Isaiah 9
1 Even so, there will be no more darkness for those who suffered. In the past he humiliated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will bring honor to Galilee of the foreigners that is on the route that leads from Jordan to the sea.
For there is no gloom to her who had been in anguish, In the former time, he brought into dishonour The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, In the latter time, hath he brought into honour The Lake-way over the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
2 People walking in the dark will see a bright light; a light will shine on those living in a land of total darkness.
the people who were walking in darkness, Have seen a great light, —The dwellers in a land death-shadowed, A light, hath shined upon them.
3 You will make the nation grow enormously, and will make it extremely happy. The people will celebrate before you as people celebrate at harvest time, as soldiers celebrate when dividing up what has been looted.
Thou hast increased the exultation Thou hast made great the joy, —They joy before thee, according to the joy of harvest, As men exult when they distribute spoil.
4 For you will smash the yoke that burdens them down, the bar across their shoulders, and the oppressors' rod used to beat them just as you did when you defeated the Midianite army.
For, the yoke of their burden, The cross-bar of their shoulder, The goad of their driver, Hast thou broken, as in the day of Midian.
5 For every army boot that noisily trampled people down, and every uniform soaked in blood—they are going to be burned, fuel for the fire.
Surely, every boot of one tramping in tumult, and the war-cloak rolled in blood Then shall serve for burning, food for fire;
6 For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us. He will bear the responsibility to rule. He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
For, A Child, hath been born to us, A Son, hath been given to us, And the dominion is upon his shoulder, —And his Name hath been called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty GOD, Father of Futurity, Prince of Prosperity.
7 His rule and the peace he brings know no limits and will never come to an end. He will sit on David's throne and rule his kingdom, making it secure. He will operate from principles of justice and goodness, from the time he begins his rule and for all eternity. The Lord Almighty is determined to make this happen.
Of the increase of dominion, and of prosperity, There shall be no end—Upon the throne of David and Upon his kingdom, By establishing it and By sustaining it, With justice and With righteousness, —From henceforth, Even unto times age-abiding: The jealousy of Yahweh of hosts, will perform this!
8 The Lord has sent a message directed against Jacob, and its consequences will fall upon Israel.
A word, hath My Lord, sent unto Jacob, —And it shall alight on Israel;
9 All the people will soon realize it—Ephraim and the people who live in Samaria. Proudly and arrogantly they say,
and the people shall all of them know [it] —Ephraim and the dweller in Samaria—Who in pride and insolence of heart, are saying:
10 “The brick buildings have collapsed, but we will rebuild them with dressed stone; the sycamore fig trees have been cut down, but we will replace them with cedars.”
Bricks, have fallen down But with hewn stone, will we build, —Sycomores, have been felled, But with cedars, will we replace them.
11 But the Lord has strengthened Rezin's enemies against Israel and has encouraged them.
Therefore will Yahweh strengthen the adversaries of Resin against him, —And his enemies will he arouse:
12 Arameans from the east and Philistines from the west have greedily eaten swallowed Israel up. In all of this he is still angry and his hand is still raised.
Syrians before and Philistines behind, Thus have they devoured Israel with open mouth, —For all this, hath his anger, not turned back, But still, is his hand outstretched.
13 But the people didn't return to the one who punished them; they didn't come to worship the Lord Almighty.
Yet, the people, have not turned unto him that smote them, —And Yahweh of hosts, have they not sought.
14 So in just a single day the Lord will chop off Israel's head and tail, palm branch and reed.
Therefore hath Yahweh cut off from Israel—Head and tail Palm-top and rush, In one day.
15 Elders and honorable people are the head, and prophets who teach lies are the tail.
The elder and favourite, he, is the head, —And the prophet teaching falsehood, he, is the tail;
16 The people's leaders have misled them; those who were guided by them are confused.
And they who should have led this people forward have been causing them to stray, —And, they who are led of them are destroyed,
17 As a result the Lord isn't pleased with their young men, he has no compassion for their orphans and widows, because all of them are hypocrites and do what's evil—they all talk stupidly. In all of this he is still angry and his hand is still raised.
For this cause, over their choice young men, will My Lord not rejoice, And on their fatherless and their widows, will he not have compassion, For every one of them, is profane and an evildoer, And, every mouth is speaking baseness, —For all this, hath his anger, not turned back, But still, is his hand outstretched.
18 For wickedness blazes like a fire, burning up brambles and thorns, setting the forest on fire, sending a column of smoke swirling upwards.
For lawlessness, hath consumed like fire, Briars and thorns, doth it devour, —Yea it hath kindled upon the thickets of the forest, And they have rolled up as a column of smoke.
19 The anger of the Lord Almighty burns the land. People are like fuel for the fire, and nobody tries to help anyone else.
Through the wrath of Yahweh of hosts, is the land consumed, —And the people have come to be, as fuel for fire, A man unto his own brother, sheweth not pity;
20 People destroy others on the right, yet they're still hungry for more; people destroy others on the left, but they're still not satisfied. In the end they even destroy themselves!
And he hath slain on the right, and yet is hungry, And hath eaten on the left, yet are they not satisfied, —Every one, the flesh of his own arm, will they eat:
21 Manasseh destroys Ephraim, and Ephraim destroys Manasseh. Together they turn to destroy Judah. In all of this he is still angry and his hand is still raised.
Manasseh—Ephraim, and Ephraim—Manasseh, They together—against Judah, —For all this, hath his anger not turned back, But still, is his hand outstretched.
