< Isaiah 50 >
1 Thus, saith Yahweh—Where then is the scroll of your mother’s divorce, whom I have put away? Or, which of my creditors, is it to whom I have sold you? Lo! for your iniquities, have ye been sold, And for your transgressions, hath your mother been put away.
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.
2 Wherefore, When I came in, was there no one? When I called, was there none to answer? Is mine own hand, really shortened, that it cannot redeem? Or is there not, in me, strength to deliver? Lo! by my rebuke, I dry up the sea I make rivers a desert, Their fish Stinketh, for want of water, Yea dieth, for thirst:
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.
3 I clothe the heavens with gloom, And, of sackcloth, make I their covering.
I clothe the heavens [with] blackness, And I make their covering sackcloth.”
4 My Lord Yahweh, hath given unto me the tongue of the instructed, That I should know how to succour the fainting, with discourse, —He kept wakening—morning by morning. He kept wakening mine ear, to hearken as do the instructed;
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.
5 My Lord, Yahweh, opened mine ear, And, I, was not rebellious, —Away, turned I not:
Lord YHWH opened My ear, And I did not rebel—I did not move backward.
6 My back, gave I to smiters, and My cheeks, to them who pulled out the beard, —My face, hid I not from insult and spitting.
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.
7 Because, My Lord, Yahweh, would help me, Therefore was I not deterred by insult, —Therefore did I set my face like flint, And I knew that I should not be put to shame.
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.
8 At hand, is one who can justify me. Who will contend with me? let, us stand forth together, —Who can accuse me? let him draw near to me!
Near [is] He who is justifying Me, Who contends with Me? We stand together, who [is] My opponent? Let him come near to Me.
9 Lo! My Lord, Yahweh, will help me, Who is he that shall prove me lawless? Lo! they all, as a garment, shall fall to pieces, the moth shall consume them.
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.
10 Who among you, revereth Yahweh, Hearkening unto the voice of his Servant, —That hath walked in dark places And hath had no gleam of light? Let him trust in the name of Yahweh, And lean upon his God.
“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.
11 Lo! all ye that kindle a fire, That gird yourselves with fiery darts, —Walk ye in the blaze of your own fire. And in the fiery darts ye have kindled, At my hand, hath this befallen you, In sorrow, shall ye lie down.
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!”