Isaiah 40

1 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.

"Comfort, comfort my people," says your God.

2 Speak ye kindly to Jerusalem, and cry to her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received from the LORD’S hand double for all her sins.

"Speak tenderly to Jerusalem; and call out to her that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received of YHWH's hand double for all her sins."

3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

The voice of one who calls out in the wilderness, "Prepare the way of YHWH. Make his roads straight.

4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:

Every valley will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be made low, and the uneven will be made level, and the rough places a plain.

5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh together shall see it: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

And the glory of YHWH will be revealed, and all humanity will see the salvation of God together; for the mouth of YHWH has spoken."

6 The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is as the flower of the field:

The voice of one saying, "Cry." And I said, "What shall I cry?" "All flesh is like grass, and all its glory is like the flower of the field.

7 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.

The grass withers, the flower fades, because YHWH's breath blows on it. Surely the people are like grass.

8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of YHWH stands forever."

9 O Zion, that bringest good tidings, go up upon the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say to the cities of Judah, Behold your God!

You who tell good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who tell good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with strength. Lift it up. Do not be afraid. Say to the cities of Judah, "Look, your God."

10 Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.

Look, YHWH will come as a mighty one, and his arm will rule for him. Look, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.

11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will gather the lambs in his arm, and carry them in his bosom. He will gently lead those who have their young.

12 Who hath comprehended the waters in the hollow of his hand, and measured heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and marked off the sky with his span, and calculated the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

13 Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?

Who has known the mind of YHWH, or who has instructed him as his counselor?

14 With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and showed to him the way of understanding?

From whom did he take counsel with, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding? Or who has first given to him, and it will be repaid to him again?

15 Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.

Look, the nations are like a drop in a bucket, and are regarded as a speck of dust on a balance. Look, he lifts up the islands like a very little thing.

16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt offering.

Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor its animals sufficient for a burnt offering.

17 All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.

All the nations are like nothing before him. They are regarded by him as less than nothing, and vanity.

18 To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare him to?

To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to him?

19 The workman casteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains.

A workman has cast an image, and the goldsmith overlays it with gold, and casts silver chains for it.

20 He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh for himself a skilful workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved.

He who is too impoverished for such an offering chooses a tree that will not rot. He seeks a skillful workman to set up an engraved image for him that will not be moved.

21 Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?

Haven't you known? Haven't you heard, yet? Haven't you been told from the beginning? Haven't you understood from the foundations of the earth?

22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:

It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in;

23 That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.

who brings princes to nothing; who makes the judges of the earth meaningless.

24 Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble.

They are planted scarcely. They are sown scarcely. Their stock has scarcely taken root in the ground. He merely blows on them, and they wither, and the whirlwind takes them away as stubble.

25 To whom then will ye liken me, or to whom shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.

"To whom then will you liken me? Who is my equal?" says the Holy One.

26 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.

Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these, who brings out their host by number. He calls them all by name; by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power, not one is lacking.

27 Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over by my God?

Why do you say, Jacob, and why do you assert, Israel, "My way is hidden from YHWH, and the justice due me is disregarded by my God?"

28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

And now, haven't you known? Haven't you heard? The everlasting God, YHWH, the Creator of the farthest parts of the earth, doesn't faint. He isn't weary. His understanding is unsearchable.

29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

He gives power to the weak. He increases the strength of him who has no might.

30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

Even the youths faint and get weary, and the young men utterly fall;

31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint.

But those who wait for YHWH will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run, and not be weary. They will walk, and not faint.