Yesaia 66
1 Yei ne deɛ Awurade seɛ: “Ɔsoro yɛ mʼahennwa, na asase yɛ me nan ntiasoɔ. Ɛdan bɛn na wobɛsi ama me? Wobɛtumi asi ahomegyebea ama me?
Yahweh [also] said this: “[All of] heaven is [like] my throne, and the whole earth is [like] my footstool. So you could certainly not [RHQ] build a house [that would be adequate] for me to live in and rest!
2 Ɛnyɛ me nsa na ɛyɛɛ yeinom nyinaa, ɛna enti ɛbaa mu anaa?” Awurade na ɔseɛ. “Obi a mʼani sɔ no nie: deɛ ɔwɔ ahobrɛaseɛ ne ahonu honhom, na ne ho popo wɔ mʼasɛm ho.
I [MTY] have created everything; all things exist because I made them. [That is true because I], Yahweh, have said it. The people I am [most] pleased with are those who are humble, who [patiently endure it when they] (suffer/are afflicted), and who tremble when they hear me [rebuking them].
3 Nanso, obi a ɔde nantwinini bɔ afɔdeɛ no saa ɔnipa no afɔdeɛ te sɛ onipa a wɔakum no de no abɔ afɔdeɛ, na deɛ ɔde odwammaa ba no, saa onipa no afɔdeɛ te sɛ ɔkraman a wɔakum no de no abɔ afɔdeɛ; deɛ ɔbɔ aduane afɔdeɛ no saa onipa no afɔdeɛ te sɛ prako mogya a wɔde bɔ afɔdeɛ, deɛ ɔhye nnuhwam a ɛwɔ din no saa onipa no afɔdeɛ no te sɛ deɛ wɔde som ɔbosom. Wɔafa wɔn ankasa akwan na wɔn ɔkra ani gye wɔn akyiwadeɛ ho;
You have enjoyed [continually] doing the things that you want to do: [Some of] you slaughter oxen [to sacrifice them to me], but you also bring human sacrifices [to your idols]! You sacrifice lambs [to me], but you kill dogs [to offer them to your gods]. You offer grain to me, but you also bring pigs’ blood [to your idols]. You burn incense [to me], but you also praise your idols. You enjoy doing those disgusting things.
4 enti me nso mɛpɛ aniɛyaadeɛ ayɛ wɔn na mede deɛ wɔsuro bɛba wɔn so. Ɛfiri sɛ mefrɛeɛ no, obiara annye so, mekasaeɛ no, obiara antie. Wɔyɛɛ bɔne wɔ mʼani so na wɔyɛɛ deɛ mempɛ.”
When I called [out to you], you did not answer. When I spoke, you did not pay attention. You did [many] things that I say are evil; you chose [to do] things that I did not like. So [now] I will punish you by causing you to experience the things that you are [very] afraid of.”
5 Montie Awurade asɛm, mo a mote nʼasɛm a mo ho popo: “Mo nuanom mmarimma a me din enti wɔtane mo na wɔatwa mo agya no, wɔka sɛ, ‘Monhyɛ Awurade animuonyam, na yɛahunu mo anigyeɛ!’ Nanso wɔn anim bɛgu ase.
But you people who tremble when you hear what Yahweh says, listen to what he says [now]: “Some of your people hate you and reject you because you belong to me. They make fun of you, and they say, ‘Yahweh should show his glorious power! We want to see him [do something to cause] you to be truly happy.’ But [some day] those people will be [very] disgraced.”
6 Montie hooyɛ a ɛfiri kuropɔn no mu, montie gyegyeegye a ɛfiri asɔredan no mu! Ɛyɛ Awurade nnyegyeeɛ a ɔde retua nʼatamfoɔ ka sɛdeɛ ɛfata wɔn.
[At that time], you will listen to the noise in the city. You will hear the shouting in the temple. It will be the sound of Yahweh shouting while he is punishing his enemies!
7 “Ansa na ɔbaa bɛkyem no, ɔwo; ansa na ɔbɛte awoɔyaa no, ɔwo ɔbabarima.
No one [RHQ] ever heard that a woman gave birth to a baby when she was just starting to have birth pains.
8 Hwan na wate biribi sei ho asɛm pɛn? Hwan na wahunu biribi sei pɛn? Wɔbɛtumi de da koro akyekyere ɔmansin anaa wɔbɛtumi akyekyere ɔman ɛberɛ sin bi mu? Nanso awoɔ ka Sion ara pɛ a ɔwo ne mma.
Certainly no one [RHQ] ever heard about such a thing happening, and no one has ever seen it happen. [Similarly], no one ever [RHQ] heard that a nation was created in one instant, not even in one day. But Jerusalem is like [MET] [a woman who] gives birth to children as soon as she starts to have birth pains.
9 Mede obi bɛduru awokoɔ ano a memma no nwo anaa?” Sɛdeɛ Awurade seɛ nie. “Mesi awotwaa ano ɛberɛ a awoɔ aduru so anaa?” Wo Onyankopɔn na ɔseɛ.
Women certainly do not [RHQ] bring infants to the time when they are ready to be born and then do not allow them to be born. [Similarly, he will do for Jerusalem] [MET] [what he has promised to do]: [He will cause Jerusalem to be full of people again]. [That will happen because] Yahweh has said it.
10 Mo ne Yerusalem ani nnye na monni ahurisie mma no, mo a modɔ no nyinaa; mo ne no nsɛpɛ mo ho yie, mo a modi ne ho awerɛhoɔ nyinaa.
You people in [APO] Jerusalem, rejoice! And all you people who love Jerusalem should also be happy. You people who were sad because of [what happened to Jerusalem], you should now be glad.
11 Mobɛnum nʼawerɛkyekyerɛ nufoɔ no amee; mobɛnom aboro so na mo ani bɛgye deɛ abu so atra so no ho.
[You people in Jerusalem] will [have everything that you need] like [MET] a baby that gets all it needs from its mother’s breasts. You will enjoy all the abundant and glorious things [MET] in the city.
12 Na yei ne deɛ Awurade seɛ: “Mede asomdwoeɛ bɛma no sɛ asubɔnten, ne amanaman no ahonya nso sɛ asutene a ayiri. Mobɛnum na waturu mo wɔ ne basa so na ɔbɛgye mo agorɔ wɔ nʼanankoroma so.
Yahweh has promised, “I will cause Jerusalem to be full of valuable things that come from other nations; those things will pour into Jerusalem; it will be like [SIM] a big flood. I will take care of the people of Jerusalem like women care for the babies that they nurse.
13 Sɛdeɛ ɔbaa kyekye ne ba werɛ no saa ara na mɛkyekye mo werɛ; na mobɛnya awerɛkyekyerɛ wɔ Yerusalem.”
I will comfort you people in Jerusalem like [MET] mothers comfort their children.”
14 Sɛ mohunu yei a, mo akoma ani bɛgye na mobɛyɛ frɔmm sɛ ɛserɛ; wɔbɛhunu Awurade nsa wɔ ne nkoa so, nanso wɔbɛhunu nʼabufuhyeɛ wɔ nʼatamfoɔ so.
When you see [those things happen], you [SYN] will rejoice. Your [old] bones will become strong [again] like [SIM] grass [that grows quickly/well in the springtime]. [When that happens, everyone] will know that Yahweh has power [MTY] to help those who worship and obey him, but that he is angry with his enemies.
15 Hwɛ, Awurade de ogya reba, na ne nteaseɛnam te sɛ ntwahoframa; ɔde nʼabufuo bɛba wɔ anibereɛ so, na ɔde gyadɛreeɛ ayɛ nʼanimka.
Yahweh will come down with flames of fire, and his chariots [will come down] like [SIM] a whirlwind; he will be extremely angry, and he will punish [his enemies] by burning them in a fire.
16 Ogya ne nʼakofena na Awurade de bɛbu nnipa nyinaa atɛn, na wɔn a wɔbɛtotɔ wɔ Awurade nsa ano bɛyɛ bebree.
[It is as though] [MET] Yahweh has a [big] sword, and he will judge and execute many people.
17 “Wɔn a wɔte wɔn ho na wɔdwira wɔn ho de kɔ nturo mu kɔsom abosom no, na wɔwe prakonam ne akusie ne nneɛma a ɛyɛ akyiwadeɛ no, wɔn nyinaa bɛhunu wɔn awieeɛ,” sɛdeɛ Awurade seɛ nie.
Yahweh says, “Some of you people purify/bathe yourselves and [then] go to a garden to worship your gods. You eat the meat of pigs and lizards and mice, [and other things that I have forbidden you to eat]. So I will get rid of you [for doing that].
18 “Esiane wɔn nneyɛɛ ne wɔn nsusuiɛ enti, me, mereba abɛboaboa amanaman ne kasa ahodoɔ ano, na wɔbɛba abɛhunu mʼanimuonyam.
I know [all] the [evil] things that you think and do. [It is now time] for me to gather together the people who live in all nations and who speak all languages, and to show them that I am very great.
19 “Na mɛyɛ nsɛnkyerɛnneɛ bi wɔ wɔn mu, na mede nkaeɛfoɔ no mu bi bɛkɔ amanaman no mu: Tarsis, Libiafoɔ ne Lidiafoɔ (wɔn a wɔagye edin wɔ agyantoɔ mu), Tubal ne Helafoɔ, ne nsupɔ a ɛwɔ akyirikyiri a wɔntee me din a ahyeta na wɔnhunuu mʼanimuonyam. Wɔbɛpae mu aka mʼanimuonyam wɔ amanaman mu.
I will put a mark on them, and those whom I have spared will go to various [distant] countries: to Tarshish, Put, Lud, Meshech, Tubal, Javan, and to distant islands. I will send them to proclaim to nations that have never heard about me that I am very great and glorious.
20 Na wɔde mo nuammarimanom nyinaa bɛfiri amanaman nyinaa so bɛba me bepɔ kronkron a ɛwɔ Yerusalem no so sɛ afɔrebɔdeɛ ama Awurade. Wɔtete apɔnkɔ so ne nteaseɛnam mu ne asako mu ne mfunumpɔnkɔ ne nyoma so bɛba,” sei na Awurade seɛ. “Wɔde wɔn bɛba sɛdeɛ Israelfoɔ de wɔn aduane afɔdeɛ kɔ Awurade asɔredan mu, wɔ afahyɛ nkuruwa a ɛho teɛ mu.
Then they will bring back here your relatives [who have been (exiled/forced to go to other countries)], to be like [SIM] an offering to me. They will come on horses, in chariots, on mules, and on camels. They will come to [Zion, ] my sacred hill in Jerusalem. That will be like [SIM] the offerings that [my] Israeli people used to bring in the correct manner to the temple.
21 Na mɛyi wɔn mu bi ayɛ asɔfoɔ ne Lewifoɔ,” Awurade, na ɔseɛ!
[I solemnly promise that] I will appoint some of them to be priests, and others to do other work in my temple. [That will surely happen because I], Yahweh, have said it.
22 “Sɛdeɛ ɔsorosoro foforɔ ne asase foforɔ bɛtena hɔ no, saa ara na mo din ne mo asefoɔ bɛtena hɔ,” sɛdeɛ Awurade seɛ nie.
I [also] promise that just like the new heaven and the new earth will last forever, you will always have descendants, and you [MTY] will always be honored.
23 “Ɛfiri Ɔsrane Foforɔ baako kɔpem foforɔ, ɛfiri Homeda baako kɔsi foforɔ no, adasamma nyinaa bɛba abɛkoto me,” sɛdeɛ Awurade seɛ nie.
At every festival to celebrate the Sabbath [each week] and the new moon [each month], everyone will [come and] worship me. [That will surely happen because] I, Yahweh, have said it.
24 “Na wɔbɛfiri adi akɔhunu wɔn a wɔtee atua tiaa me no afunu; wɔn asonsono renwu, na wɔn ogya nso rennum, na wɔn ho bɛyɛ adasamma nyinaa nwunu.”
Then they will go out [of Jerusalem] and look at the corpses of those who rebelled against me. The maggots in those corpses will never die, the fire will never stop burning them, and everyone [who sees their corpses] will detest them.”
