Yesaya 44
1 “Ke azɔ la, ɖo to, o nye dɔla Yakob, Israel, ame si metia.
Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen:
2 Ale Yehowa ame si wɔ wò, ame si me wò ɖe vidzidɔ me, ame si akpe ɖe ŋuwò la gblɔe nye esi, Mègavɔ̃ o, O! Yakob, nye dɔla. Yerusalem, ame si metia,
Thus hath said the Lord thy Maker, and he that formed thee from the womb, who will help thee, Fear not, O my servant Jacob; and thou Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.
3 elabena makɔ tsi ɖe kuɖiɖinyigba dzi kple tɔʋuwo ɖe anyigba ƒuƒu dzi. Makɔ nye gbɔgbɔ ɖe viwòwo dzi kple nye yayra ɖe wò dzidzimeviwo dzi.
For [as] I pour water upon the thirsty [land], and rain-droppings upon the dry ground: [so] will I pour my spirit over thy seed, and my blessing over thy offspring.
4 Woamie abe gbe si le gbedzi ene, eye woanɔ abe amutiwo le tɔʋuwo to ene.
After they shall spring up [as] among grass, like willows by the water-courses.
5 Ɖeka agblɔ be, ‘Yehowa tɔ menye.’ Bubu atsɔ Yakob ƒe ŋkɔ na eɖokui, eye ame bubu hã aŋlɔ ɖe eƒe asi ŋuti be, ‘Yehowa tɔ,’ eye wòatsɔ ŋkɔ be Israel.
This one will say, I belong to the Lord; and the other will call himself by the name of Jacob; and the other will inscribe himself with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel.
6 “Ale Yehowa, Israel ƒe Fia kple Ɖela, Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ la gblɔe nye esi: Nyee nye gbãtɔ kple mlɔetɔ. Mawu bubu aɖeke mekpe ɖe ŋunye o.
Thus hath said the Lord, the king of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts, I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no god.
7 Ekema ame kae sɔ kplim? Neɖe gbeƒãe. Neva gblɔe, eye wòaɖee afia le ŋkunye me, nu siwo dzɔ tso esime meɖo nye blemamewo gɔme anyi kple nu si gbɔna eme va ge. Ɛ̃, negblɔ nu si ava dzɔ.
And who, like me, will announce, and will tell it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the people of ancient times? and the future things, and those which are to happen, —let them foretell unto them.
8 Migadzo nyanyanya o. Migavɔ̃ o. Ɖe nyemeɖe gbeƒã esia, eye megblɔe da ɖi gbe aɖe gbe ke oa? Miawoe nye nye ɖasefowo. Ɖe Mawu bubu aɖe gali kpe ɖe ŋunyea? Ao, Agakpe aɖeke megali o.”
Have no dread, and do not despond; have I not long since informed thee, and have told it? and ye are my witnesses: Is there a god beside me? yea, there is no rock, whom I know not.
9 Ame siwo katã ha legbawo la, mele ɖeke me o, eye nu siwo ŋu wode asixɔxɔe la nye tofloko. Ame siwo ƒoa nu ɖe wo nu la nye ŋkugbagbãtɔwo, numanyala siwo menya ŋukpe o.
The makers of graven images are all vanity; and their costly idols cannot profit; and they are their own witnesses, that they see not and know not, in order that they may be ashamed.
10 Ame kae kpa aklamakpakpɛ mawo, eye wòli legba si mahe viɖe aɖeke vɛ nɛ o?
Who hath formed a god, or cast an image that profiteth nothing?
11 Woado ŋukpe aklamakpakpɛwɔla kple aklamakpakpɛ la siaa, elabena aɖaŋudɔwɔlawo hã, amegbetɔwo ko wonye. Wo katã neƒo ƒu ne woaɖo kpe nu dzi, ke hã la, woaƒo wo aƒu anyi kple ŋɔdzi kple dɔléle.
Behold, all his associates shall be ashamed, for the workmen themselves are but men: let them all be gathered, let them stand up, they shall be terrified, they shall be ashamed together.
12 Gbede tsɔ eƒe dɔwɔnu de gayibɔdzo me. Etsɔ eƒe zu wɔ dɔ le gayibɔ la ŋu kple eƒe abɔ sesẽ, eye wòwɔe wòzu legba. Dɔ wui, eye wògbɔdzɔ. Meno tsi o, ale nu ti kɔ nɛ vevie.
The iron-smith [maketh] an axe and worketh it in the coals, and with hammers he fashioneth it, and worketh it with his powerful arm; he also, when he is hungry, loseth his strength: when he drinketh no water, he becometh faint.
13 Atikpala tsɔ nudzidzenu, eye wòtsɔ ɣe te fli ɖe teƒe siwo wòdzidze. Etsɔ nukpafi zrɔ̃ teƒeteƒewoe, eye wòtsɔ nudzidzega dzidzee. Ekpae ɖe ame ƒe nɔnɔme me, le ame ƒe dzedze nyuitɔ me be wòate ŋu atsɔe ada ɖe trɔ̃xɔ me.
The worker in wood stretcheth out the rule; he marketh it out with chalk; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, after the beauty of a child of earth, that it may dwell in a house.
14 Atikpala la lã sedati, papawu alo logoti. Ena wòtsi le avemetiwo dome. Ɖewohĩ edo gboti hã, eye tsidzadza na wòtsi.
He felleth for himself cedars, and taketh cypress and oak, and he chooseth for himself the strongest among the trees of the forest; he planteth an ash, and the rain causeth it to grow.
15 Ame la tsɔe wɔ nakee. Etsɔ ɖe do dzoe le ƒuƒum. Etsɔ ɖe do dzoe, me abolo. Etsɔ ɖe wɔ mawue. Ke etsɔ ɖe wɔ mawue hesubɔna, eye wòtsɔ ɖe wɔ aklamakpakpɛ hedea ta agu nɛ.
Then doth it serve a man for burning; and he taketh thereof, and warmeth himself; he also heateth therewith, and baketh bread; he also worketh out a god, and boweth himself; he maketh of it an image, and kneeleth down thereto.
16 Etsɔ ati la ƒe afã do dzoe heɖa nu le edzi. Eme lã le edzi, eye wòɖu nu ɖi ƒo. Azɔ eƒu dzo la hegblɔ be: “Aa! Mekpɔ dzo le ƒuƒum, eye nye lãme xɔ dzo.”
The half thereof hath he burnt in fire; with the half thereof will he eat flesh; he will roast food, and be satisfied; he will also warm himself, and say, Aha, I am warm, I have felt the fire:
17 Etsɔ ati la ƒe mamlɛa wɔ aklamakpakpɛ, mawu si wòdea ta agu na hesubɔna. Edo gbe ɖa nɛ be, “Ɖem, wòe nye nye mawu.”
And the residue thereof hath he made into a god, his graven image; he kneeleth down unto it, and boweth himself, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for my god art thou.
18 Ame siawo menya naneke o. Womese naneke gɔme o. Nu tsyɔ woƒe ŋkuwo dzi be womegakpɔ nu o, eye woƒe susuwo me xe be womagase naneke gɔme o.
They know not, they understand not; for their eyes are daubed over, that they cannot see; their hearts, that they cannot understand.
19 Nunya mele wo dometɔ aɖeke si wòagblɔ be, “Metsɔ afã wɔ nakee. Meme abolo gɔ̃ hã le eƒe dzokawo dzi, eye meme lã hã le edzi heɖu o. Ɖe matsɔ mamlɛa awɔ ŋunyɔnuea? Ɖe madze klo na atikpoa.”
And he layeth it not to heart, and hath no knowledge, no understanding, to say, The half thereof have I burnt in fire; and I have also baked upon its coals bread; I [now] will roast flesh, and eat it: and shall I make of its residue an abomination, before a block of wood shall I kneel?
20 Etsɔ eƒe susu da ɖe dzofi dzi, eye dzi si woble la kplɔe trae, ale mate ŋu aɖe eɖokui alo agblɔ be, “Ɖe nu si melé ɖe nye nuɖusime la menye aʋatso oa?”
He pursueth ashes; a deceived heart hath turned him aside; and he cannot deliver his soul, and will not say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?
21 “Ɖo ŋku nu siawo dzi, O! Yakob, elabena wòe nye nye dɔla, O! Israel. Nyee me wò, eye nye dɔlae nènye. O! Israel, nyemaŋlɔ wò be akpɔ o.
Remember these things, O Jacob; and Israel, for thou art my servant: I have formed thee to be my servant, thou [art this]; O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten by me.
22 Mekplɔ wò vodadawo dzoe abe lilikpo ene, eye mena wò nu vɔ̃wo nu va yi abe ahũ si dza le fɔŋli ene. Trɔ̃ va gbɔnye, elabena meɖe wò.”
I have blotted out, as a vapor, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
23 O! Dziƒowo, midzi ha kple dzidzɔ, elabena Yehowae wɔ esia. O! Anyigba do ɣli sesĩe. Mido ha ɖa, mi towo, avewo kple avemetiwo, elabena Yehowa ɖe Yakob. Eɖe eƒe Ŋutikɔkɔefia le Israel.
Sing, O ye heavens; for the Lord hath done it; shout, ye lowest depths of the earth; break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein; for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and on Israel will he glorify himself.
24 “Ale Yehowa, wò Ɖela, ame si me wò ɖe dɔ me la gblɔe nye esi: “Nyee nye Yehowa si wɔ nuwo katã. Ame si he dziƒowo me, eye nye ŋutɔe keke anyigbawo me.
Thus hath said the Lord, thy Redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the Lord that hath made all things; that hath stretched forth the heavens by myself alone; that hath spread abroad the earth from my own self;
25 Nyee gblẽa alakpanyagblɔɖilawo ƒe dzesiwo me, eye medoa abunɛ bokɔwo ƒe nukakawo, ame si ɖea nunyalawo le zi dzi, eye wòtrɔa woƒe nunya wòzua bometsitsi.
That frustrate the tokens of the liars, and confuseth diviners; that turneth the wise backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;
26 Ame si wɔna ɖe eƒe dɔlawo ƒe biabiawo dzi, eye wònaa eƒe dɔlawo ƒe nyagblɔɖiwo vaa eme. “Ame si gblɔ le Yerusalem ŋu be, ‘Amewo aganɔ me wò,’ na Yuda ƒe duwo be, ‘Woagbugbɔ mi atso,’ eye na aƒedowo be, ‘Magbugbɔ mi aɖo te.’
That fulfilleth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith of Jerusalem, It shall be inhabited; and of the cities of Judah, They shall be built, and their ruins will I raise up.
27 Ame si gblɔ na tɔ goglowo be, ‘Mimie, mana mia me tsiwo namie.’
That saith to the deep, Be dry, and thy rivers will I dry up;
28 Ame si gblɔ le fia Sirus ŋu be, ‘Eyae nye nye alẽkplɔla, eye awɔ nu siwo katã dze ŋunye. Agblɔ le Yerusalem ŋu be, “Woagbugbɔe atu,” eye le gbedoxɔ la ŋu be, “Mina woaɖo eƒe gɔmeɖokpewo anyi.”’
That saith of Cyrus, [He is] my shepherd, and all my pleasure shall he perform: even saying of Jerusalem, It shall be built; and the temple's foundation shall be laid.
