Isaiah 41
1 [Yahweh says], “You [people who live on] [APO] islands in the ocean, be silent in front of me [while I ask you some questions]! Then you can be courageous and talk to me. We will meet together and decide [which one of us is right].
Escúchenme en silencio, pueblos que viven en tierras más allá del mar. Dejen que las naciones recuperen su fuerza. Entonces que vengan y hablen, y que nos unamos para el juicio.
2 Who has urged this king to come from the east? Who has enabled his [army] to righteously defeat many nations and to trample their kings under their feet? With their swords they cut [their enemies] into tiny pieces [HYP]; with their arrows they cause their enemies to scatter like [SIM] the wind scatters chaff.
Quien ha animado a este del este que es llamado al servicio de Dios para hacer lo que es correcto? Le da naciones, y le ayuda a pisotear reyes. Los convierte en polvo con su espada, y los convierte en paja con su arco, llevados ante él por el viento.
3 Even though they march through areas where they have not gone previously, they pursue [their enemies] and continue to march, and nothing stops them.
Los persigue y avanza sin daño alguno, sin seguir las rutas habituales.
4 Who has enabled rulers to do [DOU] mighty things like that? Who has done that throughout all generations? It is I, Yahweh; I was the first [one to do things like that], and I will be the last one [to do them].”
¿Quién ha logrado y hecho esto, llamando a la existencia a cada generación desde el principio de los tiempos? Yo, el Señor, el primero y el último, soy yo.
5 [People who live on] [PRS] islands in the ocean are afraid while they watch. People in remote areas tremble and gather together.
Las islas observan con temor, las tierras lejanas tiemblan. Se reúnen y consultan.
6 They encourage each other and say to each other, “Be strong!'
Todos se ayudan mutuamente, animándose a ser fuertes.
7 The craftsmen encourage those who make things from gold, and the men who flatten metal encourage those who hammer metal (on an anvil/into shape). They all say, “The idol has been well made!” And then they carefully nail down the idol in order that it will not topple over!
El artesano anima al orfebre; el que golpea el metal con un martillo anima al que golpea el yunque, diciendo que la soldadura es buena. Clavan el ídolo para que no se caiga.
8 [Yahweh says], “[You people of] Israel [are like] my servants; you are [descendants of] Jacob, whom I chose; [you are] descendants of Abraham, who [I said is] my friend.
Pero a ti, Israel, siervo mío, Jacob, los que he elegido, descendientes de mi amigo Abraham,
9 I summoned you from very distant places [DOU] on the earth, and I said ‘I [want you to] serve me; I have chosen you, and I will not reject you.’
te hice volver de tierras lejanas, te llamé de lugares lejanos, diciéndote: “Ustedes son mis siervos”. Los he elegido, y no los he abandonado.
10 Do not be afraid, because I will (be with/help) you. Do not be discouraged, because I am your God. I will enable you to be strong, and I will help you; I will hold you up with my powerful arm by which you will be rescued.
¡No tengan miedo, porque yo estoy con ustedes! No tengan miedo, porque yo, su Dios, los haré fuertes, y ciertamente los ayudaré. Los apoyaré con mi mano fuerte, actuando a favor de lo que es justo.
11 It is certain that all those who are angry with you [Israeli people] will be disgraced [DOU]. Those who oppose you will be wiped out; they will all die.
Mira: todo el que se enoje contigo será avergonzado y deshonrado. Los que luchan contra ti terminarán como nada y morirán.
12 If you search for those who tried to conquer you, you will not find them, [because they will all have disappeared]. Those who attacked you will not exist [any more].
Aunque busques a tus enemigos, no los encontrarás. Los que te atacan se convertirán en nada.
13 [It will be as though] I will hold you up by your right hand. I am Yahweh, your God, and I say to you, ‘Do not be afraid, [because] I will help you.’
Porque yo, el Señor, te cogeré de la mano y te diré: “¡No tengas miedo! Yo mismo te ayudaré.
14 Although you people of Israel [DOU] [think that you are as insignificant as] worms, do not be afraid [of your enemies], because I will help you. I am Yahweh, the one who rescues you; I am the Holy One of Israel.
No tengas miedo, Jacob, pequeño gusano, pueblo de Israel, porque yo te ayudaré”, declaró el Señor, tu Salvador, el Santo de Israel.
15 [I will cause] you to be like [MET] a (threshing sledge/big piece of metal that has sharp teeth for separating grain from chaff). You will tear [your enemies to bits], causing them to be like bits of chaff on the mountains.
¡Mira! Te convertiré en una trilladora nueva y afilada, con muchos dientes puntiagudos. Trillarás los montes y aplastarás las colinas, convirtiéndolas en paja.
16 You will toss them up into the air, and a strong wind will blow them away [DOU]. [When that happens], you will rejoice about what I [have done for you]; you will praise me, the Holy One of Israel.
Los arrojarás al aire, el viento se los llevará y una tormenta los dispersará. Entonces te alegrarás en el Señor, y te jactarás del Santo de Israel.
17 When poor and needy people need water and they have no water, and their tongues are very dry because they are very thirsty, I, Yahweh, will come and help them. I, the God to whom you Israeli people belong, will never abandon them.
Los pobres y los necesitados buscan agua, pero no la encuentran; sus lenguas están secas de sed. Yo, el Señor, les responderé; yo, el Dios de Israel, no los abandonaré.
18 I will cause rivers to flow for them on the barren hills. I will give them fountains in the valleys. I will fill [HYP] the desert with pools of water. Water from springs will flow into rivers, and the rivers will flow across the dry ground.
Abriré ríos en las tierras altas desoladas y manantiales en los valles. Haré estanques en el desierto y manantiales en el desierto.
19 I will plant [trees] in the desert— cedar [trees], acacia [trees], myrtle [trees], olive [trees], cypress [trees], fir [trees], and pine [trees].
Plantaré cedros, acacias, mirtos y olivos en el desierto. Pondré árboles de hoja perenne en el desierto, abetos y bojes juntos.
20 [I will do that] in order that people who see it will think about it, and they will know and understand [DOU] that it is [I], Yahweh, who have done it; it is what [I], the Holy One of Israel, have done.
Así todos podrán ver y saber, podrán pensar en ello y sacar la conclusión de que es el Señor quien ha hecho esto, que el Santo de Israel lo ha hecho.
21 [I], Yahweh, the true king of Israel say [to you nations], “Tell what your idols can do for you!
“Ahora presenta tu caso”, dice el Señor. “Presenten sus pruebas”, dice el Rey de Jacob.
22 Bring them here to tell us what is going to happen! Ask them to tell us what things happened long ago, in order that we may think about those things, and learn if those things that they predicted really happened. Or, ask them to tell us about the future, in order that we can know what will happen.
“Dejen que vengan a contarnos lo que va a ocurrir. Que nos expliquen las cosas del pasado, para que podamos pensar en ellas y descubrir el resultado final. O que nos hablen del futuro.
23 [Yes], those idols should tell us what will happen in the future. If they do that, we will know that they are really gods. Tell them to do something—either something good or something bad! Tell them to do something that will cause us to be amazed and afraid!
Predicen lo que va a pasar para que sepamos con certeza que son dioses. Al menos hagan algo, bueno o malo, que nos impresione cuando lo veamos.
24 But [that is impossible, because] idols are absolutely worthless [HYP]; they can do nothing, and I detest those who decide [to worship] idols.”
¡Pero mírense! ¡No son nada y nada pueden hacer! ¡Cualquiera que los elija a ustedes es repugnante!
25 “[But] I have incited/urged a ruler who will come [with his army] from the north. I have summoned him to come from [his country, which is] east [of Israel], and I have given him my authority [MTY]. I will [enable his army to conquer other rulers]; they will trample those leaders like [SIM] a man who makes clay pots first tramples the clay.
“Yo he animado al que viene del norte. Él es del este, y me respetará. Pisará a los gobernantes como si fueran argamasa, como un alfarero que pisa la arcilla.
26 (Who told you people long ago that this would happen?/No one told you people long ago that this would happen!) [RHQ] (Who predicted it, with the result that we can say, ‘What he predicted was correct!’?/No one predicted it, with the result that we can say, ‘What he predicted was correct!’) [RHQ] No one else said that it would happen.
“¿Quién lo anunció de antemano para que pudiéramos conocerlo? ¿Quién nos lo hizo saber en el pasado, para que ahora pudiéramos decir: Tenía razón? Ninguno de ustedes lo anunció, ninguno lo predijo, y nadie os oyó decir una palabra!
27 I was the first one to tell [the people of] Jerusalem, ‘Listen to this! I have appointed a messenger to tell good news to you!’
Yo fui el primero en anunciar a Sión: ‘¡Mira, aquí están!’ Yo fui el que llevó a Jerusalén la buena noticia.
28 None of your idols told you that [DOU]. And when I asked them questions, none of them was able to give me any answers.
Miro a estos ídolos y veo que no hay nadie que pueda decir nada. Ninguno de ellos sabe dar consejos; cuando les pregunto algo, ni siquiera saben responder.
29 Think about it: Those idols are all useless, worthless [DOU] things. They are [as meaningless as] [MET] the wind.”
¡Míralos! Son todos malvados y engañosos. ¡No pueden hacer nada! Son sólo ídolos llenos de aire caliente!”
