Isaiæ 44
1 Et nunc audi Iacob serve meus, et Israel quem elegi:
Yet now hear, O Jacob My servant, and Israel, whom I have chosen;
2 Haec dicit Dominus faciens et formans te, ab utero auxiliator tuus: noli timere serve meus Iacob, et rectissime, quem elegi.
Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, who will help thee: Fear not, O Jacob My servant, and thou, 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 upon the thirsty land, and streams upon the dry ground; I will pour My spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thine offspring;
4 Et germinabunt inter herbas quasi salices iuxta praeterfluentes aquas.
And they shall spring up among the grass, as willows by the watercourses.
5 Iste dicet: Domini ego sum: et ille vocabit in nomine Iacob, et hic scribet manu sua: Domino: et in nomine Israel assimilabitur.
One shall say: 'I am the LORD'S'; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel.
6 Haec dicit Dominus rex Israel, et redemptor eius Dominus exercituum: Ego primus, et ego novissimus, et absque me non est Deus.
Thus saith the LORD, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer the LORD of hosts: I am the first, and I am the last, and beside Me there is no God.
7 Quis similis mei? vocet, et annunciet: et ordinem exponat mihi, ex quo constitui populum antiquum: ventura et quae futura sunt annuncient eis.
And who, as I, can proclaim — let him declare it, and set it in order for Me — since I appointed the ancient people? And the things that are coming, and that shall come to pass, let them declare.
8 Nolite timere, neque conturbemini: ex tunc audire te feci, et annunciavi: vos estis testes mei. numquid est Deus absque me, et formator, quem ego non noverim?
Fear ye not, neither be afraid; have I not announced unto thee of old, and declared it? And ye are My witnesses. Is there a God beside Me? Yea, there is no Rock; I know not any.
9 Plastae idoli omnes nihil sunt, et amantissima eorum non proderunt eis. ipsi sunt testes eorum, quia non vident, neque intelligunt, ut confundantur.
They that fashion a graven image are all of them vanity, and their delectable things shall not profit; and their own witnesses see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.
10 Quis formavit Deum, et sculptile conflavit ad nihil utile?
Who hath fashioned a god, or molten an image that is profitable for nothing?
11 Ecce omnes participes eius confundentur: fabri enim sunt ex hominibus: convenient omnes, stabunt et pavebunt, et confundentur simul.
Behold, all the fellows thereof shall be ashamed; and the craftsmen skilled above men; let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; they shall fear, they shall be ashamed together.
12 Faber ferrarius lima operatus est: in prunis, et in malleis formavit illud, et operatus est in brachio fortitudinis suae: esuriet et deficiet, non bibet aquam, et lassescet.
The smith maketh an axe, and worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with his strong arm; yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth; he drinketh no water, and is faint.
13 Artifex lignarius extendit normam, formavit illud in runcina: fecit illud in angularibus, et circino tornavit illud: et fecit imaginem viri quasi speciosum hominem habitantem in domo.
The carpenter stretcheth out a line; he marketh it out with a pencil; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compasses, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man, to dwell in the house.
14 Succidit cedros, tulit ilicem, et quercum, quae steterat inter ligna saltus: plantavit pinum, quam pluvia nutrivit.
He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the ilex and the oak, and strengtheneth for himself one among the trees of the forest; he planteth a bay-tree, and the rain doth nourish 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 a man useth it for fuel; and he taketh thereof, and warmeth himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.
16 Medium eius combussit igni, et de medio eius carnes comedit: coxit pulmentum, et saturatus est, et calefactus est, et dixit: Vah, calefactus sum, vidi focum.
He burneth the half thereof in the fire; with the half thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied; yea, he warmeth himself, and saith: 'Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire';
17 Reliquum autem eius deum fecit et sculptile sibi: curvatur ante illud, et adorat illud, et obsecrat, dicens: Libera me, quia Deus meus es tu.
And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image; he falleth down unto it and worshippeth, and prayeth unto it, and saith: 'Deliver me, for thou art my god.'
18 Nescierunt, neque intellexerunt: obliti enim sunt ne videant oculi eorum, et ne intelligant corde suo.
They know not, neither do they understand; for their eyes are bedaubed, that they cannot see, and their hearts, that they cannot understand.
19 Non recogitant in mente sua, neque cognoscunt, neque sentiunt, ut dicant: Medietatem eius combussi igni, et coxi super carbones eius panes: coxi carnes et comedi, et de reliquo eius idolum faciam? ante truncum ligni procidam?
And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say: 'I have burned the half of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh and eaten it; and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? Shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?'
20 Pars eius cinis est: cor insipiens adoravit illud, et non liberabit animam suam, neque dicet: Forte mendacium est in dextera mea.
He striveth after ashes, a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say: 'Is there not a lie in my right hand?'
21 Memento horum Iacob, et Israel, quoniam servus meus es tu. formavi te, servus meus es tu Israel, ne obliviscaris mei.
Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for thou art My servant; I have formed thee, thou art Mine own servant; O Israel, thou shouldest not forget 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, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins; return unto Me, for I have redeemed thee.
23 Laudate caeli, quoniam misericordiam fecit Dominus: iubilate extrema terrae, resonate montes laudationem, saltus et omne lignum eius: quoniam redemit Dominus Iacob, et Israel gloriabitur.
Sing, O ye heavens, for the LORD hath done it; shout, ye lowest parts of the earth; break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein; for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and doth glorify Himself in Israel.
24 Haec dicit Dominus redemptor tuus, et formator tuus ex utero: Ego sum Dominus, faciens omnia, extendens caelos solus, stabiliens terram, et nullus mecum.
Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, and He that formed thee from the womb: I am the LORD, that maketh all things; that stretched forth the heavens alone; that spread abroad the earth by Myself;
25 Irrita faciens signa divinorum, et ariolos in furorem vertens. Convertens sapientes retrorsum: et scientiam eorum stultam faciens.
That frustrateth the tokens of the imposters, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;
26 Suscitans verbum servi sui, et consilium nunciorum suorum complens. Qui dico Ierusalem: Habitaberis; et civitatibus Iuda: Aedificabimini, et deserta eius suscitabo.
That confirmeth the word of His servant, and performeth the counsel of His messengers; that saith of Jerusalem: 'She shall be inhabited'; and of the cities of Judah: 'They shall be built, and I will raise up the waste places thereof';
27 Qui dico profundo: Desolare, et flumina tua arefaciam.
That saith to the deep: 'Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers';
28 Qui dico Cyro: Pastor meus es, et omnem voluntatem meam complebis. Qui dico Ierusalem: Aedificaberis; et templo: Fundaberis.
That saith of Cyrus: 'He is My shepherd, and shall perform all My pleasure'; even saying of Jerusalem: 'She shall be built'; and to the temple: 'My foundation shall be laid.'
