Isaiah 43
1 But now, you people of Israel, listen to Yahweh, the one who established your nation. The one who caused you to become a nation [DOU] says this: “Do not be afraid, because I previously rescued you. I enabled you to have a personal relationship with me [MTY], and you belong to me.
Maar nu spreekt Jahweh, Die u heeft geschapen, o Jakob, Die u heeft gevormd, o Israël: Vrees niet, want Ik heb u vrij gekocht; Bij uw naam u geroepen: Gij zijt de mijne!
2 When you [experience dangerous situations], and [you feel like] [MET] you are crossing deep rivers, I will be with you. When you have very big troubles/difficulties, you will [LIT] be able to endure them. When [people try to kill you like they tried to kill Daniel’s three friends by] throwing them in a fire, you will not [die, just like Daniel’s three friends were not] burned up,
Toen ge door de wateren trokt, was Ik met u, Of door stromen: ze konden u niet overstelpen; Al moest ge door vuur, ge kondt niet verbranden, En de vlammen verzengden u niet.
3 because I am Yahweh, your God, the Holy One of Israel, the one who rescues you. I will enable [the army of the emperor of Persia] to conquer Egypt instead of conquering you; similarly I will enable them to conquer Ethiopia, and Seba [in Arabia], in order that you can be saved.
Want Ik ben Jahweh, uw God, Israëls Heilige, Uw Redder! Ik gaf voor u Egypte prijs, En Koesj en Seba in ruil;
4 I will cause other countries to be conquered, instead of your country; I will trade them for you, in order that you will not be killed, because you are very precious [DOU] to me and because I love you.
Want ge waart kostbaar in mijn ogen, Hooggeschat, Ik had u lief; Landen gaf Ik voor u weg, Volken tot pand voor uw leven!
5 Do not be afraid, because I am with you. [Some day] I will gather your descendants from the east and from the west.
Wees dus niet bang, Want Ik ben met u! Van het oosten zal Ik uw kroost laten komen, Ik breng u weer van het westen bijeen;
6 I will command the [rulers of the nations to] the north and to the south, ‘Allow all the people of Israel to return [to their country], from the most distant places on the earth.
Tot het noorden zeg Ik: Geef op, Tot het zuiden: Weerhoud ze niet! Breng terug van verre mijn zonen, Mijn dochters van de grenzen der aarde:
7 Allow all those who belong to me [MTY] to return, because I have caused them to become a nation in order that they would honor me; I am the one who has done that [DOU].’
Allen, die naar mijn Naam zijn genoemd, Die Ik schiep tot mijn glorie, die Ik vormde en maakte.
8 Summon the people who have eyes but [it is as though] they are blind; summon those who have ears but [because they do not listen to me, it is as though] they are deaf.
Laat gaan het volk, dat ogen heeft, maar blind was geworden, De doven, ofschoon ze oren hebben!
9 Gather people of all nations together, ones from all people-groups, [and ask them this]: ‘Has any of their idols foretold the things that are happening now? And can any of them predict what will happen in the future?’ Then bring people who will testify and say ‘I heard them predict things, and what they predicted was what happened,’ [but they will be lying].”
Laat alle volken samen komen, De naties bijeen! Wie van de goden kan zoiets voorspellen, Het verkonden vooraf? Dat ze hun getuigen brengen, en hun beweringen staven; Men zal ze horen, en zeggen: ‘t Is waar!
10 But Yahweh says, “You people of Israel (are my witnesses/know what I have done), and you are the ones who serve me. I chose you in order that you would know me, believe in me, and understand that I am the only one who is [truly] God. There is no other [true] God. There was no other [true] God previously, and there will never be another [true] God.
Maar mijn getuigen, zegt Jahweh, zijt gij, Mijn dienaars, die Ik heb uitverkoren; Opdat zij erkennen, in Mij geloven, En goed begrijpen, dat Ik het ben: Dat vóór Mij geen god heeft bestaan, En ná Mij geen ander zal zijn!
11 I, [only] I, am Yahweh, and there is no other one who can save you.
Ik, Ik ben Jahweh; Er is geen ander redder dan Ik!
12 I said that I would rescue [your ancestors], and then I rescued them, and I proclaimed [that I had done it]. No foreign god among you did that! And you are witnesses that only I, Yahweh, am God.
Ik ben het ook, die de redding voorspelde, En verkondde vooraf! Ik ben geen vreemde onder u, En gij zijt mijn getuigen, is de godsspraak van Jahweh! Ik ben God van eeuwigheid af,
13 I am God, the one who has existed forever and who will exist forever; no one can snatch people from my hand, and no one can alter/change what I have done.”
En zal het in de toekomst ook zijn! Niemand, die uit mijn hand kan redden; Als Ik het doe, wie zal het beletten?
14 Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel, is the one who rescues you; and this is what he says: “For your sake, I will send [an army] to [attack] Babylon. They will force the people of that city to flee in ships which they have been proud of.
Zo spreekt Jahweh, uw Verlosser, Israëls Heilige.
15 I am Yahweh, your Holy One, the one who caused Israel to become a nation, and the one who is really your king.
Om uwentwil zal Ik er een naar Babel zenden, En alle grendels doen vallen, De Chaldeën vernielen, Hun jubel in weeklacht verkeren: Ik, Jahweh, uw Heilige, Ik, Israëls Schepper, uw Koning!
16 I am Yahweh, the one who opened a path through the water, making a road through the [Red] Sea.
Zo spreekt Jahweh, die een weg door de zee had gebaand, Een pad door de onstuimige wateren;
17 Then I summoned the great army [of Egypt] to come with all their chariots and horses. [But when they tried to pursue my people], I caused the waves to flow over them [and they drowned]; their lives ended [like the light of a candle ends when someone] [MET] snuffs out the wick.
Die wagens en paarden er over liet gaan, Met krijgsmacht en strijders: Maar ze lagen neer, en stonden niet op, Uitgedoofd als een kwijnende pit!
18 But do not think [only] about what happened in the past, long ago [DOU].
Blijft nu niet staren op wat vroeger gebeurde, En staat bij het verleden niet stil;
19 Instead, consider the new thing that I am going to do. I have already started to do it; can you see it? I am going to make a road through the desert. And I will cause there to be streams in the wasteland/desert.
Zie, Ik ga iets nieuws beginnen: Het is al ontloken, bemerkt ge het niet? Thans maak Ik door de stèppe een weg, En stromen in de woestijn!
20 The jackals/wolves and owls and other wild creatures will thank me for giving them water in the desert. I will cause streams to appear in the dry desert in order that my people, the ones whom I have chosen, will have water;
De wilde beesten zullen Mij loven, Jakhalzen en struisen: Want Ik breng water in de woestijn, En in de wildernis stromen, Om mijn uitverkoren volk te drenken,
21 I will do that for the people whom I have created [and chosen] to belong to me, and [some day] they will cause many others to praise me.
Het volk dat Ik Mij vormde, en dat mijn lof zal verkonden!
22 But now, you descendants of Jacob, you refuse to request my help. It seems that you people of Israel have become tired of worshiping me.
Toch Jakob, hebt ge Mij niet aangeroepen, Israël, u om Mij niet bekommerd;
23 You have not brought to me sheep or goats for offerings that will be completely burned [on the altar]; you have not honored me by [bringing to me any] sacrifices, even though the offerings of grain and incense [that I asked you] to bring to me were not a burden to you.
Gij hebt Mij geen schapen ten offer gebracht, Met uw slachtoffers Mij niet geëerd; Met spijsoffers ben Ik u niet lastig gevallen, Om wierook plaagde Ik u niet!
24 You have bought for me fragrant reeds, and you have brought me the fat from your sacrifices. But these have not pleased me, because you have burdened me by all the sins that you have committed, and made me weary because of all (your iniquities/the wrong things that you have done).
Ge hebt Mij geen reukwerk gekocht met uw geld, Mij niet met het vet van uw offers verzadigd: Met uw zonden zijt ge Mij lastig gevallen, Met uw misdaden hebt ge Mij geplaagd!
25 I am the one who is able to forgive you for all your sins; I am the only one who can do that, with the result that I will never think about them again.
Neen, Ik, Ikzelf delg uw misdaden uit, Uit eigen beweging gedenk Ik uw zonden niet meer!
26 Tell me what I have done that you do not like. Do you think that when you state your case, you will prove that you (are innocent/have done nothing wrong) [IRO]?
Kom mijn geheugen te hulp, en laat ons pleiten tegen elkaar; Spreek op, zo gij u rechtvaardigen wilt!
27 No, [what has happened is that] the first ancestor of you Israelis sinned [against me], and since then, all your leaders have rebelled against me.
Uw eerste vader heeft tegen Mij al gezondigd, En uw leiders waren Mij ontrouw!
28 That is why I have caused your priests to be disgraced; and I have allowed others to destroy you people of Israel and caused you to be despised.”
Daarom heb Ik de heilige vorsten onteerd, Jakob met banvloek, Israël met schande geslagen!
