Isaiah 41
1 [Yahweh says], “You [people who live on] [APO] islands in the ocean, be silent in front of me [while I ask you some questions]! Then you can be courageous and talk to me. We will meet together and decide [which one of us is right].
Iles, faites silence pour m’entendre! Que les peuples renouvellent leurs forces, qu’ils approchent et ensuite prennent la parole! Ensemble, nous allons comparaître en justice.
2 Who has urged this king to come from the east? Who has enabled his [army] to righteously defeat many nations and to trample their kings under their feet? With their swords they cut [their enemies] into tiny pieces [HYP]; with their arrows they cause their enemies to scatter like [SIM] the wind scatters chaff.
Qui l’a suscité de l’Orient, celui qui appelle le droit à suivre ses pas? Qui lui livre les nations? Qui lui soumet les rois? Son glaive réduit les choses en poussière, son arc fait de tout une paille qui s’envole.
3 Even though they march through areas where they have not gone previously, they pursue [their enemies] and continue to march, and nothing stops them.
Il les poursuit, il avance sain et sauf sur une route que ses pieds n’avaient point foulée.
4 Who has enabled rulers to do [DOU] mighty things like that? Who has done that throughout all generations? It is I, Yahweh; I was the first [one to do things like that], and I will be the last one [to do them].”
Qui a fait, qui a exécuté tout cela? Celui qui, dès le commencement, appelle les générations à l’être, moi, l’Eternel, qui suis le Premier et demeure encore avec les derniers.
5 [People who live on] [PRS] islands in the ocean are afraid while they watch. People in remote areas tremble and gather together.
Les îles le voient et prennent peur, les confins de la terre tremblent. On se rapproche, on accourt.
6 They encourage each other and say to each other, “Be strong!'
L’Un prête assistance à l’autre et chacun dit à son frère: "Courage!"
7 The craftsmen encourage those who make things from gold, and the men who flatten metal encourage those who hammer metal (on an anvil/into shape). They all say, “The idol has been well made!” And then they carefully nail down the idol in order that it will not topple over!
Le sculpteur encourage l’orfèvre, celui qui polit au marteau réconforte l’ouvrier qui frappe l’enclume et dit de la soudure: "C’Est bien!" Puis on consolide l’idole avec des clous, pour qu’elle ne branle pas.
8 [Yahweh says], “[You people of] Israel [are like] my servants; you are [descendants of] Jacob, whom I chose; [you are] descendants of Abraham, who [I said is] my friend.
Mais toi, Israël, mon serviteur, Jacob, mon élu, postérité d’Abraham qui m’aimait,
9 I summoned you from very distant places [DOU] on the earth, and I said ‘I [want you to] serve me; I have chosen you, and I will not reject you.’
toi que j’ai ramené comme par la main des extrémités de la terre, que j’ai rappelé de ses zones les plus lointaines, toi à qui j’ai dit: "Tu es mon serviteur, je t’ai choisi et je ne te rejette plus,"
10 Do not be afraid, because I will (be with/help) you. Do not be discouraged, because I am your God. I will enable you to be strong, and I will help you; I will hold you up with my powerful arm by which you will be rescued.
eh bien! Ne crains rien, car je suis avec toi; ne sois point affolé, car je suis ton Dieu. Je t’affermis, je t’assiste et te soutiens par ma droite, armée de justice.
11 It is certain that all those who are angry with you [Israeli people] will be disgraced [DOU]. Those who oppose you will be wiped out; they will all die.
En vérité, ils connaîtront la honte et la confusion, tous ceux qui sont enflammés contre toi; ils seront réduits à néant, ils périront, tous ceux qui te cherchent querelle.
12 If you search for those who tried to conquer you, you will not find them, [because they will all have disappeared]. Those who attacked you will not exist [any more].
Tu les chercheras et tu ne les trouveras plus les gens qui se déclarent tes adversaires; ils seront comme le néant et le vide, les gens qui te font la guerre.
13 [It will be as though] I will hold you up by your right hand. I am Yahweh, your God, and I say to you, ‘Do not be afraid, [because] I will help you.’
Car moi, l’Eternel, ton Dieu, je soutiens ta droite et je te dis: "Ne crains pas, je viens à ton secours."
14 Although you people of Israel [DOU] [think that you are as insignificant as] worms, do not be afraid [of your enemies], because I will help you. I am Yahweh, the one who rescues you; I am the Holy One of Israel.
Ne crains rien, vermisseau de Jacob, faible reste d’Israël! C’Est moi qui te prête secours, dit le Seigneur, le Saint d’Israël est ton libérateur.
15 [I will cause] you to be like [MET] a (threshing sledge/big piece of metal that has sharp teeth for separating grain from chaff). You will tear [your enemies to bits], causing them to be like bits of chaff on the mountains.
Voici, je fais de toi une herse à dents, toute neuve, et garnie de tranchants: tu fouleras les montagnes à les broyer, et les coteaux, tu les réduiras en menue paille.
16 You will toss them up into the air, and a strong wind will blow them away [DOU]. [When that happens], you will rejoice about what I [have done for you]; you will praise me, the Holy One of Israel.
Tu les vanneras et le vent les emportera, la tempête les dispersera, tandis que toi, tu te réjouiras en l’Eternel, tu te glorifieras par le Saint d’Israël.
17 When poor and needy people need water and they have no water, and their tongues are very dry because they are very thirsty, I, Yahweh, will come and help them. I, the God to whom you Israeli people belong, will never abandon them.
Les affligés et les malheureux réclament de l’eau et n’en trouvent pas; leur langue est desséchée par la soif. Eh bien! Moi, l’Eternel, je les exaucerai; Dieu d’Israël, je ne les abandonnerai pas.
18 I will cause rivers to flow for them on the barren hills. I will give them fountains in the valleys. I will fill [HYP] the desert with pools of water. Water from springs will flow into rivers, and the rivers will flow across the dry ground.
Je ferai sourdre des rivières sur les hauteurs dénudées, des fontaines dans les vallons; du désert je ferai un lac, de la terre aride des sources d’eau jaillissantes.
19 I will plant [trees] in the desert— cedar [trees], acacia [trees], myrtle [trees], olive [trees], cypress [trees], fir [trees], and pine [trees].
Dans le désert je ferai croître le cèdre, l’acacia, le myrte et l’olivier, dans la campagne stérile je planterai, avec le cyprès, l’orme et le buis,
20 [I will do that] in order that people who see it will think about it, and they will know and understand [DOU] that it is [I], Yahweh, who have done it; it is what [I], the Holy One of Israel, have done.
pour qu’ils voient et sachent, réfléchissent et comprennent tous ensemble que c’est la main de l’Eternel qui l’a fait, que c’est le Saint d’Israël qui en est l’auteur.
21 [I], Yahweh, the true king of Israel say [to you nations], “Tell what your idols can do for you!
Présentez votre cause, dit l’Eternel, produisez vos arguments, dit le Roi de Jacob.
22 Bring them here to tell us what is going to happen! Ask them to tell us what things happened long ago, in order that we may think about those things, and learn if those things that they predicted really happened. Or, ask them to tell us about the future, in order that we can know what will happen.
Qu’ils les produisent donc et qu’ils nous exposent ce qui doit arriver! Dites seulement les choses du passé dans leur réalité, pour que nous examinions et en apprenions les suites, ou faites-nous connaître les événements futurs.
23 [Yes], those idols should tell us what will happen in the future. If they do that, we will know that they are really gods. Tell them to do something—either something good or something bad! Tell them to do something that will cause us to be amazed and afraid!
Racontez ce qui va se passer dans l’avenir, pour que nous sachions que vous êtes des dieux; agissez donc en bien ou en mal, et tous nous admirerons en regardant.
24 But [that is impossible, because] idols are absolutely worthless [HYP]; they can do nothing, and I detest those who decide [to worship] idols.”
Allons! Vous êtes néant, et votre œuvre est néant. Qui s’attache à vous est un objet d’horreur!
25 “[But] I have incited/urged a ruler who will come [with his army] from the north. I have summoned him to come from [his country, which is] east [of Israel], and I have given him my authority [MTY]. I will [enable his army to conquer other rulers]; they will trample those leaders like [SIM] a man who makes clay pots first tramples the clay.
Je l’ai suscité du Nord et il est venu; depuis le Levant, il proclame mon nom. II marche sur les princes comme sur de la boue, tel le potier foule l’argile.
26 (Who told you people long ago that this would happen?/No one told you people long ago that this would happen!) [RHQ] (Who predicted it, with the result that we can say, ‘What he predicted was correct!’?/No one predicted it, with the result that we can say, ‘What he predicted was correct!’) [RHQ] No one else said that it would happen.
Qui a annoncé tout cela dès le premier jour, pour que nous sachions? Dès les temps passés, pour que nous disions: "C’Est juste!" Mais nul ne l’a annoncé, nul ne l’a proclamé, personne n’a même entendu une parole de vous!
27 I was the first one to tell [the people of] Jerusalem, ‘Listen to this! I have appointed a messenger to tell good news to you!’
Moi, le premier, j’ai dit à Sion: "Les voici, les voici!" Et à Jérusalem j’ai envoyé un messager de bonnes nouvelles.
28 None of your idols told you that [DOU]. And when I asked them questions, none of them was able to give me any answers.
J’Avais regardé pas un homme! Parmi tous ceux-là, pas un conseiller! Comment les consulter pour qu’ils donnent un avis?
29 Think about it: Those idols are all useless, worthless [DOU] things. They are [as meaningless as] [MET] the wind.”
Vraiment, tous ils sont mensonge, et vaine est leur œuvre; leurs idoles ne sont que vent et néant.
