Isaiah 51

1 [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].

“Muntie me, mo a mopɛ trenee akyi kwan; na mohwehwɛ Awurade; Monhwɛ ɔbotan a wotwaa mo fii mu no ne abopaebea a wotuu mo fii hɔ no;

2 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.

Monhwɛ Abraham, mo agya, ne Sara a ɔwoo mo no. Bere a mefrɛɛ no no, na ɔyɛ ɔbaakofo, na mihyiraa no maa nʼase trɛwee.

3 [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.

Awurade bɛkyekye Sion werɛ ampa ara na ne yam bɛhyehye no wɔ ne nnwiriwii no ho; ɔbɛyɛ ne nweatam ahorow sɛ Eden, nʼasase a ada mpan bɛyɛ sɛ Awurade turo. Wobehu anigye ne ahosɛpɛw, aseda ne nnwonto wɔ ne mu.

4 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.

“Muntie me, me nkurɔfo; monyɛ aso mma me, me man: Mmara no befi me nkyɛn akɔ; na mʼatɛntrenee bɛyɛ hann ama aman no.

5 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].

Me trenee reba ntɛm so, me nkwagye nam kwan so, na me basa de atɛntrenee bɛbrɛ aman no. Asupɔw no bɛhwɛ me na wɔde anidaso bɛtwɛn me basa.

6 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.

Momma mo ani so nhwɛ ɔsorosoro, monhwɛ asase wɔ fam; ɔsorosoro betu ayera sɛ wusiw na asase bɛtetew sɛ atade na wɔn a wɔte so bewuwu sɛ nwansena. Nanso me nkwagye bɛtena hɔ daa, me trenee to rentwa da.

7 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,

“Muntie me, mo a munim nea ɛteɛ, mo a me mmara wɔ mo koma mu: Munnsuro nnipa animka anaa momma wɔn ahohora ntu mo koma.

8 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.”

Na nnwewemmoa bɛwe wɔn te sɛnea wɔwe atade; asunson bɛsɛe wɔn te sɛnea wɔsɛe kuntu. Nanso me trenee bɛtena hɔ daa, me nkwagye befi awo ntoatoaso akosi awo ntoatoaso so.”

9 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.

Nyan, nyan! Awurade basa, hyɛ ahoɔden adurade; nyan te sɛ nna a atwa mu no, te sɛ tete awo ntoatoaso mu no. Ɛnyɛ wo na wutwitwaa Rahab mu asinasin no, na wuhwirew asuboa kɛse no mu no?

10 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!

Ɛnyɛ wo na womaa po yowee, asubun mu nsu no, nea ɔpaee kwan wɔ po bun mu no sɛnea wɔn a wɔagye wɔn no betumi atwa?

11 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.

Wɔn a Awurade apata ama wɔn bɛsan aba. Wɔde nnwonto bɛhyɛn Sion; anigye a ɛnsa da bɛyɛ wɔn abotiri, anigye ne ahosɛpɛw bɛboro wɔn so, awerɛhow ne apinisi betu ayera.

12 [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.

“Me, me ara, mene wo werɛkyekyefo. Hena ne wo a wusuro ɔdesani, nnipa mma a wɔyɛ sare yi.

13 (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!

Na wo werɛ afi Awurade, wo yɛfo nea ɔtrɛw ɔsorosoro mu na ɔhyɛɛ asase ase no, a da biara na woabɔ hu ɔhyɛsoni no abufuw nti, nea ɔde ɔsɛe asi nʼani so no ana? Na ɔhyɛsoni no abufuw wɔ he?

14 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,

Ɛrenkyɛ, wobegyaa nneduafo ahufo no; wɔrenwuwu wɔ afiase amoa mu, na aduan remmɔ wɔn.

15 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!

Na mene Awurade, wo Nyankopɔn nea ɔhwanyan po, ma nʼasorɔkye woro so. Asafo Awurade ne ne din.

16 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!’”

Mede me nsɛm ahyɛ wʼanom, na mede me nsa ase nwini akata wo so. Me a mede ɔsorosoro sii hɔ na mehyɛɛ asase ase, na meka kyerɛ Sion se, ‘Moyɛ me nkurɔfo.’”

17 [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.

Nyan, nyan! Sɔre, Yerusalem! Wo a woanom afi Awurade nsam nʼabufuw kuruwa no, wo a woanom apɔɔdɔ mu nsa atu puw nea ɛma nnipa tɔ ntintan no.

18 [Now] you do not have any children who are alive [DOU] and able to take your hand and guide you.

Ne mma a ɔwoo wɔn nyinaa no obiara nni hɔ a ɔkyerɛ no kwan; mma a ɔtetew wɔn nyinaa no obiara nni hɔ a oso ne nsa mu.

19 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.

Saa ɔhaw prenu yi aba wo so, hena na ɔbɛkyekye wo werɛ? Nnwiriwii ne ɔsɛe, ɔkɔm ne afoa, hena na ɔbɛhyɛ wo den?

20 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.

Wo mma atotɔ beraw; wɔdeda mmɔnten so baabiara, te sɛ ɔtwe a afiri ayi no. Awurade abufuw aba wɔn so, wo Nyankopɔn animka no.

21 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.

Enti tie eyi, wo a worehu amane woabow, nanso ɛnyɛ nsa na abow wo.

22 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.

Sɛɛ na Otumfo Awurade se, wo Nyankopɔn a ɔbɔ ne nkurɔfo ho ban: Hwɛ, magye afi wo nsa mu, kuruwa a ɛma wotɔɔ ntintan no, kuruwa a ɛyɛ mʼabufuw pɔɔdɔ no, worennom bio.

23 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.’”

Mede bɛhyɛ wɔn a wɔhaw mo no nsa mu, wɔn a wɔka kyerɛɛ mo se, “Butuw fam na yɛnnantew wo so na wode wʼakyi yɛɛ fam, te sɛ abɔnten sɛ wɔnnantew so no.”