Aịzaya 49
1 Geenụ m ntị, unu niile ndị bi nʼala mmiri gbara gburugburu, nụrụkwanụ nke a, unu ndị nọ na mba dị anya. Onyenwe anyị kpọrọ m tupu amụọ m. Ọ kpọrọ m aha m mgbe m ka nọ nʼime afọ nne m.
All you people who live on islands [in the ocean] and in other distant areas, pay attention [DOU] to what I will say! Yahweh called/chose me before I was born; he chose/appointed me when I was still in my mother’s womb.
2 O mere ka okwu sị m nʼọnụ dịrị nkọ dịka mma agha. O zobere m nʼaka ya kpuchie m. O mere m ka m dịrị ka àkụ dị nkọ nke o zoro nʼime akpa àkụ ya.
[When I grew up], he caused my messages to be like [SIM] a sharp sword. He has protected me with his hand [SYN]. [He protects me] [MET] like someone protects sharp arrows in a quiver.
3 Ọ sịrị m, “Ị bụ ohu m, Izrel. Ọ bụkwa site na gị ka m ga-eji gosi ịma mma na ike m.”
He said to me, “You will serve my Israeli [people], and you will cause people to honor me.”
4 Ma mụ onwe m sịrị, “Ọ bụ nʼefu ka m dọgburu onwe m nʼọrụ. Etufuola m ike m niile nʼihi ihe na-abụghị ihe. Ma ihe ruru m dị nʼaka Onyenwe anyị, ụgwọ ọrụ m dịkwa nʼaka Chineke m.”
I replied, “My work has been useless; I have used my strength, but I have accomplished nothing worthwhile; everything that I have done has been (in vain/useless). However, Yahweh can honor me as he pleases; my God is the one who will reward me [as I deserve].”
5 Ma ugbu a Onyenwe anyị na-asị, Onye ahụ kpụrụ m nʼafọ nne m ka m bụrụ onye na-ejere ya ozi; ka ọ kpọghachite Jekọb nye ya ka achịkọtakwa ndị Izrel nyekwa ya onwe ya, nʼihi na-abụ m onye nsọpụrụ dịrị nʼanya Onyenwe anyị, Chineke m aghọkwaarala m ike m.
Yahweh formed me when I was in [my mother’s] womb in order that I would serve him; he appointed me to bring [the people of] Israel back to himself [DOU]. Yahweh has honored me, and he is the one who has caused me to be strong.
6 Ọ sịrị, “Ọ bụ ihe dị nta karịa, gị ị bụrụ m ohu, ịkpọghachita ebo niile nke Jekọb na ịkpọghachita ndị Izrel ndị m chebere. Aga m emekwa ka ị bụrụ ìhè nye ndị mba ọzọ, ka nzọpụta m site nʼaka gị ruo ndị bi na nsọtụ ụwa niile.”
He says to me, “It is not enough for you to serve me by bringing the descendants of Jacob back to worship me again [DOU]; I also want you to be like [MET] a light for the non-Jews; I want you to take my [my message] about how to be saved to [people] all over the world.”
7 Nke a bụ ihe Onyenwe anyị kwuru, Onye mgbapụta na Onye nsọ Izrel na-agwa onye ahụ a na-elelị anya, onye ahụ mba kpọrọ ihe arụ, e, onye ahụ ndị na-achị achị mere ka ọ ghọọ ohu ha, “Ndị eze ga-eguzo ọtọ mgbe ị na-agafe. Ndịisi na-achị achị ga-akpọ isiala nye gị, nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị, Onye kwesiri ntụkwasị obi, Onye nsọ Izrel, ahọpụtala gị.”
Yahweh, the one who saves us, the Holy God of us Israeli [people], says to the one who was despised and rejected by the [people of many] nations, the one who is the slave of rulers, “[Some day] kings will stand up to respect you when they see you, and princes will bow down before you because [you serve] me, Yahweh, the one who faithfully [does what I promise]. I am the Holy God to whom you Israelis belong, the one who has chosen you.”
8 Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị na-ekwu: “Nʼoge amara m, aga m aza unu, nʼụbọchị nzọpụta aga m enyere unu aka. Aga m echebe unu, mee ka unu bụrụ ọgbụgba ndụ nye ndị mmadụ, iweghachite ala ahụ na ikegharịkwa ihe nketa ya nke tọgbọrọ nʼefu;
This is also what Yahweh says: “At a time when it pleases me, I will answer your prayers. On the day when you will be rescued [from your oppressors], I will help you. I will protect you and enable you to establish an agreement with other nations. And by what you do, I will re-establish your nation of Israel and allow you to live/settle again in your land that was abandoned.
9 na-asị ndị mkpọrọ, ‘Pụtanụ,’ na-asịkwa ndị nọ nʼọchịchịrị, ‘Pụtanụ nʼihe.’ “Ha ga-adịkwa ka atụrụ m, nọọ nʼakụkụ ụzọ, ndị na-ata ahịhịa nʼebe ịta nri nke ahịhịa ndụ, nʼakụkụ ugwu nta niile.
I will say to those who were captured [and (exiled/taken to Babylonia)], ‘Leave [Babylonia] and return to your own country!’ And I will say to those who are in dark prisons, ‘Come out into the light!’ When that happens, they will again be like [MET] sheep that eat grass in green pastures, on hills where [previously] there was no grass.
10 Agụ agaghị agụ ha, akpịrị agaghị akpọkwa ha nkụ. Oke anwụ otiti nke ọzara agaghị acha ha ọzọ. Nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị ga-esite nʼobi ebere ya duo ha nʼakụkụ isi iyi jupụtara na mmiri.
They will not be hungry or thirsty [any more]; the hot sun will not beat upon them again [DOU]. I, Yahweh, will act mercifully toward them and lead them; I will lead them to where there are springs of cool water.
11 Aga m emekwa ka ugwu ukwu niile ghọọ okporoụzọ, meekwa ka okporoụzọ niile guzozie.
And I will cause the mountains to become [as though they were] level roads, and I will prepare good highways [for my people to travel on, to return to Jerusalem].
12 Lee, ndị m ga-alọghachi, ha ga-esitekwa nʼebe dị anya, ụfọdụ ga-esite nʼugwu, ụfọdụ nʼọdịda anyanwụ, ndị ọzọ ga-esite na mpaghara Aswan.”
My people will return from far away; some will come from the north, some from the west, some from southern Egypt.”
13 Tienụ mkpu ọṅụ, eluigwe niile; ka ụwa ṅụrịa ọṅụ. Ugwu ukwu niile, bụọnụ abụ, nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị akasịela ndị ya obi. Ọ ga-enwekwa obi ebere nʼihi iru ụjụ ha.
[Because of what Yahweh has promised to do], everything should shout joyfully— the sky and the earth and the mountains should sing, because Yahweh comforts his people, and he will pity those who are suffering.
14 Ma Zayọn sịrị, “Onyenwe anyị agbakụtala m azụ; Onyenwe m echefuola m.”
[The people of] Jerusalem say, “Yahweh has abandoned us; he has forgotten about us.”
15 “Nwanyị ọ pụrụ ichezọ nwa ya na-aṅụ ara, hapụ inwe obi ebere nʼahụ nwa si nʼafọ ya? Eleghị anya ọ pụrụ ichezọ, ma agaghị m echezọ unu.
But [Yahweh replies], “That is not true! (Can a woman forget the infant that she is nursing?/A woman certainly cannot forget the infant that she is nursing!) [RHQ] (Can she stop being kind to the child to whom she has given birth?/She certainly cannot stop being kind to the child to whom she has given birth!) [RHQ] But even if a woman would do that, I will not forget you!
16 Lee, edeela m aha gị nʼọbụaka m, nʼihu m kwa ka m debere foto mgbidi gị nke ga-adịgide.
Note that I have written your [names] on the palms of my hands; in my mind I can always see the walls of your city.
17 Ụmụ gị emeela ngwangwa lọghachite, ndị ahụ mere ka ị tọgbọrọ nʼefu ga-esi nʼime gị pụọ.
Soon your children will be returning there (OR, Those who rebuild your city will work more quickly than those who destroyed it), and all those who destroyed your city will leave.
18 Welie anya gị abụọ lee gburugburu, legharịa anya, ụmụ gị niile na-ezukọta na-alọghachikwute gị. Dịka m na-adị ndụ,” ka Onyenwe anyị kwubiri. “Ị ga-eyi ha niile dịka ọla ịchọ mma, ị ga-ekekwa ha dịka nwanyị a na-alụ ọhụrụ si eme.
You will look around and see all of your children coming back to you. As surely as I live, they will be around you [for you to show to people] like [SIM] a bride shows her wedding ornaments!
19 “Ọ bụ ezie na e bibiri gị, mee ka ị tọgbọrọ nʼefu, ala gị abụrụ nkpọnkpọ ebe, ma ugbu a, ị gaghị ezuru ndị gị, otu a kwa, ndị ahụ ripịara gị ga-anọ gị nʼebe dị anya.
Your land has been ruined and caused to become desolate/abandoned [DOU], but [some day] it will be filled with people, and those who conquered you will be far away.
20 Ụmụ niile a mụrụ nʼoge ọnwụ gbabara gị aka, ga-asịkwa na ntị gị, ‘Ebe a dịrị anyị oke ntakịrị, nye anyị ebe sara mbara karịa nke anyị ga-ebi nʼime ya.’
The children who were born while you were (exiled/in Babylonia) [MET] will return [to Jerusalem] and say, ‘This city is too small for us; We need more space to live in!’
21 Mgbe ahụ, ị ga-eche nʼime onwe gị sị, ‘Onye mụtaara m ọtụtụ ụmụ ndị a niile? A dịrị m ka nwanyị na-amụghị nwa maọbụ onye ụmụ ya nwụchara. Onye ajụrụ ajụ na nke e mere ka ọ gaa biri nʼala ọzọ. Mụ onwe m fọdụrụ, naanị m. Onye kwa mụụrụ m ụmụ ndị a? Onye zụlitere ha?’”
Then you will think to yourselves [MTY], ‘It is amazing that we have [RHQ] all these children! Most of our children were dead, and the rest were exiled. We were left here alone; so we do not know [RHQ] where all these children have come from! Who raised them?'”
22 Otu a ka Onye kachasị ihe niile elu, bụ Onyenwe anyị kwuru, “Lee, aga m akpọku ndị mba ọzọ, weliere ha ọkọlọtọ m, ha ga-ekulatara gị ụmụ gị ndị ikom nʼaka ha. Ụmụ ndị inyom ka ha ga-ekukwasị nʼubu ha kulatakwa ha.
This is what Yahweh our God says: “Watch! [It is as though] I will lift up my hand to signal to those who are not Israelis. And they will carry your little sons and daughters on their shoulders and bring them back to you.
23 Ndị eze ga-abụkwa ndị nna na-azụ ụmụ gị, ndị eze nwanyị ha ga-abụkwa ndị inyom na-enye ụmụ gị ara. Ha ga-akpọ isiala nye gị, rachakwaa aja dị nʼụkwụ gị abụọ. Mgbe ahụ, ị ga-amata na mụ onwe m bụ Onyenwe anyị, matakwa na ihere agaghị eme ndị niile na-ele anya inyeaka m.”
Kings will serve you and will tutor/teach your children, and their queens will take care of your young children. They will prostrate themselves in front of you and [humble themselves by] licking the dust off your feet. When that happens, you will know that I, Yahweh, [have the power to do what I say that I will do]; and those who trust in me will never be disappointed.”
24 A ga-anara dike nʼagha ihe ọ lụtara nʼagha, maọbụ zọpụta ndị a dọọrọ nʼagha site nʼaka onye afọ tara mmiri?
There is no one [RHQ] who can snatch valuable things from a soldier who has captured those things [in a war]; there is no one [RHQ] who can force a (tyrant/cruel man) to free the people whom he has captured.
25 Ma otu a ka Onyenwe anyị sịrị, “Nʼezie, a ga-esi nʼaka ndị bụ dike nʼagha pụnara ha ndị ha dọtara nʼagha. A ga-esitekwa nʼaka onye na-akpa ike napụta ya ihe ọ dọtara nʼagha. Nʼihi na aga m ebuso ha agha bụ ndị niile na-ebuso gị agha. Aga m anapụtakwa ụmụ gị.
But Yahweh says this: “[Some day], those who have been captured will be freed, and the valuable things that (tyrants/cruel men) have snatched from others will be returned, because I will fight against those who fight against you, and I will rescue your children.
26 Aga m eme ka ndị na-akpagbu gị rie anụ ahụ onwe ha; ha ga-aṅụ ọbara onwe ha ṅụbiga ya oke, dịka mmanya. Mgbe ahụ, ihe niile bụ mmadụ nʼụwa ga-amata, na mụ onwe m Onyenwe anyị, bụ Onye na-azọpụta gị, Onye mgbapụta gị, na Onye dị ike nke Jekọb.”
And I will cause your enemies to destroy themselves [MET] instead of murdering others. When that happens, everyone [in the world] will know that I, Yahweh, am the one who saves you, the one who rescues you from your enemies; everyone will know that I am the mighty God to whom [you descendants of] [MTY] Jacob belong.”
