Isaiah 9

1 Yet the darkenesse shall not be according to the affliction that it had when at the first hee touched lightly the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, nor afteward when he was more grieuous by the way of the sea beyond Iorden in Galile of the Gentiles.

In earlier times he made the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali of small value, but after that he gave it glory, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

2 The people that walked in darkenes haue seene a great light: they that dwelled in the land of the shadowe of death, vpon them hath the light shined.

The people who went in the dark have seen a great light, and for those who were living in the land of the deepest night, the light is shining.

3 Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased their ioye: they haue reioyced before thee according to the ioye in haruest, and as men reioyce when they deuide a spoyle.

You have made them very glad, increasing their joy. They are glad before you as men are glad in the time of getting in the grain, or when they make division of the goods taken in war.

4 For the yoke of their burthen, and the staffe of their shoulder and the rod of their oppressour hast thou broken as in the day of Midian.

For by your hand the yoke on his neck and the rod on his back, even the rod of his cruel master, have been broken, as in the day of Midian.

5 Surely euery battell of the warriour is with noyse, and with tumbling of garments in blood: but this shall be with burning and deuouring of fire.

For every boot of the man of war with his sounding step, and the clothing rolled in blood, will be for burning, food for the fire.

6 For vnto vs a childe is borne, and vnto vs a Sonne is giuen: and the gouernement is vpon his shoulder, and he shall call his name Wonderfull, Counseller, The mightie God, The euerlasting Father, The prince of peace,

For to us a child has come, to us a son is given; and the government has been placed in his hands; and he has been named Wise Guide, Strong God, Father for ever, Prince of Peace.

7 The increase of his gouernement and peace shall haue none end: he shall sit vpon the throne of Dauid, and vpon his kingdome, to order it, and to stablish it with iudgement and with iustice, from hencefoorth, euen for euer: the zeale of the Lord of hostes will performe this.

Of the increase of his rule and of peace there will be no end, on the seat of David, and in his kingdom; to make it strong, supporting it with wise decision and righteousness, now and for ever. By the fixed purpose of the Lord of armies this will be done.

8 The Lord hath sent a worde into Iaakob, and it hath lighted vpon Israel.

The Lord has sent a word to Jacob, and it has come on Israel;

9 And all the people shall knowe, euen Ephraim, and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and presumption of the heart,

And all the people will have experience of it, even Ephraim and the men of Samaria, who say in the pride of their uplifted hearts,

10 The brickes are fallen, but we will build it with hewen stones: the wilde figge trees are cut downe, but we will change them into ceders.

The bricks have come down, but we will put up buildings of cut stone in their place: the sycamores are cut down, but they will be changed to cedars.

11 Neuerthelesse the Lord will raise vp the aduersaries of Rezin against him, and ioyne his enemies together.

For this cause the Lord has made strong the haters of Israel, driving them on to make war against him;

12 Aram before and the Philistims behinde, and they shall deuoure Israel with open mouth: yet for all this his wrath is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

Aram on the east, and the Philistines on the west, who have come against Israel with open mouths. For all this his wrath is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

13 For the people turneth not vnto him that smiteth them, neither doe they seeke the Lord of hostes.

But the heart of the people was not turned to him who sent punishment on them, and they made no prayer to the Lord of armies.

14 Therefore will the Lord cut off from Israel head and taile, branche and rush in one day.

For this cause the Lord took away from Israel head and tail, high and low, in one day.

15 The ancient and the honorable man, he is the head: and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the taile.

The man who is honoured and responsible is the head, and the prophet who gives false teaching is the tail.

16 For the leaders of the people cause them to erre: and they that are led by them are deuoured.

For the guides of this people are the cause of their wandering from the right way, and those who are guided by them come to destruction.

17 Therefore shall the Lord haue no pleasure in their yong men, neither will he haue compassion of their fatherlesse and of their widowes: for euery one is an hypocrite and wicked, and euery mouth speaketh follie: yet for all this his wrath is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out stil.

For this cause the Lord will have no pleasure in their young men, and no pity on their widows and the children without fathers: for they are all haters of God and evil-doers, and foolish words come from every mouth. For all this his wrath is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

18 For wickednesse burneth as a fire: it deuoureth the briers and the thornes and will kindle in the thicke places of the forest: and they shall mount vp like the lifting vp of smoke.

For evil was burning like a fire; the blackberries and thorns were burned up; the thick woods took fire, rolling up in dark clouds of smoke.

19 By the wrath of the Lord of hostes shall the land be darkened, and the people shall be as the meate of ye fire: no man shall spare his brother.

The land was dark with the wrath of the Lord of armies: the people were like those who take men's flesh for food.

20 And he shall snatch at the right hand, and be hungrie: and he shall eate on the left hand, and shall not be satisfied: euery one shall eate ye flesh of his owne arme.

On the right a man was cutting off bits and was still in need; on the left a man took a meal but had not enough; no man had pity on his brother; every man was making a meal of the flesh of his neighbour.

21 Manasseh, Ephraim: and Ephraim Manasseh, and they both shall be against Iudah yet for all this his wrath is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

Manasseh was making a meal of Ephraim, and Ephraim of Manasseh; and together they were attacking Judah. For all this his wrath is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.