Yesaia 49
1 Muntie me, mo mpoano aman; monyɛ aso mo akyirikyiri aman ansa na wɔrebɛwo me no, Awurade frɛɛ me ɔbɔɔ me din ansa na wɔrewo me.
Listen to me, you people of the islands! Pay attention, you who live far away! The Lord called me before I was born; he gave me my name while I was still in my mother's womb.
2 Ɔyɛɛ mʼano sɛ afoa nnamnam, Ɔde me hintaw ne nsa ase nwini mu; ɔde me yɛɛ agyan a ano yɛ nnam na ɔde me hyɛɛ ne boha mu.
The words he gave me to speak are like a sharp sword. He has protected me by covering me with his hand. He put me in his quiver like a sharp arrow, keeping me safe there.
3 Ɔka kyerɛɛ me se, “Woyɛ me somfo, Israel, wo mu na mɛda mʼanuonyam adi.”
He told me, “You are my servant, Israel, and I will reveal my glory through you.”
4 Nanso mekae se, “Mabrɛ agu masɛe mʼahoɔden kwa, mannya mu hwee nanso nea ɛwɔ me wɔ Awurade nsam na mʼakatua wɔ me Nyankopɔn nkyɛn.”
But I replied, “I've worked for nothing! I've exhausted myself, and for what? Even so, I leave it with the Lord to do what's right, and my reward is with my God.”
5 Na afei, Awurade kasa se, nea ɔnwen me wɔ awotwaa mu sɛ memmɛyɛ ne somfo sɛ memfa Yakob nsan mmra ne nkyɛn na me mmoaboa Israel ano mma no no, wahyɛ me anuonyam wɔ Awurade ani so na me Nyankopɔn ayɛ mʼahoɔden.
Now my Lord is going to speak, the one who formed me in the womb as his servant to bring Jacob back to him, to gather Israel to himself. I am honored in the Lord's sight, and my God has given me strength.
6 Ɔka se, “Ɛyɛ ade ketewa bi ma wo sɛ wobɛyɛ me somfo sɛ wode Yakob mmusuakuw bɛsan aba na wode Israelfo a mede wɔn asie bɛsan aba. Mɛma moayɛ amanamanmufo nyinaa kanea, ɛnam mo so na wobegye wiasefo nyinaa nkwa.”
He says, “It's nothing much for you to be my servant to bring back the tribes of Jacob, those people of Israel that I've preserved. I'm also going to make you a light for the foreigners so that my salvation may reach everybody.”
7 Sɛɛ na Awurade se, Ogyefo ne Israel ɔkronkronni no de kɔma nea aman buu no animtiaa na wokyii no, ahemfo somfo no; “Ahene behu wo na wɔasɔre ahenemma behu wo na wɔakotow wo esiane Awurade a ɔyɛ ɔnokwafo, Israel ɔkronkronni a wayi wo no nti.”
This is what the Lord says, the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel, to the one who was despised and detested by the nation, to the one who is the servant of rulers: Kings will see you and stand up, and princes will bow down to you, because the Lord, who is trustworthy, the Holy One of Israel, has chosen you.
8 Sɛɛ na Awurade se: “Bere a ɛsɛ mu no, mebua wo, na nkwagyeda no, mɛboa wo; mɛkora wo na mede wo ayɛ apam ama nkurɔfo no, de agye asase no asi hɔ akyekyɛ agyapade ahorow a asɛe no bio,
This is what the Lord says: I will answer you at the proper time; I will help you on the day of salvation. I will take care of you, and I will give you to the people as my agreement with them, to restore the land and to reassign the parts that have been abandoned.
9 wobɛka akyerɛ nneduafo se, ‘Mumfi mmra!’ ne wɔn a wɔwɔ sum mu se, ‘Momfa mo ho nni!’ “Wobedidi wɔ akwan ho wobenya adidibea wɔ koko kesee biara so.
Tell the prisoners, “Come out!” Tell those living in darkness, “Come into the light!” Like sheep they will feed along the roads and in the pastures on hills that once were barren.
10 Ɔkɔm renne wɔn na osukɔm nso renne wɔn; nweatam so hyew ne owia ano hyew renka wɔn, nea ɔwɔ ayamhyehye ma wɔn no bɛkyerɛ wɔn kwan na ɔde wɔn akɔ nsuaniwa ho.
They won't be hungry or thirsty, and they won't get hot in the sun, for the one who loves them will lead them to springs, and guide them to water.
11 Mɛyɛ me mmepɔw nyinaa akwan, na mʼatempɔn nso mɛma akrɔn.
I will turn all my mountains into a road; my highways will be really high!
12 Hwɛ, wufi akyirikyiri bɛba ebinom befi atifi fam, ebinom befi atɔe fam ebinom nso befi Sinin mantam mu.”
Look at these people coming from far away! Look at these people coming from the north, and from the west, and from Upper Egypt.
13 Momfa anigye nteɛ mu, ɔsoro; di ahurusi, asase; mompae mu nnwonto mu, mmepɔw! Na Awurade kyekye ne nkurɔfo werɛ, na obehu nʼamanehunufo mmɔbɔ.
Heavens, shout for joy! Earth, celebrate! Mountains, sing out in happiness! The Lord has come to care for his people, and he will treat his suffering people kindly.
14 Nanso Sion kae se, “Awurade agyaw me hɔ, Awurade werɛ afi me.”
But Zion said, “The Lord has given up on me; the Lord has forgotten about me.”
15 “Ɛna werɛ betumi afi ne ba a otua nufu ano a ɔrennya ayamhyehye mma ɔba a waturu no no ana? Ebia ne werɛ befi, na me werɛ remfi wo!
Really? Can a mother forget her nursing baby? Can she forget to be kind to the child she carried in her womb? Even if she could forget, I will never forget you!
16 Hwɛ, makurukyerɛw wo din agu me nsa yam wʼafasu wɔ mʼani so daa.
Look at your names I've written on the palms of my hands! I'm always thinking about your walls.
17 Mo mmabarima resan aba ntɛm so; na wɔn a wɔsɛe mo no refi mo nkyɛn akɔ.
Soon your children will come running back. Your destroyers, those that devastated your land, will be gone.
18 Momma mo ani so nhwɛ mo ho nhyia; mo mmabarima nyinaa reboa wɔn ho ano aba mo nkyɛn. Sɛ mete ase yi” sɛnea Awurade se, “mode wɔn bɛyɛ ahyehyɛde ama mo ho mubefura wɔn sɛ ayeforokunu.
Take a look around. See all your children gathering and coming back to you. As I live, declares the Lord, you will wear them all as jewelry, proudly putting them on like a bride.
19 “Ɛwɔ mu sɛ wɔsɛee mo yɛɛ mo pasaa maa mo asase daa mpan, afei nnipa bɛhyɛ wo so ma, ama aboro wo so, na wɔn a wɔsɛee wo no bɛkɔ akyirikyiri.
Your ruined towns and abandoned places and devastated lands will be crowded with people, while those who took over your country will be long gone.
20 Mmofra a wɔwoo wɔn wɔ mo nna bɔne mu no bɛka ama moate sɛ, ‘Ɛha sua ma yɛn dodo; momma yɛn asase no bi nka ho na yɛntena so.’
The children born during your time of mourning in exile will say, “This place is too crowded for me! Make room so I have a place to live!”
21 Na wobɛka wɔ wo koma mu se, ‘Hena na ɔwoo eyinom maa me? Na meyɛ ɔwerɛhowni ne obonin; wotuu me kɔɔ asase foforo so na wɔpoo me. Hena na ɔtetew eyinom? Wogyaw me nko ara na eyinom, he na wofi bae?’”
Then you will say to yourself, “Who gave birth to all these children for me? My children were killed and I was unable to have more; I was exiled and thrown aside—so who brought these children up? Look, I was abandoned, so where did they come from?”
22 Sɛɛ na Asafo Awurade se: “Hwɛ, menyama amanamanmufo, mɛma me frankaa no so akyerɛ nkurɔfo no wobeturu wo mmabarima wɔ wɔn nsa so aba na wɔbɛsoa wo mmabea wɔ wɔn mmati so.
This is what the Lord God says, Watch as I give the signal to the nations, as I raise my flag to let everyone know. They will bring them back, carrying your sons in their arms, and lifting your daughters onto their shoulders.
23 Ahemfo bɛyɛ mo agyanom nsiananmu, na wɔn ahemmea ayɛ ɛnanom a wɔbɛhwɛ mo. Wɔbɛkotow mo a wɔn anim butubutuw fam; wɔbɛtaforo mo nan ase mfutuma. Afei mubehu sɛ mene Awurade. Wɔn a wɔn ani da me so no, merenni wɔn huammɔ.”
Kings will be your child-minders; queens will be your nurses. They will bow low before you, and lick the dust from your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord, and that those who put their trust in me will never be ashamed.
24 Wobetumi agye asade afi akofo nsam; anaa wobetumi agye nnommumfo afi otirimɔdenfo nsam?
Can loot be taken from a warrior? Can prisoners be rescued from a dictator?
25 Nanso, sɛɛ na Awurade se: “Yiw, wobegye nnommumfo afi akofo nsam na wɔagye asade afi otirimɔdenfo nsam; me ne wɔn a wɔne wo nya no benya na megye wo mma nkwa.
But this is what the Lord says: Even the prisoners of warriors will be won back; even loot will be recovered from a dictator. I will fight with your enemies, and I will rescue your children.
26 Mema wɔn a wɔhyɛ wo so no awe wɔn ankasa honam; wɔn mogya bɛbow wɔn sɛnea wɔanom nsa. Afei adesamma nyinaa behu sɛ me, Awurade, me ne wʼAgyenkwa no, wo Gyefo, Yakob Tumfo No.”
I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh and drink their own blood like wine. Then everyone will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior and Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel.
