Isaiah 49

1 Hearken, O isles, unto me; and listen, ye people, from afar: The Lord hath called me from my birth; from my mother's womb hath he made mention of my name.

Montie me, mo mpoano aman; monyɛ aso mo akyirikyiri aman ansa na wɔrebɛwo me no, Awurade frɛɛ me ɔbɔɔ me din ansa na wɔrewo me.

2 And he hath rendered my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hidden me: and he hath rendered me as a polished arrow; in his quiver hath he concealed me;

Ɔyɛɛ mʼano sɛ akofena nnamnnam, Ɔde me hintaa ne nsa ase nwunu mu; ɔde me yɛɛ agyan a ano yɛ nnam na ɔde me hyɛɛ ne bɔha mu.

3 And said unto me, My servant art thou, O Israel, thou on whom I will be glorified.

Ɔka kyerɛɛ me sɛ, “Woyɛ me ɔsomfoɔ, Israel, wo mu na mɛda mʼanimuonyam adi.”

4 But I had indeed said, For no purpose have I labored, for naught and vanity have I spent my strength; yet surely my cause is with the Lord, and the recompense of my work with my God.

Nanso mekaa sɛ, “Mabrɛ agu masɛe mʼahoɔden kwa, mannya mu hwee nanso mede me ho ato Awurade so na mʼakatua wɔ me Onyankopɔn nkyɛn.”

5 And now hath said the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, that Israel may be gathered unto him, that I should be honored in the eyes of the Lord, while my God was my strength, —

Na afei, Awurade akasa: deɛ ɔnwonoo me wɔ awotwaa mu sɛ memmɛyɛ ne ɔsomfoɔ na memfa Yakob nsane mmra ne nkyɛn na me mmoaboa Israel ano mma no no. Awurade ahyɛ me animuonyam na me Onyankopɔn ayɛ mʼahoɔden.

6 And he said, It is too light a thing that thou shouldst be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to bring back the preserved of Israel! but I will [also] appoint thee for a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach as far as the end of the earth.

Ɔka sɛ, “Wobɛyɛ me ɔsomfoɔ a wode Yakob mmusuakuo bɛsane aba, na wode Israelfoɔ a mede wɔn asie nso bɛsane aba. Nanso, mɛma woayɛ amanamanmufoɔ nyinaa kanea, ɛnam wo so na wɔbɛgye ewiasefoɔ nyinaa nkwa.”

7 Thus hath said the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, his Holy One, to him who is despised by men, to him who is abhorred by nations, to the servant of rulers, Kings shall see it and rise up, princes, and they shall prostrate themselves, for the sake of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who hath made choice of thee.

Sei na Awurade seɛ, Ɔgyefoɔ ne Israel Ɔkronkronni no de asɛm yi kɔma deɛ ɔman no buu no animtia na wɔkyirii no, deɛ ɔyɛ sodifoɔ ɔsomfoɔ no: “Ahene bɛhunu wo na wɔasɔre ahenemma bɛhunu wo na wɔakoto wo ɛsiane Awurade a ɔyɛ nokwafoɔ, Israel ɔkronkronni a wayi woɔ no enti.”

8 Thus hath said the Lord, In the time of favor have I answered thee, and on the day of salvation have I helped thee; and I will preserve thee, and I will appoint thee as a people of my covenant to raise up the land, to divide out desolate heritages;

Sei na Awurade seɛ: “Ɛberɛ a ɛsɛ mu no, mɛbua wo, na nkwagyeɛ da no, mɛboa wo; mɛkora wo na mede wo ayɛ apam ama nkurɔfoɔ no, de agye asase no asi hɔ akyekyɛ agyapadeɛ ahodoɔ a asɛe no bio.

9 When I say to the prisoners, Go forth; to those that are in darkness, Show yourselves. On the roads shall they feed, and on all mountain-peaks shall be their pasture.

Wobɛka akyerɛ nneduafoɔ sɛ, ‘Momfiri mmra!’ ne wɔn a wɔwɔ esum mu sɛ, ‘Momfa mo ho nni!’ “Wɔbɛdidi wɔ akwan ho. Wɔbɛnya adidibea wɔ kokoɔ bonini biara so.

10 They shall not be hungry nor thirsty, and neither heat nor sun shall smite them; for he that hath mercy on them will lead them, and by springs of water will he guide them.

Ɛkɔm renne wɔn na osukɔm nso renne wɔn; anweatam so hyeɛ ne owia ano hyeɛ renka wɔn. Deɛ ɔwɔ ayamhyehyeɛ ma wɔn no bɛkyerɛ wɔn kwan na ɔde wɔn akɔ nsutire ho.

11 And I will change all my mountains into a road, and my highways shall be lifted up.

Mɛyɛ me mmepɔ nyinaa akwan, na mʼakwantempɔn nso mɛma akorɔn.

12 Behold, these shall come from afar; and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.

Hwɛ, wɔfiri akyirikyiri bɛba ebinom bɛfiri atifi fam, ebinom bɛfiri atɔeɛ fam ebinom nso bɛfiri Sinin mantam mu.”

13 Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth, O mountains, into song; for the Lord hath comforted his people, and upon his oppressed will he have mercy.

Momfa anigyeɛ nteam, Ao ɔsoro; di ahurisie, Ao asase; monto nnwom, Ao mmepɔ! Na Awurade kyekye ne nkurɔfoɔ werɛ, na ɔbɛhunu nʼamanehunufoɔ mmɔbɔ.

14 Yet Zion said, the Eternal hath forsaken me, and the Lord hath forgotten me.

Nanso, Sion kaa sɛ, “Awurade agya me hɔ, Awurade werɛ afiri me.”

15 Can a woman forget her sucking child, not to have mercy on the son of her body? yea, should these even forget, yet would I not forget thee.

“Ɔbaa werɛ bɛtumi afiri ne ba a ɔtua nufoɔ ano a ɔrennya ayamhyehyeɛ mma ɔba a waturu no anaa? Ebia ne werɛ bɛfiri, na me werɛ remfiri wo!

16 Behold, upon the palms of my hands have I engraved thee; thy walls are continually before me.

Hwɛ, makrukyire wo din agu me nsa yam wʼafasuo wɔ mʼani so daa.

17 Thy children come in haste; thy destroyers and they that laid thee waste shall go away from thee.

Mo mmammarima resane aba ntɛm so; na wɔn a wɔsɛe mo no refiri mo nkyɛn akɔ.

18 Lift up thy eyes round about, and see; they all are assembled together, they come to thee: as I live, saith the Lord, thou shalt surely clothe thyself with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as a bride.

Momma mo ani so na monhwɛ mo ho nhyia; mo mmammarima nyinaa reboa wɔn ho ano aba mo nkyɛn. Sɛ mete ase yi” sɛdeɛ Awurade seɛ, “mode wɔn bɛyɛ ahyehyɛdeɛ ama mo ho mode wɔn bɛfira sɛ ayeforɔkunu.

19 For thy ruins and thy desolate places, and thy wasted land, —yea, now shall it be too narrow for thee by reason of the inhabitants, and thy destroyers shall be far away.

“Ɛwom sɛ wɔsɛee mo yɛɛ mo pasaa maa mo asase daa mpan deɛ, nanso, afei nnipa bɛhyɛ mo so ma, ama aboro mo so, na wɔn a wɔsɛee mo no bɛkɔ akyirikyiri.

20 Yet again will say before thy ears the children of whom thou wast deprived, The place is too narrow for me; make room for me that I may dwell.

Mmɔfra a wɔwoo wɔn wɔ mo nnabɔne mu no bɛka ama moate sɛ, ‘Ɛha sua ma yɛn dodo; momma yɛn asase no bi nka ho na yɛntena so.’

21 And thou wilt say in thy heart, Who hath born me these, seeing I was bereft of my children, and was solitary, an exile, and outcast? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left entirely alone; these, where have they been?

Na wobɛka wɔ wʼakoma mu sɛ, ‘Hwan na ɔwoo yeinom maa me? Na meyɛ ɔwerɛhoni ne obonini; wɔtuu me kɔɔ asase foforɔ so na wɔpoo me. Hwan na ɔtetee yeinom? Wɔgyaa me nko ara na yeinom, ɛhe na wɔfiri baeɛ?’”

22 Thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Behold, I will lift up to the nations my hand, and to the people will I raise up high my standard; and they shall bring thy sons in [their] arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon shoulders.

Sei na Asafo Awurade seɛ: “Hwɛ, mɛnyama amanamanmufoɔ, mɛpagya me frankaa no akyerɛ nkurɔfoɔ no. Wɔbɛturu mo mmammarima wɔ wɔn nsa so aba na wɔbɛsoa mo mmammaa wɔ wɔn mmatire so.

23 And kings shall be thy nursing-fathers, and their princesses thy nursing-mothers; with the face toward the earth shall they bow down to thee, and the dust of thy feet shall they lick up: and thou shalt know that I am the Lord, who will not suffer those who hope in me to be ashamed.

Ahemfo bɛyɛ mo agyanom nsiananmu, na wɔn ahemaa ayɛ maamenom a wɔbɛhwɛ mo. Wɔbɛkoto mo a wɔn anim butubutu fam; wɔbɛtafere mo nan ase mfuturo. Afei mobɛhunu sɛ me ne Awurade; Wɔn a wɔn ani da me so no, merenni wɔn hwammɔ.”

24 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or shall the captive of the victor escape?

Hwan na ɔbɛtumi agye afodeɛ afiri akofoɔ nsam; anaa hwan na ɔbɛtumi agye nnommumfoɔ afiri otirimuɔdenfoɔ nsam?

25 For thus hath said the Lord, Also the captive of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the powerful shall escape; and with those who contend against thee will I contend, and thy children will I indeed save.

Nanso, sei na Awurade seɛ: “Aane, mɛgye nnommumfoɔ afiri akofoɔ nsam na mɛgye afodeɛ afiri otirimuɔdenfoɔ nsam; me ne wɔn a wɔne mo nya no bɛnya na mɛgye mo mma nkwa.

26 And I will feed thy oppressors with their own flesh; and as with new wine shall they be made drunken with their own blood: and all flesh shall know that I the Eternal am thy Saviour, and thy Redeemer the Mighty One of Jacob.

Mema wɔn a wɔhyɛ mo so no awe wɔn ankasa honam; wɔn mogya bɛbo wɔn sɛdeɛ wɔanom nsã. Afei adasamma nyinaa bɛhunu sɛ me, Awurade, me ne wʼAgyenkwa no, mo Gyefoɔ, Yakob Otumfoɔ No.”