Aịzaya 44
1 “Ma ugbu a, gee ntị gị Jekọb, bụ ohu m, geekwanụ ntị, unu ndị Izrel m họpụtara.
And now, give ear, O Jacob my servant, and Israel whom I have taken for myself:
2 Nke a bụ ihe Onyenwe anyị na-ekwu, bụ onye kere unu, onye kpụrụ unu nʼime nʼafọ, na onye ga-enyere unu aka: Atụla egwu, gị Jekọb, ohu m, atụkwala egwu gị Jeshurun, onye nke m họpụtara.
The Lord who made you, forming you in your mother's body, the Lord, your helper, says, Have no fear, O Jacob my servant, and you, Jeshurun, whom I have taken for myself.
3 Nʼihi na aga m eme ka ala ahụ kpọrọ nkụ nweta mmiri, mee ka mmiri na-asọgharị nʼala ahụ akpịrị na-akpọ nkụ. Aga m awụkwasị ụmụ ụmụ unu Mmụọ m, meekwa ka ngọzị m dịrị ha.
For I will send water on the land needing it, and streams on the dry earth: I will let my spirit come down on your seed, and my blessing on your offspring.
4 Ha ga-etopụta etopụta dịka ahịhịa a gbara mmiri, e, dịka osisi pọpla nʼakụkụ iyi jupụtara na mmiri.
And they will come up like grass in a well-watered field, like water-plants by the streams.
5 Ha ga-eji nganga sị, ‘Abụ m nke Onyenwe anyị,’ maọbụ ‘Abụ m nwa nwa Jekọb,’ ebe ndị ọzọ ga-edepụta nʼaka ha, ‘Nke Onyenwe anyị ka m bụ,’ ha ga-agụkwa onwe ha Izrel.
One will say, I am the Lord's; and another will give himself the name, Jacob; another will put a mark on his hand, I am the Lord's, and another will take the name of Israel for himself.
6 “Nke a bụ ihe Onyenwe anyị na-ekwu, onye bụ Eze Izrel na Onye mgbapụta ya, Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile: Mụ onwe bụ Mmalite na Ọgwụgwụ; ọ dịkwaghị Chineke ọzọ dị ma ewezuga m.
The Lord, the King of Israel, even the Lord of armies who has taken up his cause, says, I am the first and the last, and there is no God but me.
7 Ọ bụkwa onye dị ka m? Ya kwupụta ya. Ya kwupụta ya, doo ya nʼusoro ka ntị nụrụ! Ya kwupụta ihe niile mere kemgbe m mere ka ndị m guzosie ike. Ya kwupụtakwa, ma dokwaa ha nʼusoro, ihe niile na-aga ime nʼoge dị nʼihu.
If there is one like me, let him come forward and say it, let him make it clear and put it in order before me: who has made clear in the past the things to come? let him make clear the future to me.
8 Unu atụla egwu. Unu amakwala jijiji. Ọ bụ na m akọpụtaghị ihe ndị a ma kwupụta ha nʼoge gara aga. Unu onwe unu bụ ndị akaebe m. Ọ dị chi ọzọ dị ma e wezuga m? Mba! O nweghị Oke nkume ọzọ dị, nke m maara ihe banyere ya.”
Have no fear, be strong in heart; have I not made it clear to you in the past, and let you see it? and you are my witnesses. Is there any God but me, or a Rock of whom I have no knowledge?
9 Ndị a niile na-apị arụsị bụ ndị nzuzu. Chi ndị ahụ niile ha na-agụ dị ka ihe ukwu bụkwa ihe na-enweghị isi. Ndị niile na-akpọ isiala nye chi ndị a bụ ndị kpuru ìsì, na ndị amamihe kọrọ, ndị ihere ga-emekwa.
Those who make a pictured image are all of them as nothing, and the things of their desire will be of no profit to them: and their servants see not, and have no knowledge; so they will be put to shame.
10 Ọ baghị uru mmadụ ịkpụrụ onwe ya arụsị maọbụ chi a pịrị apị, nke na-apụghị inyere ya aka nʼụzọ ọbụla?
Whoever makes a god, makes nothing but a metal image in which there is no profit.
11 Lee ihere ga-eme ndị niile na-akpọ isiala nye ya. Ndị kpụrụ ha bụ naanị ndị mmadụ. Ka ha niile chịkọta onwe ha, guzo, nwee mkpebi ha, ha ga-anọ nʼọnọdụ nʼihere, na nʼoke egwu.
Truly, all those who make use of secret arts will be put to shame, and their words of power are only words of men: let them all come forward together; they will all be in fear and be put to shame.
12 Ọkpụ ụzụ na-ewere ngwa ọrụ ya na-ahụ ya nʼime icheku ọkụ, ọ na-eji mkpirisi igwe onye ọka tipịa ya nʼụdịdị arụsị, ọ bụ ike nke ogwe aka ya ka o ji akpụ ụzụ. Agụ na-agụ ya, ike na-agwụsịkwa ya; ọ ṅụghị mmiri ọbụla, ọ na-adakwa mba.
The iron-worker is heating the metal in the fire, giving it form with his hammers, and working on it with his strong arm: then for need of food his strength gives way, and for need of water he becomes feeble.
13 Onye ọka osisi na-esite nʼeriri ọtụtụ tụpụta osisi were pensụlụ kaa ya; ọ na-ewere ngwa ọrụ ya kpụchaa osisi ahụ, were ngwa ọrụ ịka akara, kaa ya akara. Ọ na-arụ ya dịka oyiyi mmadụ, oyiyi mmadụ nʼịma mma ya niile, maka ibi nʼime ụlọ arụsị.
The woodworker is measuring out the wood with his line, marking it out with his pencil: after smoothing it with his plane, and making circles on it with his instrument, he gives it the form and glory of a man, so that it may be placed in the house.
14 Ọ na-egbutu osisi sida dị iche iche, maọbụ osisi saipres ma ọ bụkwa osisi ook. Ọ na-ahapụ ya ka o too nʼetiti osisi dị iche iche nke oke ọhịa, maọbụ kụọ osisi fịa, nke mmiri ozuzo na-eme ka o too nke ọma.
He has cedars cut down for himself, he takes an oak and lets it get strong among the trees of the wood; he has an ash-tree planted, and the rain gives it growth.
15 Ọ bụkwa nkụ ka eji ya e mere; ụfọdụ ka ọ na-ewere nya ọkụ, ọ na-eji ya afụnwu ọkụ ghee achịcha. Sitekwa na ya pịa chi, kpuo ihu nʼala nye ya; ọ na-emekwa arụsị apịrị apị, kpọọ isiala nye ya.
Then it will be used to make a fire, so that a man may get warm; he has the oven heated with it and makes bread: he makes a god with it, to which he gives worship: he makes a pictured image out of it, and goes down on his face before it.
16 Ọkara nʼime osisi ndị a ka o ji emenwu ọkụ; nʼelu ya kwa ka ọ na-esi nri ya, ọ na-ahụnye anụ, were tajuo afọ ya. Nkụ ahụ ka o ji anya ọkụ na-asị, “Ahaa, ahụ ekpola m ọkụ; ahụla m ọkụ.”
With part of it he makes a fire, and on the fire he gets meat cooked and takes a full meal: he makes himself warm, and says, Aha! I am warm, I have seen the fire:
17 Ihe fọdụrụ nʼime osisi ahụ ka ọ na-ewere kwaara onwe ya arụsị a pịrị apị; Ọ na-ada nʼala nʼihu ya, fee ya ofufe. Ọ na-ekpekwara ya ekpere na-asị, “Biko, Zọpụta m, nʼihi na chi m ka ị bụ!”
And the rest of it he makes into a god, even his pictured image: he goes down on his face before it, giving worship to it, and making prayer to it, saying, Be my saviour; for you are my god.
18 Ha amaghị ihe ọbụla; ha adịghị aghọtakwa, nʼihi na-emechiela anya ha ka ha ghara ịhụ ụzọ, mechiekwa uche ha, ka ha ghara ịghọta.
They have no knowledge or wisdom; for he has put a veil over their eyes, so that they may not see; and on their hearts, so that they may not give attention.
19 Ọ dịghị onye na-anọdụ chee echiche, ọ dịghịkwa onye nwere ihe ọmụma maọbụ nghọta ị sị, “Ụfọdụ nʼime osisi a ka m ji kwanye ọkụ, Ọ bụladị ghee achịcha nʼelu icheku ọkụ ya, ejikwa m ụfọdụ nʼime ya hụọ anụ m tara. M ga-esite na nke fọdụrụ mepụta ihe rụrụ arụ? Ọ bụ ogwe osisi ka m ga-akpọ isiala nye?”
And no one takes note, no one has enough knowledge or wisdom to say, I have put part of it in the fire, and made bread on it; I have had a meal of the flesh cooked with it: and am I now to make the rest of it into a false god? am I to go down on my face before a bit of wood?
20 Onye na-adịghị eche ụdị echiche a bụ onye nzuzu, nke na-eji ntụ si nʼebe a kwanyere ọkụ na-azụ onwe ya. Ọ pụghị ịnapụta onwe ya, maọbụ jụọ onwe ya ajụjụ sị, “Ihe a m ji nʼaka m, nke m na-akpọ chi, ọ bụghị okwu ụgha ka ọ bụ?”
As for him whose food is the dust of a dead fire, he has been turned from the way by a twisted mind, so that he is unable to keep himself safe by saying, What I have here in my hand is false.
21 “Cheta ihe ndị a, gị Jekọb, nʼihi na gị bụ Izrel, ị bụ ohu m. Ọ bụ m kpụrụ gị, ị bụ ohu m; gị bụ Izrel, agaghị m echezọ gị.
Keep these things in mind, O Jacob; and you Israel, for you are my servant: I have made you; you are my servant; O Israel, I will not let you go out of my memory.
22 Ehichapụla m njehie gị niile; dịka igwe ojii, hichapụkwa mmehie gị dịka igirigi ụtụtụ. Lọghachikwute m, nʼihi na akwụọla m ụgwọ ịgbapụta gị.”
I have put your evil doings out of my mind like a thick cloud, and your sins like a mist: come back to me; for I have taken up your cause.
23 Bụọnụ abụ oke ọṅụ, unu eluigwe, nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị emeela ya; tienụ oke mkpu, unu ụwa dị nʼala. Tienụ mkpu ọṅụ, unu ugwu niile, unu bụ oke ọhịa niile na osisi ọbụla nke dị nʼime gị, nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị agbapụtala Jekọb, na-egosikwa ebube ya nʼIzrel.
Make a song, O heavens, for the Lord has done it: give a loud cry, you deep parts of the earth: let your voices be loud in song, you mountains, and you woods with all your trees: for the Lord has taken up the cause of Jacob, and will let his glory be seen in Israel.
24 “Otu a, Onyenwe anyị na-ekwu, Onye mgbapụta unu, onye ahụ kpụrụ unu nʼime afọ: Mụ onwe bụ Onyenwe anyị, Onye kere ihe niile, onye gbatipụrụ eluigwe, onye gbasara ụwa naanị mụ onwe m,
The Lord, who has taken up your cause, and who gave you life in your mother's body, says, I am the Lord who makes all things; stretching out the heavens by myself, and giving the earth its limits; who was with me?
25 onye na-emebi ihe ịrịbama niile nke ndị amụma ụgha na-emekwa ka ndị na-ajụta ase ghọọ ndị nzuzu, onye na-ekpu ihe ọmụmụ ndị maara ihe ihu nʼala tụgharịa ya, ha ghọọ ihe nzuzu,
Who makes the signs of those who give word of the future come to nothing, so that those who have knowledge of secret arts go off their heads; turning the wise men back, and making their knowledge foolish:
26 onye na-eme ka okwu ndị ohu ya mezuo meekwa ka amụma ndị ozi ya buru mezuo, onye na-asị banyere Jerusalem, ‘A ga-ebikwa nʼime ya ọzọ,’ na-asịkwa banyere obodo niile nke Juda, ‘A ga-ewughachi ha,’ banyere mkpọmkpọ ebe ha niile, ‘Aga m ewulikwa ha.’
Who makes the word of his servants certain, and gives effect to the purposes of his representatives; who says of Jerusalem, Her people will come back to her; and of the towns of Judah, I will give orders for their building, and will make her waste places fertile again:
27 Onye ahụ na-asị, ogbu mmiri, ‘Takọrọ, aga m emekwa ka iyi ya niile takọrọsịa,’
Who says to the deep, Be dry, and I will make your rivers dry:
28 Onye na-asị banyere Sairọs, ‘Ọ bụ onye ọzụzụ atụrụ m, ọ ga-emezukwa ihe niile na-adị m mma; Ọ ga-asịkwa banyere Jerusalem, “Ka ewugharịa ya,” ma banyere ụlọnsọ, “Ka ehiwe ntọala ya.”’
Who says of Cyrus, He will take care of my sheep, and will do all my pleasure: who says of Jerusalem, I will give the word for your building; and of the Temple, Your bases will be put in place.
