Esias 43

1 And now thus says the Lord God that made you, O Jacob, and formed you, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed you, I have called you [by] your name; you are mine.

And now thus says the Lord who created you, O Jacob, and who formed you, O Israel: Do not be afraid. For I have redeemed you, and I have called you by your name. You are mine.

2 And if you pass through water, I am with you; and the rivers shall not overflow you: and if you go through fire, you shall not be burned; the flame shall not burn you.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and the rivers will not cover you. When you walk through fire, you will not be burned, and the flames will not scorch you.

3 For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, that saves you: I have made Egypt and Ethiopia your ransom, and [given] Soene for you.

For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I have presented Egypt as your atonement, Ethiopia and Seba on your behalf.

4 Since you became precious in my sight, you have become glorious, and I have loved you: and I will give men for you, and princes for your life.

Since then, you have become honorable in my eyes, and glorious. I have loved you, and I will present men on behalf of you, and people on behalf of your life.

5 Fear not; for I am with you: I will bring your seed from the east, and will gather you from the west.

Fear not, for I am with you. I will lead your offspring from the East, and I will gather you from the West.

6 I will say to the north, Bring; and to the south, Keep not back; bring my sons from the [land] afar off, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;

I will say to the North, “Release him,” and to the South, “Do not turn him away.” Bring my sons from far away, and my daughters from the ends of the earth.

7 [even] all who are called by my name: for I have prepared him for my glory, and I have formed him, and have made him:

And each one who calls upon my name, I have created for my glory. I have formed him, and I have made him.

8 and I have brought forth the blind people; for [their] eyes are alike blind, and they that have ears are deaf.

Lead forth the people who are blind and have eyes, who are deaf and have ears.

9 All the nations are gathered together, and princes shall be gathered out of them: who will declare these things? or who will declare to you things from the beginning? let them bring forth their witnesses, and be justified; and let them hear, and declare the truth.

All the nations have been assembled together, and the tribes have been collected. Who among you will announce this, and who will cause us to listen to the things that are first? Let them present their witnesses. Let them act justly, and listen, and say: “It is true.”

10 Be you my witnesses, and I [too am] a witness, says the Lord God, and my servant whom I have chosen: that you may know, and believe, and understand that I am [he]: before me there was no other God, and after me there shall be none.

You are my witnesses, says the Lord, and you are my servant, whom I have chosen, so that you may know, and may believe in me, and so that you may understand that I am the same. Before me, there was no god formed, and after me there will be none.

11 I am God; and beside me there is no Saviour.

I am. I am the Lord. And there is no savior apart from me.

12 I have declared, and have saved; I have reproached, and there was no strange [god] among you: you are my witnesses, and I am the Lord God,

I have announced, and I have saved. I have caused it to be heard. And there was no stranger among you. You are my witnesses, says the Lord, and I am God.

13 even from the beginning; and there is none that can deliver out of my hands: I will work, and who shall turn it back?

And from the beginning, I am the same. And there is no one who can rescue from my hand. I act, and who can turn it aside?

14 Thus says the Lord God that redeems you, the Holy One of Israel; for your sakes I will send to Babylon, and I will stir up all that flee, and the Chaldeans shall be bound in ships.

Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: For your sake, I sent to Babylon, and tore down all their bars, with the Chaldeans who glory in their ships.

15 I am the Lord God, your Holy One, who have appointed for Israel your king.

I am the Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.

16 Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty water;

Thus says the Lord, who gave you a way through the sea and a path through the torrent of waters,

17 who brought forth chariots and horse, and a mighty multitude: but they have lain down, and shall not rise: they are extinct, as quenched flax.

who led out the chariot and the horse, the column of robust troops. They went to sleep together, and they will not arise. They have been crushed like flax, and they have been extinguished.

18 Remember you not the former things, and consider not the ancient things.

You need not call to mind the past, nor consider the things of antiquity.

19 Behold, I [will] do new things, which shall presently spring forth, and you shall know them: and I will make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the dry land.

Behold, I am accomplishing new things. And presently, they will spring forth. With certainty, you will know them. I will make a way in the desert, and rivers in an impassible place.

20 the beasts of the field shall bless me, the owls and young ostriches; for I have given water in the wilderness, and rivers in the dry land, to give drink to my chosen race,

The wild beasts of the field will glorify me, with the serpents and the ostriches. For I have brought waters to the desert, rivers to inaccessible places, in order to give drink to my people, to my elect.

21 my people whom I have preserved to tell forth my praises.

This is the people whom I have formed for myself. They will speak my praise.

22 I have not now called you, O Jacob; neither have I made you weary, O Israel.

But you have not called upon me, O Jacob, nor have you struggled for me, O Israel.

23 You have not brought me the sheep of your whole burnt offering; neither have you glorified me with your sacrifices. I have not caused you to serve with sacrifices, neither have I wearied you with frankincense.

You have not offered me the ram of your holocaust, and you have not glorified me with your victims. I have not burdened you with oblations, nor have I wearied you with incense.

24 Neither have you purchased for me victims for silver, neither have I desired the fat of your sacrifices: but you did stand before me in your sins, and in your iniquities.

You have bought me no sweet cane with money, and you have not inebriated me with the fat of your victims. Yet truly, you have burdened me with your sins; you have wearied me with your iniquities.

25 I, [even] I, am he that blots out your transgressions for mine own sake, and your sins; and I will not remember [them].

I am. I am the very One who wipes away your iniquities for my own sake. And I will not remember your sins.

26 But do you remember, and let us plead [together]: do you first confess your transgressions, that you may be justified.

Call me to mind, and let us go to judgment together. If you have anything to justify yourself, explain it.

27 Your fathers first, and your princes have transgressed against me.

Your first father sinned, and your interpreters have betrayed me.

28 And the princes have defiled my sanctuaries: so I gave Jacob [to enemies] to destroy, and Israel to reproach.

And so, I have defiled the holy leaders. I have handed over Jacob to slaughter, and Israel to calumny.