< Isaiah 45 >
1 Thus says the Lord to my anointed Cyrus, whose right hand I hold, so that I may subjugate the nations before his face, and I may turn the backs of kings, and I may open the doors before him, and so that the gates will not be shut.
Thus saith Jehovah to his anointed, To Cyrus, whom I hold by his right hand, To subdue nations before him, And ungird the loins of kings; To open before him the two-leaved gates, And the doors shall not be shut.
2 I will go before you. And I will humble the glorious ones of the earth. I will shatter the gates of brass, and I will break apart the bars of iron.
I will go before thee, And make the high places plain; I will break in pieces the gates of brass, And cut in sunder the bars of iron.
3 And I will give you hidden treasures and the knowledge of secret things, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who calls your name.
I will give thee the treasures of darkness, And hidden riches of secret places, That thou mayst know that I am Jehovah Who calleth thee by name, the God of Israel.
4 For the sake of Jacob, my servant, and Israel, my elect, I have even called you by your name. I have taken you up, and you have not known me.
For the sake of Jacob, my servant, And Israel, my chosen, I have called thee by thy name; I have spoken to thee as a friend, though thou hast not known me.
5 I am the Lord, and there is no one else. There is no god beside me. I girded you, and you have not known me.
I am Jehovah, and none else; There is no God besides me; I have girded thee, though thou hast not known me.
6 So may those who are from the rising of the sun, and those who are from its setting, know that there is no one beside me. I am the Lord, and there is no other.
That men may know from the rising of the sun, And from the West, that there is none besides me; I am Jehovah, and none else.
7 I form the light and create the darkness. I make peace and create disaster. I, the Lord, do all these things.
I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil; I, Jehovah, do all these things.
8 Send down dew from above, O heavens, and let the clouds rain down upon the just! Let the earth open and spring forth a savior! And let justice rise up at once! I, the Lord, have created him.
Pour forth, ye heavens, from above; Ye clouds, shower down prosperity! Let the earth open, and bring forth salvation; Yea, let righteousness spring up together! I, Jehovah, create it.
9 Woe to him who contradicts his Maker, a mere shard from an earthen vessel! Should the clay say to the potter, “What are you making?” or, “Your work is not made by your hands?”
Woe to him that contendeth with his Maker! A potsherd of the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? Or thy work say of thee, He hath no hands?
10 Woe to him who says to his father, “Why did you conceive?” or to a woman, “Why did you give birth?”
Woe to him that saith to his father, Why dost thou beget? Or to his mother, Why dost thou bring forth?
11 Thus says the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, his Maker: Would you question me about the future, concerning my sons, and command me concerning the work of my hands?
Thus saith Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask of me concerning things to come; My children, the work of my hands, leave them to me!
12 I made the earth, and I created man upon it. My hand stretched out the heavens, and I have commanded all their hosts.
I made the earth, And created man upon it; My hands spread out the heavens, And all their host did I arrange.
13 I have raised him up unto justice, and I will direct all his ways. He himself will build my city and release my captives, but not for ransom or gifts, says the Lord, the God of hosts.
I have raised him up for salvation, And I will make all his ways plain; He shall build my city, and release my captives, Not for price, and not for ransom, Saith Jehovah of hosts.
14 Thus says the Lord: The labor of Egypt, and the business dealings of Ethiopia, and of the Sabeans, men of stature, will pass to you and will be yours. They will walk behind you. They will travel, bound in irons. And they will adore you and petition you: “In you alone is God, and there is no God apart from you.
Thus saith Jehovah: The wealth of Egypt and the merchandise of the Ethiopians and Sabeans, men of stature, Shall come over to thee, and be thine; They shall follow thee; in chains shall they pass along; They shall fall down to thee, and make supplication to thee: “In thee alone is God, and there is none else; There is no other God.”
15 Truly, you are a hidden God, the God of Israel, the Savior.”
Truly thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the saviour!
16 They have all been confounded and should be ashamed! These fabricators of errors have departed together into confusion!
They shall all be ashamed and confounded, They shall go to confusion together, That are makers of idols.
17 Israel is saved in the Lord by an eternal salvation. You will not be confounded, and you will not be ashamed, even forever and ever.
But Israel shall be saved by Jehovah with an everlasting salvation; Ye shall never be ashamed, nor confounded.
18 For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens, God himself who formed the earth and made it, the very Molder of it. He did not create it to no purpose. He formed it so that it would be inhabited. I am the Lord, and there is no other.
For thus saith Jehovah, who created the heavens; The God that formed the earth and made it; he that made it firm; He created it not in vain; he formed it to be inhabited: I am Jehovah, and none else.
19 I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth. I have not said to the offspring of Jacob, “Seek me in vain.” I am the Lord, who speaks justice, who announces what is right.
I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth; I have not said to the race of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain! I, Jehovah, speak truth; I declare that which is right.
20 Assemble yourselves, and approach, and draw near together, you who have been saved among the Gentiles. They lack knowledge, who lift up the wood of their sculpture, and who petition a god unable to save.
Assemble yourselves and come; Gather yourselves together, ye that are escaped of the nations! They are without understanding, who carry about with them the wood of their graven image, And pray to a god that cannot save.
21 Announce it, and approach, and consult together. Who has caused this to be heard from the beginning, and who has foretold it from that time? Is it not I, the Lord? And is there some other god beside me? I am a just God who saves, and there is no one except me.
Proclaim ye, and bring them near, And let them take counsel together: Who hath made this known from ancient time? Who hath declared it of old? Is it not I, Jehovah, besides whom there is no God? A God that uttereth truth, and giveth salvation; there is none besides me.
22 All ends of the earth, be converted to me, and you will be saved. For I am God, and there is no other.
Look to me, and be saved, all ye ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is none else.
23 I have sworn by myself. The Word of justice will proceed from my mouth, and it will not turn back. For every knee shall bend to me, and every tongue shall swear it.
By myself have I sworn, The truth hath gone from my mouth, The word, that shall not return, That to me every knee shall bow, That to me every tongue shall swear.
24 Therefore, he will say, “In the Lord are my justices and my dominion.” They will go to him. And all who fight against him will be confounded.
“Only in Jehovah,” shall men say, “Is salvation and strength; To him shall come and be put to shame, All that are incensed against him.”
25 In the Lord, all the offspring of Israel will be justified and praised.
Through Jehovah shall all the race of Israel be delivered, And in him shall they glory.