Isaiah 49
1 Hear yee me, O yles, and hearken, yee people from farre. The Lord hath called me from the wombe, and made mention of my name from my mothers bellie.
Listen to me, you coastlands! Now give my your attention, you distant peoples. Yahweh has called me from birth by name, when my mother brought me into the world.
2 And hee hath made my mouth like a sharpe sworde: vnder the shadowe of his hande hath he hid mee, and made me a chosen shafte, and hid me in his quiuer,
He has made my mouth like a sharp sword; he hid me in the shadow of his hand; he has made me into a polished arrow; in his quiver he has hidden me.
3 And sayd vnto me, Thou art my seruaunt, Israel, for I will be glorious in thee.
He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, through whom I show my glory.”
4 And I said, I haue labored in vaine: I haue spent my strength in vaine and for nothing: but my iudgement is with the Lord, and my woorke with my God.
But I replied, “Though I thought I have labored in vain, I have spent my energy for nothing, yet my justice is with Yahweh, and my reward is with my God.”
5 And now sayeth the Lord, that formed me from the wombe to be his seruaunt, that I may bring Iaakob againe to him (though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I bee glorious in the eyes of the Lord: and my God shall be my strength)
Now Yahweh has spoken—he who formed me from birth to be his servant, to restore Jacob again to himself, so that Israel would be gathered to him, for I am honored in the eyes of Yahweh, and my God has become my strength—
6 And hee sayde, It is a small thing that thou shouldest be my seruaunt, to raise vp the tribes of Iaakob, and to restore the desolations of Israel: I will also giue thee for a light of the Gentiles, that thou maiest bee my saluation vnto the ende of the worlde.
and he says, “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to reestablish the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the survivors of Israel. I will make you a light to the Gentiles, that you may be my salvation to the ends of the earth.”
7 Thus sayeth the Lord the redeemer of Israel, and his Holie one, to him that is despised in soule, to a nation that is abhorred, to a seruaunt of rulers, Kinges shall see, and arise, and princes shall worship, because of the Lord, that is faithfull: and ye Holy one of Israel, which hath chosen thee.
This is what Yahweh says, the Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One, to the one whose life is despised, hated by the nations, and a slave of rulers, “Kings will see you and arise, and princes will see you and bow down, because of Yahweh who is faithful, even the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”
8 Thus sayeth the Lord, In an acceptable time haue I heard thee, and in a day of saluation haue I helped thee: and I will preserue thee, and wil giue thee for a couenant of ye people, that thou maiest raise vp the earth, and obtaine the inheritance of the desolate heritages:
This is what Yahweh says, “At a time I decide to show my favor I will answer you, and in a day of salvation I will help you; I will protect you, and give you as a covenant for the people, to rebuild the land, to reassign the desolate inheritance.
9 That thou maiest say to the prisoners, Goe foorth: and to them that are in darkenesse, Shewe your selues: they shall feede in the waies, and their pastures shall bee in all the toppes of the hilles.
You will say to the prisoners, 'Come out;' to those in dark dungeons, 'Show yourselves.' They will graze along the roads, and on all the bare slopes will be their pasture.
10 They shall not be hungrie, neither shall they be thirstie, neither shall the heat smite them, nor the sunne: for he that hath compassion on them, shall leade them: euen to the springs of waters shall he driue them.
They will not be hungry or thirsty; nor will the heat or sun beat on them, for he who has mercy on them will lead them; he will guide them to springs of water.
11 And I will make all my mountaines, as a way, and my paths shalbe exalted.
Then I will make all my mountains into a road, and make my highways level.”
12 Beholde, these shall come from farre: and loe, these from the North and from the West, and these from the land of Sinim.
Look, these will come from far away, some from the north and the west; and others from the land of Sinim.
13 Reioyce, O heauens: and bee ioyfull, O earth: brast foorth into praise, O mountaines: for God hath comforted his people, and will haue mercie vpon his afflicted.
Sing, heavens, and be joyful, earth; break into singing, you mountains! For Yahweh comforts his people, and will have compassion on his afflicted.
14 But Zion saide, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me.
But Zion said, “Yahweh has forsaken me, and the Lord has forgotten me.”
15 Can a woman forget her childe, and not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe? though they should forget, yet wil I not forget thee.
“Can a woman forget her baby, nursing at her breast, so she does not have compassion on the son she has borne? Yes, they may forget, but I will not forget you.
16 Behold, I haue grauen thee vpon the palme of mine hands: thy walles are euer in my sight.
Look, I have inscribed your name on my palms; your walls are continually before me.
17 Thy builders make haste: thy destroiers and they that made thee waste, are departed from thee.
Your children are hurrying back, while those who destroyed you are going away.
18 Lift vp thine eies round about and behold: all these gather themselues together and come to thee: as I liue, sayeth the Lord, thou shalt surely put them all vpon thee as a garment, and girde thy selfe with them like a bride.
Look around and see, they are all gathering and coming to you. As surely as I live—this is Yahweh's declaration—you will surely wear them like jewelry, and you will put them on like a bride.
19 For thy desolations, and thy waste places, and thy land destroied, shall surely be now narow for them that shall dwell in it, and they that did deuoure thee, shalbe farre away.
Though you were a waste and desolate, a land that was in ruins, now you will be too small for the inhabitants, and those who devoured you will be far away.
20 The children of thy barennesse shall say againe in thine eares, The place is straict for mee: giue place to me that I may dwell.
The children born during the time of your bereavement will say in your hearing, 'The place is too cramped for us, make room for us, so we may live here.'
21 Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten mee these, seeing I am baren and desolate, a captiue and a wanderer to and from? and who hath nourished them? beholde, I was left alone: whence are these?
Then you will ask yourself, 'Who has borne these children for me? I was bereaved and barren, exiled and divorced. Who has raised these children? Look, I was left all alone; where did these come from?'”
22 Thus sayeth the Lord God, Beholde, I will lift vp mine hande to the Gentiles and set vp my stadart to the people, and they shall bring thy sonnes in their armes: and thy daughters shall be caried vpon their shoulders.
This is what the Lord Yahweh says, “Look, I will raise my hand to the nations; I will raise my signal flag to the peoples. They will bring your sons in their arms and carry your daughters on their shoulders.
23 And Kings shalbe thy nourcing fathers, and Queenes shalbe thy nources: they shall worship thee with their faces towarde the earth, and licke vp the dust of thy feete: and thou shalt knowe that I am the Lord: for they shall not be ashamed that waite for me.
Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursemaids; they will bow down to you with their faces to the earth and lick the dust of your feet; and you will know that I am Yahweh; those who wait for me will not be put to shame.”
24 Shall the pray be taken from the mightie? or the iust captiuitie deliuered?
Can the spoils be taken from the warrior, or captives be rescued from the fierce?
25 But thus sayeth the Lord, euen the captiuitie of the mightie shall be taken away: and the pray of the tyrant shall be deliuered: for I wil contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will saue thy children,
But this is what Yahweh says, “Yes, the captives will be taken away from the warrior, and spoils will be rescued; for I will oppose your adversary and save your children.
26 And will feede them that spoile thee, with their owne flesh, and they shall be drunken with their owne bloode, as with sweete wine: and all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy sauiour and thy redeemer, the mighty one of Iaakob.
I will feed your oppressors with their own flesh; and they will get drunk on their own blood, as if it were wine. Then all mankind will know that I, Yahweh, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”
