Isaiah 52
1 [You people who live in the] holy city of Jerusalem [APO], wake up! Be strong again! Show that [MTY] your city is beautiful and glorious; foreigners who do not believe in God will not enter your city again [to attack you].
Ontwaak, ontwaak! Sion, bekleed u met kracht, Jerusalem, heilige stad, trek uw feestgewaad aan; Want nooit meer treedt bij u binnen Onbesnedene of onreine!
2 People of Jerusalem, get up from [humbly] sitting in the dust and sit in places where people are honored! You people who have returned from being exiled, take off from your neck the chains which were fastened around you [as slaves in Babylonia],
Schud het stof van u af, en sta op, Gevangene, Jerusalem; Slaak de boeien van uw hals, Gevangen dochter van Sion!
3 because this is what Yahweh says: “[When you were taken to Babylonia], no one paid me for doing that. So now I will bring you back without [being required to] pay for you!”
Want zó spreekt Jahweh, de Heer; Om niet zijt ge verkocht; Niet voor de prijs van zilver Zult ge worden gelost!
4 Yahweh [our] Lord [also] says this: “Long ago, my people went to Egypt to live there. [Later] they were being (oppressed/treated cruelly) by [the soldiers of] Assyria.
Want zó spreekt Jahweh, de Heer: Mijn volk trok eertijds naar Egypte, Om daar te verblijven, En Assjoer heeft het zonder reden verdrukt.
5 But now think about what is happening: My people are being forced to be slaves again, this time by the [people of Babylonia]. And [those who have conquered them this time have also] paid me nothing, and they despise me [MTY] continually [DOU].
Maar hier, zegt Jahweh, wat heb Ik hier nog te doen? Mijn volk is er heengesleept zonder enige grond; Zijn tyrannen razen, zegt Jahweh; Dag in, dag uit wordt mijn Naam er gelasterd!
6 But my people will then have a close relationship with [MTY] me, and when that happens, they will know that I am the one who predicted/promised [that it would happen]. It is I, [Yahweh, who will do it].”
Waarachtig, mijn volk zal er mijn Naam leren kennen; Ja, op die dag zal het weten, Dat Ik het ben, die zegt: Hier ben Ik!
7 It is a wonderful thing when messengers [MTY] arrive on the mountains/hills, bringing good news, the news about [God giving us] peace and saving us, the news that the God to whom we [Israeli people] belong is now ruling/king!
Hoe lieflijk zijn op de bergen De voeten van den vreugdebode, Die vrede meldt, de blijmare brengt, het heil verkondigt, Tot Sion zegt: Uw God gaat heersen!
8 The watchmen [who are guarding the city] will shout and sing joyfully, because while they are watching they will see Yahweh returning to Jerusalem.
Al uw wachters verheffen hun stem En jubelen in koren; Want ze zien met hun ogen, Dat Jahweh terugkeert naar Sion.
9 Jerusalem has been ruined, but the people who are there now should start to sing joyfully, because Yahweh will encourage his people; he will set his people free and bring them back to Jerusalem.
Juicht en jubelt in koren Puinen van Jerusalem; Want Jahweh erbarmt zich over zijn volk, En gaat Jerusalem verlossen.
10 Yahweh will show all the nations that he is holy and powerful. People in the most remote/distant places on earth will know that he has rescued his people.
Jahweh ontbloot zijn heilige arm Voor het oog aller volken; En alle grenzen der aarde aanschouwen Het heil van onzen God!
11 So, leave [the places where you were taken to when you were captured], where [everything is] unacceptable to God. You men who carry the items used for the worship of Yahweh, leave there [and return to Jerusalem], and purify yourselves [in order to be acceptable to worship God].
Terug, terug! Trekt er uit weg; Raakt niet aan wat onrein is; Trekt weg uit zijn midden, en maakt u weer rein, Die Jahweh’s vaten moet dragen!
12 But it will not [be necessary] for you to leave suddenly, to flee in panic, because Yahweh will (go in front of/lead) you; and he will [also] protect you [from being attacked] at the rear [while you travel].
Maar trekt niet weg in wilde haast, En snelt niet als vluchteling heen: Want Jahweh gaat aan uw spits, Uw achterhoede is Israëls God!
13 [Yahweh says], “Listen carefully! My servant will act wisely (OR, do the right things to accomplish what he wants to), and I will highly exalt him.”
Zie, mijn Dienaar zal stijgen in aanzien, En worden verhoogd en verheven; Even hoog zal Hij stijgen, Als velen verslagen over Hem stonden.
14 But many people will be appalled when they see what has happened to him. [Because of his being beaten very badly], his appearance will be changed; people will hardly recognize that he is a human.
Nu is zijn gelaat wel onmenselijk verwrongen, En heeft zijn gestalte niets menselijks meer;
15 But he will cause [people of] many nations to be surprised; [even] kings will be silent when they stand in front of him, because they will see someone that no one had told them about [previously], and they will understand things that they had not heard about [before].
Maar eens zullen vele volken bij zijn aanblik ontroeren, En koningen hun mond voor Hem sluiten. Want dan zullen ze zien wat hun nooit was verkondigd, Aanschouwen wat ze nimmer nog hadden gehoord;
