Isaiæ 41
1 Taceant ad me insulæ, et gentes mutent fortitudinem: accedant, et tunc loquantur; simul ad judicium propinquemus.
“Keep silent before me, islands, and let the peoples renew their strength. Let them come near, then let them speak. Let’s meet together for judgement.
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 raised up one from the east? Who called him to his feet in righteousness? He hands over nations to him and makes him rule over kings. He gives them like the dust to his sword, like the driven stubble to his bow.
3 Persequetur eos, transibit in pace: semita in pedibus ejus non apparebit.
He pursues them and passes by safely, even by a way that he had not gone with his feet.
4 Quis hæc operatus est, et fecit, vocans generationes ab exordio? Ego Dominus: primus et novissimus ego sum.
Who has worked and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD, the first, and with the last, I am he.”
5 Viderunt insulæ, et timuerunt; extrema terræ obstupuerunt: appropinquaverunt, et accesserunt.
The islands have seen, and fear. The ends of the earth tremble. They approach, and come.
6 Unusquisque proximo suo auxiliabitur, et fratri suo dicet: Confortare.
Everyone helps his neighbour. They say to their brothers, “Be strong!”
7 Confortavit faber ærarius percutiens malleo eum, qui cudebat tunc temporis, dicens: Glutino bonum est; et confortavit eum clavis, ut non moveretur.
So the carpenter encourages the goldsmith. He who smooths with the hammer encourages him who strikes the anvil, saying of the soldering, “It is good;” and he fastens it with nails, that it might not totter.
8 Et tu, Israël, serve meus, Jacob quem elegi, semen Abraham amici mei:
“But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the offspring 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.
you whom I have taken hold of from the ends of the earth, and called from its corners, and said to you, ‘You are my servant. I have chosen you and have not cast you away.’
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.
Don’t you be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.
11 Ecce confundentur et erubescent omnes qui pugnant adversum te; erunt quasi non sint, et peribunt viri qui contradicunt tibi.
Behold, all those who are incensed against you will be disappointed and confounded. Those who strive with you will be like nothing, and shall 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, and won’t find them, even those who contend with you. Those who war against you will be as nothing, as a nonexistent thing.
13 Quia ego Dominus Deus tuus, apprehendens manum tuam, dicensque tibi: Ne timeas: ego adjuvi te.
For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. 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.
Don’t be afraid, you worm Jacob, and you men of Israel. I will help you,” says 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 have made you into a new sharp threshing instrument with teeth. You will thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and will make the hills like 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 the wind will carry them away, and the whirlwind will scatter them. 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, and there is none. Their tongue fails for 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 bare heights, and springs in the middle of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.
19 Dabo in solitudinem cedrum, et spinam, et myrtum, et lignum olivæ; ponam in deserto abietem, ulmum, et buxum simul:
I will put cedar, acacia, myrtle, and oil trees in the wilderness. I will set cypress trees, pine, and box trees together in the desert;
20 ut videant, et sciant, et recogitent, et intelligant pariter, quia manus Domini fecit hoc, et Sanctus Israël creavit illud.
that they may see, know, consider, and understand together, that the LORD’s hand 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.
Produce your cause,” says the LORD. “Bring out your strong reasons!” 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 announce and declare to us what will happen! Declare the former things, what they are, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or show us things to come.
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.
Declare the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods. Yes, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and see it together.
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 nothing. He who chooses you is an abomination.
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, from the rising of the sun, one who calls on my name, and he shall come on rulers as on mortar, and as the potter treads 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 it from the beginning, that we may know? and before, that we may say, ‘He is right’? Surely, there is no one who declares. Surely, there is no one who shows. Surely, there is no one who hears your words.
27 Primus ad Sion dicet: Ecce adsunt, et Jerusalem evangelistam dabo.
I am the first to say to Zion, ‘Behold, look at them;’ and I will give one who brings good news to Jerusalem.
28 Et vidi, et non erat neque ex istis quisquam qui iniret consilium, et interrogatus responderet verbum.
When I look, there is no man, even amongst them there is no counsellor who, when I ask, can answer a word.
29 Ecce omnes injusti, et vana opera eorum; ventus et inane simulacra eorum.
Behold, all of their deeds are vanity and nothing. Their molten images are wind and confusion.
