Isaiah 41

1 Keep silence before me, O isles; and let the people renew [their] strength: let them come near; then let them speak: let us come near together to judgment.

“Keep silent before me, islands, and let the peoples renew their strength. Let them come near, then let them speak. Let’s meet together for judgment.

2 Who raised up the righteous [man] from the east, called him to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made [him] rule over kings? he gave [them] as the dust to his sword, [and] as driven stubble to his bow.

Who has raised up one from the east? Who called him to his feet in righteousness? He hands over nations to him and makes him rule over kings. He gives them like the dust to his sword, like the driven stubble to his bow.

3 He pursued them, [and] passed safely; [even] by the way [that] he had not gone with his feet.

He pursues them and passes by safely, even by a way that he had not gone with his feet.

4 Who hath wrought and done [it], calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I [am] he.

Who has worked and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD, the first, and with the last, I am he.”

5 The isles saw [it], and feared; the ends of the earth were afraid, drew near, and came.

The islands have seen, and fear. The ends of the earth tremble. They approach, and come.

6 They helped every one his neighbor; and [every one] said to his brother, Be of good courage.

Everyone helps his neighbor. They say to their brothers, “Be strong!”

7 So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, [and] he that smootheth [with] the hammer him that smote the anvil, saying, It [is] ready for the sodering: and he fastened it with nails, [that] it should not be moved.

So the carpenter encourages the goldsmith. He who smooths with the hammer encourages him who strikes the anvil, saying of the soldering, “It is good;” and he fastens it with nails, that it might not totter.

8 But thou, Israel, [art] my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.

“But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham my friend,

9 [Thou] whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said to thee, Thou [art] my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away.

you whom I have taken hold of from the ends of the earth, and called from its corners, and said to you, ‘You are my servant. I have chosen you and have not cast you away.’

10 Fear thou not; for I [am] with thee: be not dismayed; for I [am] thy God: I will strengthen thee; yes, I will help thee; yes, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

Do not you be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.

11 Behold, all [they that were] incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that contend with thee shall perish.

Behold, all those who are incensed against you will be disappointed and confounded. Those who strive with you will be like nothing, and shall perish.

12 Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, [even] them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of naught.

You will seek them, and will not find them, even those who contend with you. Those who war against you will be as nothing, as a nonexistent thing.

13 For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying to thee, Fear not; I will help thee.

For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, ‘Do not be afraid. I will help you.’

14 Fear not, thou worm Jacob, [and] ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

Do not be afraid, you worm Jacob, and you men of Israel. I will help you,” says the LORD. “Your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.

15 Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat [them] small, and shalt make the hills as chaff.

Behold, I have made you into a new sharp threshing instrument with teeth. You will thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and will make the hills like chaff.

16 Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shalt rejoice in the LORD, [and] shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel.

You will winnow them, and the wind will carry them away, and the whirlwind will scatter them. You will rejoice in the LORD. You will glory in the Holy One of Israel.

17 [When] the poor and needy seek water, and [there is] none, [and] their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, [I] the God of Israel will not forsake them.

The poor and needy seek water, and there is none. Their tongue fails for thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.

18 I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.

I will open rivers on the bare heights, and springs in the middle of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.

19 I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah-tree, and the myrtle, and the oil-tree; I will set in the desert the fir-tree, the pine, and the box-tree together:

I will put cedar, acacia, myrtle, and oil trees in the wilderness. I will set cypress trees, pine, and box trees together in the desert;

20 That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.

that they may see, know, consider, and understand together, that the LORD’s hand has done this, and the Holy One of Israel has created it.

21 Produce your cause, saith the LORD; bring forth your strong [reasons], saith the King of Jacob.

Produce your cause,” says the LORD. “Bring out your strong reasons!” says the King of Jacob.

22 Let them bring [them] forth, and show us what shall happen: let them show the former things, what they [are] that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare to us things to come.

“Let them announce and declare to us what will happen! Declare the former things, what they are, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or show us things to come.

23 Show the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye [are] gods: yes, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold [it] together.

Declare the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods. Yes, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and see it together.

24 Behold, ye [are] of nothing, and your work of naught: an abomination [is he that] chooseth you.

Behold, you are nothing, and your work is nothing. He who chooses you is an abomination.

25 I have raised up [one] from the north, and he shall come: from the rising of the sun shall he call upon my name: and he shall come upon princes as [upon] mortar, and as the potter treadeth clay.

“I have raised up one from the north, and he has come, from the rising of the sun, one who calls on my name, and he shall come on rulers as on mortar, and as the potter treads clay.

26 Who hath declared from the beginning, that we may know? and before time, that we may say, [He is] righteous? verily, [there is] none that showeth, verily, [there is] none that declareth, verily, [there is] none that heareth your words.

Who has declared it from the beginning, that we may know? and before, that we may say, ‘He is right’? Surely, there is no one who declares. Surely, there is no one who shows. Surely, there is no one who hears your words.

27 The first [shall say] to Zion, Behold, behold them: and I will give to Jerusalem one that bringeth good tidings.

I am the first to say to Zion, ‘Behold, look at them;’ and I will give one who brings good news to Jerusalem.

28 For I beheld, and [there was] no man; even among them, and [there was] no counselor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word.

When I look, there is no man, even among them there is no counselor who, when I ask, can answer a word.

29 Behold, they [are] all vanity, their works [are] nothing: their molten images [are] wind and confusion.

Behold, all of their deeds are vanity and nothing. Their molten images are wind and confusion.