Isaiah 50

1 Thus said YHWH: “Where [is] this—the bill of your mother’s divorce, Whom I sent away? Or to which of My creditors have I sold you? Behold, you have been sold for your iniquities, And for your transgressions Your mother has been sent away.

Thus says the Lord: What is this bill of divorce for your mother, by which I have dismissed her? Or who is my creditor, to whom I have sold you? Behold, you were sold by your iniquities, and I have dismissed your mother for your wickedness.

2 Why have I come, and there is no one? I called, and there is none answering, Has My hand been at all short of redemption? And is there not power in Me to deliver? Behold, by My rebuke I dry up a sea, I make rivers a wilderness, Their fish stink, for there is no water, And die with thirst.

For I arrived, and there was no man. I called out, and there was no one who would hear. Has my hand been shortened and become small, so that I am unable to redeem? Or is there no power in me to deliver? Behold, at my rebuke, I will make the sea into a desert. I will turn rivers into dry land. The fish will rot for lack of water and will die of thirst.

3 I clothe the heavens [with] blackness, And I make their covering sackcloth.”

I will clothe the heavens in darkness, and I will make sackcloth their covering.

4 Lord YHWH has given to Me The tongue of taught ones, To know to aid the weary [by] a word, He awakens [Me] morning by morning, He awakens [My] ear to hear as taught ones.

The Lord has given me a learned tongue, so that I would know how to uphold with a word, one who has weakened. He rises in the morning, he rises to my ear in the morning, so that I may heed him like a teacher.

5 Lord YHWH opened My ear, And I did not rebel—I did not move backward.

The Lord God has opened my ear. And I do not contradict him. I have not turned back.

6 I have given My back to those striking, And My cheeks to those plucking out, I did not hide My face from shame and spitting.

I have given my body to those who strike me, and my cheeks to those who plucked them. I have not averted my face from those who rebuked me and who spit on me.

7 And Lord YHWH gives help to Me, Therefore I have not been ashamed, Therefore I have set My face as a flint, And I know that I am not ashamed.

The Lord God is my helper. Therefore, I have not been confounded. Therefore, I have set my face like a very hard rock, and I know that I will not be confounded.

8 Near [is] He who is justifying Me, Who contends with Me? We stand together, who [is] My opponent? Let him come near to Me.

He who justifies me is near. Who will speak against me? Let us stand together. Who is my adversary? Let him approach me.

9 Behold, Lord YHWH gives help to Me, Who [is] he that declares Me wicked? Behold, all of them wear out as a garment, A moth eats them.

Behold, the Lord God is my helper. Who is the one who would condemn me? Behold, they will all be worn away like a garment; the moth will devour them.

10 “Who [is] among you, fearing YHWH, Listening to the voice of His Servant, That has walked in dark places, And there is no brightness for him? Let him trust in the Name of YHWH, And lean on his God.

Who is there among you who fears the Lord? Who hears the voice of his servant? Who has walked in darkness, and there is no light in him? Let him hope in the name of the Lord, and let him lean upon his God.

11 Behold, all you kindling a fire, girding on sparks, Walk in the light of your fire, And in the sparks you have caused to burn, This has been to you from My hand, You lie down in grief!”

Behold, all you who kindle a fire, wrapped in flames: walk in the light of your fire and in the flames that you have kindled. This has been done to you by my hand. You will sleep in anguish.