Isaiah 61

1 “[The] Spirit of Lord YHWH [is] on Me, Because YHWH anointed Me To proclaim tidings to the humble, He sent Me to bind the broken of heart, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And an opening of bands to [those] bound.

The Lord GOD’s Spirit is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the humble. He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to those who are bound,

2 To proclaim the year of the favor of YHWH, And the day of vengeance of our God, To comfort all mourners.

to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favour and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,

3 To appoint to mourners in Zion, To give to them beauty instead of ashes, The oil of joy instead of mourning, A covering of praise for a faded spirit, And He is calling to them, Trees of righteousness, The planting of YHWH—to be beautified.”

to provide for those who mourn in Zion, to give to them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.

4 And they have built the ancient ruins, They raise up the desolations of the ancients, And they have renewed ruined cities, The desolations of generation and generation.

They will rebuild the old ruins. They will raise up the former devastated places. They will repair the ruined cities that have been devastated for many generations.

5 And strangers have stood and fed your flock, And the sons of a foreigner [Are] your farmers and your vinedressers.

Strangers will stand and feed your flocks. Foreigners will work your fields and your vineyards.

6 And you are called priests of YHWH, It is said of you [that you are] ministers of our God, You consume the strength of nations, And you boast yourselves in their glory.

But you will be called the LORD’s priests. Men will call you the servants of our God. You will eat the wealth of the nations. You will boast in their glory.

7 Instead of your shame—double [honor], And [instead of] confusion, They rejoice in their portion, Therefore they take possession in their land a second time, Continuous joy [is] for them.

Instead of your shame you will have double. Instead of dishonour, they will rejoice in their portion. Therefore in their land they will possess double. Everlasting joy will be to them.

8 “For I [am] YHWH, loving judgment, Hating plunder for a burnt-offering, And I have given their wage in truth, And I make a perpetual covenant for them.

“For I, the LORD, love justice. I hate robbery and iniquity. I will give them their reward in truth and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

9 And their seed has been known among the nations, And their offspring in the midst of the peoples, All their beholders acknowledge them, For they [are] a seed YHWH has blessed.”

Their offspring will be known amongst the nations, and their offspring amongst the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge them, that they are the offspring which the LORD has blessed.”

10 I greatly rejoice in YHWH, My soul rejoices in my God, For He clothed me with garments of salvation, [And] covered me with a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom prepares ornaments, And as a bride puts on her jewels.

I will greatly rejoice in the LORD! My soul will be joyful in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation. He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

11 For as the earth brings forth her shoots, And as a garden causes its sown things to shoot up, So Lord YHWH causes righteousness and praise To shoot up before all the nations!

For as the earth produces its bud, and as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.