< Isaiah 43 >
1 But now thus says YHWH who created you, Jacob, and he who formed you, Israel: "Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by your name. You are mine.
And now, thus said Jehovah, Thy Creator, O Jacob, and thy Fashioner, O Israel, Be not afraid, for I have redeemed thee, I have called on thy name — thou [art] Mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, and the flame will not scorch you.
When thou passest into waters, I [am] with thee, And into floods, they do not overflow thee, When thou goest into fire, thou art not burnt, And a flame doth not burn against thee.
3 For I am YHWH your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I have given Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place.
For I — Jehovah thy God, The Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour, I have appointed Egypt thine atonement, Cush and Seba in thy stead.
4 Since you have been precious and honored in my sight, and I have loved you; therefore I will give people in your place, and nations instead of your life.
Since thou wast precious in Mine eyes, Thou wast honoured, and I have loved thee, And I appoint men in thy stead, And peoples instead of thy life.
5 Do not be afraid; for I am with you. I will bring your descendants from the east, and gather you from the west.
Be not afraid, for I [am] with thee, From the east I bring in thy seed, And from the west I gather thee.
6 I will tell the north, 'Give them up.' and tell the south, 'Do not hold them back. Bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the farthest parts of the earth?
I am saying to the north, 'Give up,' And to the south, 'Restrain not.' Bring in My sons from afar, And My daughters from the end of the earth.
7 everyone who is called by my name, and whom I have created for my glory, whom I have formed, yes, whom I have made.'"
Every one who is called by My name, Even for My honour I have created him, I have formed him, yea, I have made him.
8 Bring out the blind people who have eyes, and the deaf who have ears.
He brought out a blind people who have eyes, And deaf ones who have ears.
9 Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the peoples be assembled. Who among them can declare this, and show us former things? Let them bring their witnesses, that they may be justified; or let them hear, and say, "That is true."
All the nations have been gathered together, And the peoples are assembled, Who among them declareth this, And former things causeth us to hear? They give their witnesses, And they are declared righteous, And they hear and say, 'Truth.'
10 "You are my witnesses," says YHWH, "With my servant whom I have chosen; that you may know and believe me, and understand that I am he. Before me there was no God formed, neither will there be after me.
Ye [are] My witnesses, an affirmation of Jehovah, And My servant whom I have chosen, So that ye know and give credence to Me, And understand that I [am] He, Before Me there was no God formed, And after Me there is none.
11 I, I am YHWH; and besides me there is no savior.
I — I [am] Jehovah, And besides Me there is no saviour.
12 I have declared, I have saved, and I have shown; and there was no strange god among you. Therefore you are my witnesses," says YHWH, "and I am God.
I — I declared, and saved, and proclaimed, And there is no stranger with you, And ye [are] My witnesses, an affirmation of Jehovah, And I [am] God.
13 Yes, since the day was I am he; and there is no one who can deliver out of my hand. I will work, and who can hinder it?"
Even from the day I [am] He, And there is no deliverer from My hand, I work, and who doth turn it back?
14 Thus says YHWH, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "For your sake, I have sent to Babylon, and I will bring all of them down as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, in the ships of their rejoicing.
Thus said Jehovah, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: 'For your sake I have sent to Babylon, And caused bars to descend — all of them, And the Chaldeans, whose song [is] in the ships.
15 I am YHWH, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King."
I [am] Jehovah, your Holy One, Creator of Israel, your King.'
16 Thus says YHWH, who makes a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;
Thus said Jehovah, Who is giving in the sea a way, And in the strong waters a path.
17 who brings forth the chariot and horse, the army and the mighty man (they lie down together, they shall not rise; they are extinct, they are quenched like a wick):
Who is bringing forth chariot and horse, A force, even a strong one: 'Together they lie down — they rise not, They have been extinguished, As flax they have been quenched.'
18 "Do not remember the former things, and do not consider the things of old.
Remember not former things, And ancient things consider not.
19 Look, I will do a new thing. It springs forth now. Do you not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
Lo, I am doing a new thing, now it springeth up, Do ye not know it? Yea, I put in a wilderness a way, In a desolate place — floods.
20 The animals of the field shall honor me, the jackals and the ostriches; because I give water in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen,
Honour me doth the beast of the field, Dragons and daughters of an ostrich, For I have given in a wilderness waters, Floods in a desolate place, To give drink to My people — My chosen.
21 the people which I formed for myself, that they might set forth my praise.
This people I have formed for Myself, My praise they recount.
22 Yet you have not called on me, Jacob; but you have been weary of me, Israel.
And Me thou hast not called, O Jacob, For thou hast been wearied of me, O Israel,
23 You have not brought me of your sheep for burnt offerings; neither have you honored me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with offerings, nor wearied you with frankincense.
Thou hast not brought in to Me, The lamb of thy burnt-offerings, And [with] thy sacrifices thou hast not honoured Me, I have not caused thee to serve with a present, Nor wearied thee with frankincense.
24 You have bought me no sweet cane with money, nor have you filled me with the fat of your sacrifices; but you have burdened me with your sins. You have wearied me with your iniquities.
Thou hast not bought for Me with money sweet cane, And [with] the fat of thy sacrifices hast not filled Me, Only — thou hast caused Me to serve with thy sins, Thou hast wearied Me with thine iniquities.
25 I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake; and I will not remember your sins.
I — I [am] He who is blotting out Thy transgressions for Mine own sake, And thy sins I do not remember.
26 Put me in remembrance. Let us plead together. Set forth your case, that you may be justified.
Cause me to remember — we are judged together, Declare thou that thou mayest be justified.
27 Your first father sinned, and your teachers have transgressed against me.
Thy first father sinned, And thine interpreters transgressed against me,
28 Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary; and I will make Jacob a curse, and Israel a reviling."
And I pollute princes of the sanctuary, And I give Jacob to destruction, and Israel to revilings!