Isaiah 9

1 For no fatigue [befalleth] him that oppresseth it; in the first time he made light of the land of Zebulun, and the land of Naphtali, and at the last he will deal hard, with the way by the sea, on the other side of the Jordan, [up to] the Galilee of the nations.

In the earlier time, the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali were lifted up. But in the later time, the way of the sea beyond the Jordan, the Galilee of the Gentiles, was weighed down.

2 The people that walk in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death—a light shineth brightly over them.

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. A light has risen for the inhabitants of the region of the shadow of death.

3 Thou hast multiplied the nation, made great their joy: they rejoice before thee as with the joy in harvest, as men are glad when they divide the spoil.

You have increased the nation, but you have not increased the rejoicing. They will rejoice before you, like those who rejoice at the harvest, like the victorious exulting after capturing the prey, when they divide the spoils.

4 For the yoke of their burden, and the staff on their shoulder, the rod of their oppressor, hast thou broken, as on the day of Midian.

For you have prevailed over the yoke of their burden, and over the rod of their shoulder, and over the scepter of their oppressor, as in the day of Midian.

5 For all the weapons of the fighter in the battle's tumult, and the garment rolled in blood, shall be burnt, become food for fire.

For every violent plunder with a tumult, and every garment mixed with blood, will be burned up and will become fuel for the fire.

6 For a child is born unto us, a son hath been given unto us, and the government is placed on his shoulders; and his name is called, Wonderful, counsellor of the mighty God, of the everlasting Father, the prince of peace,

For unto us a child is born, and unto us a son is given. And leadership is placed upon his shoulder. And his name shall be called: wonderful Counselor, mighty God, father of the future age, Prince of Peace.

7 For [promoting] the increase of the government, and for peace without end, upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom, to establish it and to support it through justice and righteousness, from henceforth and unto eternity: the zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

His reign will be increased, and there will be no end to his peace. He will sit upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to confirm and strengthen it, in judgment and justice, from now even unto eternity. The zeal of the Lord of hosts shall accomplish this.

8 A word hath the Lord sent against Jacob, and it hath alighted upon Israel.

The Lord sent a word to Jacob, and it fell upon Israel.

9 And experience it shall all the people together, Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria; because they say, in the pride and haughtiness of heart,

And all the people of Ephraim will know it. And the inhabitants of Samaria will say it, in the arrogance and haughtiness of their heart:

10 “The bricks are fallen down, but with hewn stones will we re-build: the sycamores are cut down, but with cedars will we replace them.”

“The bricks have fallen, but we will build with squared stones. They have cut down the sycamores, but we will replace them with cedars.”

11 Therefore will the Lord strengthen the adversaries of Rezin above him, and will stir up his enemies;

And the Lord will raise up the enemies of Rezin over him, and he will turn his adversaries into a tumult:

12 The Syrians in front, and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with a full mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand still remaineth stretched out.

the Syrians from the east and the Philistines from the west. And they will devour Israel with their whole mouth. After all this, his fury was not turned away; instead, his hand was still extended.

13 And the people return not unto him that smiteth them, and the Lord of hosts do they not seek.

And the people did not return to the One who struck them, and they did not seek the Lord of hosts.

14 And the Lord cutteth off from Israel head and tail, palm-branch and rush, on one day.

And so, the Lord will disperse, away from Israel, the head and the tail, he who bows down and he who refrains, in one day.

15 The ancient and honorable is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies is the tail.

The long-lived and honorable, he is the head; and the prophet who teaches lies, he is the tail.

16 And the guides of this people are those that guide to error; and those that are led of them are misled.

And those who deceitfully praise this people, and those who are praised, will be thrown down violently.

17 Therefore will the Lord have no joy in their young men, and on their fatherless and widows will he have no mercy; for every one is a hypocrite and an evil-doer, and every mouth speaketh scandalous words. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand still remaineth stretched out.

For this reason, the Lord will not rejoice over their youths. And he will not take pity on their orphans and widows. For each one is a hypocrite, and each one is wicked, and every mouth has spoken foolishness. After all this, his fury was not turned away; instead, his hand was still extended.

18 For wickedness burneth like the fire; it shall devour the briers and thorns: and it shall kindle [a flame] in the thickets of the forest, and they shall be shrouded by the wreaths of smoke.

For impiety has been kindled like a fire: it will devour brier and thorn, and it will burn in the dense forest, and it will be interwoven with the ascending smoke.

19 Through the fury of the Lord of hosts is the land scorched, and the people have become as food for the fire; no man will spare his brother.

The earth has been shaken by the wrath of the Lord of hosts, and the people will become like fuel for the fire. A man will not spare his own brother.

20 And he snatcheth on the right hand, and is [yet] hungry; and he eateth on the left hand, and are not [yet] satisfied; they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm:

And he will turn toward the right, and he will be hungry. And he will eat toward the left, and he will not be satisfied. Each one will eat the flesh of his own arm: Manasseh Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh, and together they will be against Judah.

21 Menasseh [against] Ephraim: and Ephraim [against] Menasseh; and they together against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand still remaineth stretched out.

After all this, his fury was not turned away; instead, his hand was still extended.