Isaiæ 44
1 [Et nunc audi, Jacob, serve meus, et Israël, quem elegi.
YET now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen:
2 Hæc dicit Dominus faciens et formans te, ab utero auxiliator tuus: Noli timere, serve meus Jacob, et rectissime, quem elegi.
Thus saith the Lord that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.
3 Effundam enim aquas super sitientem, et fluenta super aridam; effundam spiritum meum super semen tuum, et benedictionem meam super stirpem tuam:
For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:
4 et germinabunt inter herbas, quasi salices juxta præterfluentes aquas.
And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.
5 Iste dicet: Domini ego sum; et ille vocabit in nomine Jacob; et hic scribet manu sua: Domino, et in nomine Israël assimilabitur.]
One shall say, I am the Lord’s; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel.
6 [Hæc dicit Dominus, rex Israël, et redemptor ejus, Dominus exercituum: Ego primus, et ego novissimus, et absque me non est deus.
Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
7 Quis similis mei? vocet, et annuntiet: et ordinem exponat mihi, ex quo constitui populum antiquum; ventura et quæ futura sunt annuntient eis.
And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them.
8 Nolite timere, neque conturbemini: ex tunc audire te feci, et annuntiavi; vos estis testes mei. Numquid est Deus absque me, et formator quem ego non noverim?
Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.
9 Plastæ idoli omnes nihil sunt, et amantissima eorum non proderunt eis. Ipsi sunt testes eorum, quia non vident, neque intelligunt, ut confundantur.
They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.
10 Quis formavit deum, et sculptile conflavit ad nihil utile?
Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?
11 Ecce omnes participes ejus confundentur, fabri enim sunt ex hominibus; convenient omnes, stabunt et pavebunt, et confundentur simul.
Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together.
12 Faber ferrarius lima operatus est, in prunis et in malleis formavit illud, et operatus est in brachio fortitudinis suæ; esuriet et deficiet, non bibet aquam et lassescet.
The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint.
13 Artifex lignarius extendit normam, formavit illud in runcina, fecit illud in angularibus, et in circino tornavit illud, et fecit imaginem viri quasi speciosum hominem habitantem in domo;
The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.
14 succidit cedros, tulit ilicem, et quercum, quæ steterat inter ligna saltus; plantavit pinum, quam pluvia nutrivit:
He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it.
15 et facta est hominibus in focum; sumpsit ex eis, et calefactus est; et succendit et coxit panes; de reliquo autem operatus est deum et adoravit; fecit sculptile, et curvatus est ante illud.
Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.
16 Medium ejus combussit igni, et de medio ejus carnes comedit; coxit pulmentum, et saturatus est, et calefactus est, et dixit: Vah! calefactus sum, vidi focum;
He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire:
17 reliquum autem ejus deum fecit et sculptile sibi; curvatur ante illud, et adorat illud, et obsecrat, dicens: Libera me, quia deus meus es tu!
And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.
18 Nescierunt, neque intellexerunt; obliti enim sunt ne videant oculi eorum, et ne intelligant corde suo.
They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.
19 Non recogitant in mente sua, neque cognoscunt, neque sentiunt, ut dicant: Medietatem ejus combussi igni, et coxi super carbones ejus panes; coxi carnes et comedi, et de reliquo ejus idolum faciam? ante truncum ligni procidam?
And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?
20 Pars ejus cinis est; cor insipiens adoravit illud, et non liberabit animam suam: neque dicet: Forte mendacium est in dextera mea.
He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?
21 Memento horum Jacob, et Israël, quoniam servus meus es tu. Formavi te; servus meus es tu, Israël, ne obliviscaris mei.
Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.
22 Delevi ut nubem iniquitates tuas, et quasi nebulam peccata tua: revertere ad me, quoniam redemi te.
I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
23 Laudate, cæli, quoniam misericordiam fecit Dominus; jubilate, extrema terræ; resonate, montes, laudationem, saltus et omne lignum ejus, quoniam redemit Dominus Jacob, et Israël gloriabitur.]
Sing, O ye heavens; for the Lord hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.
24 [Hæc dicit Dominus, redemptor tuus, et formator tuus ex utero: Ego sum Dominus, faciens omnia, extendens cælos solus, stabiliens terram, et nullus mecum;
Thus saith the Lord, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the Lord that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;
25 irrita faciens signa divinorum, et ariolos in furorem vertens; convertens sapientes retrorsum, et scientiam eorum stultam faciens;
That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;
26 suscitans verbum servi sui, et consilium nuntiorum suorum complens; qui dico Jerusalem: Habitaberis, et civitatibus Juda: Ædificabimini, et deserta ejus suscitabo;
That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof:
27 qui dico profundo: Desolare, et flumina tua arefaciam;
That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers:
28 qui dico Cyro: Pastor meus es, et omnem voluntatem meam complebis; qui dico Jerusalem: Ædificaberis, et templo: Fundaberis.]
That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.
