< Isaiah 61 >

1 The Spirit of Yahweh [our] Lord is on me; he has appointed [MTY] me to bring good news to those who are oppressed, to comfort those who are discouraged, to free [all] those who are [as though they are chained/tied] [DOU] [by the wrong things that they continually do].
ר֛וּחַ אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִ֖ה עָלָ֑י יַ֡עַן מָשַׁח֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֹתִ֜י לְבַשֵּׂ֣ר עֲנָוִ֗ים שְׁלָחַ֙נִי֙ לַחֲבֹ֣שׁ לְנִשְׁבְּרֵי־לֵ֔ב לִקְרֹ֤א לִשְׁבוּיִם֙ דְּרֹ֔ור וְלַאֲסוּרִ֖ים פְּקַח־קֹֽוחַ׃
2 He has sent me to tell those who mourn [about the members of their families who died] (OR, [who are still in Babylonia)] that now is the time when Yahweh will act kindly [toward his people]; now is the time when our God will (get revenge on/punish) [their enemies].
לִקְרֹ֤א שְׁנַת־רָצֹון֙ לַֽיהוָ֔ה וְיֹ֥ום נָקָ֖ם לֵאלֹהֵ֑ינוּ לְנַחֵ֖ם כָּל־אֲבֵלִֽים׃
3 To [all] those in Jerusalem who mourn, he will give flower necklaces [to wear]; instead of ashes [that they put on their heads to show that they are sad]; he will cause them to rejoice [MTY] instead of being sad; he will enable them to be [MET] happy instead of being discouraged. They will be called “people who continually do what is right, people who are [like tall/strong] oak [trees] that Yahweh has planted” to show others that he is very great.
לָשׂ֣וּם ׀ לַאֲבֵלֵ֣י צִיֹּ֗ון לָתֵת֩ לָהֶ֨ם פְּאֵ֜ר תַּ֣חַת אֵ֗פֶר שֶׁ֤מֶן שָׂשֹׂון֙ תַּ֣חַת אֵ֔בֶל מַעֲטֵ֣ה תְהִלָּ֔ה תַּ֖חַת ר֣וּחַ כֵּהָ֑ה וְקֹרָ֤א לָהֶם֙ אֵילֵ֣י הַצֶּ֔דֶק מַטַּ֥ע יְהוָ֖ה לְהִתְפָּאֵֽר׃
4 [Those who return from Babylon] will rebuild the cities that [the soldiers from Babylon] tore down. [Even though] those cities have been destroyed and abandoned for many years, they will be restored/rebuilt.
וּבָנוּ֙ חָרְבֹ֣ות עֹולָ֔ם שֹׁמְמֹ֥ות רִֽאשֹׁנִ֖ים יְקֹומֵ֑מוּ וְחִדְּשׁוּ֙ עָ֣רֵי חֹ֔רֶב שֹׁמְמֹ֖ות דֹּ֥ור וָדֹֽור׃
5 Foreigners will be the ones who will take care of your flocks [of sheep and goats], and plow your fields and take care of your grapevines.
וְעָמְד֣וּ זָרִ֔ים וְרָע֖וּ צֹאנְכֶ֑ם וּבְנֵ֣י נֵכָ֔ר אִכָּרֵיכֶ֖ם וְכֹרְמֵיכֶֽם׃
6 But you [are the ones who] will be like the priests to serve Yahweh, to work for God. You will enjoy valuable goods [that are brought] from other nations, and you will be happy that those things have become yours.
וְאַתֶּ֗ם כֹּהֲנֵ֤י יְהוָה֙ תִּקָּרֵ֔אוּ מְשָׁרְתֵ֣י אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ יֵאָמֵ֖ר לָכֶ֑ם חֵ֤יל גֹּויִם֙ תֹּאכֵ֔לוּ וּבִכְבֹודָ֖ם תִּתְיַמָּֽרוּ׃
7 Previously you were shamed and disgraced, but now you will have great blessings; previously [your enemies] humbled you, but now you will have many good things; you will be happy because of being in your land again, and you will rejoice forever.
תַּ֤חַת בָּשְׁתְּכֶם֙ מִשְׁנֶ֔ה וּכְלִמָּ֖ה יָרֹ֣נּוּ חֶלְקָ֑ם לָכֵ֤ן בְּאַרְצָם֙ מִשְׁנֶ֣ה יִירָ֔שׁוּ שִׂמְחַ֥ת עֹולָ֖ם תִּהְיֶ֥ה לָהֶֽם׃
8 “I, Yahweh, am very pleased with those/judges who decide matters fairly; I hate [those who illegally] take things from other people. I will surely repay my people (for/because of) all that they have suffered [in the past]. And I will make an everlasting agreement with them.
כִּ֣י אֲנִ֤י יְהוָה֙ אֹהֵ֣ב מִשְׁפָּ֔ט שֹׂנֵ֥א גָזֵ֖ל בְּעֹולָ֑ה וְנָתַתִּ֤י פְעֻלָּתָם֙ בֶּאֱמֶ֔ת וּבְרִ֥ית עֹולָ֖ם אֶכְרֹ֥ות לָהֶֽם׃
9 Their descendants will be honored by people of other nations [DOU]. Everyone who sees them will know that they are a nation that [I], Yahweh, have blessed.”
וְנֹודַ֤ע בַּגֹּויִם֙ זַרְעָ֔ם וְצֶאֱצָאֵיהֶ֖ם בְּתֹ֣וךְ הָעַמִּ֑ים כָּל־רֹֽאֵיהֶם֙ יַכִּיר֔וּם כִּ֛י הֵ֥ם זֶ֖רַע בֵּרַ֥ךְ יְהוָֽה׃ ס
10 I greatly rejoice because of what Yahweh [has done]! I am happy, because he has saved me and declared that I am righteous; [those blessings are like] [MET] a robe that he has put on me. I am [as happy as] [SIM] a bridegroom in his wedding suit, or a bride wearing jewels.
שֹׂ֧ושׂ אָשִׂ֣ישׂ בַּֽיהוָ֗ה תָּגֵ֤ל נַפְשִׁי֙ בֵּֽאלֹהַ֔י כִּ֤י הִלְבִּישַׁ֙נִי֙ בִּגְדֵי־יֶ֔שַׁע מְעִ֥יל צְדָקָ֖ה יְעָטָ֑נִי כֶּֽחָתָן֙ יְכַהֵ֣ן פְּאֵ֔ר וְכַכַּלָּ֖ה תַּעְדֶּ֥ה כֵלֶֽיהָ׃
11 Just as [seeds sown in] a garden sprout from the soil and grow [DOU], Yahweh [our] God will cause [people of] all nations to act righteously, with the result that they will praise him for doing that.
כִּ֤י כָאָ֙רֶץ֙ תֹּוצִ֣יא צִמְחָ֔הּ וּכְגַנָּ֖ה זֵרוּעֶ֣יהָ תַצְמִ֑יחַ כֵּ֣ן ׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֗ה יַצְמִ֤יחַ צְדָקָה֙ וּתְהִלָּ֔ה נֶ֖גֶד כָּל־הַגֹּויִֽם׃

< Isaiah 61 >