Isaiæ 55
1 Omnes sitientes venite ad aquas: et qui non habetis argentum, properate, emite, et comedite: venite, emite absque argento, et absque ulla commutatione vinum et lac.
“All you [people who are in exile], listen to me! [It is as though] [MET] you are thirsty, so come and get water from me! [It is as though] you have no money, but you can come and get things from me [that are like] wine and milk! You can get [what you need from me], [and] you will not need to give me any money for them!
2 Quare appenditis argentum non in panibus, et laborem vestrum non in saturitate? Audite audientes me, et comedite bonum, et delectabitur in crassitudine anima vestra.
[What you really need is to have a close relationship with me], so (why do you spend money to buy things that do not supply what you really need?/you should not spend money to buy things that do not supply what you really need.) [RHQ] (Why do you work hard to get money to buy things that do not (satisfy your [inner beings]/cause you to be happy)?) [RHQ] Pay attention to what I say and acquire what is really good [MET]! If you do that, then you will truly be happy [MET].
3 Inclinate aurem vestram, et venite ad me: audite, et vivet anima vestra, et feriam vobiscum pactum sempiternum, misericordias David fideles.
Listen to me and come to me; pay attention to me, and if you do that, you will have new life in your souls. I will make an agreement with you that will last forever to faithfully love you like I loved [King] David.
4 Ecce testem populis dedi eum, ducem ac præceptorem Gentibus.
By what he did, I showed [my power to many] people-groups; I caused him to be a leader and commander [DOU] over [the people of many nations].
5 Ecce gentem, quam nesciebas, vocabis: et Gentes, quæ te non cognoverunt, ad te current propter Dominum Deum tuum, et sanctum Israel, quia glorificavit te.
And similarly, you will summon people of other nations to come to you, nations that previously you have not heard about, and they had not heard about you; and they will come to you quickly because [they will have heard that I], Yahweh, your God, the Holy One of Israel, have honored you.
6 Quærite Dominum, dum inveniri potest: invocate eum, dum prope est.
Seek [to know] me while it is still possible for you to do that; call to me while I am near!
7 Derelinquat impius viam suam, et vir iniquus cogitationes suas, et revertatur ad Dominum, et miserebitur eius, et ad Deum nostrum: quoniam multus est ad ignoscendum.
Wicked [people] should abandon their wicked behavior, and evil people should stop thinking what is evil. They should turn to me, and if they do that, I will act mercifully toward them; they should turn to me, their God, because I will fully pardon them [for all the wicked things that they have done].
8 Non enim cogitationes meæ, cogitationes vestræ: neque viæ vestræ, viæ meæ, dicit Dominus.
I, Yahweh, declare that what I think is not the same as what you think, and what I do is very different from what you do.
9 Quia sicut exaltantur cæli a terra, sic exaltatæ sunt viæ meæ a viis vestris, et cogitationes meæ a cogitationibus vestris.
Just as the sky is far above the earth, what I do is far greater than what you do, and what I think is much greater than what you think.
10 Et quomodo descendit imber, et nix de cælo, et illuc ultra non revertitur, sed inebriat terram, et infundit eam, et germinare eam facit, et dat semen serenti, et panem comedenti:
Rain and snow come down from the sky, and they cause the ground to be moist before the moisture returns [to the sky and produces more clouds]. When the ground becomes moist, it causes plants to sprout and grow, with the result that the soil produces seed for the farmer [to plant] and [grain to produce flour to make] bread for people to eat.
11 Sic erit verbum meum, quod egredietur de ore meo: non revertetur ad me vacuum, sed faciet quæcumque volui, et prosperabitur in his, ad quæ misi illud.
And similarly the things that I promise to do, I will [always] cause to happen; my promises will [always] be fulfilled [LIT]. They will accomplish the things that I gave them to accomplish [DOU].
12 Quia in lætitia egrediemini, et in pace deducemini: montes et colles cantabunt coram vobis laudem, et omnia ligna regionis plaudent manu.
You will leave [Babylon] joyfully, you will have peace as I lead you out. [It will be as though] the hills and mountains will sing joyfully, and the trees in the fields will clap their hands.
13 Pro saliunca ascendet abies, et pro urtica crescet myrtus: et erit Dominus nominatus in signum æternum, quod non auferetur.
Instead of thornbushes and briers, pine/cypress [trees] and myrtle [trees] will grow [in your land]. As a result of that, people will honor me much more; and what I do will remind everyone that [I do what I have promised].”
