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

Ao, ɔsoro, montie! Ao, asase yɛ aso! Na Awurade akasa: “Matete mma ama wɔanyini, nanso wɔate 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].”

Nantwie nim ne wura, afunumu nso nim ne wura mmoa adididaka, nanso Israel nnim, me nkurɔfoɔ nte aseɛ.”

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.

Aa, amumuyɛ ɔman, ɔman a afɔdie adesoa ahyɛ wɔn ma, nnebɔneyɛfoɔ kuo, mma a porɔeɛ ahyɛ wɔn ma! Wɔatwe wɔn ho afiri Awurade ho; Wɔapo Israel Kronkronni no, wɔadane 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 enti na mopɛ sɛ wɔkɔ so boro mo? Adɛn enti na moda so te atua? Wɔapira mo tiri, na mo akoma nso di yea.

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].

Ɛfiri mo nan ase kɔsi mo tiri so ahomeka biara nni mu, apirakuro ne nsoasoaeɛ nko ara akuro a anim deda hɔ na wɔnhohoro so anaa Wɔnkyekyereeɛ anaa wɔmfaa ngo nsrasraa so.

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 ɔman ada mpan, wɔde ogya ahyehye mo nkuropɔn; ananafoɔ regye mo mfuo a mo ani tua, na asɛe sɛdeɛ ɛyɛɛ ɛberɛ a ahɔhoɔ tuu mo guiɛ 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.

Wɔagya Ɔbabaa Sion te sɛ bobe turo mu sese te sɛ akuraa a ɛsi ɛferɛ afuo mu, te sɛ kuropɔn a atamfoɔ 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 Awurade tumfoɔ no annya yɛn asefoɔ a, anka yɛayɛ sɛ Sodom, na yɛadane 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]!

Montie Awurade asɛm, mo Sodom sodifoɔ; montie yɛn Onyankopɔn mmara, mo Gomorafoɔ!

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 ahodoɔ bebree no, ɛdeɛn na ɛyɛ ma me?” Sɛdeɛ Awurade seɛ nie. “Mewɔ ɔhyeɛ afɔrebɔdeɛ ma ɛboro so, deɛ ɛyɛ nnwennini ne mmoa a wɔadɔre sradeɛ; mʼani nnye anantwinini, nnwammaa 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 hwan na ɔbisa yei firi mo hɔ? Hwan na ɔsomaa mo sɛ monnantenante me efie 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].

Monnyae afɔrebɔdeɛ a mode ba a ɛmfra no! Mo aduhwam yɛ me tan. Ɔbosome foforɔ, home nna ne nhyiamu ahodoɔ ne mo nhyiamu fi 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 bosome foforɔ afahyɛ ne mo apontoɔ a moahyehyɛ no, me kra kyiri. Ayɛ adesoa ama me; masoa mabrɛ.

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 mopagya mo nsa bɔ mpaeɛ a, mɛyi mʼani ato nkyɛn. Sɛ mobɔ mpaeɛ 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!

“Monnwira mo ho na mo ho nte. Monnyi mo nnebɔne mfiri mʼani so! Monnyae bɔne yɛ.

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 atɛntenenee Monhyɛ wɔn a wɔhyɛ wɔn so nkuran. Monni mma nwisiaa, monka akunafoɔ 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 yɛnnwene mmɔ mu,” sɛdeɛ Awurade seɛ nie. “Sɛ mo bɔne te sɛ kɔben a, ɛbɛyɛ fitaa sɛ sukyerɛmma; mpo sɛ ɛyɛ kɔkɔɔ te sɛ mogya a ɛbɛyɛ fitaa sɛ asaawa foturo.

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

Sɛ mopene so na moyɛ ɔsetie a, mobɛdi 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 mote atua a, akofena bɛdi 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 sɛdeɛ kuropɔn nokwafoɔ no adane odwamanfoɔ. Ɛberɛ bi na atɛntenenee ahyɛ no ma na anka tenenee te ne mu, nanso seesei awudifoɔ 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 adane adeɛ a ɛho nni mfasoɔ, wɔde nsuo afra wo nsã 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 sodifoɔ yɛ atuatefoɔ, akorɔmfoɔ yɔnkonom; wɔn nyinaa pɛ adanmudeɛ, na wɔpere akyɛdeɛ ho. Wɔnni mma nwisiaa; na akunafoɔ 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, Otumfoɔ Awurade, deɛ ɔyɛ Kɛseɛ ma Israel no ka sɛ, “Aa, mɛnya ahomegyeɛ afiri mʼatamfoɔ 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 wo ho fi korakora na mayi mo ho nkekaawa 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 atemmufoɔ bio sɛ kane no, ne mo afutufoɔ sɛdeɛ na ɛteɛ, ahyɛaseɛ no. Yei akyi no, wɔbɛfrɛ wo Kuropɔn Tenenee Kuropɔn Nokwafoɔ.”

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 atɛntenenee bɛgye Sion bio, na wɔn a wɔnu wɔn ho no, wɔde tenenee bɛgye wɔn.

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

Nanso atuatefoɔ ne nnebɔneyɛfoɔ deɛ, wɔbɛdwɛre 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 bɛwu ɛsiane odum anyame a monyaa wɔn mu anigyeɛ no; wɔbɛgu mo anim ase ɛsiane nturo a mosom abosom wɔ mu no enti.

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 nhahan apo, ne turo a ɛnnya nsuo.

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.

Ɔhoɔdenfoɔ bɛyɛ sɛ adeɛ a ɛhye ntɛm; nʼadwuma bɛyɛ sɛ ogya nturueɛ; ne mmienu no bɛhye abɔ mu, a obiara rentumi nnum.”