Isaiah 51

1 "Listen to me, you who follow after righteousness, you who seek the LORD: look to the rock you were cut from, and to the hold of the pit you were dug from.

[Yahweh says], “You people who desire to act righteously/justly, who want to do what I want you to do, listen to me! Think about Abraham! [It is as though] [MET] he was a huge rock cliff; and when you [people of Israel became a nation], [it was as though] [MET] you were cut from that rock [DOU].

2 Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who bore you; for when he was but one I called him, and I blessed him, and made him many.

Think about your ancestor Abraham and [his wife] Sarah, of whom [all of] you are descendants. When I first spoke to Abraham, he had no children. But after I blessed him, he had a huge number of descendants.

3 For the LORD has comforted Zion; he has comforted all her waste places, and has made her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found in it, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.

[Some day I], Yahweh, will encourage his descendants [again], and I will comfort all [the people who live in] the ruins [of Jerusalem]. The desert in that area will become like Eden, like the garden that I, Yahweh, [made/planted]. All the people there will be joyful and happy; they will thank me and sing.

4 "Attend to me, my people; and give ear to me, my nation: for a law shall go forth from me, and I will establish my justice for a light of the peoples.

My people of Judah, listen carefully [DOU] to me, because [I want you to] proclaim my laws; the just/right things that I do will be [like] [MET] a light for the people of the nations.

5 My righteousness is near, my salvation is gone forth, and my arms shall judge the peoples; the islands shall wait for me, and on my arm shall they trust.

I will soon/quickly rescue you [DOU]; by my power [MTY] I will bring you back [from being exiled in Babylonia] [DOU]. The people who live on islands in the ocean will wait for me [to help them], confidently expecting for me to use my power [MTY].

6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look on the earth beneath; for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment; and those who dwell in it shall die in the same way: but my salvation shall be forever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.

Look up at the sky, and look at the earth, [and see what they are like now], because [some day] the sky will disappear like [SIM] smoke, and the earth will wear out like [SIM] old clothes wear out, and people on the earth will die like gnats/flies. But I will rescue/save you, and you will remain free forever, and I will rule you righteously/fairly forever.

7 "Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; do not fear the reproach of men, neither be dismayed at their insults.

You people who know what things are right to do, and who know in your inner beings [what is written in] my laws, listen to me! Do not be afraid of people who taunt/insult you; do not be disturbed/upset when people revile you,

8 For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool; but my righteousness shall be forever, and my salvation to all generations."

because [some day they will be destroyed] like [MET] clothing that is eaten by ([larvae of] moths/cockroaches), like wool garments that have been eaten by worms. I will save you people, and you will be saved forever.”

9 Awake, awake, put on strength, arm of the LORD; awake, as in the days of old, the generations of ancient times. Isn't it you who cut Rahab in pieces, who pierced the monster?

Yahweh, wake up [and do something for us]! Show your power! Do mighty things like you did long ago, when you stabbed [RHQ] that sea monster/dragon Rahab and cut it into pieces.

10 Isn't it you who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep; who made the depths of the sea a way for the redeemed to pass over?

Surely you are [RHQ] the one who caused the [Red] Sea to become dry and made a path through that deep water in order that your people could cross it!

11 The ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing to Zion; and everlasting joy shall be on their heads. They shall obtain gladness and joy. Sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

And those whom Yahweh will rescue [from being exiled in Babylonia] will [similarly] return to Jerusalem, singing. Their being joyful forever will be [like] [MET] a crown on their heads. They will not be sad or mourn any more; they will be [completely] joyful and happy.

12 "I, even I, am he who comforts you: who are you, that you are afraid of man who shall die, and of the son of man who shall be made as grass;

[Yahweh says], “I am the one who encourages you. So (why are you/you should not be) [RHQ] afraid of humans who will [wither and disappear like] [MET] grass.

13 and have forgotten the LORD your Maker, who stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and fear continually all the day because of the fury of the oppressor, when he makes ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?

(Why have you/You should not have) [RHQ] forgotten [me], Yahweh, the one who created your nation, the one who stretched out the sky and laid the foundations of the earth. (Why are you/You should not be) [RHQ] continually afraid of those who are angry with you and (oppress you/treat you cruelly) and want to get rid of you. [You should not be afraid of them now], because those angry people have now disappeared!

14 The captive exile shall speedily be freed; and he shall not die and go down into the pit, neither shall his bread fail.

Soon you people who have been caused to be slaves [in Babylonia] will be freed! You will not remain in prison, and you will not die of hunger,

15 For I am the LORD your God, who stirs up the sea, so that its waves roar: the LORD of hosts is his name.

because I am Yahweh, your God, the one who stirs up the sea and causes the waves to roar; I am the Commander of the armies of angels!

16 I have put my words in your mouth, and have covered you in the shadow of my hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and tell Zion, 'You are my people.'"

I have given you my message [MTY] to proclaim, and I have protected you with my hand [MTY]. I stretched out the sky and laid the foundation of the earth. And I am the one who says to you Israeli people, ‘You are my people!’”

17 Awake, awake, stand up, Jerusalem, that have drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his wrath; you have drunk from the bowl, of the cup of staggering, and drained it.

[You people of] [APO] Jerusalem, wake up [DOU]! You have experienced Yahweh severely punishing [MTY] you. Yahweh has caused you to suffer much, all that he wanted you to suffer, like [MET] someone who causes another person to suffer by forcing him to drink every drop of [MTY] a cupful of bitter liquid.

18 There is none to guide her among all the sons whom she has brought forth; neither is there any who takes her by the hand among all the sons who she has brought up.

[Now] you do not have any children who are alive [DOU] and able to take your hand and guide you.

19 These two things have happened to you. Who will grieve for you? Desolation and destruction, and the famine and the sword. Who will console you?

You have experienced several disasters: Your country has become desolate/deserted; [your cities have been] destroyed; [many people have] died from hunger; [many people have been] killed by your enemies’ swords. Now, there is no one [RHQ] left to console/comfort you and sympathize with you.

20 Your sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, as an antelope in a net; they are full of the wrath of the LORD, the rebuke of your God.

Your children have fainted and lie in the streets; they are [as helpless as] [SIM] an antelope [that has been caught] in a net. What has happened to them is because Yahweh has been very angry with them; he has rebuked them severely.

21 Therefore hear now this, you afflicted, and drunk, but not with wine:

So now, you people who have suffered much, [you act as though] you are drunk, but it is not because you have drunk a lot of wine.

22 Thus says your Lord, the LORD, your God who pleads the cause of his people, "Look, I have taken out of your hand the cup of staggering, even the bowl of the cup of my wrath; you shall no more drink it again:

Yahweh, your Lord and your God, the one who argues/pleads your case, says this: “Note this: [It is as though] [MET] I have taken that cup of bitter liquid from your hands; I will not be angry with you and cause you to suffer any more.

23 and I will put it into the hand of those who afflict you, who have said to your soul, 'Bow down, that we may walk over you;' and you have laid your back as the ground, and as the street, to those who walk over."

Instead, I will cause those who have tormented you to suffer; [I will severely punish] those who said to you, ‘Prostrate yourselves in order that we may walk on you; [lie down on your stomachs] in order that your backs will be like [SIM] streets that we can walk on.’”