Isaiæ 44
1 [Et nunc audi, Jacob, serve meus, et Israël, quem elegi.
Yet listen now, 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.
This is what Yahweh who made you, and formed you from the womb, who will help you says: “Don’t be afraid, Jacob my servant; and you, Jeshurun, 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 on him who is thirsty, and streams on the dry ground. I will pour my Spirit on your descendants, and my blessing on your offspring;
4 et germinabunt inter herbas, quasi salices juxta præterfluentes aquas.
and they will spring up among the grass, as willows by the watercourses.
5 Iste dicet: Domini ego sum; et ille vocabit in nomine Jacob; et hic scribet manu sua: Domino, et in nomine Israël assimilabitur.]
One will say, ‘I am Yahweh’s.’ Another will be called by the name of Jacob; and another will write with his hand ‘to Yahweh,’ and honor 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.
This is what Yahweh, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, Yahweh of Armies, says: “I am the first, and I am the last; and besides 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.
Who is like me? Who will call, and will declare it, and set it in order for me, since I established the ancient people? Let them declare the things that are coming, and that will happen.
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?
Don’t fear, neither be afraid. Haven’t I declared it to you long ago, and shown it? You are my witnesses. Is there a God besides me? Indeed, there is not. I don’t know any other Rock.”
9 Plastæ idoli omnes nihil sunt, et amantissima eorum non proderunt eis. Ipsi sunt testes eorum, quia non vident, neque intelligunt, ut confundantur.
Everyone who makes a carved image is vain. The things that they delight in will not profit. Their own witnesses don’t see, nor know, that they may be disappointed.
10 Quis formavit deum, et sculptile conflavit ad nihil utile?
Who has fashioned a god, or molds an 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 will be disappointed; and the workmen are mere men. Let them all be gathered together. Let them stand up. They will fear. They will be put to shame 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 blacksmith takes an ax, works in the coals, fashions it with hammers, and works it with his strong arm. He is hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks 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 stretches out a line. He marks it out with a pencil. He shapes it with planes. He marks it out with compasses, and shapes it like the figure of a man, with the beauty of a man, to reside in a house.
14 succidit cedros, tulit ilicem, et quercum, quæ steterat inter ligna saltus; plantavit pinum, quam pluvia nutrivit:
He cuts down cedars for himself, and takes the cypress and the oak, and strengthens for himself one among the trees of the forest. He plants a cypress tree, and the rain nourishes 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 it will be for a man to burn; and he takes some of it and warms himself. Yes, he burns it and bakes bread. Yes, he makes a god and worships it; he makes it a carved image, and falls down to it.
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 burns part of it in the fire. With part of it, he eats meat. He roasts a roast and is satisfied. Yes, he warms himself and says, “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!
The rest of it he makes into a god, even his engraved image. He bows down to it and worships, and prays to it, and says, “Deliver me, for you are my god!”
18 Nescierunt, neque intellexerunt; obliti enim sunt ne videant oculi eorum, et ne intelligant corde suo.
They don’t know, neither do they consider, for he has shut their eyes, that they can’t see, and their hearts, that they can’t 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?
No one thinks, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, “I have burned part of it in the fire. Yes, I have also baked bread on its coals. I have roasted meat and eaten it. Shall I make the rest of it into an abomination? Shall I bow down to a tree trunk?”
20 Pars ejus cinis est; cor insipiens adoravit illud, et non liberabit animam suam: neque dicet: Forte mendacium est in dextera mea.
He feeds on ashes. A deceived heart has turned him aside; and he can’t deliver his soul, nor say, “Isn’t there 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 things, Jacob and Israel, for you are my servant. I have formed you. You are my servant. Israel, you will not be forgotten by 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, your transgressions, and, as a cloud, your sins. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.
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, you heavens, for Yahweh has done it! Shout, you lower parts of the earth! Break out into singing, you mountains, O forest, all of your trees, for Yahweh has redeemed Jacob, and will glorify 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;
Yahweh, your Redeemer, and he who formed you from the womb says: “I am Yahweh, who makes all things; who alone stretches out the heavens; who spreads out the earth by myself;
25 irrita faciens signa divinorum, et ariolos in furorem vertens; convertens sapientes retrorsum, et scientiam eorum stultam faciens;
who frustrates the signs of the liars, and makes diviners mad; who turns wise men backward, and makes 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;
who confirms the word of his servant, and performs the counsel of his messengers; who says of Jerusalem, ‘She will be inhabited;’ and of the cities of Judah, ‘They will be built,’ and ‘I will raise up its waste places;’
27 qui dico profundo: Desolare, et flumina tua arefaciam;
who says to the deep, ‘Be dry,’ and ‘I will dry up your rivers,’
28 qui dico Cyro: Pastor meus es, et omnem voluntatem meam complebis; qui dico Jerusalem: Ædificaberis, et templo: Fundaberis.]
who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure,’ even saying of Jerusalem, ‘She will be built;’ and of the temple, ‘Your foundation will be laid.’”
