Yesaia 41

1 “Monyɛ komm wɔ mʼanim, mo nsupɔ! Ma aman no nhyɛ wɔn ho den! Ma wɔmmra ha mmɛkasa; momma yɛn mmom nhyia mu wɔ asɛnniiɛ hɔ.

Keep silence before me, O islands; and let nations acquire new strength: let them approach, then let them speak, together let us come near to judgment.

2 “Hwan na wakanyane deɛ ɔfiri apueeɛ no, afrɛ no tenenee mu sɛ ɔmmɛsom no? Ɔde aman hyɛ ne nsa na ɔbrɛ ahemfo ase wɔ nʼanim. Ɔde nʼakofena ma wɔdane mfuturo, ɔde ne bɛma ma wɔdane ntɛtɛ a mframa bɔ hwete.

Who waked up from the east the man whom righteousness met in his steps? he giveth up nations before him, and maketh him rule over kings; that his sword may render them as the dust, as driven stubble, his bow.

3 Ɔtaa wɔn na ɔkɔ nʼanim a biribiara enti ne ho, wɔ ɛkwan a ɔmfaa so da so.

He pursueth them, passeth along in safety, by a path which his feet have not gone over before.

4 Hwan na wayɛ yei akɔsi awieeɛ, afrɛ awoɔ ntoatoasoɔ afiri mfitiaseɛ? Me Awurade, mene Ahyɛaseɛ ne Awieeɛ no. Mene ɔno ara.”

Who hath wrought and done it? he who called the generations from the beginning; I the Lord, [who am] the first, and with the latest I am the same.

5 Nsupɔ no ahunu na wɔbɔ hu; nsase ano ho popo. Wɔtwi bɛn, na wɔba anim;

The isles saw it, and are afraid; the ends of the earth tremble; they draw near, and come.

6 na obiara boa ne yɔnko na ɔka kyerɛ ne nua sɛ, “Yɛ den!”

They help one another; and each one saith to his brother, Be strong!

7 Odwumfoɔ hyɛ sikadwumfoɔ nkuran, na deɛ ɔde asaeɛ yɛ no tromtrom boa deɛ ɔbɔ atomboɔ so. Ɔka fa ɔsɔ no ho sɛ, “Ɛyɛ pa ara.” Ɔbobɔ ohoni no mu nnadewa sɛdeɛ ɛrentu nhwe fam.

So the smith encouraged the melter, he that smootheth with the hammer him that striketh on the anvil; saying of the solder, It is good; and he fastened it with nails, that it should not be moved.

8 “Nanso wo, Ao Israel, me ɔsomfoɔ, Yakob, deɛ mayi no no, mo, mʼadamfo Abraham asefoɔ.

But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend;

9 Mefaa wo firi nsase ano, firi nʼakyirikyiri ntweaso, na mefrɛɛ wo. Mekaa sɛ, ‘Woyɛ me ɔsomfoɔ’; mapa wo na me ne wo wɔ hɔ.

Thou, whom I have taken hold of from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the midst of its chiefs, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant, I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away.

10 Nsuro, na me ne wo wɔ hɔ; mma wʼabasam mmu, na mene wo Onyankopɔn. Mɛhyɛ wo den, na mɛboa wo; mede me tenenee nsa nifa bɛpagya wo.

Fear thou not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God; I strengthen thee, yea, I help thee, yea, I uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

11 “Wɔn a wɔn bo afu wo no nyinaa, ampa ara wɔn ani bɛwu na wɔn anim agu ase; wɔn a wɔtia wo no rensɛ hwee na wɔbɛwu.

Behold, ashamed and confounded shall be all that were incensed against thee; they shall be as naught and perish—the men that strive with thee.

12 Ɛwom sɛ wobɛhwehwɛ wʼatamfoɔ deɛ, nanso worenhunu wɔn. Wɔn a wɔtu wo so sa no rensɛ hwee koraa.

Thou wilt seek them, and shalt not find them, the men that contend with thee; they shall be as naught and as nothing, the men that make war against thee.

13 Na mene Awurade, wo Onyankopɔn, deɛ ɔkura wo nsa nifa mu na ɔka kyerɛ wo sɛ, nsuro; mɛboa wo.

For I the Lord thy God lay hold of thy right hand; [I am he] who saith unto thee, Fear not, I help thee.

14 Nsuro, Ao, ɔsonsono Yakob, Ao Israel a wo sua, na mʼankasa mɛboa wo,” Awurade na ɔseɛ, wo gyefoɔ, Israel Ɔkronkronni no.

Fear not, thou worm Jacob, ye few men of Israel: I myself help thee, saith the Lord, and thy redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.

15 “Hwɛ, mede wo bɛyɛ nhusoɔ apa, a ɛyɛ mono, ano yɛ nnam na ɛwɔ ɛse bebree. Wobɛhuhu mmepɔ no so na woadwiri wɔn, na woama nkokoɔ ayɛ sɛ ntɛtɛ.

Behold, I have rendered thee a threshing instrument, sharp, new, having many teeth: thou shalt thresh mountains, and beat them small, and shalt render the hills as chaff.

16 Wobɛhuhu wɔn so, mframa bɛma wɔn so, na ahum abɔ wɔn akɔ. Nanso wʼani bɛgye wɔ Awurade mu na woahyɛ Israel Ɔkronkronni no animuonyam.

Thou shalt scatter them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the storm shall disperse them; but thou shalt rejoice in the Lord, in the Holy One of Israel shalt thou glorify thyself.

17 “Ohiani ne mmɔborɔni kyini pɛ nsuo, nanso ebi nni hɔ; osukɔm ama wɔn tɛkrɛma so awe. Nanso me Awurade, mɛma wɔn mmuaeɛ. Me, Israel Onyankopɔn, merennya wɔn.

The poor and the needy seek water, and there is none; their tongue is dried up with thirst: I the Lord will answer them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

18 Mɛma nsubɔntene atene wɔ sorɔnsorɔmmea bonini no so, na nsutire apue wɔ bɔnhwa mu. Mɛdane anweatam ayɛ no nsubura, na nsase a awo adane nsutire bebree.

I will open on naked mountain-peaks rivers, and in the midst of valleys fountains; I will change the wilderness into a pool of water, and the dry land into springs of water.

19 Mɛduadua wɔ anweatam so, ntweneduro, okuo, ohwam ne ngo nnua. Mɛduadua pepeaa, wɔ asase wesee so asɛsɛ ne kwabɔhɔrɔ abɔ mu,

I will place in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, and the myrtle, and the oil-tree; I will set in the desert the fir-tree, the pine and the box-tree together;

20 sɛdeɛ nnipa bɛhunu na wɔate, na wɔasusu ho na wɔate aseɛ sɛ, Awurade nsa na ayɛ saa adeɛ yi; Israel ɔkronkronni no na ɔma ɛbaeɛ.

In order that they may see, and know and take [it to heart], and comprehend together, that the hand of the Lord hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.

21 “Bɔ wo nkuro,” Awurade na ɔseɛ. “Kyerɛkyerɛ wʼasɛm mu,” Yakob Ɔhene na ɔseɛ.

Produce your cause, saith the Lord: bring forward your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob.

22 “Fa wʼahoni no bra na wɔmmɛka deɛ ɛbɛsi nkyerɛ yɛn. Wɔmmɛka sɛdeɛ na kane nneɛma no teɛ nkyerɛ yɛn, sɛdeɛ yɛbɛdwene ho afa na yɛahunu deɛ ɛbɛfiri mu aba. Anaa sɛ wɔmpae mu nka nneɛma a ɛbɛsi nkyerɛ yɛn.

Let them bring them forward and tell us what shall happen: the former things—what are they?—tell us, that we may take it to heart, and know the result of them; or let us hear the things that are to come.

23 Monka nkyerɛ yɛn deɛ ɛbɛsi daakye, na ama yɛahunu sɛ moyɛ anyame. Monyɛ biribi, sɛ ɛyɛ anaa ɛnyɛ, sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a yɛn aba mu bɛbu na ehu aka yɛn.

Tell the events that are to happen hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be astonished, and see it together.

24 Nanso, monnka hwee, na mo nnwuma ho nni mfasoɔ; deɛ ɔfa mo no yɛ akyiwadeɛ.

Behold, ye are less than nothing, and your work less than a breath: [he that is] an abomination [alone] chooseth you.

25 “Makanyane obi a ɔfiri atifi fam na ɔreba, deɛ ɔfiri owia apueeɛ na ɔbɔ me din. Ɔtiatia sodifoɔ so te sɛ dɔteɛ a wɔde si dan, te sɛ ɔnwomfoɔ a ɔrewɔ dɔteɛ.

I have waked up one from the north, and he cometh; from the rising of the sun one who will call on my name: and he shall [over-]come princes as mortar, and as the potter treadeth down the clay.

26 Hwan na ɔkaa yei ho asɛm firii ahyɛaseɛ, sɛdeɛ anka ɛbɛma yɛahunu, anaa waka ato hɔ, sɛdeɛ yɛbɛtumi aka sɛ, ‘Ne deɛ no yɛ’? Obiara anka yei, obiara anni ɛkan anka, obiara ante nsɛm biara amfiri wo nkyɛn.

Who hath told it from the beginning, that we may know it? and aforetimes, that we may say, “it is right?” but indeed there is none that telleth, indeed there is none that letteth us hear, indeed there is none that heareth your words.

27 Me na medii ɛkan ka kyerɛɛ Sion, ‘Hwɛ, wɔn nie!’ Mɛma Yerusalem ɔsomafoɔ bi a ɔde asɛmpa bɛba.

The first [was I to say] to Zion, Behold, there they are; and to Jerusalem will I give one that bringeth good tidings.

28 Mehwɛ nanso obiara nni hɔ, obiara nni wɔn mu a ɔbɛtu wɔn fo, sɛ mebisa wɔn a, obiara ntumi mma mmuaeɛ.

And I ever look, and there is no man; and among these there is no counsellor, that they could answer a word.

29 Hwɛ, wɔn nyinaa yɛ atorofoɔ! Wɔn nneyɛeɛ nka hwee; wɔn nsɛsodeɛ yɛ mframa ne basabasayɛ nko ara.

Behold, they all are naught; their works are nothing: wind and vanity are their molten images.