< Isaiah 46 >

1 Bel bows down, Nebo stoops; their idols are carried by animals and beasts of burden. These idols that you carry are a heavy burden for weary animals.
‌ʻOku foʻohifo ʻa Peli, pea tulolo ʻa Nipo, naʻe heka ʻi he ngaahi manu ʻae ngaahi tamapua, pea ʻi he fanga pulu: naʻe māfasia hoʻomou ngaahi saliote; ʻi hono fakaheka kuo ongosia ai ʻae manu.
2 Together they bend low, kneel down; they cannot rescue the images, and they themselves have gone off into captivity.
‌ʻOku nau tulolo, ʻoku nau punou fakataha; naʻe ʻikai te nau faʻa fua ʻae kavenga, ka kuo hoko ʻo pōpula ʻakinautolu.
3 Listen to me, house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been carried by me from before your birth, carried from the womb.
“Fanongo kiate au, ʻae fale ʻo Sēkope, pea mo hono toe kotoa pē ʻoe fale ʻo ʻIsileli, ʻaia naʻaku fua mei he fatu, ʻaia ʻoku fua mei he manāva.
4 Even to your old age I am he, and until your hair is gray I will carry you. I made you and I will bear you; I will carry you and I will rescue you.
Pea ʻo aʻu ki hoʻo motuʻa ko au ia; pea ʻo aʻu ki he ʻuluhinā te u fua koe: kuo u ngaohi, pea te u fua ia; ʻio, te u fua, pea te u fakamoʻui.
5 To whom will you compare me? Who do you think I resemble, so that we may be compared?
“Te mou fakatatau au kia hai, pea te u tatau mo hai, ʻio te mou fakatatau au kia hai, koeʻuhi ke mā tatau mo ia?
6 People pour out gold from the bag and weigh silver on the scale. They hire a metalsmith, and he makes it into a god; they bow down and worship it.
‌ʻOku laku ʻae koula mei he kato, pea fakamamafa ʻae siliva ʻi he meʻa fakatatau, pea fakakau ʻae tufunga koula; pea ʻoku ne ngaohi ia ko e ʻotua: ʻoku nau punou hifo, ʻio, ʻoku nau lotu.
7 They lift it on their shoulder and carry it; they set it in its place, and it stands in its place and does not move from it. They cry out to it, but it cannot answer nor save anyone from his trouble.
‌ʻOku nau fua ia ʻi he uma, ʻoku nau hapahapai ia, pea fokotuʻu ia ʻi hono potu, pea ʻoku ne tuʻu; pea ʻe ʻikai te ne ʻalu mei hono potu: ʻio, ʻe kalanga ha tokotaha kiate ia, ka ʻoku ʻikai te ne tali, pe fakamoʻui ia mei heʻene tuʻutāmaki.
8 Think about these things; never ignore them, you rebels!
“Manatuʻi ʻae meʻa ni, pea fakahā ko e kau tangata ʻakimoutolu: toe manatu ki ai, ʻakimoutolu ʻae kau angahala.
9 Think about the earlier things, those of times past, for I am God, and there is no other, I am God, and there is no one like me.
Manatu ki he ngaahi ʻuluaki meʻa ʻi muʻa: he ko au ko e ʻOtua, pea ʻoku ʻikai ha taha kehe; Ko au ko e ʻOtua, pea ʻoku ʻikai ha tokotaha ʻe tatau mo au,
10 I announce the end from the beginning, and beforehand what has not yet happened; I say, “My plan will happen, and I will do as I desire.”
Ke fakahā ʻae ikuʻanga mei he kamataʻanga, pea mei he ngaahi kuonga ʻi muʻa ʻae ngaahi meʻa ʻoku teʻeki ke fai, ʻo pehē, ʻE tuʻumaʻu ʻeku tuʻutuʻuni, pea te u fai ʻeku faʻiteliha kotoa pē:
11 I call a bird of prey from the east, the man of my choice from a distant land; yes, I have spoken; I will also accomplish it; I have purposed, I will also do it.
‌ʻO ui ʻae manupuna ʻoku fekai mei he potu hahake, ʻae tangata ʻoku ne fai ki heʻeku fekau mei he fonua mamaʻo: ʻio, kuo u fakahā ia, pea te u fakahoko ia; kuo u tuʻutuʻuni ki ai, pea te u fai ia.
12 Listen to me, you stubborn people, who are far from doing what is right.
Fanongo kiate au, ʻakimoutolu ʻoku loto mālohi, ʻakimoutolu ʻoku mamaʻo mo e māʻoniʻoni:
13 I am bringing my righteousness near; it is not far away, and my salvation does not wait; and I will give salvation to Zion and my beauty to Israel.
‌ʻOku ou ʻomi ke ofi ʻeku māʻoniʻoni; ʻe ʻikai mamaʻo ia, pea mo ʻeku fakamoʻui ʻe ʻikai tatali ia: pea te u tuku ʻae fakamoʻui ʻi Saione, maʻa ʻIsileli ko hoku nāunau.

< Isaiah 46 >