Isaiah 42
1 Behold my servant, whom I will uphold; my elect, in whom my soul delighteth: I have put my spirit upon him, that he may bring forth justice to the nations.
“Me ɔsomfoɔ a mahyɛ no den nie, deɛ mayi noɔ na ɔsɔ mʼani; mede me Honhom bɛgu no so na ɔde atɛntenenee bɛbrɛ aman no.
2 He shall not cry, nor call out aloud, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.
Ɔrenteam anaa ɔremma ne nne so. Ɔremma ne nne so wɔ mmɔntene so.
3 A cracked reed will he not break, and a dimly burning wick will he not quench: unto truth shall he bring forth justice.
Demmire a ayɛ mmerɛ no, ɔremmu mu. Kanea ntoma a ɛnnɛre yie no, ɔrennum. Nokorɛ mu na ɔbɛda tenenee adi;
4 He shall not become fatigued and not be faint, till he have established justice on earth; and the isles shall wait for his law.
ɔrenhinhim na nʼabamu remmu kɔsi sɛ ɔde tenenee bɛba asase so. Ne mmara so na amanaman no de wɔn ani bɛtoɔ.”
5 Thus hath said God the Lord, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and the things which come out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to those that walk thereon:
Yei ne deɛ Onyankopɔn, Awurade no seɛ, deɛ ɔbɔɔ ɔsoro na ɔtrɛɛ mu, deɛ ɔtwee asase mu ne deɛ ɛfiri mu nyinaa, deɛ ɔma wɔn a wɔte so ahome, na ɔma wɔn a wɔnante soɔ no nkwa:
6 I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will lay hold on thy hand, and will keep thee, and appoint thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the nations;
“Me, Awurade, mafrɛ wo tenenee mu; mɛsɔ wo nsa. Mɛhwɛ wo so na mede wo ayɛ apam ama nkurɔfoɔ no ne kanea ama amanamanmufoɔ,
7 To open blind eyes, to bring out from the dungeon the prisoner, and out of the prison-house those that dwell in darkness.
na woabue ani a afira, na woayi nneduafoɔ afiri afiase na woagye wɔn a wɔda afiase amena mu, wɔn a wɔte esum kabii mu no.
8 I am the Everlasting One, that is my name; and my glory will I not give to any other, nor my praise to graven images.
“Mene Awurade; me din ne no! Meremfa mʼanimuonyam mma obi anaa mʼayɛyie mma ahoni.
9 The former things, behold, are come to pass; and new things do I announce; before they spring forth I let you hear of them.
Hwɛ, nneɛma dada no atwam, na nneɛma foforɔ no mepae mu ka; ansa na ɛbɛba mu no meka kyerɛ mo.”
10 Sing unto the Lord a new song, his praise from the end of the earth; ye that go down to the sea, and all that filleth it; the isles, and their inhabitants.
Monto dwom foforɔ mma Awurade! Nʼayɛyie mfiri asase ano, mo a mokɔ ɛpo so ne deɛ ɛwo mu nyinaa, mo nsupɔ ne wɔn a wɔtete so nyinaa.
11 Let resound with song the wilderness and its cities, the villages which Kedar inhabiteth: let the inhabitants of the rocks sing, let them shout forth from the top of the mountains.
Ma anweatam ne ɛso nkuro mma wɔn nne so; ma atenaeɛ a Kedar te soɔ no nsɛpɛ wɔn ho. Ma nnipa a wɔwɔ Sela nto anigye dwom; ma wɔn nteam mfiri mmepɔ no atifi!
12 Let them give glory unto the Lord, and in the islands declare his praise.
Ma wɔnhyɛ Awurade animuonyam; na wɔmpae mu nka nʼayɛyie no wɔ nsupɔ no so.
13 The Lord—as a mighty one will he go forth, like a man of war will he arouse his vengeance: he will shout, yea, raise the war-cry; against his enemies will he show his strength.
Awurade bɛpue aba sɛ ɔkatakyie, te sɛ ɔkofoni no, ɔbɛhyɛ ne mmɔdemmɔ mu den; ɔde nteam bɛyɛ ɔkofrɛ na ɔbɛdi nʼatamfoɔ so nkonim.
14 I have a long time held my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: [now] like a travailing woman will I cry; I will destroy and devour [all] together.
“Mayɛ komm akyɛre, mayɛ dinn na mahyɛ me ho so. Nanso, afei, te sɛ ɔbaa a ɔrewoɔ no, meteam, mehome a ɛnsi so na mehome ɔherɛ so.
15 I will lay waste mountains and hills, and all their herbs will I dry up; and I will change the rivers into islands, and pools will I dry up.
Mɛsɛe mmepɔ ne nkokoɔ no na mahye ɛso afifideɛ nyinaa. Mɛdane nsubɔntene ma ayɛ nsupɔ, na mama atadeɛ awewe.
16 And I will cause the blind to walk on a way that they have not known; on paths that they have not known will I lead them: I will change darkness before them into light, and crooked places into plains. These are the things which I will do, and not leave them [unfulfilled].
Mɛdi anifirafoɔ anim afa ɛkwan a wɔnnim so, akwan a wɔnnim so papa so na mɛkyerɛ wɔn kwan. Mɛma esum no ayɛ hann wɔ wɔn anim, na mayɛ mmea a ɛyɛ mmomkyi mmɔnka no tromtrom. Yeinom ne nneɛma a mɛyɛ; merennya wɔn mu.
17 They shall be turned back, they shall be ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to molten idols, Ye are our gods.
Na wɔn a wɔde wɔn ho to ahoni so, na wɔka kyerɛ nsɛsodeɛ sɛ, ‘Moyɛ yɛn anyame’ no, mɛpam wɔn animguaseɛ mu.”
18 Ye deaf, hear; and ye blind, look up, that ye may see.
“Tie, wo ɔsotifoɔ; hwɛ, wo onifirani na hunu!
19 Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger whom I send? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the servant of the Lord?
Hwan ne ɔnifirafoɔ sɛ me ɔsomfoɔ, na ɔyɛ ɔsotifoɔ sɛ ɔbɔfoɔ a mesoma noɔ? Hwan na nʼani afira sɛ deɛ ɔde ne werɛ ahyɛ me mu? Anaa hwan na nʼani afira sɛ Awurade ɔsomfoɔ?
20 Thou seest many things, but observest not; the ears are open, but he heareth not.
Woahunu nneɛma bebree, nanso amfa wo ho; Wʼasom da ɛkwan, nanso wonte hwee.”
21 The Lord willed [to do this] for the sake of his righteousness; [therefore] he magnifieth the law, and maketh it honorable.
Ɛsɔɔ Awurade ani ne tenenee enti sɛ ɔbɛma ne mmara ayɛ kɛseɛ na anya animuonyam.
22 But it is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them ensnared in holes, and in prison-houses are they hidden: they are become for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore.
Nanso saa nnipa a wɔawia wɔn na wɔafo wɔn yi, wɔn nyinaa aka amena mu anaa wɔde wɔn asie wɔ nneduadan mu. Wɔayɛ wɔn afodeɛ na wɔnni obi a ɔbɛgye wɔn; wɔayɛ wɔn korɔnodeɛ na wɔnni obi a ɔbɛka sɛ, “Momfa wɔn nsane nkɔ.”
23 Who among you will give ear to this? will hearken and listen, for the time to come?
Mo mu hwan na ɔbɛtie yei anaa ɔbɛdwene ho yie akyire yi?
24 Who gave up Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to plunderers? was it not the Lord? he it is against whom we have sinned; for they would not walk in his ways, neither did they hearken unto his law.
Hwan na ɔde Yakob maa sɛ ɔmmɛyɛ korɔnodeɛ, na ɔde Israel maa afomfoɔ? Ɛnyɛ Awurade a yɛayɛ bɔne atia no no? Ɛfiri sɛ wɔannante nʼakwan so; na wɔanni ne mmara so.
25 Therefore hath he poured out over him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle: and it blazed all round about him, yet he regarded it not; and it burnt on him, yet he laid it not to heart.
Enti ɔhwiee nʼabufuhyeɛ guu wɔn so, akodie mu basabasayɛ. Ɛde egyadɛreɛ bunkam wɔn so, nanso wɔante aseɛ. Ɛhyee wɔn, nanso amfa wɔn ho.
