Aịzaya 44
1 “Ma ugbu a, gee ntị gị Jekọb, bụ ohu m, geekwanụ ntị, unu ndị Izrel m họpụtara.
But now listen, Jacob, my servant, Israel, the one I've chosen.
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.
This is what the Lord says, the one who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you: Don't be afraid, Jacob, my servant, Jeshurun, the one I've chosen.
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'm going to pour out water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground. I'm going to pour out my Spirit on your descendants, and my blessing on your children.
4 Ha ga-etopụta etopụta dịka ahịhịa a gbara mmiri, e, dịka osisi pọpla nʼakụkụ iyi jupụtara na mmiri.
They will grow up among the grass, like willows beside 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 of them will say, “I belong to the Lord,” while another will call himself by the name Jacob, and yet another will write on his hand, “Belonging to the Lord,” and will name himself Israel.
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.
This is what the Lord says, the King and Redeemer of Israel, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God besides 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.
Who is like me? Let them announce it, make a declaration, and demonstrate it before me. For I was the one who long ago established a people and predicted its future. Let them predict what's going to happen.
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.”
Don't tremble, don't be afraid! Didn't I tell you long ago what I was going to do? Didn't I explain it? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? There is no other Rock—I don't know any!
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.
All those who make idols are stupid; these things they love so much don't bring them any benefit. Those people who believe in idols can't see this, and they don't know anything, making them look foolish.
10 Ọ baghị uru mmadụ ịkpụrụ onwe ya arụsị maọbụ chi a pịrị apị, nke na-apụghị inyere ya aka nʼụzọ ọbụla?
Who makes a god, who molds an idol that's no use to them?
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.
Everyone who makes idols should be ashamed of themselves. Idol-makers are just human beings! Bring them all together and have them stand up, trembling in 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 blacksmith makes an iron tool for woodcarving. Working over hot coals, he hammers it into shape as hard as he can. He gets hungry and loses his strength, and because he doesn't drink he grows weak.
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 measures out a piece of wood, and draws an image on it. He carves it with a chisel and uses a compass to make an outline. He creates an idol that looks like a person, someone beautiful, to be put in a shrine.
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 chops down cedars, or takes a cypress or an oak. He lets them grow strong in the forest. He plants a fir tree, and the rain makes it grow.
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.
Some wood he burns, to keep him warm and to bake his bread. Then he uses some of the same wood to make a god to worship, an idol he bows down to!
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.”
So he burns part of the wood to roast his meat to eat, and to warm him up, and says, “Ah! Look at that fire that keeps me warm!”
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!”
Then he uses the rest of the wood to make himself a god, an idol he bows down to in worship and prays to, saying, “Save me, 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.
How ignorant they are, how dumb! Their eyes have been plastered over so they can't see, their minds closed so they don't have insight.
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?”
They can't think things over, they don't have the wisdom or the understanding to say, “Some of the wood I burned in the fire—I used it to bake my bread and roast my meat to eat. The rest of it I used to make a disgusting idol, and I bow down in worship to a block 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?”
He is feeding on ashes, seduced by the deceptive thinking of his mind. He can't save himself, and he doesn't even ask, “Isn't this idol I'm holding just a lie?”
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.
“Remember all this, Jacob and Israel, for you are my servant. I made you, Israel, you are my servant. I won't forget you.
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 wiped away your acts of rebellion as if they were like a cloud, your sins as if they were like the mist. Come back to me, for I have set you free.”
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.
Sing in celebration, you heavens, for the Lord has done this; cry out loud, you depths of the earth. Shout with joy, you mountains, you forests and every tree. For the Lord has set Jacob free, and his glory is shown 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,
This is what the Lord says, your Redeemer, who shaped you in the womb: “I am the Lord, the Creator of everything. I alone made the heavens, and I myself formed the earth.
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,
I am the one who proves the signs of false prophets are wrong. I am the one who makes fools of fortune-tellers. I turn the wisdom of the wise upside-down, and make their knowledge ridiculous.
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.’
But I confirm the messages given by my servants, and fulfill what my messengers say. They state, ‘Jerusalem will be inhabited again, the towns of Judah will be rebuilt, your ruins will be repaired.’
27 Onye ahụ na-asị, ogbu mmiri, ‘Takọrọ, aga m emekwa ka iyi ya niile takọrọsịa,’
When I order deep waters, ‘Dry up!’ I will make sure the rivers dry up!
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.”’
When I say to Cyrus, ‘You are my shepherd,’ he will carry out everything I wish. He will give the order, ‘Jerusalem shall be rebuilt,’ and he will say, ‘the Temple shall be restored.’”
