Isaiah 66

1 Yahweh [also] said this: “[All of] heaven is [like] my throne, and the whole earth is [like] my footstool. So you could certainly not [RHQ] build a house [that would be adequate] for me to live in and rest!

١ هَذَا مَا يَقُولُهُ الرَّبُّ: السَّمَاءُ عَرْشِي وَالأَرْضُ مَوْطِئُ قَدَمَيَّ، فَأَيَّ بَيْتٍ تُشَيِّدُونَ لِي؟ وَأَيْنَ مَقَرُّ رَاحَتِي؟

2 I [MTY] have created everything; all things exist because I made them. [That is true because I], Yahweh, have said it. The people I am [most] pleased with are those who are humble, who [patiently endure it when they] (suffer/are afflicted), and who tremble when they hear me [rebuking them].

٢ جَمِيعُ هَذِهِ صَنَعَتْهَا يَدِي فَوُجِدَتْ كُلُّهَا، لَكِنَّنِي أُسَرُّ بِالرَّجُلِ الْمُتَوَاضِعِ الْمُنْسَحِقِ الرُّوحِ الَّذِي يَرْتَعِدُ مِنْ كَلِمَتِي.

3 You have enjoyed [continually] doing the things that you want to do: [Some of] you slaughter oxen [to sacrifice them to me], but you also bring human sacrifices [to your idols]! You sacrifice lambs [to me], but you kill dogs [to offer them to your gods]. You offer grain to me, but you also bring pigs’ blood [to your idols]. You burn incense [to me], but you also praise your idols. You enjoy doing those disgusting things.

٣ إِنَّ مَنْ يَنْحَرُ ثَوْراً كَمَنْ يَقْتُلُ إِنْسَاناً، وَمَنْ يُقَرِّبُ حَمَلاً كَمَنْ يَكْسِرُ عُنُقَ كَلْبٍ، وَمَنْ يُصْعِدُ تَقْدِمَةَ حِنْطَةٍ كَمَنْ يُقَدِّمُ دَمَ خِنْزِيرٍ، وَمَنْ يُحْرِقُ بَخُوراً كَمَنْ يُبَارِكُ وَثَناً، لأَنَّ هَؤُلاءِ آثَرُوا طُرُقَهُمْ، وَاسْتَطَابَتْ نُفُوسُهُمْ أَرْجَاسَهُمْ.

4 When I called [out to you], you did not answer. When I spoke, you did not pay attention. You did [many] things that I say are evil; you chose [to do] things that I did not like. So [now] I will punish you by causing you to experience the things that you are [very] afraid of.”

٤ لِهَذَا أَنَا أَيْضاً أَخْتَارُ بَلايَاهُمْ لَهُمْ وَأُوْقِعُ بِهِمِ الْمَخَاوِفَ، لأَنِّي عِنْدَمَا دَعَوْتُ لَمْ يَسْتَجِيبُوا، وَحِينَ تَكَلَّمْتُ لَمْ يُصْغُوا، إِنَّمَا ارْتَكَبُوا الشَّرَّ فِي عَيْنَيَّ وَاخْتَارُوا مَا لَا أُسَرُّ بِهِ.

5 But you people who tremble when you hear what Yahweh says, listen to what he says [now]: “Some of your people hate you and reject you because you belong to me. They make fun of you, and they say, ‘Yahweh should show his glorious power! We want to see him [do something to cause] you to be truly happy.’ But [some day] those people will be [very] disgraced.”

٥ اسْمَعُوا قَوْلَ الرَّبِّ أَيُّهَا الْمُرْتَعِدُونَ مِنْ كَلامِهِ: يَسْخَرُ مِنْكُمْ إخْوَتُكُمُ الَّذِينَ يَكْرَهُونَكُمْ وَيَنْبِذُونَكُمْ لأَنَّكُمْ تَخَافُونَ اسْمِي قَائِلِينَ: لِيَتَمَجَّدِ الرَّبُّ حَتَّى نَشْهَدَ فَرَحَكُمْ. وَلَكِنَّهُمْ لَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَنَّهُمْ هُمُ الَّذِينَ يَخْزَوْنَ.

6 [At that time], you will listen to the noise in the city. You will hear the shouting in the temple. It will be the sound of Yahweh shouting while he is punishing his enemies!

٦ اسْمَعُوا صَوْتَ جَلَبَةٍ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ، صَوْتاً مِنَ الْهَيْكَلِ، صَوْتَ الرَّبِّ يُجَازِي أَعْدَاءَهُ.

7 No one [RHQ] ever heard that a woman gave birth to a baby when she was just starting to have birth pains.

٧ شَعْبِي مِثْلُ امْرَأَةٍ وَلَدَتْ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَتَمَخَّضَ، وَقَبْلَ أَنْ تُقَاسِيَ مِنَ الطَّلْقِ أَنْجَبَتْ ذَكَراً.

8 Certainly no one [RHQ] ever heard about such a thing happening, and no one has ever seen it happen. [Similarly], no one ever [RHQ] heard that a nation was created in one instant, not even in one day. But Jerusalem is like [MET] [a woman who] gives birth to children as soon as she starts to have birth pains.

٨ مَنْ سَمِعَ مِثْلَ هَذَا، وَمَنْ رَأَى نَظِيرَهُ؟ أَتُوْلَدُ بِلادٌ فِي يَوْمٍ وَاحِدٍ؟ أَمْ تُخْلَقُ أُمَّةٌ دَفْعَةً وَاحِدَةً؟ فَمَا إِنْ تَمَخَّضَتْ صِهْيَوْنُ حَتَّى أَنْجَبَتْ أَبْنَاءَهَا.

9 Women certainly do not [RHQ] bring infants to the time when they are ready to be born and then do not allow them to be born. [Similarly, he will do for Jerusalem] [MET] [what he has promised to do]: [He will cause Jerusalem to be full of people again]. [That will happen because] Yahweh has said it.

٩ يَقُولُ الرَّبُّ: هَلْ أُمْخِضُ وَلا أُوَلِّدُ؟ هَلْ أُغْلِقُ الرَّحِمَ وَأَنَا الْمُوَلِّدُ؟

10 You people in [APO] Jerusalem, rejoice! And all you people who love Jerusalem should also be happy. You people who were sad because of [what happened to Jerusalem], you should now be glad.

١٠ تَهَلَّلُوا مَعَ أُورُشَلِيمَ وَافْرَحُوا لَهَا يَا كُلَّ مُحِبِّيهَا، ابْتَهِجُوا مَعَهَا بِفَرَحٍ يَا جَمِيعَ النَّائِحِينَ عَلَيْهَا.

11 [You people in Jerusalem] will [have everything that you need] like [MET] a baby that gets all it needs from its mother’s breasts. You will enjoy all the abundant and glorious things [MET] in the city.

١١ لِكَيْ تَرْضَعُوا وَتَشْبَعُوا مِنْ ثَدْيِ تَعْزِيَاتِهَا، وَلِكَيْ تَحْلِبُوا بِوَفْرَةٍ وَتَتَلَذَّذُوا مِنْ دِرَّةِ مَجْدِهَا.

12 Yahweh has promised, “I will cause Jerusalem to be full of valuable things that come from other nations; those things will pour into Jerusalem; it will be like [SIM] a big flood. I will take care of the people of Jerusalem like women care for the babies that they nurse.

١٢ لأَنَّهُ هَكَذَا يَقُولُ الرَّبُّ: هَا أَنَا أُسْبِغُ عَلَيْهَا الْخَيْرَ كَنَهْرٍ، وَأُجْرِي إِلَيْهَا ثَرْوَةَ الأُمَمِ كَسَيْلٍ مُتَدَفِّقٍ، فَتَرْضَعُونَ، وَتُحْمَلُونَ فِي الْحِضْنِ، وَعَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهَا تُدَلَّلُونَ.

13 I will comfort you people in Jerusalem like [MET] mothers comfort their children.”

١٣ وَأُعَزِّيكُمْ كَمَنْ تُعَزِّيه أُمُّهُ، وَفِي أُورُشَلِيمَ تُعَزَّوْنَ.

14 When you see [those things happen], you [SYN] will rejoice. Your [old] bones will become strong [again] like [SIM] grass [that grows quickly/well in the springtime]. [When that happens, everyone] will know that Yahweh has power [MTY] to help those who worship and obey him, but that he is angry with his enemies.

١٤ وَتَشْهَدُونَ فَتُسَرُّ قُلُوبُكُمْ وَتَزْدَهِرُ عِظَامُكُمْ كَالْعُشْبِ، فَتُصبِحُ يَدُ الرَّبِّ مَعْرُوفَةً عِنْدَ عَبِيدِهِ، وَيَنْصَبُّ غَضَبُهُ عَلَى أَعْدَاِئهِ.

15 Yahweh will come down with flames of fire, and his chariots [will come down] like [SIM] a whirlwind; he will be extremely angry, and he will punish [his enemies] by burning them in a fire.

١٥ لأَنَّهُ هَا هُوَ الرَّبُّ مُقْبِلٌ بِنَارٍ، وَمَرْكَبَاتُهُ كَالْعَاصِفَةِ، لِيَسْكُبَ غَضَبَهُ بِسَخَطٍ، وَزَجْرَهُ بِلَهِيبِ نَارٍ.

16 [It is as though] [MET] Yahweh has a [big] sword, and he will judge and execute many people.

١٦ لأَنَّ الرَّبَّ يُعَاقِبُ أَهْلَ الأَرْضِ بِنَارِهِ وَسَيْفِهِ، وَيَكْثُرُ قَتْلَى الرَّبِّ.

17 Yahweh says, “Some of you people purify/bathe yourselves and [then] go to a garden to worship your gods. You eat the meat of pigs and lizards and mice, [and other things that I have forbidden you to eat]. So I will get rid of you [for doing that].

١٧ وَالَّذِينَ يَتَطَهَّرُونَ وَيَتَقَدَّسُونَ وَيَقْصِدُونَ إِلَى الْحَدَائِقِ حَيْثُ يَعْبُدُونَ وَثَناً قَائِماً وَرَاءَ أَشْجَارِهَا، وَيَأْكُلُونَ لَحْمَ الْخِنْزِيرِ وَالْفِئْرَانِ، وَكُلَّ اللُّحُومِ الْمُحَرَّمَةِ، مَصِيرُهُمُ الْهَلاكُ.

18 I know [all] the [evil] things that you think and do. [It is now time] for me to gather together the people who live in all nations and who speak all languages, and to show them that I am very great.

١٨ وَلأَنِّي عَالِمٌ بِأَعْمَالِهِمْ وَأَفْكَارِهِمْ فَأَنَا مُزْمِعٌ أَنْ آتِيَ لأَجْمَعَ كُلَّ الأُمَمِ وَالأَلْسِنَةِ، فَيَتَوَافَدُونَ وَيَرَوْنَ مَجْدِي

19 I will put a mark on them, and those whom I have spared will go to various [distant] countries: to Tarshish, Put, Lud, Meshech, Tubal, Javan, and to distant islands. I will send them to proclaim to nations that have never heard about me that I am very great and glorious.

١٩ وَأَجْعَلُ بَيْنَهُمْ آيَةً وَأَبْعَثُ بَعْضَ النَّاجِينَ مِنْهُمْ إِلَى الأُمَمِ: إِلَى تَرْشِيشَ، وَفُولَ، وَلُودَ، الْمَهَرَةِ فِي رَمْيِ السِّهَامِ، وَإِلَى تُوبَالَ وَيَاوَانَ وَإِلَى الْجَزَائِرِ الْبَعِيدَةِ مِمَّنْ لَمْ يَسْمَعُوا بِشُهْرَتِي أَوْ يَرَوْا مَجْدِي، فَيُذِيعُونَ مَجْدِي بَيْنَ الأُمَمِ.

20 Then they will bring back here your relatives [who have been (exiled/forced to go to other countries)], to be like [SIM] an offering to me. They will come on horses, in chariots, on mules, and on camels. They will come to [Zion, ] my sacred hill in Jerusalem. That will be like [SIM] the offerings that [my] Israeli people used to bring in the correct manner to the temple.

٢٠ وَيُحْضِرُونَ جَميِعَ إِخْوَتِكُمْ مِنْ سَائِرِ الأُمَمِ، تَقْدِمَةً لِلرَّبِّ، عَلَى مُتُونِ الْجِيَادِ، وَفِي الْمَرْكَبَاتِ وَالْهَوَادِجِ، وَعَلَى ظُهُورِ الْبِغَالِ وَأَسْنِمَةِ الْجِمَالِ، إِلَى أُورُشَلِيمَ جَبَلِ قُدْسِي، كَمَا يُحْضِرُ الإِسْرَائِيلِيُّونَ تَقْدِمَةَ الْحِنْطَةِ فِي آنِيَةٍ طَاهِرَةٍ إِلَى بَيْتِ الرَّبِّ

21 [I solemnly promise that] I will appoint some of them to be priests, and others to do other work in my temple. [That will surely happen because I], Yahweh, have said it.

٢١ وَمِنْهُمْ أَصْطَفِي كَهَنَةً وَلاوِيِّينَ يَقُولُ الرَّبُّ.

22 I [also] promise that just like the new heaven and the new earth will last forever, you will always have descendants, and you [MTY] will always be honored.

٢٢ لأَنَّهُ كَمَا تَدُومُ أَمَامِي السَّمَاوَاتُ الْجَدِيدَةُ وَالأَرْضُ الْجَدِيدَةُ الَّتِي أَنَا أَصْنَعُهَا هَكَذَا تَدُومُ ذُرِّيَّتُكُمْ وَذِكْرُكُمْ.

23 At every festival to celebrate the Sabbath [each week] and the new moon [each month], everyone will [come and] worship me. [That will surely happen because] I, Yahweh, have said it.

٢٣ وَيَأْتِي مِنْ رَأْسِ شَهْرٍ إِلَى رَأْسِ شَهْرٍ، وِمِنْ سَبْتٍ إِلَى سَبْتٍ كُلُّ بَنِي الْبَشَرِ لِيَعْبُدُونِي،

24 Then they will go out [of Jerusalem] and look at the corpses of those who rebelled against me. The maggots in those corpses will never die, the fire will never stop burning them, and everyone [who sees their corpses] will detest them.”

٢٤ ثُمَّ يَمْضُونَ لِمُشَاهَدَةِ جُثَثِ الرِّجَالِ الَّذِينَ تَمَرَّدُوا عَلَيَّ، لأَنَّ دُودَهُمْ لَا يَمُوتُ وَنَارَهُمْ لَا تَخْمَدُ. وَيَكُونُونَ مَثَارَ اشْمِئْزَازِ جَمِيعِ النَّاسِ.