Isaiah 41

1 Keep silence before me, O islands; and let the people renew their strength: let them come near; then let them speak: let us come near together to judgment.

"Keep silent before me, islands, and let the peoples renew their strength. Let them come near, then let them speak. Let's meet together for judgment.

2 Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? he gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow.

Who has raised up one from the east? Whom he called to his foot in righteousness? He hands over nations to him, and makes him rule over kings. He gives them like the dust to his sword, like the driven stubble to his bow.

3 He pursued them, and passed safely; even by the way that he had not gone with his feet.

He pursues them, and passes by safely, Even by a way that he had not gone with his feet.

4 Who has worked and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.

Who has worked and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD, the first, and with the last, I am he."

5 The isles saw it, and feared; the ends of the earth were afraid, drew near, and came.

The coastlands have seen, and fear. The farthest parts of the earth tremble. They approach, and come.

6 They helped every one his neighbor; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage.

Everyone helps his neighbor. They say to their brothers, "Be strong."

7 So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that smoothes with the hammer him that smote the anvil, saying, It is ready for the soldering: and he fastened it with nails, that it should not be moved.

So the carpenter encourages the goldsmith. He who smoothes with the hammer encourages him who strikes the anvil, saying of the soldering, "It is good;" and he fastens it with nails, that it might not totter.

8 But you, Israel, are my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.

"But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham my friend,

9 You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called you from the chief men thereof, and said to you, You are my servant; I have chosen you, and not cast you away.

you whom I have taken hold of from places far away on the earth, and summoned from its border, and said to you, 'You are my servant, I have chosen you and not rejected you.'

10 Fear you not; for I am with you: be not dismayed; for I am your God: I will strengthen you; yes, I will help you; yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.

Do not be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.

11 Behold, all they that were incensed against you shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with you shall perish.

Look, all those who are incensed against you will be disappointed and confounded. Those who strive with you will be like nothing, and shall perish.

12 You shall seek them, and shall not find them, even them that contended with you: they that war against you shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nothing.

You will seek them, and won't find them, even those who contend with you. Those who war against you will be as nothing, as a non-existent thing.

13 For I the LORD your God will hold your right hand, saying to you, Fear not; I will help you.

For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, 'Do not be afraid. I will help you.'

14 Fear not, you worm Jacob, and you men of Israel; I will help you, says the LORD, and your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

Do not be afraid, you worm Jacob, and you men of Israel. I will help you," says the LORD, "and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.

15 Behold, I will make you a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: you shall thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shall make the hills as chaff.

Look, I have made you into a new sharp threshing instrument with teeth. You will thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and will make the hills like chaff.

16 You shall fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and you shall rejoice in the LORD, and shall glory in the Holy One of Israel.

You will winnow them, and the wind will carry them away, and the whirlwind will scatter them. You will rejoice in the LORD. You will glory in the Holy One of Israel.

17 When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue fails for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

The poor and needy seek water, and there is none. Their tongue fails for thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.

18 I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the middle of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.

I will open rivers on the bare heights, and springs in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.

19 I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together:

I will put cedar, acacia, myrtle, and oil trees in the wilderness. I will set fir trees, pine, and box trees together in the desert;

20 That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD has done this, and the Holy One of Israel has created it.

that they may see, know, consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD has done this, and the Holy One of Israel has created it.

21 Produce your cause, says the LORD; bring forth your strong reasons, says the King of Jacob.

Produce your cause," says the LORD. "Bring forth your strong reasons," says the King of Jacob.

22 Let them bring them forth, and show us what shall happen: let them show the former things, what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come.

"Let them come near and declare to us what shall happen. Declare the former things, what they are, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or show us things to come.

23 Show the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods: yes, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together.

Declare the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods. Yes, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and see it together.

24 Behold, you are of nothing, and your work of nothing: an abomination is he that chooses you.

Look, you are of nothing, and your work is of nothing. He who chooses you is an abomination.

25 I have raised up one from the north, and he shall come: from the rising of the sun shall he call on my name: and he shall come on princes as on mortar, and as the potter treads clay.

"I have raised up one from the north, and he has come; from the rising of the sun, one who calls on my name; and he shall come on rulers as on mortar, and as the potter treads clay.

26 Who has declared from the beginning, that we may know? and beforetime, that we may say, He is righteous? yes, there is none that shows, yes, there is none that declares, yes, there is none that hears your words.

Who has declared it from the beginning, that we may know? And before, that we may say, 'He is right?' Surely, there is no one who declares. Surely, there is no one who shows. Surely, there is no one who hears your words.

27 The first shall say to Zion, Behold, behold them: and I will give to Jerusalem one that brings good tidings.

I am the first to say to Zion, 'Look, look at them;' and I will give one who brings good news to Jerusalem.

28 For I beheld, and there was no man; even among them, and there was no counselor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word.

When I look, there is no man; even among them there is no counselor who, when I ask of them, can answer a word.

29 Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion.

Look, all of them, their works are vanity and nothing. Their molten images are wind and confusion.