Isaiah 52
1 Arise, arise, put on thy strength, O Sion, put on the garments of thy glory, O Jerusalem, the city of the Holy One: for henceforth the uncircumcised, and unclean shall no more pass through thee.
Wake up, wake up, Zion! Be strong! Put on your best clothes, Jerusalem, the holy city. Heathen foreigners won't ever enter you again.
2 Shake thyself from the dust, arise, sit up, O Jerusalem: loose the bonds from off thy neck, O captive daughter of Sion.
Shake yourself free from the dust and get up. Sit on your throne, Jerusalem. Throw off the chains around your neck, captive daughter of Zion.
3 For thus saith the Lord: You were sold gratis, and you shall be redeemed without money.
This is what the Lord says: You were sold for nothing, and you will be bought back without money.
4 For thus saith the Lord God: My people went down into Egypt at the beginning to sojourn there: and the Assyrian hath oppressed them without any cause at all.
This is what the Lord God says: First of all, my people went to live in Egypt, then Assyria conquered them for no reason.
5 And now what have I here, saith the Lord: for my people is taken away gratis. They that rule over them treat them unjustly, saith the Lord, and my name is continually blasphemed all the day long.
What do have I to do now? asks the Lord. My people have been taken into captivity for no reason. Those who rule them mock them, and I'm treated with contempt that whole time, says the Lord.
6 Therefore my people shall know my name in that day: for I myself that spoke, behold I am here.
So I'm going to make sure my people know me; at that time they will know that I am the one who means what he says. Yes, it's me!
7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, and that preacheth peace: of him that sheweth forth good, that preacheth salvation, that saith to Sion: Thy God shall reign!
What a wonderful sight in the mountains is the one running to bring good news, announcing peace and good news, announcing salvation, telling Zion, “Your God reigns!”
8 The voice of thy watchmen: they have lifted up their voice, they shall praise together: for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall convert Sion.
The city watchmen shout loudly and sing for joy together; they all see the Lord returning to Jerusalem.
9 Rejoice, and give praise together, O ye deserts of Jerusalem: for the Lord hath comforted his people: he hath redeemed Jerusalem.
Let Jerusalem's ruins all sing for joy for the Lord has come to care for his people; he has set Jerusalem free.
10 The Lord hath prepared his holy arm in the sight of all the Gentiles: and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.
The Lord has demonstrated his holy power to all the nations; the whole world will see our God's salvation.
11 Depart, depart, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing: go out of the midst of her, be ye clean, you that carry the vessels of the Lord.
Leave, leave, get out of there! Don't bring anything pagan; come out and leave it all behind. Those of you who carry the Lord's sacred articles are to purify yourselves.
12 For you shall not go out in a tumult, neither shall you make haste by flight: For the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will gather you together.
But don't leave in a hurry, don't be in a rush as if you're running away, for the Lord will go ahead of you, and he will also protect those at the back.
13 Behold my servant shall understand, he shall be exalted, and extolled, and shall be exceeding high.
Look: my servant will act wisely; he will be praised highly, he will be elevated in position, and seen as someone people look up to.
14 As many have been astonished at thee, so shall his visage be inglorious among men, and his form among the sons of men.
But many were horrified by him, so disfigured in appearance, no longer looking like a man, so unlike anyone human.
15 He shall sprinkle many nations, kings shall shut their mouth at him: for they to whom it was not told of him, have seen: and they that heard not, have beheld.
He will surprise many nations, and kings will keep quiet because of him—for they'll see what they haven't been told, and they'll understand what they hadn't heard.
