Isaiah 60

1 Up! let your face be bright, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord is shining on you.

Stand up and shine, for your light has come; the glory of the Lord has risen on you.

2 For truly, the earth will be dark, and the peoples veiled in blackest night; but the Lord will be shining on you, and his glory will be seen among you.

Even though darkness covers the earth, and deep darkness covers the people, the Lord has risen to shine on you, and his glory appears over you.

3 And nations will come to your light, and kings to your bright dawn.

Nations will come to your light, and kings will come to the brightness of your shining dawn.

4 Let your eyes be lifted up, and see: they are all coming together to you: your sons will come from far, and your daughters taken with loving care.

Look all around you, and see everyone gathering and coming to you—your sons returning from far away, your young daughters being carried on the hip.

5 Then you will see, and be bright with joy, and your heart will be shaking with increase of delight: for the produce of the sea will be turned to you, the wealth of the nations will come to you.

Then you will see and shine brilliantly, your heart will beat wildly for joy, for the riches that cross the sea, the wealth of the nations, will be brought to you.

6 You will be full of camel-trains, even the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all from Sheba will come, with gold and spices, giving word of the great acts of the Lord.

Long caravans of camels will cover the land, young camels of Midian and Ephah. All the people of Sheba will come to you carrying gold and frankincense, shouting praises to the Lord.

7 All the flocks of Kedar will come together to you, the sheep of Nebaioth will be ready for your need; they will be pleasing offerings on my altar, and my house of prayer will be beautiful.

All the flocks of Kedar will be brought to you, the rams of Nebaioth will be placed at your disposal. I will accept them as they are sacrificed on my altar, and I will glorify the Temple where I'm honored.

8 Who are these coming like a cloud, like a flight of doves to their windows?

What are these flying like a cloud, flying like pigeons returning to their roost?

9 Vessels of the sea-lands are waiting for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, so that your sons may come from far, and their silver and gold with them, to the place of the name of the Lord your God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he has made you beautiful.

Coming from the islands that trust in me, these are ships led by those of Tarshish, bringing your children home from far away, carrying with them silver and gold. They come to honor of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has made you glorious.

10 And men from strange countries will be building up your walls, and their kings will be your servants: for in my wrath I sent punishment on you, but in my grace I have had mercy on you.

Foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will work for you. Even though I did hit you when I was angry with you, now I will be kind and merciful to you.

11 Your doors will be open at all times; they will not be shut day or night; so that men may come into you with the wealth of the nations, with their kings at their head.

Your gates will always be kept open. They won't ever be shut, day or night, so the wealth of the nations can be brought to you, with their kings being led along in a procession.

12 For the nation or kingdom which will not be your servant will come to destruction; such nations will be completely waste.

Any nation or kingdom that does not serve you will be completely destroyed.

13 The glory of Lebanon will come to you, the cypress, the plane, and the sherbin-tree together, to make my holy place beautiful; and the resting-place of my feet will be full of glory.

The glory of Lebanon will come to you: cedars, acacias, and myrtle trees, to make my Temple beautiful and to honor the place I choose to live.

14 And the sons of those who were cruel to you will come before you with bent heads; and those who made sport of you will go down on their faces at your feet; and you will be named, The Town of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

The children of those who persecuted you will come and bow before you; everyone who looked down on you will bow down at your feet and will call you the City of the Lord, Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

15 And though you were turned away from, and hated, and had no helper, I will make you a pride for ever, a joy from generation to generation.

Once you were abandoned and despised, somewhere people didn't go, but now I will make you a place to be proud of forever, a joy to every generation.

16 And you will take the milk of the nations, flowing from the breast of kings; and you will see that I, the Lord, am your saviour, and he who takes up your cause, the Strong One of Jacob.

Nations will provide you with what you need, kings will take care of you as if you were their own children. You will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior and Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

17 In place of brass, I will give gold, and for iron silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: and I will make Peace your judge, and Righteousness your overseer.

I will bring you gold instead of bronze, silver instead of iron, bronze instead of wood, and iron instead of stone. I will appoint Peace as your watchman, and Goodness as your leader.

18 Violent acts will no longer be seen in your land, wasting or destruction in your limits; but your walls will be named, Salvation, and your doors Praise.

There won't be any more violence in your land, no more devastation and destruction within your borders. You will call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise.

19 The sun will not be your light by day, and the moon will no longer be bright for you by night: but the Lord will be to you an eternal light, and your God your glory.

You won't need the light of the sun during the day, or the light of the moon at night, for the Lord your God will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.

20 Your sun will never again go down, or your moon keep back her light: for the Lord will be your eternal light, and the days of your sorrow will be ended.

Your sun will never set, and your moon will never wane, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your time of mourning will end.

21 Your people will all be upright, the land will be their heritage for ever; the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, to be for my glory.

All your people will be good, and they will own the land forever. They are the shoot I have planted with my hands, and they will reveal my glory.

22 The smallest of their families will become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I, the Lord, will make it come quickly in its time.

The smallest of your families will increase to a thousand, and the most insignificant will become a great nation. I am the Lord; at the right time I will do this quickly.