ʻIsaia 51

1 “Fanongo kiate au, ʻakimoutolu ʻoku muimui ki he māʻoniʻoni, ʻakimoutolu ʻoku kumi kia Sihova: vakai ki he maka naʻe tā mei ai ʻakimoutolu, pea ki he ava ʻoe luo naʻe keli ʻakimoutolu mei ai.

[Yahweh says], “You people who desire to act righteously/justly, who want to do what I want you to do, listen to me! Think about Abraham! [It is as though] [MET] he was a huge rock cliff; and when you [people of Israel became a nation], [it was as though] [MET] you were cut from that rock [DOU].

2 Vakai kia ʻEpalahame ko hoʻomou tamai, pea kia Sela naʻa ne fua ʻakimoutolu: he naʻaku ui ia tokotaha pe, pea tāpuaki ia, pea u fakatokolahi ia.

Think about your ancestor Abraham and [his wife] Sarah, of whom [all of] you are descendants. When I first spoke to Abraham, he had no children. But after I blessed him, he had a huge number of descendants.

3 Koeʻuhi ʻe fakafiemālieʻi ʻe Sihova ʻi Saione: te ne fakafiemālieʻi hono ngaahi potu lala kotoa pē; pea te ne ngaohi hono toafa ke hangē ko Iteni, pea ko hono potu liʻaki ʻo hangē ko e ngoue ʻa Sihova; ʻe ʻilo ʻi ai ʻae fiefia mo e nekeneka, ko e fakafetaʻi, pea mo e leʻo ʻoe Saame.

[Some day I], Yahweh, will encourage his descendants [again], and I will comfort all [the people who live in] the ruins [of Jerusalem]. The desert in that area will become like Eden, like the garden that I, Yahweh, [made/planted]. All the people there will be joyful and happy; they will thank me and sing.

4 “Fanongo kiate au, ʻa hoku kakai, pea tokanga kiate au, ʻa hoku puleʻanga: koeʻuhi ʻe ʻalu atu ʻiate au ha fono, pea te u ngaohi ʻeku fakamaau ke nofo ko e maama ʻoe kakai.

My people of Judah, listen carefully [DOU] to me, because [I want you to] proclaim my laws; the just/right things that I do will be [like] [MET] a light for the people of the nations.

5 ‌ʻOku ofi ʻeku māʻoniʻoni; kuo ʻalu atu ʻeku fakamoʻui, pea ʻe fakamaau ʻe hoku nima ʻae kakai; ʻe tatali kiate au ʻae ngaahi motu, pea te nau falala ki hoku nima.

I will soon/quickly rescue you [DOU]; by my power [MTY] I will bring you back [from being exiled in Babylonia] [DOU]. The people who live on islands in the ocean will wait for me [to help them], confidently expecting for me to use my power [MTY].

6 Hiki hake homou mata ki he ngaahi langi, pea sio ki he māmani ʻi lalo: koeʻuhi ʻe mole fakafokifā ʻae ngaahi langi ʻo hangē ko e ʻohuafi, pea ʻe fakaʻau ʻo motuʻa ʻa māmani ʻo hangē ko e kofu, pea ʻe mate foki mo kinautolu ʻoku nofo ai: ka ʻoku tolonga taʻengata ʻa ʻeku fakamoʻui, pea ʻe ʻikai ngata ʻeku māʻoniʻoni.

Look up at the sky, and look at the earth, [and see what they are like now], because [some day] the sky will disappear like [SIM] smoke, and the earth will wear out like [SIM] old clothes wear out, and people on the earth will die like gnats/flies. But I will rescue/save you, and you will remain free forever, and I will rule you righteously/fairly forever.

7 “Fanongo kiate au, ʻakimoutolu ʻoku ʻilo ʻae māʻoniʻoni, ʻae kakai ʻoku ʻi honau loto ʻa ʻeku fono; ʻoua te mou manavahē ki he valoki ʻae kakai, pea ʻoua te mou ilifia ʻi heʻenau lauʻikovi.

You people who know what things are right to do, and who know in your inner beings [what is written in] my laws, listen to me! Do not be afraid of people who taunt/insult you; do not be disturbed/upset when people revile you,

8 Koeʻuhi ʻe kai ʻo ʻosi ʻakinautolu ʻe he ane ʻo hangē ko e kofu, pea ʻe kai ʻakinautolu ʻe he ʻuanga ʻo hangē ko e fulufuluʻi sipi: ka ʻoku tolonga taʻengata ʻa ʻeku māʻoniʻoni, pea ko ʻeku fakamoʻui mei he toʻutangata ki he toʻutangata.”

because [some day they will be destroyed] like [MET] clothing that is eaten by ([larvae of] moths/cockroaches), like wool garments that have been eaten by worms. I will save you people, and you will be saved forever.”

9 Ke ke ʻā, ke ke ʻā, ʻai ʻae mālohi, ʻE nima ʻo Sihova; ke ke ʻā, ʻo hangē ko e ngaahi ʻaho ʻi muʻa, ʻi he ngaahi toʻutangata ʻi muʻa. ʻIkai ko koe ia naʻe tuʻusi ʻa Lehapi, pea naʻe taaʻi ʻae talākoni?

Yahweh, wake up [and do something for us]! Show your power! Do mighty things like you did long ago, when you stabbed [RHQ] that sea monster/dragon Rahab and cut it into pieces.

10 ‌ʻIkai ko koe ia kuo ke fakamōmoa ʻae tahi, ʻae ngaahi vai ʻoe fuʻu moana; ʻa koe kuo ngaohi ʻae ngaahi loloto ʻoe tahi koe hala ke ʻalu ai ʻae kakai kuo huhuʻi?

Surely you are [RHQ] the one who caused the [Red] Sea to become dry and made a path through that deep water in order that your people could cross it!

11 Ko ia, ʻe toe foki mai ʻae kakai kuo huhuʻi ʻe Sihova, pea haʻu mo e hiva ki Saione; pea ʻe ʻi honau ʻulu ʻae fiefia ʻo taʻengata: te nau maʻu ʻae fiefia mo e nekeneka; pea ʻe puna atu ʻae mamahi mo e tangi.

And those whom Yahweh will rescue [from being exiled in Babylonia] will [similarly] return to Jerusalem, singing. Their being joyful forever will be [like] [MET] a crown on their heads. They will not be sad or mourn any more; they will be [completely] joyful and happy.

12 “Ko au, ʻio, ko au ia, ʻoku fakafiemālieʻi koe: ko hai koe, ke ke manavahē ki ha tangata ʻaia ʻe mate, pea ki he foha ʻoe tangata ʻaia ʻe ngaohi ʻo hangē ko e mohuku;

[Yahweh says], “I am the one who encourages you. So (why are you/you should not be) [RHQ] afraid of humans who will [wither and disappear like] [MET] grass.

13 Pea ʻoku ke fakangalongaloʻi ʻa Sihova ko ho tupuʻanga, ʻaia kuo ne fofola ʻae ngaahi langi, pea ai mo e ngaahi tuʻunga ʻo māmani; pea kuo ke manavahē maʻuaipē ʻi he ʻaho kotoa pē koeʻuhi ko e ʻita ʻo ia ʻoku fakamālohi, ʻo hangē ʻoku ne te u ke fakaʻauha? Pea kofaʻā ia ʻae lili ʻoe fakamālohi?

(Why have you/You should not have) [RHQ] forgotten [me], Yahweh, the one who created your nation, the one who stretched out the sky and laid the foundations of the earth. (Why are you/You should not be) [RHQ] continually afraid of those who are angry with you and (oppress you/treat you cruelly) and want to get rid of you. [You should not be afraid of them now], because those angry people have now disappeared!

14 ‌ʻOku lele toʻotoʻo ʻae pōpula ke vete ia, pea ke ʻoua naʻa mate ia ʻi he luo, pea ke ʻoua naʻa ʻosi ʻene mā.

Soon you people who have been caused to be slaves [in Babylonia] will be freed! You will not remain in prison, and you will not die of hunger,

15 Ka ko au ko Sihova ko ho ʻOtua, naʻaku vaeua ʻae tahi, ʻaia naʻe ʻuʻulu hono peau: ko hono huafa ko Sihova ʻoe ngaahi kautau.

because I am Yahweh, your God, the one who stirs up the sea and causes the waves to roar; I am the Commander of the armies of angels!

16 Pea kuo u ʻai ʻeku ngaahi lea ki ho ngutu, pea kuo u fufū koe ʻaki ʻae malumalu ʻo hoku nima, koeʻuhi ke u tō ʻae ngaahi langi, pea ʻai mo e ngaahi tuʻunga ʻo māmani, pea pehē ki Saione, Ko koe ko hoku kakai.’”

I have given you my message [MTY] to proclaim, and I have protected you with my hand [MTY]. I stretched out the sky and laid the foundation of the earth. And I am the one who says to you Israeli people, ‘You are my people!’”

17 Ke ke ʻā, ke ke ʻā, Tuʻu hake, ʻE Selūsalema, ʻa koe kuo inu ʻi he nima ʻo Sihova ʻae ipu ʻo hono houhau; kuo ke inu ʻae efe ʻoe ipu ʻoe tetetete, pea tatau ia.

[You people of] [APO] Jerusalem, wake up [DOU]! You have experienced Yahweh severely punishing [MTY] you. Yahweh has caused you to suffer much, all that he wanted you to suffer, like [MET] someone who causes another person to suffer by forcing him to drink every drop of [MTY] a cupful of bitter liquid.

18 ‌ʻOku ʻikai ha taha ke fakahinohino ia ʻi he ngaahi foha kotoa pē kuo ne fanauʻi; pea ʻoku ʻikai ha niʻihi ʻoku puke ki hono nima ʻi he ngaahi foha kotoa pē kuo ne tauhi.

[Now] you do not have any children who are alive [DOU] and able to take your hand and guide you.

19 Kuo hoko ʻae meʻa ni ʻe ua kiate koe; ko hai ʻe mamahi koeʻuhi ko koe? Ko e maumau, mo fakaʻauha, mo e honge, mo e heletā: te u fakafiemālieʻi koe ʻia hai?

You have experienced several disasters: Your country has become desolate/deserted; [your cities have been] destroyed; [many people have] died from hunger; [many people have been] killed by your enemies’ swords. Now, there is no one [RHQ] left to console/comfort you and sympathize with you.

20 Kuo pongia hoʻo ngaahi foha, ʻoku nau tokoto ʻi he ʻulu ʻoe ngaahi hala kotoa pē, ʻo hangē ko e pulu tangata ʻoku hehengi ʻi he kupenga: ʻoku nau fonu ʻi he houhau ʻo Sihova, mo e valoki mei ho ʻOtua.

Your children have fainted and lie in the streets; they are [as helpless as] [SIM] an antelope [that has been caught] in a net. What has happened to them is because Yahweh has been very angry with them; he has rebuked them severely.

21 Ko ia fanongo ki he meʻa ni, ʻa koe ko e mahaki, mo e konā, kae ʻikai ʻi he uaine:

So now, you people who have suffered much, [you act as though] you are drunk, but it is not because you have drunk a lot of wine.

22 ‌ʻOku pehē ho ʻEiki ko Sihova, pea ko ho ʻOtua ʻoku langomakiʻi ʻa hono kakai, “Vakai, kuo u toʻo mei ho nima ʻae ipu ʻoe tetetete, ʻio, ʻae efe ʻoe ipu ʻo hoku houhau; ʻe ʻikai te ke toe inu ia;

Yahweh, your Lord and your God, the one who argues/pleads your case, says this: “Note this: [It is as though] [MET] I have taken that cup of bitter liquid from your hands; I will not be angry with you and cause you to suffer any more.

23 Ka te u ʻai ia ki he nima ʻonautolu ʻoku fakamamahiʻi koe; ʻakinautolu kuo pehē ki ho laumālie, ‘Punou hifo, ka mau laka atu:’ pea kuo ke fakatokoto ho sino ʻo hangē ko e kelekele, pea hangē ko e hala, kiate kinautolu naʻe ʻalu ai.”

Instead, I will cause those who have tormented you to suffer; [I will severely punish] those who said to you, ‘Prostrate yourselves in order that we may walk on you; [lie down on your stomachs] in order that your backs will be like [SIM] streets that we can walk on.’”