Isaiah 26
1 In that day sung is this song in the land of Judah: 'We have a strong city, Salvation He doth make walls and bulwark.
In that day, this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city. God appoints salvation for walls and bulwarks.
2 Open ye the gates, that enter may a righteous nation, Preserving stedfastness.
Open the gates, that the righteous nation may enter: the one which keeps faith.
3 An imagination supported Thou fortifiest peace — peace! For in Thee it is confident.
You will keep whoever’s mind is steadfast in perfect peace, because he trusts in you.
4 Trust ye in Jehovah for ever, For in Jah Jehovah [is] a rock of ages,
Trust in Yahweh forever; for in Yah, Yahweh, is an everlasting Rock.
5 For He bowed down the dwellers on high, A city set on high He maketh low, He maketh it low unto the earth, He causeth it to come unto the dust,
For he has brought down those who dwell on high, the lofty city. He lays it low. He lays it low even to the ground. He brings it even to the dust.
6 Tread it down doth a foot, Feet of the poor — steps of the weak.
The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor and the steps of the needy.”
7 The path for the righteous [is] uprightness, O upright One, The path of the righteous Thou dost ponder.
The way of the just is uprightness. You who are upright make the path of the righteous level.
8 Also, [in] the path of Thy judgments, O Jehovah, we have waited [for] Thee, To Thy name and to Thy remembrance [Is] the desire of the soul.
Yes, in the way of your judgments, Yahweh, we have waited for you. Your name and your renown are the desire of our soul.
9 [With] my soul I desired Thee in the night, Also, [with] my spirit within me I seek Thee earnestly, For when Thy judgments [are] on the earth, The inhabitants of the world have learned righteousness.
With my soul I have desired you in the night. Yes, with my spirit within me I will seek you earnestly; for when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.
10 The wicked findeth favour, He hath not learned righteousness, In a land of straightforwardness he dealeth perversely, And seeth not the excellency of Jehovah.
Let favor be shown to the wicked, yet he will not learn righteousness. In the land of uprightness he will deal wrongfully, and will not see Yahweh’s majesty.
11 O Jehovah, high [is] Thy hand — they see not, They see the zeal of the people, and are ashamed, Also, the fire — Thine adversaries, consumeth them.
Yahweh, your hand is lifted up, yet they don’t see; but they will see your zeal for the people and be disappointed. Yes, fire will consume your adversaries.
12 O Jehovah, Thou appointest peace to us, For, all our works also Thou hast wrought for us.
Yahweh, you will ordain peace for us, for you have also done all our work for us.
13 O Jehovah our God, lords have ruled us besides Thee, Only, by Thee we make mention of Thy name.
Yahweh our God, other lords besides you have had dominion over us, but we will only acknowledge your name.
14 Dead — they live not, Rephaim, they rise not, Therefore Thou hast inspected and dost destroy them, Yea, thou destroyest all their memory.
The dead shall not live. The departed spirits shall not rise. Therefore you have visited and destroyed them, and caused all memory of them to perish.
15 Thou hast added to the nation, O Jehovah, Thou hast added to the nation, Thou hast been honoured, Thou hast put far off all the ends of earth.
You have increased the nation, O Yahweh. You have increased the nation! You are glorified! You have enlarged all the borders of the land.
16 O Jehovah, in distress they missed Thee, They have poured out a whisper, Thy chastisement [is] on them.
Yahweh, in trouble they have visited you. They poured out a prayer when your chastening was on them.
17 When a pregnant woman cometh near to the birth, She is pained — she crieth in her pangs, So we have been from Thy face, O Jehovah.
Just as a woman with child, who draws near the time of her delivery, is in pain and cries out in her pangs, so we have been before you, Yahweh.
18 We have conceived, we have been pained. We have brought forth as it were wind, Salvation we do not work in the earth, Nor do the inhabitants of the world fall.
We have been with child. We have been in pain. We gave birth, it seems, only to wind. We have not worked any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.
19 'Thy dead live — My dead body they rise. Awake and sing, ye dwellers in the dust, For the dew of herbs [is] thy dew, And the land of Rephaim thou causest to fall.
Your dead shall live. Their dead bodies shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust; for your dew is like the dew of herbs, and the earth will cast out the departed spirits.
20 Come, My people, enter into thy inner chambers, And shut thy doors behind thee, Hide thyself shortly a moment till the indignation pass over.
Come, my people, enter into your rooms, and shut your doors behind you. Hide yourself for a little moment, until the indignation is past.
21 For, lo, Jehovah is coming out of His place, To charge the iniquity of the inhabitant of the earth upon him, And revealed hath the earth her blood, Nor doth she cover any more her slain!'
For, behold, Yahweh comes out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. The earth also will disclose her blood, and will no longer cover her slain.
