< Isaiah 50 >

1 Thus said Jehovah: 'Where [is] this — the bill of your mother's divorce, Whom I sent away? Or to which of My creditors have I sold you? Lo, for your iniquities ye have been sold, And for your transgressions Hath your mother been sent away.
Thus hath said the Lord, Where is your mother's bill of divorcement, wherewith I have sent her away? or who of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? behold, for your iniquities were ye sold, and for your transgressions was your mother sent away.
2 Wherefore have I come, and there is no one? I called, and there is none answering, Hath My hand been at all short of redemption? And is there not in me power to deliver? Lo, by My rebuke I dry up a sea, I make rivers a wilderness, Their fish stinketh, for there is no water, And dieth with thirst.
Why did I come and no man was there, did I call, with none to answer? hath my hand become too short for redeeming? or is there no power in me to deliver? behold, through my threatening I can dry up the sea, I can change the rivers into a wilderness: their fish stink for want of water, and die for thirst.
3 I clothe the heavens [with] blackness, And sackcloth I make their covering.
I can clothe the heavens with blackness, and I can make sackcloth their garment.
4 The Lord Jehovah hath given to me The tongue of taught ones, To know to aid the weary [by] a word, He waketh morning by morning, He waketh for me an ear to hear as taught ones.
The Lord Eternal hath given me a tongue for teaching, that I should know how to strengthen the weary with the word: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth my ear to listen like those who are well taught.
5 The Lord Jehovah opened for me the ear, And I rebelled not — backward I moved not.
The Lord Eternal hath opened me my ear, and I resisted not: I turned not backward.
6 My back I have given to those smiting, And my cheeks to those plucking out, My face I hid not from shame and spitting.
My back I gave up to the smiters, and my cheeks to those that plucked off the hair: my face I hid not from abuse and spitting.
7 And the Lord Jehovah giveth help to me, Therefore I have not been ashamed, Therefore I have set my face as a flint, And I know that I am not ashamed.
But the Lord Eternal ever helpeth me; therefore was I not confounded; therefore have I rendered my face like a flint, and I knew that I should not be made ashamed.
8 Near [is] He who is justifying me, Who doth contend with me? We stand together, who [is] mine opponent? Let him come nigh unto me.
He that justifieth me is near; who will contend with me? let us stand forward together: who hath a dispute with me? let him come near to me.
9 Lo, the Lord Jehovah giveth help to me, Who [is] he that declareth me wicked? Lo, all of them as a garment wear out, A moth doth eat them.
Behold, the Lord Eternal will help me; who is the man that will condemn me? lo, they all shall wear out as a garment: the moth shall eat them up.
10 Who [is] among you, fearing Jehovah, Hearkening to the voice of His servant, That hath walked in dark places, And there is no brightness for him? Let him trust in the name of Jehovah, And lean upon his God.
Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that hearkeneth to the voice of his servant? though he have walked in darkness, and had no light: let him trust in the name of the Lord, and lean for support upon his God.
11 Lo, all ye kindling a fire, girding on sparks, Walk ye in the light of your fire, And in the sparks ye have caused to burn, From my hand hath this been to you, In grief ye lie down!
Behold, all ye that kindle fire, that urge on the brands: walk by the blaze of your fire, and by the brands ye have kindled; from my hand hath this been bestowed on you; in pain shall ye lie down.

< Isaiah 50 >