Isaia 49
1 Mihainoa Ahy, ry nosy, ary atongilano ny sofinareo, ry firenena lavitra; Jehovah efa niantso Ahy hatrany am-bohoka; Hatry ny fony Aho mbola tao an-kibon’ ineny no efa nankalazainy ny anarako.
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 Ary nataony tahaka ny sabatra maranitra ny vavako; tao amin’ ny aloky ny tànany no nanafenany Ahy. Ary nataony zana-tsipìka voalambolambo tsara Aho; teo amin’ ny tranon-jana-tsipìkany no nanafenany Ahy.
[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 Ary hoy Izy tamiko: Mpanompoko Hianao, ry Isiraely ô. Izay entiko mampiseho ny voninahitro.
He said to me, “You will serve my Israeli [people], and you will cause people to honor me.”
4 Fa hoy kosa Aho: Foana ny nisasarako, zava-poana sy tsinontsinona no nandaniako ny heriko; kanefa ao amin’ i Jehovah ny rariny tokony ho Ahy, Ary ny valin’ ny asako dia ao amin’ Andriamanitro.
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 Ary ankehitriny, hoy Jehovah, Izay namorona Ahy hatrany am-bohoka ho Mpanompony, hampodiana ny Jakoba ho ao aminy indray sy hamoriana ny Isiraely ho ao aminy, (Fa mahazo voninahitra eo imason’ i Jehovah Aho, Ary Andriamanitro no heriko),
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 Eny, hoy Izy: Mbola zavatra kely foana, raha tonga Mpanompoko hanandratra ny firenen’ i Jakoba Hianao sy hampody ny Isiraely sisa voaro; Fa homeko ho fanazavana ny jentilisa koa Hianao, mba ho famonjeko hatrany amin’ ny faran’ ny tany.
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 Izao no lazain’ i Jehovah, Mpanavotra ny Isiraely, dia ny Iray Masiny, Amin’ Ilay hamavoin’ ny olona sy halan’ ny firenena ka tonga mpanompon’ ny mpanapaka: Ny mpanjaka hahita ka hitsangana, ary ny mpanapaka koa, ka dia hiankohoka noho ny amin’ i Jehovah, Izay mahatoky dia ny Iray Masin’ ny Isiraely, izay efa nifidy Anao.
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 Izao no lazain’ i Jehovah: Tamin’ ny taona fankasitrahana no nihainoako Anao. Ary tamin’ ny andro famonjena no namonjeko Anao; Dia hiaro Anao Aho ka hanome Anao ho fanekena ho an’ ny olona, mba hanangana ny tany indray sy hampandova ny lova izay efa rava
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 ka hanao amin’ ny mpifatotra hoe: Mivoaha, Ary amin’ izay ao amin’ ny maizina hoe: Misehoa; hihinana eny an-dalana izy, ary na dia any an-tendrombohitra mangadihady aza dia hisy ahitra ho azy ihany.
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 Tsy ho noana na hangetaheta izy, ary tsy hamely azy ny hainandro migaingaina na ny masoandro; fa Izay mamindra fo aminy no hitarika azy, ary any amin’ ny loharano miboiboika no hitondrany azy.
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 Hataoko lalana ny tendrombohitro rehetra, ary hasandratra ny lalambeko.
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 Indreo, tonga avy lavitra ireto; ary, indreo, avy any avaratra sy andrefana ireto, ary avy any amin’ ny tany Sinima ireto.
My people will return from far away; some will come from the north, some from the west, some from southern Egypt.”
13 Mihobia, ry lanitra! Ary mifalia, ry tany! Ka velomy ny hoby, ry tendrombohitra! Fa Jehovah efa nampionona ny olony sy mamindra fo amin’ ny olony mahantra.
[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 Fa hoy Ziona’ Jehovah efa nahafoy ahy, ary ny Tompoto efa nanadino ahy.
[The people of] Jerusalem say, “Yahweh has abandoned us; he has forgotten about us.”
15 Mety manadino ny zanany minono va ny vehivavy ka tsy hamindra fo amin’ ny zanaka naloaky ny kibony? Eny, mety manadino ihany izy, Fa Izaho kosa tsy mba manadino anao.
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 Indro, efa vitako tombo-kavatsa eo am-pelatanako ianao, ary ny mandanao dia eo anatrehako mandrakariva.
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 Tamy faingana ny zanakao; Ary izay nanimba sy nandrava anao dia miala aminao.
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 Atopazy manodidina ny masonao, ka mijere; ireo rehetra ireo dia mivory ka mankeo aminao; raha velona koa Aho, hoy Jehovah, Ireo rehetra ireo dia hihaingoanao tokoa tahaka ny firavaka sy hiravahanao tahaka ny fanaon’ ny ampakarina.
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 Fa ny taninao rava sy ny fonenanao lao ary ny taninao simba dia tsy ho omby amin’ izany noho ny habetsahan’ ny mponina, ary ho lasa lavitra ireo nihinana anao.
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 Ny zanakao izay efa lasa teo dia mbola hilaza eo an-tsofinao hoe: Tsy omby ahy loatra ity tany ity, Mikisaha kely mba hitoerako.
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 Dia hanao anakampo ianao hoe: Iza no niteraka ireto ho ahy? Fa efa maty ny zanako, ary nitsaha-jaza aho. Babo aho sady noroahina, koa iza no namelona ireto? Indro, nilaozana ho irery aho, fa taiza kosa moa ireto?
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 Izao no lazain’ i Jehovah Tompo; Indro, hanandratra ny tanako amin’ ny jentilisa Aho ary hanangana ny fanevako amin’ ny firenena; dia hitrotro ny zanakao eo an-tratrany ireo, ary ny zanakaovavy ho entiny eny an-tsorony.
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 Mpanjaka no ho rainao mpitaiza anao, ary zanakavavin’ andriana no ho reninao mpampinono anao; hiankohoka amin’ ny tany eo anatrehanao izy ka hilelaka ny vovoka amin’ ny tongotrao; Dia ho fantatrao fa Izaho no Jehovah, ka tsy ho menatra izay miandry Ahy.
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 Azo alaina eny amin’ ny mahery va ny sambotra? Na ho afaka va ny babo marina?
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 Nefa izao no lazain’ i Jehovah: Na dia ny sambotry ny mahery aza dia halaina ihany, ary ho afaka ny babon’ ny mpandrombaka; fa Izaho no hiady amin’ izay miady aminao, ary Izaho no hamonjy ny zanakao.
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 Sady hampihinaniko ny nofon’ ny tenany ihany izay mampahory anao, ary ho leon’ ny ran’ ny tenany ihany ireny, toy ny amin’ ny ranom-boaloboka; dia ho fantatry ny nofo rehetra fa Izaho Jehovah no Mpamonjy anao, ary Ilay Maherin’ i Jakoba no Mpanavotra anao.
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.”
