|
|
|
|
1. "Some of you people try hard to live good lives. You go to the Lord for help. Listen to me. You should look at Abraham your father. He is the rock you were cut from.
|
1. Hearken H8085 to H413 me , ye that follow after H7291 righteousness H6664 , ye that seek H1245 the LORD H3068 : look H5027 unto H413 the rock H6697 whence ye are hewn H2672 , and to H413 the hole H4718 of the pit H953 whence ye are digged H5365 .
|
|
2. Abraham is your father, so look at him. Look at Sarah, she gave birth to you. Abraham was alone when I called him. Then I blessed him, and he began a great family with many descendants."
|
2. Look H5027 unto H413 Abraham H85 your father H1 , and unto H413 Sarah H8283 that bore H2342 you: for H3588 I called H7121 him alone H259 , and blessed H1288 him , and increased H7235 him.
|
|
3. In the same way, the Lord will bless Zion. He will feel sorry for her and her people, and he will do something great for her. He will turn the desert into a garden. It will be like the garden of Eden. The land was empty, but it will become like the Lord's garden. People there will be very happy. They will sing victory songs to thank God for what he did.
|
3. For H3588 the LORD H3068 shall comfort H5162 Zion H6726 : he will comfort H5162 all H3605 her waste places H2723 ; and he will make H7760 her wilderness H4057 like Eden H5731 , and her desert H6160 like the garden H1588 of the LORD H3068 ; joy H8342 and gladness H8057 shall be found H4672 therein, thanksgiving H8426 , and the voice H6963 of melody H2172 .
|
|
4. "My people, listen to me! My decisions will be like lights showing people how to live.
|
4. Hearken H7181 unto H413 me , my people H5971 ; and give ear H238 unto H413 me , O my nation H3816 : for H3588 a law H8451 shall proceed H3318 from H4480 H854 me , and I will make my judgment H4941 to rest H7280 for a light H216 of the people H5971 .
|
|
5. I will soon save you and show that I am fair. I will use my power and judge all nations. All the faraway places are waiting for me. They wait for my power to help them.
|
5. My righteousness H6664 is near H7138 ; my salvation H3468 is gone forth H3318 , and mine arms H2220 shall judge H8199 the people H5971 ; the isles H339 shall wait H6960 upon H413 me , and on H413 mine arm H2220 shall they trust H3176 .
|
|
6. Look up to the heavens! Look around you at the earth below! The skies will disappear like clouds of smoke. The earth will become like worthless old clothes. The people on earth will die, but my salvation will continue forever. My goodness will never end.
|
6. Lift up H5375 your eyes H5869 to the heavens H8064 , and look H5027 upon H413 the earth H776 beneath H4480 H8478 : for H3588 the heavens H8064 shall vanish away H4414 like smoke H6227 , and the earth H776 shall wax old H1086 like a garment H899 , and they that dwell H3427 therein shall die H4191 in like manner H3644 H3651 : but my salvation H3444 shall be H1961 forever H5769 , and my righteousness H6666 shall not H3808 be abolished H2865 .
|
|
7. You people who understand goodness should listen to me. You people who follow my teachings should hear the things I say. Don't be afraid of evil people. Don't let their insults upset you.
|
7. Hearken H8085 unto H413 me , ye that know H3045 righteousness H6664 , the people H5971 in whose heart H3820 is my law H8451 ; fear H3372 ye not H408 the reproach H2781 of men H582 , neither H408 be ye afraid H2865 of their revilings H4480 H1421 .
|
|
8. They will be like old clothes eaten by moths. They will be like wool eaten by worms. But my goodness will last forever. My salvation will continue for all time to come."
|
8. For H3588 the moth H6211 shall eat them up H398 like a garment H899 , and the worm H5580 shall eat H398 them like wool H6785 : but my righteousness H6666 shall be H1961 forever H5769 , and my salvation H3444 from generation H1755 to generation H1755 .
|
|
9. Wake up! Wake up! Arm of the Lord, clothe yourself with strength. Show your power the way you did long ago, as you have from ancient times. You are the one who destroyed Rahab. You defeated the Dragon.
|
9. Awake H5782 , awake H5782 , put on H3847 strength H5797 , O arm H2220 of the LORD H3068 ; awake H5782 , as in the ancient H6924 days H3117 , in the generations H1755 of old H5769 . Art thou H859 not H3808 it H1931 that hath cut H2672 Rahab H7293 , and wounded H2490 the dragon H8577 ?
|
|
10. You dried up the water that was in the deep sea. You made a road through the deepest parts of the sea. Your people crossed over and were saved.
|
10. Art thou H859 not H3808 it H1931 which hath dried H2717 the sea H3220 , the waters H4325 of the great H7227 deep H8415 ; that hath made H7760 the depths H4615 of the sea H3220 a way H1870 for the ransomed H1350 to pass over H5674 ?
|
|
11. The Lord will save his people. They will return to Zion with joy. They will be very happy. Their happiness will be like a crown on their heads forever. They will be singing with joy. All sadness will be gone far away.
|
11. Therefore the redeemed H6299 of the LORD H3068 shall return H7725 , and come H935 with singing H7440 unto Zion H6726 ; and everlasting H5769 joy H8057 shall be upon H5921 their head H7218 : they shall obtain H5381 gladness H8342 and joy H8057 ; and sorrow H3015 and mourning H585 shall flee away H5127 .
|
|
12. The Lord says, "I am the one who comforts you. So why should you be afraid of people? They are only humans who live and die like the grass."
|
12. I H595 , even I H595 , am he H1931 that comforteth H5162 you: who H4310 art thou H859 , that thou shouldest be afraid H3372 of a man H4480 H582 that shall die H4191 , and of the son H4480 H1121 of man H120 which shall be made H5414 as grass H2682 ;
|
|
13. The Lord made you. With his power he made the earth and spread the sky over the earth. But you forgot him, so you are always afraid that angry men will hurt you. Those men planned to destroy you, but where are they now?
|
13. And forgettest H7911 the LORD H3068 thy maker H6213 , that hath stretched forth H5186 the heavens H8064 , and laid the foundations H3245 of the earth H776 ; and hast feared H6342 continually H8548 every H3605 day H3117 because H4480 H6440 of the fury H2534 of the oppressor H6693 , as H834 if he were ready H3559 to destroy H7843 ? and where H346 is the fury H2534 of the oppressor H6693 ?
|
|
14. People in prison will soon be made free. They will not die and rot in prison. They will have plenty of food.
|
14. The captive exile H6808 hasteneth H4116 that he may be loosed H6605 , and that he should not H3808 die H4191 in the pit H7845 , nor H3808 that his bread H3899 should fail H2637 .
|
|
15. "I am the Lord your God, the one who stirs up the sea and makes the waves roar." (The Lord All-Powerful is his name.)
|
15. But I H595 am the LORD H3068 thy God H430 , that divided H7280 the sea H3220 , whose waves H1530 roared H1993 : The LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 is his name H8034 .
|
|
16. "My servant, I gave you the words I want you to say, and I covered you with my hands to protect you. I did this to make a new heaven and earth and so that you would say to Israel, 'You are my people.'"
|
16. And I have put H7760 my words H1697 in thy mouth H6310 , and I have covered H3680 thee in the shadow H6738 of mine hand H3027 , that I may plant H5193 the heavens H8064 , and lay the foundations H3245 of the earth H776 , and say H559 unto Zion H6726 , Thou H859 art my people H5971 .
|
|
17. Wake up! Wake up! Jerusalem, get up! The Lord was very angry with you. So you were punished. It was like a cup of poison you had to drink, and you drank it all.
|
17. Awake H5782 , awake H5782 , stand up H6965 , O Jerusalem H3389 , which H834 hast drunk H8354 at the hand H4480 H3027 of the LORD H3068 H853 the cup H3563 of his fury H2534 ; thou hast drunken H8354 H853 the dregs H6907 of the cup H3563 of trembling H8653 , and wrung them out H4680 .
|
|
18. Jerusalem had many people, but none of them became leaders for her. None of the children she raised became guides to lead her.
|
18. There is none H369 to guide H5095 her among all H4480 H3605 the sons H1121 whom she hath brought forth H3205 ; neither H369 is there any that taketh H2388 her by the hand H3027 of all H4480 H3605 the sons H1121 that she hath brought up H1431 .
|
|
19. Troubles came to you, Jerusalem, in pairs: your land was destroyed and lies in ruins, and your people suffered from famine and war. But no one felt sorry for you or showed you mercy.
|
19. These H2007 two H8147 things are come H7122 unto thee; who H4310 shall be sorry H5110 for thee? desolation H7701 , and destruction H7667 , and the famine H7458 , and the sword H2719 : by whom H4310 shall I comfort H5162 thee?
|
|
20. Your people became weak. They fell on the ground and lay there. They were lying on every street corner, like animals caught in a net. They were punished by the Lord's anger until they could not accept any more punishment. When God said he would give them more punishment, they became very weak.
|
20. Thy sons H1121 have fainted H5968 , they lie H7901 at the head H7218 of all H3605 the streets H2351 , as a wild bull H8377 in a net H4364 : they are full H4392 of the fury H2534 of the LORD H3068 , the rebuke H1606 of thy God H430 .
|
|
21. Listen to me, poor Jerusalem. You are weak like a drunk, but you are not drunk from wine. You are weak {from that "cup of poison"}.
|
21. Therefore H3651 hear H8085 now H4994 this H2063 , thou afflicted H6041 , and drunken H7937 , but not H3808 with wine H4480 H3196 :
|
|
22. Your God will fight for his people. The Lord says to you, "Look, I am taking this 'cup of poison' away from you. I am taking my anger away from you. You will not be punished by my anger again.
|
22. Thus H3541 saith H559 thy Lord H113 the LORD H3068 , and thy God H430 that pleadeth the cause H7378 of his people H5971 , Behold H2009 , I have taken H3947 out of thine hand H4480 H3027 H853 the cup H3563 of trembling H8653 , even H853 the dregs H6907 of the cup H3563 of my fury H2534 ; thou shalt no H3808 more H3254 drink H8354 it again H5750 :
|
|
23. I will now use my anger to punish the people who hurt you. They tried to kill you. They told you, 'Bow down before us, and we will walk on you.' They forced you to bow down before them, and then they walked on your back like dirt. You were like a road for them to walk on."
|
23. But I will put H7760 it into the hand H3027 of them that afflict H3013 thee; which H834 have said H559 to thy soul H5315 , Bow down H7812 , that we may go over H5674 : and thou hast laid H7760 thy body H1460 as the ground H776 , and as the street H2351 , to them that went over H5674 .
|