< Isaiah 35 >

1 The wilderness and dry land will celebrate; the desert will blossom like the crocus.
The desolate and impassable land will rejoice, and the place of solitude will exult, and it will flourish like the lily.
2 Bloom profusely, celebrate and sing! The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God.
It will spring up and blossom, and it will exult with rejoicing and praising. The glory of Lebanon has been given to it, with the beauty of Carmel and Sharon. These will see the glory of the Lord and the beauty of our God.
3 Make the weak hands strong, and make the trembling knees firm!
Strengthen the lax hands, and confirm the weak knees!
4 Tell those who are frightened, “Be strong! Don't be afraid! Look, your God is coming to punish his enemies, with divine retribution he will come to save you.”
Say to the fainthearted: “Take courage and fear not! Behold, your God will bring the vindication of retribution. God himself will arrive to save you.”
5 When that happens, the blind will see, and the deaf will hear.
Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be cleared.
6 The lame will jump like a deer, and the dumb will sing for joy. Springs will gush in the wilderness; streams will flow in the desert.
Then the disabled will leap like a buck, and the tongue of the mute will be untied. For the waters have burst forth in the desert, and torrents in solitary places.
7 The dried-up ground will become like a pool, the arid land like water springs. In the place where jackals used to live, there will be grass and reeds and rushes.
And the land that was dry will have a pond, and the thirsty land will have fountains of water. In the hollows where the serpents lived before, there will rise up the greenery of reed and bulrush.
8 There will be a highway there, a road called “The Way of Holiness.” Nobody bad will travel on it, only those who follow the Way. Fools will not go there.
And there shall be a path and a road in that place. And it will be called the Holy Way. The defiled will not pass through it. For this will be an upright path for you, so much so that the foolish will not wander along it.
9 No lions or other dangerous animals will be found there on the road—only the redeemed will walk along it.
There will be no lions in that place, and harmful wild animals will neither climb up to it, nor be found there. Only those who have been freed will walk in that place.
10 Those the Lord has set free will return, singing as they enter Jerusalem, wearing crowns of everlasting joy. They are overcome with thankfulness and happiness; sorrow and sadness simply disappear.
And the redeemed of the Lord will be converted, and they will return to Zion with praising. And everlasting joy will be upon their heads. They will obtain gladness and rejoicing. For pain and sorrow will flee away.

< Isaiah 35 >