hã aŋlɔ ɖe eƒe asi ŋuti be, ‘Yehowa tɔ,’ eye wòatsɔ ŋkɔ be Israel.
6 Thus saith the LORD, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer the LORD of hosts: I am the first, and I am the last, and beside Me there is no God.
“Ale Yehowa, Israel ƒe Fia kple Ɖela, Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ la gblɔe nye esi: Nyee nye gbãtɔ kple mlɔetɔ. Mawu bubu aɖeke mekpe ɖe ŋunye o.
7 And who, as I, can proclaim — let him declare it, and set it in order for Me — since I appointed the ancient people? And the things that are coming, and that shall come to pass, let them declare.
Ekema ame kae sɔ kplim? Neɖe gbeƒãe. Neva gblɔe, eye wòaɖee afia le ŋkunye me, nu siwo dzɔ tso esime meɖo nye blemamewo gɔme anyi kple nu si gbɔna eme va ge. Ɛ̃, negblɔ nu si ava dzɔ.
8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid; have I not announced unto thee of old, and declared it? And ye are My witnesses. Is there a God beside Me? Yea, there is no Rock; I know not any.
Migadzo nyanyanya o. Migavɔ̃ o. Ɖe nyemeɖe gbeƒã esia, eye megblɔe da ɖi gbe aɖe gbe ke oa? Miawoe nye nye ɖasefowo. Ɖe Mawu bubu aɖe gali kpe ɖe ŋunyea? Ao, Agakpe aɖeke megali o.”
9 They that fashion a graven image are all of them vanity, and their delectable things shall not profit; and their own witnesses see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.
Ame siwo katã ha legbawo la, mele ɖeke me o, eye nu siwo ŋu wode asixɔxɔe la nye tofloko. Ame siwo ƒoa nu ɖe wo nu la nye ŋkugbagbãtɔwo, numanyala siwo menya ŋukpe o.
10 Who hath fashioned a god, or molten an image that is profitable for nothing?
Ame kae kpa aklamakpakpɛ mawo, eye wòli legba si mahe viɖe aɖeke vɛ nɛ o?
11 Behold, all the fellows thereof shall be ashamed; and the craftsmen skilled above men; let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; they shall fear, they shall be ashamed together.
Woado ŋukpe aklamakpakpɛwɔla kple aklamakpakpɛ la siaa, elabena aɖaŋudɔwɔlawo hã, amegbetɔwo ko wonye. Wo katã neƒo ƒu ne woaɖo kpe nu dzi, ke hã la, woaƒo wo aƒu anyi kple ŋɔdzi kple dɔléle.
12 The smith maketh an axe, and worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with his strong arm; yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth; he drinketh no water, and is faint.
Gbede tsɔ eƒe dɔwɔnu de gayibɔdzo me. Etsɔ eƒe zu wɔ dɔ le gayibɔ la ŋu kple eƒe abɔ sesẽ, eye wòwɔe wòzu legba. Dɔ wui, eye wògbɔdzɔ. Meno tsi o, ale nu ti kɔ nɛ vevie.
13 The carpenter stretcheth out a line; he marketh it out with a pencil; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compasses, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man, to dwell in the house.
Atikpala tsɔ nudzidzenu, eye wòtsɔ ɣe te fli ɖe teƒe siwo wòdzidze. Etsɔ nukpafi zrɔ̃ teƒeteƒewoe, eye wòtsɔ nudzidzega dzidzee. Ekpae ɖe ame ƒe nɔnɔme me, le ame ƒe dzedze nyuitɔ me be wòate ŋu atsɔe ada ɖe trɔ̃xɔ me.
14 He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the ilex and the oak, and strengtheneth for himself one among the trees of the forest; he planteth a bay-tree, and the rain doth nourish it.
Atikpala la lã sedati, papawu alo logoti. Ena wòtsi le avemetiwo dome. Ɖewohĩ edo gboti hã, eye tsidzadza na wòtsi.
15 Then a man useth it for fuel; and he taketh thereof, and warmeth himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.
Ame la tsɔe wɔ nakee. Etsɔ ɖe do dzoe le ƒuƒum. Etsɔ ɖe do dzoe, me abolo. Etsɔ ɖe wɔ mawue. Ke etsɔ ɖe wɔ mawue hesubɔna, eye wòtsɔ ɖe wɔ aklamakpakpɛ hedea ta agu nɛ.
16 He burneth the half thereof in the fire; with the half thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied; yea, he warmeth himself, and saith: 'Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire';
Etsɔ ati la ƒe afã do dzoe heɖa nu le edzi. Eme lã le edzi, eye wòɖu nu ɖi ƒo. Azɔ eƒu dzo la hegblɔ be: “Aa! Mekpɔ dzo le ƒuƒum, eye nye lãme xɔ dzo.”
17 And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image; he falleth down unto it and worshippeth, and prayeth unto it, and saith: 'Deliver me, for thou art my god.'
Etsɔ ati la ƒe mamlɛa wɔ aklamakpakpɛ, mawu si wòdea ta agu na hesubɔna. Edo gbe ɖa nɛ be, “Ɖem, wòe nye nye mawu.”
18 They know not, neither do they understand; for their eyes are bedaubed, that they cannot see, and their hearts, that they cannot understand.
Ame siawo menya naneke o. Womese naneke gɔme o. Nu tsyɔ woƒe ŋkuwo dzi be womegakpɔ nu o, eye woƒe susuwo me xe be womagase naneke gɔme o.
19 And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say: 'I have burned the half of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh and eaten it; and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? Shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?'
Nunya mele wo dometɔ aɖeke si wòagblɔ be, “Metsɔ afã wɔ nakee. Meme abolo gɔ̃ hã le eƒe dzokawo dzi, eye meme lã hã le edzi heɖu o. Ɖe matsɔ mamlɛa awɔ ŋunyɔnuea? Ɖe madze klo na atikpoa.”
20 He striveth after ashes, a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say: 'Is there not a lie in my right hand?'
Etsɔ eƒe susu da ɖe dzofi dzi, eye dzi si woble la kplɔe trae, ale mate ŋu aɖe eɖokui alo agblɔ be, “Ɖe nu si melé ɖe nye nuɖusime la menye aʋatso oa?”
21 Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for thou art My servant; I have formed thee, thou art Mine own servant; O Israel, thou shouldest not forget Me.
“Ɖo ŋku nu siawo dzi, O! Yakob, elabena wòe nye nye dɔla, O! Israel. Nyee me wò, eye nye dɔlae nènye. O! Israel, nyemaŋlɔ wò be akpɔ o.
22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins; return unto Me, for I have redeemed thee.
Mekplɔ wò vodadawo dzoe abe lilikpo ene, eye mena wò nu vɔ̃wo nu va yi abe ahũ si dza le fɔŋli ene. Trɔ̃ va gbɔnye, elabena meɖe wò.”
23 Sing, O ye heavens, for the LORD hath done it; shout, ye lowest parts of the earth; break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein; for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and doth glorify Himself in Israel.
O! Dziƒowo, midzi ha kple dzidzɔ, elabena Yehowae wɔ esia. O! Anyigba do ɣli sesĩe. Mido ha ɖa, mi towo, avewo kple avemetiwo, elabena Yehowa ɖe Yakob. Eɖe eƒe Ŋutikɔkɔefia le Israel.
24 Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, and He that formed thee from the womb: I am the LORD, that maketh all things; that stretched forth the heavens alone; that spread abroad the earth by Myself;
“Ale Yehowa, wò Ɖela, ame si me wò ɖe dɔ me la gblɔe nye esi: “Nyee nye Yehowa si wɔ nuwo katã. Ame si he dziƒowo me, eye nye ŋutɔe keke anyigbawo me.
25 That frustrateth the tokens of the imposters, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;
Nyee gblẽa alakpanyagblɔɖilawo ƒe dzesiwo me, eye medoa abunɛ bokɔwo ƒe nukakawo, ame si ɖea nunyalawo le zi dzi, eye wòtrɔa woƒe nunya wòzua bometsitsi.
26 That confirmeth the word of His servant, and performeth the counsel of His messengers; that saith of Jerusalem: 'She shall be inhabited'; and of the cities of Judah: 'They shall be built, and I will raise up the waste places thereof';
Ame si wɔna ɖe eƒe dɔlawo ƒe biabiawo dzi, eye wònaa eƒe dɔlawo ƒe nyagblɔɖiwo vaa eme. “Ame si gblɔ le Yerusalem ŋu be, ‘Amewo aganɔ me wò,’ na Yuda ƒe duwo be, ‘Woagbugbɔ mi atso,’ eye na aƒedowo be, ‘Magbugbɔ mi aɖo te.’
27 That saith to the deep: 'Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers';
Ame si gblɔ na tɔ goglowo be, ‘Mimie, mana mia me tsiwo namie.’
28 That saith of Cyrus: 'He is My shepherd, and shall perform all My pleasure'; even saying of Jerusalem: 'She shall be built'; and to the temple: 'My foundation shall be laid.'
Ame si gblɔ le fia Sirus ŋu be, ‘Eyae nye nye alẽkplɔla, eye awɔ nu siwo katã dze ŋunye. Agblɔ le Yerusalem ŋu be, “Woagbugbɔe atu,” eye le gbedoxɔ la ŋu be, “Mina woaɖo eƒe gɔmeɖokpewo anyi.”’