Isaiah 51
1 [Yahweh says], “You people who desire to act righteously/justly, who want to do what I want you to do, listen to me! Think about Abraham! [It is as though] [MET] he was a huge rock cliff; and when you [people of Israel became a nation], [it was as though] [MET] you were cut from that rock [DOU].
“Miɖo tom, mi ame siwo tia dzɔdzɔenyenye yome, eye miedia Yehowa. Mikpɔ agakpe si me woɖe mi tsoe kple fukpekpe si me woɖe mi le la dzi.
2 Think about your ancestor Abraham and [his wife] Sarah, of whom [all of] you are descendants. When I first spoke to Abraham, he had no children. But after I blessed him, he had a huge number of descendants.
Mikpɔ mia fofo Abraham kple Sara, ame siwo dzi mi la dzi. Esi meyɔe la, eya ɖeka koe, gake meyrae, eye mewɔe wòzu ame geɖe.
3 [Some day I], Yahweh, will encourage his descendants [again], and I will comfort all [the people who live in] the ruins [of Jerusalem]. The desert in that area will become like Eden, like the garden that I, Yahweh, [made/planted]. All the people there will be joyful and happy; they will thank me and sing.
Yehowa afa akɔ na Zion godoo, eye anye kɔ akpɔ eƒe gli gbagbãwo kple dɔmetɔtrɔ. Atrɔ eƒe gbegbe wòazu Edenbɔ, eƒe kuɖinyigbawo abe Yehowa ƒe abɔ ene. Dzidzɔ kple vivisese anɔ afi ma eye akpedada kple hadzidzi hã anɔ afi ma.
4 My people of Judah, listen carefully [DOU] to me, because [I want you to] proclaim my laws; the just/right things that I do will be [like] [MET] a light for the people of the nations.
“Nye amehawo, miɖo tom, nye dukɔ, miaƒe to nenɔ ŋunye: Nufiame atso gbɔnye, eye nye ʋɔnu dzɔdzɔe dɔdrɔ̃ anye kekeli na dukɔwo.
5 I will soon/quickly rescue you [DOU]; by my power [MTY] I will bring you back [from being exiled in Babylonia] [DOU]. The people who live on islands in the ocean will wait for me [to help them], confidently expecting for me to use my power [MTY].
Nye dzɔdzɔenyenye gbɔna kple du, nye ɖeɖe le mɔ dzi gbɔna, eye nye abɔ ahe afia nyui tsotso vɛ na dukɔwo. Ƒukpowo akpɔ mɔ nam, eye woalala kple mɔkpɔkpɔ anɔ nye alɔ sinu kpɔm.
6 Look up at the sky, and look at the earth, [and see what they are like now], because [some day] the sky will disappear like [SIM] smoke, and the earth will wear out like [SIM] old clothes wear out, and people on the earth will die like gnats/flies. But I will rescue/save you, and you will remain free forever, and I will rule you righteously/fairly forever.
Mifɔ mo dzi ne miakpɔ dziƒo, mide mo to ne miakpɔ anyigba. Dziƒowo nu ava yi abe dzudzɔ ene. Anyigba anyunyɔ abe avɔ ene, eye edzinɔlawo aku abe tagbatsutsu ene, ke nye xɔname anɔ anyi ɖikaa, eye nye dzɔdzɔenyenye nu matsi gbeɖe o.
7 You people who know what things are right to do, and who know in your inner beings [what is written in] my laws, listen to me! Do not be afraid of people who taunt/insult you; do not be disturbed/upset when people revile you,
“Miɖo tom, mi ame siwo nya nu si le dzɔdzɔe. Mi ame siwo ƒe dziwo me nye se la le, migavɔ̃ amewo ƒe mokaname o, eye woƒe dzu megado ŋɔdzi na mi o,
8 because [some day they will be destroyed] like [MET] clothing that is eaten by ([larvae of] moths/cockroaches), like wool garments that have been eaten by worms. I will save you people, and you will be saved forever.”
elabena gbagblaʋui aɖu wo abe avɔ ene, eye ŋɔ aɖu wo abe ɖetifu ene. Ke nye dzɔdzɔenyenye la anɔ anyi tegbee, eye nye xɔname anɔ anyi tso dzidzime yi dzidzime.”
9 Yahweh, wake up [and do something for us]! Show your power! Do mighty things like you did long ago, when you stabbed [RHQ] that sea monster/dragon Rahab and cut it into pieces.
Nyɔ, nyɔ! O! Yehowa ƒe alɔ, ne nàtsɔ ŋusẽ ado. Nyɔ abe le tsã ƒe ɣeyiɣiwo kple blemaŋɔliwo ene. Ɖe menye wòe fli Rahab kakɛkakɛ, eye nètsɔ nu ƒo ɖe lã dziŋɔ la oa?
10 Surely you are [RHQ] the one who caused the [Red] Sea to become dry and made a path through that deep water in order that your people could cross it!
Ɖe menye wòe na atsiaƒu, tɔ goglo la me tsiwo mie, eye nèta mɔ ɖe atsiaƒu me be ame siwo woɖe la nato edzi ayi oa?
11 And those whom Yahweh will rescue [from being exiled in Babylonia] will [similarly] return to Jerusalem, singing. Their being joyful forever will be [like] [MET] a crown on their heads. They will not be sad or mourn any more; they will be [completely] joyful and happy.
Yehowa ƒe ame siwo woɖe la atrɔ agbɔ. Woage ɖe Zion kple aseyetsotso, eye dzidzɔkpɔkpɔ anye fiakuku anɔ woƒe tawo dzi. Vivisese kple dzidzɔkpɔkpɔ asu wo si, eye nuxaxa kple hũɖeɖe abu ɖe wo.
12 [Yahweh says], “I am the one who encourages you. So (why are you/you should not be) [RHQ] afraid of humans who will [wither and disappear like] [MET] grass.
“Nye, nye koe faa akɔ na mi. Ame kae nènye be nèle vɔvɔ̃m na amegbetɔ siwo le abe gbe ko ene?
13 (Why have you/You should not have) [RHQ] forgotten [me], Yahweh, the one who created your nation, the one who stretched out the sky and laid the foundations of the earth. (Why are you/You should not be) [RHQ] continually afraid of those who are angry with you and (oppress you/treat you cruelly) and want to get rid of you. [You should not be afraid of them now], because those angry people have now disappeared!
Nu ka ta nèŋlɔ Yehowa, wò Wɔla, si keke dziƒowo me, eye wòɖo anyigba ƒe agunu anyi la be? Nu ka ta ŋɔdzi léa wò gbe sia gbe le ameteɖeanyila ƒe dɔmedzoe ta, ame si ɖoe kplikpaa be yeagblẽ nu? Afi ka ameteɖeanyila ƒe dɔmedzoe la le azɔ?
14 Soon you people who have been caused to be slaves [in Babylonia] will be freed! You will not remain in prison, and you will not die of hunger,
Woaɖe ga gamenɔla siwo le vɔvɔ̃m la kpuie. Womaku ɖe gaxɔ me loo alo abolo nahiã wo o,
15 because I am Yahweh, your God, the one who stirs up the sea and causes the waves to roar; I am the Commander of the armies of angels!
elabena nyee nye Yehowa, wò Mawu, ame si de adã atsiaƒu me be ƒutsotsoewo dze agbo. Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔe nye eŋkɔ.
16 I have given you my message [MTY] to proclaim, and I have protected you with my hand [MTY]. I stretched out the sky and laid the foundation of the earth. And I am the one who says to you Israeli people, ‘You are my people!’”
Metsɔ nye nyawo de nuwò, eye meɣla wò ɖe nye asi ƒe vɔvɔli te. Nye ame si tsɔ dziƒowo ɖo wo teƒe heɖo anyigba gɔme anyi, eye megblɔ na Zion be, ‘Nye dukɔ nènye.’”
17 [You people of] [APO] Jerusalem, wake up [DOU]! You have experienced Yahweh severely punishing [MTY] you. Yahweh has caused you to suffer much, all that he wanted you to suffer, like [MET] someone who causes another person to suffer by forcing him to drink every drop of [MTY] a cupful of bitter liquid.
Nyɔ, nyɔ! O! Yerusalem, fɔ, wò ame si ƒe dɔmedzoekplu le Yehowa ƒe asi me. Wò ame si no nu muame la wòvɔ ƒioƒioƒio, kplu si nana amewo zɔna sɔgɔsɔgɔ.
18 [Now] you do not have any children who are alive [DOU] and able to take your hand and guide you.
Viŋutsu siwo katã wòdzi la ɖeke meli afia mɔe o. Viŋutsu siwo katã wònyi la, ɖeke meli alé eƒe alɔnu o.
19 You have experienced several disasters: Your country has become desolate/deserted; [your cities have been] destroyed; [many people have] died from hunger; [many people have been] killed by your enemies’ swords. Now, there is no one [RHQ] left to console/comfort you and sympathize with you.
Dzɔgbevɔ̃e evee dzɔ ɖe dziwò, ame kae ate ŋu afa akɔ na wò? Gbegblẽ kple tsɔtsrɔ̃, dɔwuame kple yi ƒo go wò, ame ka ate ŋu afa akɔ na wò.
20 Your children have fainted and lie in the streets; they are [as helpless as] [SIM] an antelope [that has been caught] in a net. What has happened to them is because Yahweh has been very angry with them; he has rebuked them severely.
Nu te viwò ŋutsuwo ŋu. Womlɔ mɔtata ɖe sia ɖe ƒe dzogoewo dzi abe avugbɔ̃e si ɖo mɔ me la ene. Yehowa ƒe dɔmedzoe kple wò Mawu la ƒe mokaname ɖi ƒo na wo,
21 So now, you people who have suffered much, [you act as though] you are drunk, but it is not because you have drunk a lot of wine.
eya ta ɖo to afii, wò ame si kpe hiã, eye nèmu aha, evɔ mèno wain hã o.
22 Yahweh, your Lord and your God, the one who argues/pleads your case, says this: “Note this: [It is as though] [MET] I have taken that cup of bitter liquid from your hands; I will not be angry with you and cause you to suffer any more.
Ale wò Aƒetɔ, Yehowa gblɔe nye esi, wò Mawu si ʋli eƒe dukɔ ta la be, “Kpɔ ɖa, mexɔ kplu si na nèle mumum sɔgɔsɔgɔ la le asiwò. Màgano nye dɔmedzoe ƒe nu muame la le kplu sia me azɔ gbeɖe o.
23 Instead, I will cause those who have tormented you to suffer; [I will severely punish] those who said to you, ‘Prostrate yourselves in order that we may walk on you; [lie down on your stomachs] in order that your backs will be like [SIM] streets that we can walk on.’”
Matsɔe ade asi na wò fuwɔamela siwo gblɔna na wò be, ‘Mlɔ anyi ne míazɔ dziwò ayi’, eye nèwɔ wò dzime abe anyigba kple mɔdodo ene be woato edzi ayi.”
