Aịzaya 44
1 “Ma ugbu a, gee ntị gị Jekọb, bụ ohu m, geekwanụ ntị, unu ndị Izrel m họpụtara.
Yet listen now, Jacob my servant, and Israel, whom I have 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 who made you, and formed you from the womb, who will help you says: “Don’t be afraid, Jacob my servant; and you, Jeshurun, whom I have 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 will pour water on him who is thirsty, and streams on the dry ground. I will pour my Spirit on your descendants, 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 spring up amongst the grass, as willows by the watercourses.
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.’ Another will be called by the name of Jacob; and another will write with his hand ‘to the LORD,’ and honour the name of 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, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the LORD of Hosts, says: “I am the first, and I am the last; and besides me there is no God.
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? Who will call, and will declare it, and set it in order for me, since I established the ancient people? Let them declare the things that are coming, and that will 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 fear, neither be afraid. Haven’t I declared it to you long ago, and shown it? You are my witnesses. Is there a God besides me? Indeed, there is not. I don’t know any other Rock.”
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.
Everyone who makes a carved image is vain. The things that they delight in will not profit. Their own witnesses don’t see, nor know, that they may be disappointed.
10 Ọ baghị uru mmadụ ịkpụrụ onwe ya arụsị maọbụ chi a pịrị apị, nke na-apụghị inyere ya aka nʼụzọ ọbụla?
Who has fashioned a god, or moulds an image that is profitable for nothing?
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.
Behold, all his fellows will be disappointed; and the workmen are mere men. Let them all be gathered together. Let them stand up. They will fear. They will be put to shame together.
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 takes an axe, works in the coals, fashions it with hammers, and works it with his strong arm. He is hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks no water, and is faint.
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 carpenter stretches out a line. He marks it out with a pencil. He shapes it with planes. He marks it out with compasses, and shapes it like the figure of a man, with the beauty of a man, to reside in a 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 cuts down cedars for himself, and takes the cypress and the oak, and strengthens for himself one amongst the trees of the forest. He plants a cypress tree, and the rain nourishes it.
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 for a man to burn; and he takes some of it and warms himself. Yes, he burns it and bakes bread. Yes, he makes a god and worships it; he makes it a carved image, and falls down to 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.”
He burns part of it in the fire. With part of it, he eats meat. He roasts a roast and is satisfied. Yes, he warms himself 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!”
The rest of it he makes into a god, even his engraved image. He bows down to it and worships, and prays to it, and says, “Deliver 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.
They don’t know, neither do they consider, for he has shut their eyes, that they can’t see, and their hearts, that they can’t understand.
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?”
No one thinks, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, “I have burnt part of it in the fire. Yes, I have also baked bread on its coals. I have roasted meat and eaten it. Shall I make the rest of it into an abomination? Shall I bow down to a tree trunk?”
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 feeds on ashes. A deceived heart has turned him aside; and he can’t deliver his soul, nor say, “Isn’t there a lie in my right hand?”
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 these things, Jacob and Israel, for you are my servant. I have formed you. You are my servant. Israel, you will not be forgotten by me.
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 blotted out, as a thick cloud, your transgressions, and, as a cloud, your sins. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.
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, you heavens, for the LORD has done it! Shout, you lower parts of the earth! Break out into singing, you mountains, O forest, all of your trees, for the LORD has redeemed Jacob, and will glorify himself 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, your Redeemer, and he who formed you from the womb says: “I am the LORD, who makes all things; who alone stretches out the heavens; who spreads out the earth by myself;
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 frustrates the signs of the liars, and makes diviners mad; who turns wise men backward, and makes 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 confirms the word of his servant, and performs the counsel of his messengers; who says of Jerusalem, ‘She will be inhabited;’ and of the cities of Judah, ‘They will be built,’ and ‘I will raise up its waste places;’
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 dry up your rivers,’
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 is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure,’ even saying of Jerusalem, ‘She will be built;’ and of the temple, ‘Your foundation will be laid.’”
