Isaiah 49
1 Listen to me, you people of the islands! Pay attention, you who live far away! The Lord called me before I was born; he gave me my name while I was still in my mother's womb.
Audite insulæ, et attendite populi de longe: Dominus ab utero vocavit me, de ventre matris meæ recordatus est nominis mei.
2 The words he gave me to speak are like a sharp sword. He has protected me by covering me with his hand. He put me in his quiver like a sharp arrow, keeping me safe there.
Et posuit os meum quasi gladium acutum: in umbra manus suæ protexit me, et posuit me sicut sagittam electam: in pharetra sua abscondit me.
3 He told me, “You are my servant, Israel, and I will reveal my glory through you.”
Et dixit mihi: Servus meus es tu Israel, quia in te gloriabor.
4 But I replied, “I've worked for nothing! I've exhausted myself, and for what? Even so, I leave it with the Lord to do what's right, and my reward is with my God.”
Et ego dixi: In vacuum laboravi, sine causa, et vane fortitudinem meam consumpsi: ergo iudicium meum cum Domino, et opus meum cum Deo meo.
5 Now my Lord is going to speak, the one who formed me in the womb as his servant to bring Jacob back to him, to gather Israel to himself. I am honored in the Lord's sight, and my God has given me strength.
Et nunc dicit Dominus, formans me ex utero servum sibi, ut reducam Iacob ad eum, et Israel non congregabitur: et glorificatus sum in oculis Domini, et Deus meus factus est fortitudo mea.
6 He says, “It's nothing much for you to be my servant to bring back the tribes of Jacob, those people of Israel that I've preserved. I'm also going to make you a light for the foreigners so that my salvation may reach everybody.”
Et dixit: Parum est ut sis mihi servus ad suscitandas tribus Iacob, et fæces Israel convertendas: Ecce dedi te in lucem Gentium, ut sis salus mea usque ad extremum terræ.
7 This is what the Lord says, the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel, to the one who was despised and detested by the nation, to the one who is the servant of rulers: Kings will see you and stand up, and princes will bow down to you, because the Lord, who is trustworthy, the Holy One of Israel, has chosen you.
Hæc dicit Dominus, Redemptor Israel, Sanctus eius, ad contemptibilem animam, ad abominatam gentem, ad servum dominorum: Reges videbunt, et consurgent principes, et adorabunt propter Dominum, quia fidelis est, et Sanctum Israel qui elegit te.
8 This is what the Lord says: I will answer you at the proper time; I will help you on the day of salvation. I will take care of you, and I will give you to the people as my agreement with them, to restore the land and to reassign the parts that have been abandoned.
Hæc dicit Dominus: In tempore placito exaudivi te, et in die salutis auxiliatus sum tui: et servavi te, et dedi te in fœdus populi, ut suscitares terram, et possideres hereditates dissipatas:
9 Tell the prisoners, “Come out!” Tell those living in darkness, “Come into the light!” Like sheep they will feed along the roads and in the pastures on hills that once were barren.
ut diceres his, qui vincti sunt: Exite: et his, qui in tenebris: Revelamini. Super vias pascentur, et in omnibus planis pascua eorum.
10 They won't be hungry or thirsty, and they won't get hot in the sun, for the one who loves them will lead them to springs, and guide them to water.
Non esurient, neque sitient, et non percutiet eos æstus et sol: quia miserator eorum reget eos, et ad fontes aquarum potabit eos.
11 I will turn all my mountains into a road; my highways will be really high!
Et ponam omnes montes meos in viam, et semitæ meæ exaltabuntur.
12 Look at these people coming from far away! Look at these people coming from the north, and from the west, and from Upper Egypt.
Ecce isti de longe venient, et ecce illi ab Aquilone et mari, et isti de terra australi.
13 Heavens, shout for joy! Earth, celebrate! Mountains, sing out in happiness! The Lord has come to care for his people, and he will treat his suffering people kindly.
Laudate cæli, et exulta terra, iubilate montes laudem: quia consolatus est Dominus populum suum, et pauperum suorum miserebitur.
14 But Zion said, “The Lord has given up on me; the Lord has forgotten about me.”
Et dixit Sion: Dereliquit me Dominus, et Dominus oblitus est mei.
15 Really? Can a mother forget her nursing baby? Can she forget to be kind to the child she carried in her womb? Even if she could forget, I will never forget you!
Numquid oblivisci potest mulier infantem suum, ut non misereatur filio uteri sui? Et si illa oblita fuerit, ego tamen non obliviscar tui.
16 Look at your names I've written on the palms of my hands! I'm always thinking about your walls.
Ecce in manibus meis descripsi te: muri tui coram oculis meis semper.
17 Soon your children will come running back. Your destroyers, those that devastated your land, will be gone.
Venerunt structores tui: destruentes te, et dissipantes a te exibunt.
18 Take a look around. See all your children gathering and coming back to you. As I live, declares the Lord, you will wear them all as jewelry, proudly putting them on like a bride.
Leva in circuitu oculos tuos, et vide, omnes isti congregati sunt, venerunt tibi: vivo ego, dicit Dominus, quia omnibus his velut ornamento vestieris, et circumdabis tibi eos quasi sponsa.
19 Your ruined towns and abandoned places and devastated lands will be crowded with people, while those who took over your country will be long gone.
Quia deserta tua, et solitudines tuæ, et terra ruinæ tuæ nunc angusta erunt præ habitatoribus, et longe fugabuntur qui absorbebant te.
20 The children born during your time of mourning in exile will say, “This place is too crowded for me! Make room so I have a place to live!”
Adhuc dicent in auribus tuis filii sterilitatis tuæ: Angustus est mihi locus, fac spatium mihi ut habitem.
21 Then you will say to yourself, “Who gave birth to all these children for me? My children were killed and I was unable to have more; I was exiled and thrown aside—so who brought these children up? Look, I was abandoned, so where did they come from?”
Et dices in corde tuo: Quis genuit mihi istos? Ego sterilis, et non pariens, transmigrata, et captiva: et istos quis enutrivit? Ego destituta et sola: et isti ubi erant?
22 This is what the Lord God says, Watch as I give the signal to the nations, as I raise my flag to let everyone know. They will bring them back, carrying your sons in their arms, and lifting your daughters onto their shoulders.
Hæc dicit Dominus Deus: Ecce levabo ad Gentes manum meam, et ad populos exaltabo signum meum. Et afferent filios tuos in ulnis, et filias tuas super humeros portabunt.
23 Kings will be your child-minders; queens will be your nurses. They will bow low before you, and lick the dust from your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord, and that those who put their trust in me will never be ashamed.
Et erunt reges nutritii tui, et reginæ nutrices tuæ: vultu in terram demisso adorabunt te, et pulverem pedum tuorum lingent. Et scies quia ego Dominus, super quo non confundentur qui expectant eum.
24 Can loot be taken from a warrior? Can prisoners be rescued from a dictator?
Numquid tolletur a forti præda? Aut quod captum fuerit a robusto, salvum esse poterit?
25 But this is what the Lord says: Even the prisoners of warriors will be won back; even loot will be recovered from a dictator. I will fight with your enemies, and I will rescue your children.
Quia hæc dicit Dominus: Equidem, et captivitas a forti tolletur: et quod ablatum fuerit a robusto, salvabitur. Eos vero, qui iudicaverunt te, ego iudicabo, et filios tuos ego salvabo.
26 I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh and drink their own blood like wine. Then everyone will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior and Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel.
Et cibabo hostes tuos carnibus suis: et quasi musto, sanguine suo inebriabuntur: et sciet omnis caro, quia ego Dominus salvans te, et Redemptor tuus, Fortis Iacob.
