Isaiah 42
1 Behold my servant, whom I will uphold; my elect, in whom my soul delighteth: I have put my spirit upon him, that he may bring forth justice to the nations.
"Look, my servant I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul delights. I have put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations.
2 He shall not cry, nor call out aloud, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.
He will not shout, nor raise his voice, nor cause it to be heard in the street.
3 A cracked reed will he not break, and a dimly burning wick will he not quench: unto truth shall he bring forth justice.
He won't break a bruised reed. And he won't extinguish a dimly burning wick. He will faithfully bring justice.
4 He shall not become fatigued and not be faint, till he have established justice on earth; and the isles shall wait for his law.
He will not grow dim or be crushed, until he has established justice on the earth, and in his name the coastlands will hope."
5 Thus hath said God the Lord, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and the things which come out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to those that walk thereon:
Thus says God, the LORD, he who created the heavens and stretched them out, he who spread out the earth and that which comes out of it, he who gives breath to its people and spirit to those who walk in it.
6 I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will lay hold on thy hand, and will keep thee, and appoint thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the nations;
"I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness, and will hold your hand, and will keep you, and make you a covenant for the people, as a light for the nations;
7 To open blind eyes, to bring out from the dungeon the prisoner, and out of the prison-house those that dwell in darkness.
to open the blind eyes, to bring the prisoners out of the dungeon, and those who sit in darkness out of the prison.
8 I am the Everlasting One, that is my name; and my glory will I not give to any other, nor my praise to graven images.
"I am the LORD. That is my name. I will not give my glory to another, nor my praise to engraved images.
9 The former things, behold, are come to pass; and new things do I announce; before they spring forth I let you hear of them.
Look, the former things have happened, and I declare new things. I tell you about them before they come up."
10 Sing unto the Lord a new song, his praise from the end of the earth; ye that go down to the sea, and all that filleth it; the isles, and their inhabitants.
Sing to the LORD a new song, and his praise from the remotest parts of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, the islands and their inhabitants.
11 Let resound with song the wilderness and its cities, the villages which Kedar inhabiteth: let the inhabitants of the rocks sing, let them shout forth from the top of the mountains.
Let the desert and its cities cry out, with the villages that Kedar inhabits. Let the inhabitants of Sela sing. Let them shout from the top of the mountains.
12 Let them give glory unto the Lord, and in the islands declare his praise.
Let them give glory to the LORD, and declare his praise in the islands.
13 The Lord—as a mighty one will he go forth, like a man of war will he arouse his vengeance: he will shout, yea, raise the war-cry; against his enemies will he show his strength.
The LORD will go out like a mighty man. He will stir up zeal like a man of war. He will raise a war cry. Yes, he will shout aloud. He will triumph over his enemies.
14 I have a long time held my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: [now] like a travailing woman will I cry; I will destroy and devour [all] together.
"I have been silent a long time. I have been quiet and restrained myself. Now I will cry out like a travailing woman. I will both gasp and pant.
15 I will lay waste mountains and hills, and all their herbs will I dry up; and I will change the rivers into islands, and pools will I dry up.
I will destroy mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs. I will make the rivers islands, and will dry up the pools.
16 And I will cause the blind to walk on a way that they have not known; on paths that they have not known will I lead them: I will change darkness before them into light, and crooked places into plains. These are the things which I will do, and not leave them [unfulfilled].
I will bring the blind by a way that they do not know. I will lead them in paths that they do not know. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. I will do these things, and I will not forsake them.
17 They shall be turned back, they shall be ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to molten idols, Ye are our gods.
"Those who trust in engraved images, who tell molten images, 'You are our gods' will be turned back. They will be utterly disappointed.
18 Ye deaf, hear; and ye blind, look up, that ye may see.
"Hear, you deaf, and look, you blind, that you may see.
19 Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger whom I send? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the servant of the Lord?
Who is blind, but my servant? Or who is as deaf as my messenger whom I send? Who is as blind as he who is at peace, and as blind as the LORD's servant?
20 Thou seest many things, but observest not; the ears are open, but he heareth not.
You see many things, but do not observe. His ears are open, but he doesn't listen.
21 The Lord willed [to do this] for the sake of his righteousness; [therefore] he magnifieth the law, and maketh it honorable.
It pleased the LORD, for his righteousness' sake, to magnify the law, and make it honorable.
22 But it is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them ensnared in holes, and in prison-houses are they hidden: they are become for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore.
But this is a robbed and plundered people. All of them are snared in holes, and they are hidden in prisons. They have become a prey, and no one delivers; and a spoil, and no one says, 'Restore them.'
23 Who among you will give ear to this? will hearken and listen, for the time to come?
Who is there among you who will give ear to this? Who will listen and hear for the time to come?
24 Who gave up Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to plunderers? was it not the Lord? he it is against whom we have sinned; for they would not walk in his ways, neither did they hearken unto his law.
Who gave Jacob as plunder, and Israel to the robbers? Did not the LORD, he against whom we have sinned? For they would not walk in his ways, and they disobeyed his law.
25 Therefore hath he poured out over him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle: and it blazed all round about him, yet he regarded it not; and it burnt on him, yet he laid it not to heart.
Therefore he poured the fierceness of his anger on him, and the strength of battle; and it set him on fire all around, but he did not know; and it burned him, but he did not take it to heart."
