Isaiæ 41
1 Taceant ad me insulæ, et gentes mutent fortitudinem: accedant, et tunc loquantur; simul ad judicium propinquemus.
“Be silent before Me, O islands, and let the peoples renew their strength. Let them come forward and testify; let us together draw near for judgment.
2 Quis suscitavit ab oriente Justum, vocavit eum ut sequeretur se? Dabit in conspectu ejus gentes, et reges obtinebit: dabit quasi pulverem gladio ejus, sicut stipulam vento raptam arcui ejus.
Who has aroused one from the east and called him to his feet in righteousness? He hands nations over to him and subdues kings before him. He turns them to dust with his sword, to windblown chaff with his bow.
3 Persequetur eos, transibit in pace: semita in pedibus ejus non apparebit.
He pursues them, going on safely, hardly touching the path with his feet.
4 Quis hæc operatus est, et fecit, vocans generationes ab exordio? Ego Dominus: primus et novissimus ego sum.
Who has performed this and carried it out, calling forth the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD—the first and the last— I am He.”
5 Viderunt insulæ, et timuerunt; extrema terræ obstupuerunt: appropinquaverunt, et accesserunt.
The islands see and fear; the ends of the earth tremble. They approach and come forward.
6 Unusquisque proximo suo auxiliabitur, et fratri suo dicet: Confortare.
Each one helps the other and says to his brother, “Be strong!”
7 Confortavit faber ærarius percutiens malleo eum, qui cudebat tunc temporis, dicens: Glutino bonum est; et confortavit eum clavis, ut non moveretur.
The craftsman encourages the goldsmith, and he who wields the hammer cheers him who strikes the anvil, saying of the welding, “It is good.” He nails it down so it will not be toppled.
8 Et tu, Israël, serve meus, Jacob quem elegi, semen Abraham amici mei:
“But you, O Israel, My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, descendant of Abraham My friend—
9 in quo apprehendi te ab extremis terræ, et a longinquis ejus vocavi te, et dixi tibi: Servus meus es tu: elegi te, et non abjeci te.
I brought you from the ends of the earth and called you from its farthest corners. I said, ‘You are My servant.’ I have chosen and not rejected you.
10 Ne timeas, quia ego tecum sum; ne declines, quia ego Deus tuus: confortavi te, et auxiliatus sum tibi, et suscepit te dextera Justi mei.
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand of righteousness.
11 Ecce confundentur et erubescent omnes qui pugnant adversum te; erunt quasi non sint, et peribunt viri qui contradicunt tibi.
Behold, all who rage against you will be ashamed and disgraced; those who contend with you will be reduced to nothing and will perish.
12 Quæres eos, et non invenies, viros rebelles tuos; erunt quasi non sint, et veluti consumptio homines bellantes adversum te.
You will seek them but will not find them. Those who wage war against you will come to nothing.
13 Quia ego Dominus Deus tuus, apprehendens manum tuam, dicensque tibi: Ne timeas: ego adjuvi te.
For I am the LORD your God, who takes hold of your right hand and tells you: Do not fear, I will help you.
14 Noli timere, vermis Jacob, qui mortui estis ex Israël: ego auxiliatus sum tibi, dicit Dominus, et redemptor tuus Sanctus Israël.
Do not fear, O worm of Jacob, O few men of Israel. I will help you,” declares the LORD. “Your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.
15 Ego posui te quasi plaustrum triturans novum, habens rostra serrantia; triturabis montes, et comminues, et colles quasi pulverem pones.
Behold, I will make you into a threshing sledge, new and sharp, with many teeth. You will thresh the mountains and crush them, and reduce the hills to chaff.
16 Ventilabis eos, et ventus tollet, et turbo disperget eos; et tu exsultabis in Domino, in Sancto Israël lætaberis.
You will winnow them, and a wind will carry them away; a gale will scatter them. But you will rejoice in the LORD; you will glory in the Holy One of Israel.
17 Egeni et pauperes quærunt aquas, et non sunt; lingua eorum siti aruit. Ego Dominus exaudiam eos, Deus Israël, non derelinquam eos.
The poor and needy seek water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
18 Aperiam in supinis collibus flumina, et in medio camporum fontes: ponam desertum in stagna aquarum, et terram inviam in rivos aquarum.
I will open rivers on the barren heights, and fountains in the middle of the valleys. I will turn the desert into a pool of water, and the dry land into flowing springs.
19 Dabo in solitudinem cedrum, et spinam, et myrtum, et lignum olivæ; ponam in deserto abietem, ulmum, et buxum simul:
I will plant cedars in the wilderness, acacias, myrtles, and olive trees. I will set cypresses in the desert, elms and boxwood together,
20 ut videant, et sciant, et recogitent, et intelligant pariter, quia manus Domini fecit hoc, et Sanctus Israël creavit illud.
so that all may see and know, may consider and understand, that the hand of the LORD has done this and the Holy One of Israel has created it.”
21 Prope facite judicium vestrum, dicit Dominus; Afferte, si quid forte habetis, dicit rex Jacob.
“Present your case,” says the LORD. “Submit your arguments,” says the King of Jacob.
22 Accedant, et nuntient nobis quæcumque ventura sunt; priora quæ fuerunt, nuntiate, et ponemus cor nostrum, et sciemus novissima eorum; et quæ ventura sunt, indicate nobis.
“Let them come and tell us what will happen. Tell the former things, so that we may reflect on them and know the outcome. Or announce to us what is coming.
23 Annuntiate quæ ventura sunt in futurum, et sciemus quia dii estis vos; bene quoque aut male, si potestis, facite, et loquamur et videamus simul.
Tell us the things that are to come, so that we may know that you are gods. Yes, do something good or evil, that we may look on together in dismay.
24 Ecce vos estis ex nihilo, et opus vestrum ex eo quod non est: abominatio est qui elegit vos.
Behold, you are nothing and your work is of no value. Anyone who chooses you is detestable.
25 Suscitavi ab aquilone, et veniet ab ortu solis: vocabit nomen meum, et adducet magistratus quasi lutum, et velut plastes conculcans humum.
I have raised up one from the north, and he has come— one from the east who calls on My name. He will march over rulers as if they were mortar, like a potter who treads the clay.
26 Quis annuntiavit ab exordio ut sciamus, et a principio ut dicamus: Justus es? Non est neque annuntians, neque prædicens, neque audiens sermones vestros.
Who has declared this from the beginning, so that we may know, and from times past, so that we may say: ‘He was right’? No one announced it, no one foretold it, no one heard your words.
27 Primus ad Sion dicet: Ecce adsunt, et Jerusalem evangelistam dabo.
I was the first to tell Zion: ‘Look, here they are!’ And I gave to Jerusalem a herald of good news.
28 Et vidi, et non erat neque ex istis quisquam qui iniret consilium, et interrogatus responderet verbum.
When I look, there is no one; there is no counselor among them; when I ask them, they have nothing to say.
29 Ecce omnes injusti, et vana opera eorum; ventus et inane simulacra eorum.
See, they are all a delusion; their works amount to nothing; their images are as empty as the wind.
