Isaiah 50
1 Thus hath said the Lord, Where is your mother's bill of divorcement, wherewith I have sent her away? or who of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? behold, for your iniquities were ye sold, and for your transgressions was your mother sent away.
This is what Yahweh says, “Where is the certificate of divorce with which I divorced your mother? To which of my creditors did I sell you? Look, you were sold because of your sins, and because of your rebellion, your mother was sent away.
2 Why did I come and no man was there, did I call, with none to answer? hath my hand become too short for redeeming? or is there no power in me to deliver? behold, through my threatening I can dry up the sea, I can change the rivers into a wilderness: their fish stink for want of water, and die for thirst.
Why did I come but there was no one there? Why did I call but no one answered? Was my hand too short to ransom you? Was there no power in me to rescue you? Look, at my rebuke I dry up the sea; I make the rivers a desert; their fish die for lack of water and rot.
3 I can clothe the heavens with blackness, and I can make sackcloth their garment.
I clothe the sky with darkness; I cover it with sackcloth.”
4 The Lord Eternal hath given me a tongue for teaching, that I should know how to strengthen the weary with the word: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth my ear to listen like those who are well taught.
The Lord Yahweh has given me a tongue as one of those who are taught, so that I speak a sustaining word to the weary one; he wakes me morning by morning; he awakens my ear to hear like those who are taught.
5 The Lord Eternal hath opened me my ear, and I resisted not: I turned not backward.
The Lord Yahweh has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, nor did I turn away backward.
6 My back I gave up to the smiters, and my cheeks to those that plucked off the hair: my face I hid not from abuse and spitting.
I gave my back to those who beat me, and my cheeks to those who plucked out my beard; I did not hide my face from acts of shame and spitting.
7 But the Lord Eternal ever helpeth me; therefore was I not confounded; therefore have I rendered my face like a flint, and I knew that I should not be made ashamed.
For the Lord Yahweh will help me; therefore I am not disgraced; so I have made my face like flint, for I know that I will not be put to shame.
8 He that justifieth me is near; who will contend with me? let us stand forward together: who hath a dispute with me? let him come near to me.
He who will justify me is close by. Who will oppose me? Let us stand and confront one another. Who is my accuser? Let him come near to me.
9 Behold, the Lord Eternal will help me; who is the man that will condemn me? lo, they all shall wear out as a garment: the moth shall eat them up.
See, the Lord Yahweh will help me. Who will declare me guilty? See, they will all wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up.
10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that hearkeneth to the voice of his servant? though he have walked in darkness, and had no light: let him trust in the name of the Lord, and lean for support upon his God.
Who among you fears Yahweh? Who obeys the voice of his servant? Who walks in deep darkness without light? He should trust in the name of Yahweh and lean on his God.
11 Behold, all ye that kindle fire, that urge on the brands: walk by the blaze of your fire, and by the brands ye have kindled; from my hand hath this been bestowed on you; in pain shall ye lie down.
Look, all you who light fires, who equip yourselves with torches: walk in the light of your fire and in the flames that you have ignited. This is what you have received from me: You will lie down in a place of pain.
