Isaiah 9
1 However, those in Judah who have been distressed/worried will not [continue to] suffer. Previously, Yahweh humbled [the people in] the land [where the tribes of] Zebulun and Naphtali [live]. But in the future he will honor [the people who live in] that Galilee region, along the road between the Jordan [River] and the [Mediterranean] Sea, where [many] foreigners live.
Ke hã la, blukɔdodo ƒe ɣeyiɣi kple dziɖeleameƒo ƒe ɣeyiɣi manɔ anyi ɖikaa o. Tsã la, èbɔbɔ Zebulonyigba kple Naftalinyigba ɖe anyi. Ke le ɣeyiɣi siwo gbɔna me la, ade bubu dukɔ siwo le Ƒutamɔ dzi kple esiwo le Yɔdan godo la ŋu.
2 [Some day, it will be as though] [MET] the people who walked in darkness will see a great light. A [great] light will shine on those who live in a land where they have great troubles/distress.
Dukɔ si le viviti me zɔm la kpɔ kekeli gã aɖe, ame siwo le blukɔ tsiɖitsiɖi ƒe anyigba dzi la, kekeli klẽ na wo.
3 [Yahweh], you will cause us people in Israel to rejoice; we will become very happy. We will rejoice about what you [have done] like [SIM] people rejoice when they harvest their crops, [or] like soldiers rejoice when they divide up among themselves the things that they have captured in a battle.
Èdzi dukɔ la ɖe edzi, eye nèdzi woƒe dzidzɔkpɔkpɔ hã ɖe edzi. Wokpɔ dzidzɔ le ŋkuwòme abe ale si amewo kpɔa dzidzɔ le nuŋeɣi kple abe ale si amewo kpɔa dzidzɔ ne wole aboyonu mam la ene.
4 You will cause us to no longer be slaves [MET] [of those who captured us]; you will lift the heavy burdens from our shoulders. [It will be as though] you will break the rods of those who oppressed us, like you did when you destroyed [the army of] the Midian people-group.
Ale si wònɔ le Midiatɔwo ŋɔli ene la, ègbã kɔkuti si nye agba la na wo, èɖe kɔsɔkɔsɔ si le kɔ na wo kple ame siwo te wo ɖe anyi la ƒe ameƒoti ɖa.
5 The boots that the enemy soldiers have worn and their clothing which has stains of blood on them will all be burned up; they will only be fuel for a [big] fire.
Woatɔ dzo aʋawɔlawo ƒe afɔkpawo kple awu si bliba ʋu le aʋa me la, eye dzo afia wo,
6 Another reason that we will rejoice is that a [special] child will be born for us; [a woman will give birth to] a son, who will be our ruler. And his names will be ‘Wonderful Counselor’, ‘Mighty/Powerful God’, ‘[Our] Everlasting Father’, and ‘Prince/Ruler [who enables us to have] Peace’.
elabena wodzi vi na mí, wona ŋutsuvi mí. Dziɖuɖu le eƒe abɔta, eye woda fianyenye ƒe bubuŋkɔwo ɖe edzi be, “Nukunu, Aɖaŋudela, Mawu Kalẽtɔ, Fofo Mavɔ kple Ŋutifafafia.”
7 His rule, and the peace that he [brings/causes], will never end. He will rule [MTY] fairly and justly [DOU], like [his ancestor King] David did. This will happen because the Commander of the armies of angels greatly desires that it happen.
Eƒe dziɖuɖu akeke ta, eye seɖoƒe manɔ eƒe fiaɖuƒe ŋu o. Aɖu fia le fofoa David ƒe fiazikpui dzi kple eƒe fiaɖuƒe la me, ne woafɔe ɖe te, eye wòatsɔ ʋɔnudɔdrɔ̃ dzɔdzɔe ali kee tso ɣe ma ɣi yi ɖe mavɔ me. Nu sia ava eme, elabena Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ la ƒe didi vevie awɔe ade goe.
8 The Lord has warned the people of Israel, the descendants of Jacob; he has said that [he will punish] them.
Aƒetɔ la ɖo du ɖe Yakob, eye wòava ƒo ɖe Israel dzi
9 And all the people in Samaria and [other places in] Israel know that, [but] they are very proud and arrogant [DOU]. They say, “Our city has been destroyed, but we will [take away the broken bricks from the ruins] [and] replace them with carefully cut stones. Our sycamore-fig trees have been cut down [by our enemies], but we will plant cedar trees [in their place].”
ne amewo katã nadze sii hekpe ɖe Efraim kple Samariatɔwo, ame siwo nɔa gbɔgblɔm le dada kple adegbe ƒuƒlu me be,
“Anyikpewo mu dze anyi, gake míagbugbɔ wo atu kple kpe tɔxɛwo; wotso gbotiwo ƒu anyi, ke míado sedatiwo ɖe wo teƒe”,
11 But Yahweh brought the armies of [Assyria], the enemies of King Rezin [of Syria, to fight] against Israel and incited [other] nations [to attack Israel].
gake Yehowa do Rezin ƒe futɔwo ɖe dzi ɖe wo ŋu, eye wòde ƒu lãme na eƒe futɔwo.
12 [The army of] Syria [came] from the east, and [the army of] Philistia [came] from the west, and they destroyed Israel [like a wild animal tears another animal apart and] [MET] devours it. But even after that happened, Yahweh was still very angry with them. He was ready to strike them with his fist again.
Aram tso ɣedzeƒe, eye Filistitɔwo tso ɣetoɖoƒe vuvu Israel kple nu siwo ke ɖi baa la. Togbɔ be esiawo katã dzɔ hã la, Yehowa ƒe dɔmedzoe nu mefa o, eye eƒe alɔ gale dzi ɖe wo ŋu ko.
13 [But even though] Yahweh punished his people [like that], they [still] did not return to him [and worship him]. They [still] did not request the Commander of the armies of angels [to assist them].
Gake ame siawo metrɔ ɖe ame si ƒo wo la ŋu o, wogbe be yewomadi Yehowa Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la yomemɔ o.
14 Therefore, in one day Yahweh will get rid of [those who are like] Israel’s head and [those who are like] its tail; the [ones who are like] the top of the palm tree and the [ones who are like] the bottom.
Ale Yehowa tsrɔ̃ ta kple asike, deʋaya kple keti siaa ɖa tso Israel le ŋkeke ɖeka dzi.
15 The leaders [DOU] of Israel are the head, and the prophets who tell lies are the tail.
Ame tsitsiwo kple ame ŋkutawoe nye ta la, eye nyagblɔɖila siwo fiaa alakpadada lae nye asike la.
16 The leaders of the people have misled them; they have caused the people that they are ruling to be confused.
Ame siawo kplɔlawo nye ameblelawo, eye ame siwo blem wole la bu.
17 For that reason, Yahweh is not pleased with the young men [of Israel], and he does not [even] act mercifully toward the widows and orphans, because they are all ungodly and wicked, and they all say things that are foolish. [But] Yahweh still is angry with them; he is ready to strike them with his fist again.
Eya ta Aƒetɔ la makpɔ dzidzɔ le ɖekakpuiwo ŋu alo ave tsyɔ̃eviwo kple ahosiwo nu o, elabena wo katã wonye mawumavɔ̃lawo kple ame vɔ̃ɖiwo eye wo katã wogblɔa nya vlowo. Ke le esiawo katã megbe hã la, eƒe dɔmedzoe nu mefa o, eye eƒe alɔ gale dzi ko.
18 When people do wicked things, it is like [SIM] a brushfire [that spreads rapidly]. It burns up [not only] briers and thorns; it starts a big fire in the forests from which clouds of smoke will rise.
Vavã ŋutasesẽ le bibim abe dzo ene. Efia ŋuwo kple aŋɔkawo, eye wòtɔ dzo avekɔewo kple avedodowo, ale be dzudzɔ de dzi kɔtɔɔ.
19 [It is as though] the [whole] land is burned [black] because the Commander of the armies of angels is extremely angry with the Israeli people. They will become like [SIM] fuel for that great fire, and no one will try to rescue even his [own] brother [from that fire].
Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ la ƒe dɔmedzoe na dzo ƒo anyigba, eye dukɔ la anye dzodonu, ame aɖeke makpɔ nɔvia ta o.
20 Israeli people will attack their neighbors on the right [to get food from them], but they will still be hungry. They will [kill those who live in houses] on the left and eat their flesh, but their stomachs will still not be full.
Woavuvu nu le ɖusime, gake dɔ aganɔ wo wum, woaɖu nu le miame, gake womaɖi ƒo o. Ame sia ame aɖu eya ŋutɔ ƒe dɔmevi ƒe lã.
21 [People of the tribes of] Manasseh and Ephraim will attack each other, and [then] they will both attack the people of Judah. But even after that happens, Yahweh will still be very angry with them. He will be ready to strike them with his fist again.
Manase aɖu Efraim, eye Efraim aɖu Manase, wo kple eve la siaa woatso ɖe Yuda ŋu. Le esiawo katã megbe hã la, Yehowa ƒe dɔmedzoe nu metsi o, eye eƒe alɔ gale dzi ko.
