Esaias 49

1 De øyland, høyre på meg, og lyde, de folk langt burte! Meg hev Herren kalla frå moderliv og nemnt meg på namn frå moderfang.

Pay attention, you islands, and listen closely, you far away peoples. The Lord has called me from the womb; from the womb of my mother, he has been mindful of my name.

2 Min munn hev han gjort til eit sverd so kvast, i skuggen av handi si hev han meg gøymt, og meg hev han gjort til ei pil so blank og hev gøymt meg i pilehuset sitt.

And he has appointed my mouth as a sharp sword. In the shadow of his hand, he has protected me. And he has appointed me as an elect arrow. In his quiver, he has hidden me.

3 Og han sa til meg: «Min tenar, er du Israel, som meg æra skal gjeva.»

And he has said to me: “You are my servant, Israel. For in you, I will glory.”

4 Men eg sagde: «Eg hev stræva til fåfengs, til unyttes reint hev eg øydt mi kraft. Men like vel er min rett hjå Herren, og løni mi er hjå min Gud.»

And I said: “I have labored toward emptiness. I have consumed my strength without purpose and in vain. Therefore, my judgment is with the Lord, and my work is with my God.”

5 «Men no, » segjer Herren, som hev gjort meg til tenar frå moderliv til å føra Jakob attende til han, so Israel kann samlast til han - og eg vann æra for Herrens augo, og min Gud, han vart min styrke -

And now, says the Lord, who formed me from the womb as his servant, so that I may bring back Jacob to him, for Israel will not be gathered together, but I have been glorified in the eyes of the Lord and my God has become my strength,

6 han segjer: «D’er for lite at du er min tenar til å attreisa Jakobs ætter og Israels leivningar føra til meg. So vil eg gjera deg til heidningljos, at mi frelsa kann nå til enden av jordi.»

and so he has said: “It is a small thing that you should be my servant so as to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and so as to convert the dregs of Israel. Behold, I have offered you as a light for the Gentiles, so that you may be my salvation, even to the furthest regions of the earth.”

7 So segjer Herren, Israels løysar og Heilage, til den djupt vanvyrde som folk hev stygg for, til trælen under tyranner: Kongar skal sjå det og reisa seg upp, hovdingar med, og kasta seg ned for Herrens skuld som trufast er, Israels Heilage som valde deg ut.

Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, his Holy One, to a contemptible soul, to an abominable nation, to the servant of lords: The kings will see, and the princes will rise up, and they will adore, because of the Lord. For he is faithful, and he is the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.

8 So segjer Herren: I nådestundi eg bønhøyrer deg, og på frelsedagen hjelper eg deg, og eg varar deg og gjer deg til folkepakt, til å attreisa landet og utskifta øydelagd odelsgrunn.

Thus says the Lord: In a pleasing time, I have heeded you, and in the day of salvation, I have assisted you. And I have preserved you, and I have presented you as a covenant of the people, so that you would lift up the earth, and possess the scattered inheritances,

9 Du skal segja til fangar: «Gakk ut!» Til deim i myrkret: «Kom fram!» Attmed vegarne skal dei få beita og hava kvar snaudheid til beite.

so that you would say to those who are bound, “Go forth!” and to those who are in darkness, “Be released!” They will pasture along the roads, and their pastures will be in every open place.

10 Dei skal ikkje svelta, skal ikkje tyrsta, og ikkje skal sandglod og solsteik deim skada, for deira miskunnar skal føra deim og leida deim lint til uppkomevatn,

They will not hunger or thirst, nor will the heat of the sun beat down upon them. For the one who takes pity on them will rule them, and he will give them to drink from fountains of waters.

11 og alle mine fjell vil eg gjera til veg, og mine stigar skal byggjast høge.

And I will make all my mountains into a road, and my paths will be exalted.

12 Sjå, dei kjem langt burtanfrå! sume frå nord og sume frå vest og sume frå sinesar-landet.

Behold, some will come from far away, and behold, others from the north and from the sea, and still others from the land of the south.

13 Jubla himmel, og fegnast jord, de berg set i med glederop! For Herren trøystar sitt folk og miskunnar armingarn’ sine.

Give praise, O heavens! And exult, O earth! Let the mountains give praise with jubilation! For the Lord has consoled his people, and he will take pity on his poor ones.

14 Men Sion segjer: «Herren hev forlate meg, Herren hev gløymt meg.»

And Zion said: “The Lord has abandoned me, and the Lord has forgotten me.”

15 Gløymer vel ei kvinna sogbarnet sitt, so ho ikkje miskunnar den ho bar under hjarta? Um endå dei kunde gløyma, so gløymer eg ikkje deg.

Can a woman forget her infant, so as not to take pity on the child of her womb? But even if she would forget, still I shall never forget you.

16 Sjå her, eg hev teikna deg på henderne mine, murarne dine hev eg alltid for augo.

Behold, I have engraved you on my hands. Your walls are always before my eyes.

17 Sønerne dine skundar seg hit, dei som braut deg i grus, fer burt frå deg.

Your builders have arrived. Those who would tear you down and destroy you, they will depart from you.

18 Upp med augo og sjå deg ikring! Alle samlar seg hit til deg. So sant eg liver, segjer Herren, du skal hava deim alle på deg til prydnad og binda deim um deg til brurebelte.

Lift up your eyes all around, and see: all these have been gathered together; they have come to you. As I live, says the Lord, you shall be clothed with all these things, as if with an ornament. And like a bride, you shall wrap these things all around you.

19 For ruinarne dine og grushaugarne og ditt herja land - jau, no vert du for trong for borgarane, og burte er dei som gløypte deg.

For your deserts, and your solitary places, and the land of your ruination will now be too narrow, because of all the inhabitants. And those who devoured you will be chased far away.

20 Endå skal du få høyra borni frå barnløyse segja: «Romet er meg for trongt. Flyt deg, so eg kann få bu!»

Even the children of your barrenness will say in your ears: “This place is too narrow for me. Make me a spacious place in which to dwell.”

21 Då tenkjer du med deg sjølv: «Kven hev født meg desse borni? For eg var barnlaus og ufør til føding, utlæg og heimlaus, kven hev fostra desse? Eg sat eismall att, kvar var då dei?»

And you will say in your heart: “Who has conceived them? I was barren and unable to give birth. I was taken away and held captive. And so, who has raised them? I was destitute and alone. And so, where have they been?”

22 So segjer Herren, Herren: Sjå, eg lyftar mi hand for heidningarne, og reisar mitt merke for folkeslagi, so kjem dei med sønerne dine i fanget, og døtterne dine ber dei på herdi.

Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles, and I will exalt my sign before the peoples. And they will carry your sons in their arms, and they will bear your daughters on their shoulders.

23 Kongar vert fosterfeder for deg og deira dronningar ammor åt deg. Dei kastar seg ned på jordi for deg og slikkar moldi av føterne dine. Då fær du røyna at eg er Herren, at dei ikkje vert svikne som vonar på meg.

And kings will be your caretakers, and queens will be your nursemaids. They will reverence you with their face to the ground, and they will lick the dust at your feet. And you will know that I am the Lord. For those who hope in him will not be confounded.

24 Kann ein taka herfanget frå ei kjempa? Eller fangarne sleppa frå den som hev siger-retten?

Can prey be taken from the strong? Or is anything taken captive by the powerful able to be saved?

25 Ja! for so segjer Herren: Både skal dei taka fangar frå kjempa, og valdsmanns herfang skal sleppa undan, og eg vil strida med motparten din og frelsa sønerne dine.

For thus says the Lord: Certainly, even the captives will be taken away from the strong, even what has been taken by the powerful will be saved. And truly, I will judge those who have judged you, and I will save your children.

26 Eg let dine trælkarar eta sitt eige kjøt og drikka sitt blod som druvesaft. Og alt kjøt skal kjenna at det er eg, Herren, som frelsar deg, og at Jakobs Velduge løyser deg ut.

And I will feed your enemies their own flesh. And they will be inebriated with their own blood, as with new wine. And all flesh will know that I am the Lord, who saves you, and your Redeemer, the Strong One of Jacob.