Isaiæ 49
1 Audite, insulæ, et attendite, populi de longe: Dominus ab utero vocavit me; de ventre matris meæ recordatus est nominis mei.
Pay attention, you islands, and listen closely, you far away peoples. The Lord has called me from the womb; from the womb of my mother, he has been mindful of my name.
2 Et posuit os meum quasi gladium acutum, in umbra manus suæ protexit me, et posuit me sicut sagittam electam: in pharetra sua abscondit me.
And he has appointed my mouth as a sharp sword. In the shadow of his hand, he has protected me. And he has appointed me as an elect arrow. In his quiver, he has hidden me.
3 Et dixit mihi: Servus meus es tu Israël, quia in te gloriabor.
And he has said to me: “You are my servant, Israel. For in you, I will glory.”
4 Et ego dixi: In vacuum laboravi; sine causa et vane fortitudinem meam consumpsi: ergo judicium meum cum Domino, et opus meum cum Deo meo.
And I said: “I have labored toward emptiness. I have consumed my strength without purpose and in vain. Therefore, my judgment is with the Lord, and my work is with my God.”
5 Et nunc dicit Dominus, formans me ex utero servum sibi, ut reducam Jacob ad eum, et Israël non congregabitur; et glorificatus sum in oculis Domini, et Deus meus factus est fortitudo mea.
And now, says the Lord, who formed me from the womb as his servant, so that I may bring back Jacob to him, for Israel will not be gathered together, but I have been glorified in the eyes of the Lord and my God has become my strength,
6 Et dixit: Parum est ut sis mihi servus ad suscitandas tribus Jacob, et fæces Israël convertendas: ecce dedi te in lucem gentium, ut sis salus mea usque ad extremum terræ.
and so he has said: “It is a small thing that you should be my servant so as to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and so as to convert the dregs of Israel. Behold, I have offered you as a light for the Gentiles, so that you may be my salvation, even to the furthest regions of the earth.”
7 Hæc dicit Dominus, redemptor Israël, Sanctus ejus, ad contemptibilem animam, ad abominatam gentem, ad servum dominorum: Reges videbunt, et consurgent principes, et adorabunt propter Dominum, quia fidelis est, et Sanctum Israël qui elegit te.
Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, his Holy One, to a contemptible soul, to an abominable nation, to the servant of lords: The kings will see, and the princes will rise up, and they will adore, because of the Lord. For he is faithful, and he is the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.
8 Hæc dicit Dominus: In tempore placito exaudivi te, et in die salutis auxiliatus sum tui: et servavi te, et dedi te in fœdus populi, ut suscitares terram, et possideres hæreditates dissipatas;
Thus says the Lord: In a pleasing time, I have heeded you, and in the day of salvation, I have assisted you. And I have preserved you, and I have presented you as a covenant of the people, so that you would lift up the earth, and possess the scattered inheritances,
9 ut diceres his qui vincti sunt: Exite, et his qui in tenebris: Revelamini. Super vias pascentur, et in omnibus planis pascua eorum.
so that you would say to those who are bound, “Go forth!” and to those who are in darkness, “Be released!” They will pasture along the roads, and their pastures will be in every open place.
10 Non esurient neque sitient, et non percutiet eos æstus et sol, quia miserator eorum reget eos, et ad fontes aquarum potabit eos.
They will not hunger or thirst, nor will the heat of the sun beat down upon them. For the one who takes pity on them will rule them, and he will give them to drink from fountains of waters.
11 Et ponam omnes montes meos in viam, et semitæ meæ exaltabuntur.
And I will make all my mountains into a road, and my paths will be exalted.
12 Ecce isti de longe venient, et ecce illi ab aquilone et mari, et isti de terra australi.
Behold, some will come from far away, and behold, others from the north and from the sea, and still others from the land of the south.
13 Laudate, cæli, et exsulta, terra; jubilate, montes, laudem, quia consolatus est Dominus populum suum, et pauperum suorum miserebitur.
Give praise, O heavens! And exult, O earth! Let the mountains give praise with jubilation! For the Lord has consoled his people, and he will take pity on his poor ones.
14 Et dixit Sion: Dereliquit me Dominus, et Dominus oblitus est mei.
And Zion said: “The Lord has abandoned me, and the Lord has forgotten me.”
15 Numquid oblivisci potest mulier infantem suum, ut non misereatur filio uteri sui? Etsi illa oblita fuerit, ego tamen non obliviscar tui.
Can a woman forget her infant, so as not to take pity on the child of her womb? But even if she would forget, still I shall never forget you.
16 Ecce in manibus meis descripsi te; muri tui coram oculis meis semper.
Behold, I have engraved you on my hands. Your walls are always before my eyes.
17 Venerunt structores tui; destruentes te et dissipantes a te exibunt.
Your builders have arrived. Those who would tear you down and destroy you, they will depart from you.
18 Leva in circuitu oculos tuos, et vide: omnes isti congregati sunt, venerunt tibi. Vivo ego, dicit Dominus, quia omnibus his velut ornamento vestieris, et circumdabis tibi eos quasi sponsa;
Lift up your eyes all around, and see: all these have been gathered together; they have come to you. As I live, says the Lord, you shall be clothed with all these things, as if with an ornament. And like a bride, you shall wrap these things all around you.
19 quia deserta tua, et solitudines tuæ, et terra ruinæ tuæ, nunc angusta erunt præ habitatoribus; et longe fugabuntur qui absorbebant te.
For your deserts, and your solitary places, and the land of your ruination will now be too narrow, because of all the inhabitants. And those who devoured you will be chased far away.
20 Adhuc dicent in auribus tuis filii sterilitatis tuæ: Angustus est mihi locus; fac spatium mihi ut habitem.
Even the children of your barrenness will say in your ears: “This place is too narrow for me. Make me a spacious place in which to dwell.”
21 Et dices in corde tuo: Quis genuit mihi istos? ego sterilis et non pariens, transmigrata, et captiva; et istos quis enutrivit? ego destituta et sola; et isti ubi erant?
And you will say in your heart: “Who has conceived them? I was barren and unable to give birth. I was taken away and held captive. And so, who has raised them? I was destitute and alone. And so, where have they been?”
22 Hæc dicit Dominus Deus: Ecce levabo ad gentes manum meam, et ad populos exaltabo signum meum: et afferent filios tuos in ulnis, et filias tuas super humeros portabunt.
Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles, and I will exalt my sign before the peoples. And they will carry your sons in their arms, and they will bear your daughters on their shoulders.
23 Et erunt reges nutritii tui, et reginæ nutrices tuæ; vultu in terram demisso adorabunt te, et pulverem pedum tuorum lingent. Et scies quia ego Dominus, super quo non confundentur qui exspectant eum.
And kings will be your caretakers, and queens will be your nursemaids. They will reverence you with their face to the ground, and they will lick the dust at your feet. And you will know that I am the Lord. For those who hope in him will not be confounded.
24 Numquid tolletur a forti præda? aut quod captum fuerit a robusto, salvum esse poterit?
Can prey be taken from the strong? Or is anything taken captive by the powerful able to be saved?
25 Quia hæc dicit Dominus: Equidem, et captivitas a forti tolletur, et quod ablatum fuerit a robusto, salvabitur. Eos vero qui judicaverunt te, ego judicabo, et filios tuos ego salvabo.
For thus says the Lord: Certainly, even the captives will be taken away from the strong, even what has been taken by the powerful will be saved. And truly, I will judge those who have judged you, and I will save your children.
26 Et cibabo hostes tuos carnibus suis, et quasi musto, sanguine suo inebriabuntur, et sciet omnis caro quia ego Dominus salvans te, et redemptor tuus fortis Jacob.
And I will feed your enemies their own flesh. And they will be inebriated with their own blood, as with new wine. And all flesh will know that I am the Lord, who saves you, and your Redeemer, the Strong One of Jacob.
