Isaiah 9

1 As the former time made light The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, So the latter hath honoured the way of the sea, Beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

For no fatigue [befalleth] him that oppresseth it; in the first time he made light of the land of Zebulun, and the land of Naphtali, and at the last he will deal hard, with the way by the sea, on the other side of the Jordan, [up to] the Galilee of the nations.

2 The people who are walking in darkness Have seen a great light, Dwellers in a land of death-shade, Light hath shone upon them.

The people that walk in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death—a light shineth brightly over them.

3 Thou hast multiplied the nation, Thou hast made great its joy, They have joyed before Thee as the joy in harvest, As [men] rejoice in their apportioning spoil.

Thou hast multiplied the nation, made great their joy: they rejoice before thee as with the joy in harvest, as men are glad when they divide the spoil.

4 Because the yoke of its burden, And the staff of its shoulder, the rod of its exactor, Thou hast broken as [in] the day of Midian.

For the yoke of their burden, and the staff on their shoulder, the rod of their oppressor, hast thou broken, as on the day of Midian.

5 For every battle of a warrior [is] with rushing, and raiment rolled in blood, And it hath been for burning — fuel of fire.

For all the weapons of the fighter in the battle's tumult, and the garment rolled in blood, shall be burnt, become food for fire.

6 For a Child hath been born to us, A Son hath been given to us, And the princely power is on his shoulder, And He doth call his name Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace.

For a child is born unto us, a son hath been given unto us, and the government is placed on his shoulders; and his name is called, Wonderful, counsellor of the mighty God, of the everlasting Father, the prince of peace,

7 To the increase of the princely power, And of peace, there is no end, On the throne of David, and on his kingdom, To establish it, and to support it, In judgment and in righteousness, Henceforth, even unto the age, The zeal of Jehovah of Hosts doth this.

For [promoting] the increase of the government, and for peace without end, upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom, to establish it and to support it through justice and righteousness, from henceforth and unto eternity: the zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

8 A word hath the Lord sent into Jacob, And it hath fallen in Israel.

A word hath the Lord sent against Jacob, and it hath alighted upon Israel.

9 And the people have known — all of it, Ephraim, and the inhabitant of Samaria, In pride and in greatness of heart, saying,

And experience it shall all the people together, Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria; because they say, in the pride and haughtiness of heart,

10 'Bricks have fallen, and hewn work we build, Sycamores have been cut down, and cedars we renew.'

“The bricks are fallen down, but with hewn stones will we re-build: the sycamores are cut down, but with cedars will we replace them.”

11 And Jehovah setteth the adversaries of Rezin on high above him, And his enemies he joineth together,

Therefore will the Lord strengthen the adversaries of Rezin above him, and will stir up his enemies;

12 Aram from before, and Philistia from behind, And they devour Israel with the whole mouth. With all this not turned back hath His anger, And still His hand is stretched out.

The Syrians in front, and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with a full mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand still remaineth stretched out.

13 And the people hath not turned back unto Him who is smiting it, And Jehovah of Hosts they have not sought.

And the people return not unto him that smiteth them, and the Lord of hosts do they not seek.

14 And Jehovah cutteth off from Israel head and tail, Branch and reed — the same day,

And the Lord cutteth off from Israel head and tail, palm-branch and rush, on one day.

15 Elder, and accepted of face, he [is] the head, Prophet, teacher of falsehood, he [is] the tail.

The ancient and honorable is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies is the tail.

16 And the eulogists of this people are causing to err, And its eulogised ones are consumed.

And the guides of this people are those that guide to error; and those that are led of them are misled.

17 Therefore, over its young men the Lord rejoiceth not, And its orphans, and its widows He pitieth not, For every one [is] profane, and an evil doer, And every mouth is speaking folly. With all this not turned back hath His anger, And still His hand is stretched out.

Therefore will the Lord have no joy in their young men, and on their fatherless and widows will he have no mercy; for every one is a hypocrite and an evil-doer, and every mouth speaketh scandalous words. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand still remaineth stretched out.

18 For burned as a fire hath wickedness, Brier and thorn it devoureth, And it kindleth in thickets of the forest, And they lift themselves up, an exaltation of smoke!

For wickedness burneth like the fire; it shall devour the briers and thorns: and it shall kindle [a flame] in the thickets of the forest, and they shall be shrouded by the wreaths of smoke.

19 In the wrath of Jehovah of Hosts Hath the land been consumed, And the people is as fuel of fire; A man on his brother hath no pity,

Through the fury of the Lord of hosts is the land scorched, and the people have become as food for the fire; no man will spare his brother.

20 And cutteth down on the right, and hath been hungry, And he devoureth on the left, And they have not been satisfied, Each the flesh of his own arm they devour.

And he snatcheth on the right hand, and is [yet] hungry; and he eateth on the left hand, and are not [yet] satisfied; they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm:

21 Manasseh — Ephraim, and Ephraim — Manasseh, Together they [are] against Judah, With all this not turned back hath His anger. And still His hand is stretched out!

Menasseh [against] Ephraim: and Ephraim [against] Menasseh; and they together against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand still remaineth stretched out.