Yesaia 51
1 “Montie me, mo a mopɛ tenenee akyiri kwan; na mohwehwɛ Awurade; Monhwɛ ɔbotan a wɔtwaa mo firii mu no ne abopaebea a wɔtuu mo firii hɔ no;
[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 Monhwɛ Abraham mo agya, ne Sara a ɔwoo mo no. Ɛberɛ a mefrɛɛ no no, na ɔyɛ ɔbaakofoɔ, na mehyiraa no maa nʼase trɛeɛ.
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 Awurade bɛkyekye Sion werɛ ampa ara na ne yam bɛhyehye no wɔ ne mmubuiɛ no ho; ɔbɛyɛ nʼanweatam ahodoɔ sɛ Eden, nʼasase a ada mpan bɛyɛ sɛ Awurade turo. Wɔbɛhunu anigyeɛ ne ahosɛpɛ, aseda ne nnwontoɔ wɔ ne mu.
[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 “Montie me, me nkurɔfoɔ; monyɛ aso mma me, me ɔman: Mmara no bɛfiri me nkyɛn akɔ; na mʼatɛntenenee bɛyɛ hann ama aman no.
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 Me tenenee reba ntɛm so, me nkwagyeɛ nam ɛkwan so, na mʼabasa de atɛntenenee bɛbrɛ aman no. Nsupɔ no bɛhwehwɛ me na wɔde anidasoɔ bɛtwɛn mʼabasa.
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 Mompagya mo ani nhwɛ ɔsorosoro, monhwɛ asase wɔ fam; ɔsorosoro bɛtu ayera sɛ wisie na asase bɛtete sɛ atadeɛ na wɔn a wɔte so bɛwuwu sɛ nwansena. Nanso me nkwagyeɛ bɛtena hɔ daa, me tenenee to rentwa da.
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 “Montie me, mo a monim deɛ ɛteneɛ, mo a me mmara wɔ mo akoma mu: Monnsuro nnipa animka anaa momma wɔn ahohora ntu mo bo.
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 Na nweweboa bɛwe wɔn te sɛ deɛ wɔwe atadeɛ; ɔsonsono bɛsɛe wɔn te sɛ deɛ wɔsɛe kuntu. Nanso me tenenee bɛtena hɔ daa me nkwagyeɛ bɛfiri awoɔ ntoatoasoɔ akɔsi awoɔ ntoatoasoɔ so.”
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 Nyane, nyane! Ao Awurade basa hyɛ ahoɔden aduradeɛ; nyane te sɛ nna a atwam no, te sɛ tete awoɔ ntoatoasoɔ mu no. Ɛnyɛ wo na wotwitwaa Rahab mu asinasini no, na wohwiree asuboa kɛseɛ no mu no?
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 Ɛnyɛ wo na womaa ɛpo weeɛ, nsubunu mu nsuo no, deɛ ɔpaee ɛkwan wɔ ɛpo bunu mu no sɛdeɛ wɔn a wɔagye wɔn no bɛtumi atwa?
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 Wɔn a Awurade apata ama wɔn bɛsane aba. Wɔde nnwontoɔ bɛhyɛne Sion; anigyeɛ a ɛnsa da bɛyɛ wɔn abotire, anigyeɛ ne ahosɛpɛ bɛboro wɔn so, awerɛhoɔ ne apinisie bɛtu ayera.
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 “Me, me ara, mene wo werɛ kyekyefoɔ. Hwan ne wo a wosuro ɔdasani, nnipa mma a wɔyɛ ɛserɛ yi.
[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 Na wo werɛ afiri Awurade, wo yɛfoɔ, deɛ ɔtrɛɛ ɔsorosoro mu na ɔhyɛɛ asase ase no? Wobɛkɔ so ara asuro ɔhyɛsoni no abufuo? Wobɛkɔ so ara asuro deɛ ɔde ɔsɛeɛ asi nʼani so no anaa? Na ɔhyɛsoni no abufuo wɔ he?
(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 Ɛrenkyɛre, wɔbɛgyaa nneduafoɔ ahufoɔ no; wɔrenwuwu wɔ afiase amena mu, na aduane remmɔ wɔn.
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 Na mene Awurade, wo Onyankopɔn deɛ ɔhwanyane ɛpo, ma nʼasorɔkye woro so. Asafo Awurade, ne ne din.
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 Mede me nsɛm ahyɛ wʼanomu, na mede me nsa ase nwunu akata wo so. Me a mede ɔsorosoro sii hɔ na mehyɛɛ asase ase na meka kyerɛ Sion sɛ, ‘Moyɛ me nkurɔfoɔ.’”
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 Nyane, nyane! Sɔre, Ao, Yerusalem! Wo a wanom afiri Awurade nsam nʼabufuo kuruwa no, wo a wanom apɔɔdɔ mu nsã atu puo deɛ ɛma nnipa tɔ ntintan no.
[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 Wo mma a wowoo wɔn nyinaa mu obiara nni hɔ a ɔkyerɛ wo ɛkwan; mmammarima a wotetee wɔn nyinaa mu obiara nni hɔ a ɔsɔ wo nsa mu.
[Now] you do not have any children who are alive [DOU] and able to take your hand and guide you.
19 Saa ɔhaw prenu yi aba wo so, hwan na ɔbɛkyekye wo werɛ? Mmubuiɛ ne ɔsɛeɛ, ɛkɔm ne akofena, hwan na ɔbɛhyɛ wo den?
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 Wo mma atotɔ baha; wɔdeda mmɔntene so baabiara, te sɛ ɔtwe a afidie ayi no. Awurade abufuo aba wɔn so wo Onyankopɔn animka no.
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 Enti tie yei, wo a worehunu amaneɛ waboro, na nso ɛnyɛ nsã na aboro woɔ.
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 Yei ne deɛ Otumfoɔ Awurade, wo Onyankopɔn a ɔbɔ ne nkurɔfoɔ ho ban seɛ: “Hwɛ, magye afiri wo nsa mu kuruwa a ɛma wotɔɔ ntintan no kuruwa a ɛyɛ mʼabufuo pɔɔdɔ no, worennom bio.
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 Mede bɛhyɛ wɔn a wɔha mo no nsa mu, wɔn a wɔka kyerɛɛ mo sɛ, ‘Butu fam na yɛnnante wo so.’ Na wode wʼakyi yɛɛ fam te sɛ abɔntene a wɔnante so.”
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.’”
