Isaiah 49
1 Listen, islands, to me; and listen, you peoples, from far: YHWH has called me from the womb; from the body of my mother has he made mention of my name:
Muntie 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 has made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand, he has hidden me; and he has made me a polished arrow, in his quiver has he kept me close:
Ɔyɛɛ mʼano sɛ afoa nnamnam, Ɔde me hintaw ne nsa ase nwini mu; ɔde me yɛɛ agyan a ano yɛ nnam na ɔde me hyɛɛ ne boha mu.
3 and he said to me, "You are my servant; Israel, in whom I will be glorified."
Ɔka kyerɛɛ me se, “Woyɛ me somfo, Israel, wo mu na mɛda mʼanuonyam adi.”
4 But I said, "I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely the justice due to me is with YHWH, and my reward with my God."
Nanso mekae se, “Mabrɛ agu masɛe mʼahoɔden kwa, mannya mu hwee nanso nea ɛwɔ me wɔ Awurade nsam na mʼakatua wɔ me Nyankopɔn nkyɛn.”
5 Now says YHWH who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, and that Israel be gathered to him; for I am honorable in the eyes of YHWH, and my God has become my strength.
Na afei, Awurade kasa se, nea ɔnwen me wɔ awotwaa mu sɛ memmɛyɛ ne somfo sɛ memfa Yakob nsan mmra ne nkyɛn na me mmoaboa Israel ano mma no no, wahyɛ me anuonyam wɔ Awurade ani so na me Nyankopɔn ayɛ mʼahoɔden.
6 And he says, "Is it too insignificant a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the remnant of Israel? I will also give you as a light to the nations, that you may bring salvation to the farthest part of the earth."
Ɔka se, “Ɛyɛ ade ketewa bi ma wo sɛ wobɛyɛ me somfo sɛ wode Yakob mmusuakuw bɛsan aba na wode Israelfo a mede wɔn asie bɛsan aba. Mɛma moayɛ amanamanmufo nyinaa kanea, ɛnam mo so na wobegye wiasefo nyinaa nkwa.”
7 Thus says YHWH, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to the one who is despised, to those abhorred as a nation, the servant of rulers: "Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall worship; because of YHWH who is faithful, even the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."
Sɛɛ na Awurade se, Ogyefo ne Israel ɔkronkronni no de kɔma nea aman buu no animtiaa na wokyii no, ahemfo somfo no; “Ahene behu wo na wɔasɔre ahenemma behu wo na wɔakotow wo esiane Awurade a ɔyɛ ɔnokwafo, Israel ɔkronkronni a wayi wo no nti.”
8 Thus says YHWH, "In an acceptable time I have answered you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you; and I will preserve you, and give you as a covenant to the people, to raise up the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritage:
Sɛɛ na Awurade se: “Bere a ɛsɛ mu no, mebua wo, na nkwagyeda no, mɛboa wo; mɛkora wo na mede wo ayɛ apam ama nkurɔfo no, de agye asase no asi hɔ akyekyɛ agyapade ahorow a asɛe no bio,
9 saying to those who are bound, 'Come out.'; to those who are in darkness, 'Show yourselves.' "They shall feed in the ways, and on all bare heights shall be their pasture.
wobɛka akyerɛ nneduafo se, ‘Mumfi mmra!’ ne wɔn a wɔwɔ sum mu se, ‘Momfa mo ho nni!’ “Wobedidi wɔ akwan ho wobenya adidibea wɔ koko kesee biara so.
10 They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun strike them: for he who has mercy on them will lead them, even by springs of water he will guide them.
Ɔkɔm renne wɔn na osukɔm nso renne wɔn; nweatam so hyew ne owia ano hyew renka wɔn, nea ɔwɔ ayamhyehye ma wɔn no bɛkyerɛ wɔn kwan na ɔde wɔn akɔ nsuaniwa ho.
11 I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.
Mɛyɛ me mmepɔw nyinaa akwan, na mʼatempɔn nso mɛma akrɔn.
12 Look, these shall come from far; and look, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Syene."
Hwɛ, wufi akyirikyiri bɛba ebinom befi atifi fam, ebinom befi atɔe fam ebinom nso befi Sinin mantam mu.”
13 Sing, heavens; and be joyful, earth; and break forth into singing, mountains: for YHWH has comforted his people, and will have compassion on his afflicted.
Momfa anigye nteɛ mu, ɔsoro; di ahurusi, asase; mompae mu nnwonto mu, mmepɔw! Na Awurade kyekye ne nkurɔfo werɛ, na obehu nʼamanehunufo mmɔbɔ.
14 But Zion said, "YHWH has forsaken me, and my Lord has forgotten me."
Nanso Sion kae se, “Awurade agyaw me hɔ, Awurade werɛ afi me.”
15 "Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, these may forget, yet I will not forget you.
“Ɛna werɛ betumi afi ne ba a otua nufu ano a ɔrennya ayamhyehye mma ɔba a waturu no no ana? Ebia ne werɛ befi, na me werɛ remfi wo!
16 Look, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.
Hwɛ, makurukyerɛw wo din agu me nsa yam wʼafasu wɔ mʼani so daa.
17 Your builders hurry; your destroyers and those who devastated you shall depart from you.
Mo mmabarima resan aba ntɛm so; na wɔn a wɔsɛe mo no refi mo nkyɛn akɔ.
18 Lift up your eyes all around, and see: all these gather themselves together, and come to you. As I live," says YHWH, "you shall surely clothe yourself with them all as with an ornament, and dress yourself with them, like a bride.
Momma mo ani so nhwɛ mo ho nhyia; mo mmabarima nyinaa reboa wɔn ho ano aba mo nkyɛn. Sɛ mete ase yi” sɛnea Awurade se, “mode wɔn bɛyɛ ahyehyɛde ama mo ho mubefura wɔn sɛ ayeforokunu.
19 "For, as for your waste and your desolate places, and your land that has been destroyed, surely now you shall be too small for the inhabitants, and those who swallowed you up shall be far away.
“Ɛwɔ mu sɛ wɔsɛee mo yɛɛ mo pasaa maa mo asase daa mpan, afei nnipa bɛhyɛ wo so ma, ama aboro wo so, na wɔn a wɔsɛee wo no bɛkɔ akyirikyiri.
20 The children of your bereavement shall yet say in your ears, The place is too small for me; give place to me that I may dwell.
Mmofra a wɔwoo wɔn wɔ mo nna bɔne mu no bɛka ama moate sɛ, ‘Ɛha sua ma yɛn dodo; momma yɛn asase no bi nka ho na yɛntena so.’
21 Then you will say in your heart, 'Who has conceived these for me, since I have been bereaved of my children, and am solitary, an exile, and wandering back and forth? Who has brought up these? Look, I was left alone; these, where were they?'"
Na wobɛka wɔ wo koma mu se, ‘Hena na ɔwoo eyinom maa me? Na meyɛ ɔwerɛhowni ne obonin; wotuu me kɔɔ asase foforo so na wɔpoo me. Hena na ɔtetew eyinom? Wogyaw me nko ara na eyinom, he na wofi bae?’”
22 Thus says the Lord YHWH, "Look, I will lift up my hand to the nations, and set up my banner to the peoples; and they shall bring your sons in their bosom, and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.
Sɛɛ na Asafo Awurade se: “Hwɛ, menyama amanamanmufo, mɛma me frankaa no so akyerɛ nkurɔfo no wobeturu wo mmabarima wɔ wɔn nsa so aba na wɔbɛsoa wo mmabea wɔ wɔn mmati so.
23 Kings shall be your nursing fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers: they shall bow down to you with their faces to the earth, and lick the dust of your feet; and you shall know that I am YHWH; and those who wait for me shall not be disappointed."
Ahemfo bɛyɛ mo agyanom nsiananmu, na wɔn ahemmea ayɛ ɛnanom a wɔbɛhwɛ mo. Wɔbɛkotow mo a wɔn anim butubutuw fam; wɔbɛtaforo mo nan ase mfutuma. Afei mubehu sɛ mene Awurade. Wɔn a wɔn ani da me so no, merenni wɔn huammɔ.”
24 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the captives of a tyrant be delivered?
Wobetumi agye asade afi akofo nsam; anaa wobetumi agye nnommumfo afi otirimɔdenfo nsam?
25 But thus says YHWH, "Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the tyrant shall be delivered; for I will contend with him who contends with you, and I will save your children.
Nanso, sɛɛ na Awurade se: “Yiw, wobegye nnommumfo afi akofo nsam na wɔagye asade afi otirimɔdenfo nsam; me ne wɔn a wɔne wo nya no benya na megye wo mma nkwa.
26 I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh; and they shall be drunk with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I, YHWH, am your Savior, and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob."
Mema wɔn a wɔhyɛ wo so no awe wɔn ankasa honam; wɔn mogya bɛbow wɔn sɛnea wɔanom nsa. Afei adesamma nyinaa behu sɛ me, Awurade, me ne wʼAgyenkwa no, wo Gyefo, Yakob Tumfo No.”
