Isaías 49

1 Escúchame, islas, a mí. Escuchad, pueblos, desde lejos: Yahvé me ha llamado desde el vientre; desde el interior de mi madre, ha mencionado mi nombre.

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 Ha hecho que mi boca sea como una espada afilada. Me ha escondido en la sombra de su mano. Me ha hecho un eje pulido. Me ha mantenido cerca en su carcaj.

[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 Me dijo: “Tú eres mi siervo, Israel, en quien seré glorificado”.

He said to me, “You will serve my Israeli [people], and you will cause people to honor me.”

4 Pero yo dije: “He trabajado en vano. He gastado mis fuerzas en vano para nada; pero ciertamente la justicia que me corresponde está con Yahvé, y mi recompensa con mi Dios”.

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 Ahora bien, Yahvé, el que me formó desde el vientre para ser su siervo, dice que traiga a Jacob de nuevo a él, y reunir a Israel con él, porque soy honorable a los ojos de Yahvé, y mi Dios se ha convertido en mi fuerza.

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 En efecto, dice: “Es muy poco que seas mi siervo para levantar las tribus de Jacob, y para restaurar lo preservado de Israel. También te daré como luz a las naciones, para que seas mi salvación hasta el fin de la tierra”.

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 Yahvé, el Redentor de Israel, y su Santo, dice al que el hombre desprecia, al que la nación aborrece, al servidor de los gobernantes: “Los reyes verán y se levantarán, príncipes, y ellos adorarán, a causa de Yahvé, que es fiel, el Santo de Israel, que te ha elegido”.

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 Yahvé dice: “Te he respondido en un tiempo aceptable. Te he ayudado en un día de salvación. Te preservaré y te daré como pacto del pueblo, para levantar la tierra, para hacerles heredar la herencia desolada,

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 diciendo a los que están atados: “¡Salid!”; a los que están en las tinieblas: “¡Muéstrense! “Se alimentarán a lo largo de los caminos, y sus pastos estarán en todas las alturas sin árboles.

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 No tendrán hambre ni sed; ni el calor ni el sol los golpearán, porque el que se apiada de ellos los guiará. Los guiará por manantiales de agua.

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 Haré de todas mis montañas un camino, y mis carreteras serán exaltadas.

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 He aquí que éstos vendrán de lejos, y he aquí, estos del norte y del oeste, y estos de la tierra de Sinim”.

My people will return from far away; some will come from the north, some from the west, some from southern Egypt.”

13 ¡Cantad, cielos, y alegraos, tierra! ¡Arranquen a cantar, montañas! Porque Yahvé ha consolado a su pueblo, y tendrá compasión de sus afligidos.

[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 Pero Sión dijo: “Yahvé me ha abandonado, y el Señor me ha olvidado”.

[The people of] Jerusalem say, “Yahweh has abandoned us; he has forgotten about us.”

15 “¿Puede una mujer olvidar a su hijo lactante, ¿que no tenga compasión del hijo de su vientre? Sí, estos pueden olvidar, pero no te olvidaré.

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 He aquí que te he grabado en las palmas de mis manos. Sus muros están continuamente ante mí.

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 Tus hijos se apresuran. Tus destructores y los que te devastaron te dejarán.

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 Levanta los ojos a tu alrededor y mira: todos estos se reúnen, y vienen a ti. Vivo yo”, dice Yahvé, “ciertamente te vestirás con todos ellos como con un adorno, y vístete con ellos, como una novia.

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 “Porque, en cuanto a tus desechos y tus lugares desolados, y su tierra que ha sido destruida, seguramente ahora esa tierra será demasiado pequeña para los habitantes, y los que te tragaron estarán lejos.

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 Los hijos de tu duelo dirán en tus oídos, ‘Este lugar es demasiado pequeño para mí. Dame un lugar para vivir’.

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 Entonces dirás en tu corazón: “¿Quién ha concebido esto para mí, ya que he sido despojado de mis hijos y estoy solo, exiliado, y vagando de un lado a otro? ¿Quién ha sacado esto a relucir? He aquí que me he quedado solo. ¿Dónde estaban estos?”

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 El Señor Yahvé dice: “He aquí que yo alzo mi mano a las naciones, y levantaré mi bandera ante los pueblos. Traerán a tus hijos en su seno, y tus hijas serán llevadas a hombros.

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 Los reyes serán vuestros padres adoptivos, y sus reinas sus madres lactantes. Se inclinarán ante ti con el rostro hacia la tierra, y lamer el polvo de tus pies. Entonces sabrás que yo soy Yahvé; y los que me esperan no quedarán decepcionados”.

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 Se tomará el botín de los poderosos, o los cautivos legítimos sean liberados?

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 Pero Yahvé dice: “Hasta los cautivos de los poderosos serán llevados, y el botín recuperado de la ferocidad, porque yo contenderé con el que contendrá con vosotros y salvaré a tus hijos.

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 Alimentaré a los que te oprimen con su propia carne; y se embriagarán con su propia sangre, como con vino dulce. Entonces toda carne sabrá que yo, Yahvé, soy su Salvador y tu Redentor, el Poderoso de Jacob”.

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.”