Isaiah 1

1 [I am] Isaiah, the son of Amoz. [Yahweh showed me] visions about Jerusalem and [all the other places in] Judah. He showed me these visions during the years that Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah.

Saa anisoadehu a ɛfa Yuda ne Yerusalem ho no baa Amos babarima Yesaia so wɔ Yuda ahemfo Usia, Yotam, Ahas ne Hesekia mmere so.

2 This is what Yahweh says: “All you [angels in] [APO] heaven and [all you people on] [APO] earth, listen to me! The people that I caused to exist and took care of [DOU] have rebelled against me.

Ɔsoro, muntie! Asase, yɛ aso! Na Awurade akasa: “Matetew mma ama wɔanyinyin, nanso wɔatew me so atua.

3 Oxen know their owners, and donkeys know who provides food for them, but my Israeli people do not know [me]; they do not realize [that I am the one who takes care of them].”

Nantwi nim ne wura, afurum nso nim ne wura mmoa adididaka, nanso Israel nnim, me nkurɔfo nte ase.”

4 Terrible things will happen to that sinful nation, to those people who are guilty of sinning greatly. They are a group of very evil people, who act very unjustly. They have abandoned Yahweh, the holy one of Israel; they have (abandoned/turned away from) him.

Nnome nka, amumɔyɛ man, ɔman a wɔn afɔdi so, nnebɔneyɛfo kuw, mma a porɔwee ahyɛ wɔn ma! Wɔatwe wɔn ho afi Awurade ho; wɔapo Israel Kronkronni no, wɔadan wɔn akyi akyerɛ no.

5 Why do you [RHQ] continue to [do things for which] you should be punished? Why do you continue to rebel against Yahweh? [You are like] [MET] someone whose head is badly injured and whose mind is sick/corrupt.

Adɛn nti na mopɛ sɛ wɔkɔ so boro mo? Adɛn nti na moda so tew atua? Wɔapira mo ti, na mo koma nso di yaw.

6 [It is as though] [MET] from the soles/bottoms of your feet to the [tops of your] heads nothing is healthy; there are only open wounds and cuts and sores that have not been cleaned or bandaged, and no [olive] oil has been put on them [to heal them].

Efi mo nan ase kosi mo ti so, ahomeka biara nni mu, apirakuru ne ahonhon nko ara akuru a anim deda hɔ na wɔnhohoro so anaa wɔnkyekyeree anaa wɔmfaa ngo nsrasraa so ɛ.

7 [It is as though] your country is ruined/desolate; your towns have been burned. Foreigners plunder/steal the crops in your fields while you watch; they destroy everything [that they see].

Mo man ada mpan, wɔde ogya ahyehyew mo nkuropɔn; ananafo regye mo mfuw a mo ani tua, na asɛe sɛnea ɛyɛɛ bere a ahɔho tuu mo gui no.

8 The city of Jerusalem has [already] been abandoned, it is like [SIM] a shelter in a vineyard that has been abandoned by the watchmen; it is like [SIM] a watchman’s hut in a field of melons that has been deserted. It is a city surrounded by its enemies who are waiting to attack it.

Wɔagyaw Ɔbabea Sion te sɛ bobeturo mu sese te sɛ akuraa a esi ɛfere afuw mu, te sɛ kuropɔn a atamfo atwa ho ahyia.

9 If the Commander of the armies of angels had not allowed a few of us [his people] to (survive/remain alive), we would have [all] been [destroyed], like [the cities of] Sodom and Gomorrah [were destroyed].

Sɛ Asafo Awurade annyaw yɛn asefo a, anka yɛayɛ sɛ Sodom, na yɛadan ayɛ sɛ Gomora.

10 You [leaders of Judah are as wicked as] the rulers of Sodom were, and you [other people in Jerusalem areas are as wicked as] the people in Gomorrah [were]. Listen to this message from Yahweh, [all of you]!

Muntie Awurade asɛm, mo Sodom sodifo; muntie yɛn Nyankopɔn mmara, mo Gomorafo!

11 He says, “You continue to bring many sacrifices to me, but I do not [RHQ] want them [because you do not worship me sincerely]! You bring me many offerings to be completely burned [on the altar], [but] I (am tired/do not want any more) of your burning all those offerings, the burning rams and the fat from fat cattle. I am not pleased with the blood of bulls and lambs and goats that [the priest] pours [against the altar].

“Mo afɔrebɔ ahorow bebree no, dɛn na ɛyɛ ma me?” Sɛnea Awurade se ni. “Mewɔ ɔhyew afɔrebɔde ma ɛboro so, nea ɛyɛ adwennini ne mmoa a wɔadɔ srade; mʼani nnye anantwinini, nguantenmma ne mpapo mogya ho.

12 When you come to my temple to worship me, no one [RHQ] told you to trample on my courtyard while you perform all those rituals.

Sɛ moba mʼanim a hena na obisa eyi fi mo hɔ, sɛ mutiatia me fi yi?

13 Stop bringing to me those offerings, because they are useless [to me]; I am disgusted with the incense that [the priests burn]. And [your feasts to celebrate] the new moon [each month] and your (Sabbath [days]/days of rest) and your [other] festivals— I detest them because of the wicked things [that you do].

Munnyae afɔrebɔde a ɛmfra a mode ba no! Mo aduhuam yɛ me tan. Ɔsram foforo, homenna ne nhyiamu ahorow, mo nhyiamu hunu no afono me.

14 I [SYN] hate [all] your celebrations of each new moon and the [other] festivals that you celebrate each year. They are [like] [MET] a heavy burden that I am tired of carrying.

Mo ɔsram foforo afahyɛ ne mo aponto a moahyehyɛ, me kra kyi. Ayɛ adesoa ama me; masoa abrɛ.

15 [So], when you lift up your hands when you pray [to me], I will not [even] look at you. Even if you pray [to me very] frequently, I will not listen [to you], [because it is as though] your hands are covered with the blood [of people whom you have killed].

Sɛ momema mo nsa so bɔ mpae a, meyi mʼani ato nkyɛn. Sɛ mobɔ mpae bebree mpo a merentie. “Mogya bebree agu mo nsa ho fi.

16 Cleanse your inner beings, and become [spiritually] clean! Stop your evil behavior! Stop doing things that are wrong!

“Munnwira mo ho na mo ho ntew. Munnyi mo nnebɔne mfi mʼani so! Munnyae bɔneyɛ,

17 Learn to do [things that are] good! [Try to] cause people to do what is just. Help people who are (oppressed/treated cruelly). Defend orphans and widows [when people take them to court].”

Monyɛ papa! Monhwehwɛ atɛntrenee. Monhyɛ wɔn a wɔhyɛ wɔn so nkuran Munni mma ayisaa, monka akunafo nsɛm mma wɔn.

18 Yahweh says, “You need to think about the results of what you do. Even though [the guilt of] your sins be [as evident and as difficult to get rid of] as [SIM] red [stains on a white garment] [DOU], [I will get rid of them completely] [like someone who can make that stained garment] become as white as snow or wool [DOU].

“Afei mommra na yennwen mmɔ mu,” sɛnea Awurade se ni. “Sɛ mo bɔne te sɛ ɔkɔben a, ɛbɛyɛ fitaa sɛ sukyerɛmma; mpo sɛ ɛyɛ kɔkɔɔ te sɛ mogya a ɛbɛyɛ fitaa sɛ asaawa mfuturu.

19 If you are willing to obey [me], [I will enable] you to have plenty to eat.

Sɛ mopene so na moyɛ osetie a, mubedi asase no so nnepa.

20 But, if you turn away [from me and] rebel against me, you will be killed [by your enemies’] swords. [That will surely happen, because I, ] Yahweh, have said it.”

Na sɛ moampene na motew atua a, afoa bedi mo nam.” Awurade na wakasa.

21 “[You people of Jerusalem previously] faithfully [worshiped only] me, but now you have become like [MET] prostitutes [who are not faithful to any husband]. Previously, people there always acted justly/fairly and righteously, but now your city [is full of] murderers.

Hwɛ sɛnea kuropɔn nokwafo no adan oguamanfo. Bere bi, na atɛntrenee ahyɛ no ma na anka trenee te ne mu, nanso mprempren, awudifo ahyɛ mu ma!

22 Previously, you were [like] [MET] pure silver, but now you have become [like] [MET] the scum that is left [when silver is purified]. Previously you were [like pure] wine, but you have become [like] [MET] wine that has [a lot of] water mixed with it.

Wo dwetɛ adan ade a so nni mfaso, wɔde nsu afra wo nsa papa mu.

23 Your leaders are rebels; they spend time with thieves. They all want to get bribes and force others to give them gifts [in order that they do good things for them]. They do not defend orphans [in court], and they do not do all they can to enable widows to get what they should receive.

Wo sodifo yɛ atuatewfo, akorɔmfo yɔnkonom; wɔn nyinaa pɛ adanmude, na wɔpere akyɛde ho. Wonni mma ayisaa; na akunafo nsɛm nkɔ wɔn anim.

24 Therefore [I, ] the Commander of the armies of angels, the mighty God of Israel, say to my enemies, ‘will get revenge on you; you will not cause me any more trouble. And I will pay you back for the evil things that you did.

Enti, Awurade, Asafo Awurade, nea ɔyɛ Ɔkɛse ma Israel no ka se, “Aa, menya ahomegye afi mʼatamfo hɔ na matɔ wɔn so were.

25 I will raise my fist to strike you. I will [punish you severely] [MET], as though [MET] you were silver [and I needed to heat you very greatly to] melt you and get rid of the impurities.

Mɛma me nsa so, atia mo; mɛhohoro mo ho fi korakora na mayi mo ho nkekae nyinaa.

26 [After that happens, ] I will give you good judges like you had previously; you will have [wise] counselors like you had long ago. Then people will call your city “a city where people [act] righteously, a city where people are loyal to me.”'”

Mɛma mo atemmufo bio sɛ kan no, ne mo afotufo sɛnea na ɛte, mfiase no. Eyi akyi no, wɔbɛfrɛ wo Kuropɔn Trenee, Kuropɔn Nokwafo.”

27 Because the people of Jerusalem will do what is fair/just, their city will be restored; those who repent [will be saved] because of [their acting] righteously.

Wɔde atɛntrenee begye Sion bio, na wɔn a wonu wɔn ho no, wɔde trenee begye wɔn.

28 But rebels and sinners will be crushed by Yahweh, and those who forsake him will disappear.

Nanso atuatewfo ne nnebɔneyɛfo de, wɔbɛdwerɛw wɔn abɔ mu, na wɔn a wɔpa Awurade akyi bɛyera.

29 You will be ashamed because [you worshiped] idols under the oak trees [that you considered to be] sacred; you will be disgraced because [you worshiped idols] in the gardens where you chose [to worship them].

“Mo ani bewu, esiane odum anyame a munyaa wɔn mu anigye no; wobegu mo anim ase, esiane nturo a mosom abosom wɔ mu no nti.

30 You will be like [SIM] a very large tree which has withered leaves, like [SIM] a garden that [is dried up because] it has no water.

Mobɛyɛ sɛ odum a ne nhaban apo, ne turo a ennya nsu.

31 Those among you who are [very] strong will become [like] [MET] dry wood, and the work they do will be [like] [MET] a spark; both they and the evil things that they do will burn up completely, and no one will be able to put out the fire.

Ɔhoɔdenfo bɛyɛ sɛ ade a ɛhyew ntɛm nʼadwuma bɛyɛ sɛ ogya a aturuw; abien no bɛhyew abɔ mu, a obiara rentumi nnum.”