Isaiæ 59
1 Ecce non est abbreviata manus Domini ut salvare nequeat, neque aggravata est auris eius ut non exaudiat:
Listen to this! Yahweh’s power [MTY] is not ended/gone, with the result that he cannot save [you]. He has not become deaf [MTY], with the result that he cannot hear [you when you call to him for help].
2 Sed iniquitates vestrae diviserunt inter vos et Deum vestrum, et peccata vestra absconderunt faciem eius a vobis ne exaudiret.
But, you have separated yourselves from your God by the sins that you have committed. Because of your sins, he has turned away from you, with the result that he does not pay attention to what you request him to do.
3 Manus enim vestrae pollutae sunt sanguine, et digiti vestri iniquitate: labia vestra locuta sunt mendacium, et lingua vestra iniquitatem fatur.
You do violent things [MTY] [to others], with the result that your hands are stained with their blood. You [constantly] tell [MTY] lies, and you say [MTY] evil things [about others].
4 Non est qui invocet iustitiam, neque est qui iudicet vere: sed confidunt in nihilo, et loquuntur vanitates: conceperunt laborem, et pepererunt iniquitatem.
When you accuse someone in court, what you say is not fair and it is not true. You accuse people falsely. You are [constantly] planning to cause trouble for others, and then you do those evil things that you planned.
5 Ova aspidum ruperunt, et telas araneae texuerunt: qui comederit de ovis eorum, morietur: et quod confotum est, erumpet in regulum.
What you plan to do to harm people [MET] is as dangerous as the eggs of a (cobra/poisonous snake), because cobras will hatch from those eggs. You trap people like [MET] spiders trap/catch insects in their webs.
6 Telae eorum non erunt in vestimentum, neque operientur operibus suis: opera eorum opera inutilia, et opus iniquitatis in manibus eorum.
We people cannot hide/cover our skin with clothes made of spider webs [MET], and similarly you cannot hide the evil things that you have done. You are [constantly] acting [MTY] violently.
7 Pedes eorum ad malum currunt, et festinant ut effundant sanguinem innocentem, cogitationes eorum cogitationes inutiles: vastitas et contritio in viis eorum.
You [SYN] are very quick to go and do evil things, and you hurry to murder people [MTY] who are innocent. You are [continually] thinking about sinning. Wherever you go, you destroy things and cause people to suffer.
8 Viam pacis nescierunt, et non est iudicium in gressibus eorum. semitae eorum incurvatae sunt eis: omnis qui calcat in eis, ignorat pacem.
You do not know how to act peacefully or to treat others fairly. You always are (dishonest/deceiving others) [MET], and those who imitate your behavior never have any inner peace.
9 Propter hoc elongatum est iudicium a nobis, et non apprehendet vos iustitia: expectavimus lucem, et ecce tenebrae: splendorem, et in tenebris ambulavimus.
Because of that, God does not rescue us [from our enemies]; [it seems that] he is not acting fairly/righteously toward us. We expect [God to give us] light, but all [he gives us] is darkness [DOU].
10 Palpavimus sicut caeci parietem, et quasi absque oculis attrectavimus: impegimus meridie quasi in tenebris, in caliginosis quasi mortui.
We are like [SIM] blind people who have to feel along a wall to be able to walk anywhere. We stumble [and trip] at noontime like [SIM] we would when it is dark. We are like [SIM] dead people who are among healthy people.
11 Rugiemus quasi ursi omnes, et quasi columbae meditantes gememus. expectavimus iudicium, et non est: salutem, et elongata est a nobis.
We growl like [SIM] [hungry] bears; we continually moan like [SIM] doves. We seek [people who do] what is just/fair, but we cannot find any [anywhere]. [We want God] to rescue us, but [it seems that] he is far away.
12 Multiplicatae sunt enim iniquitates nostrae coram te, et peccata nostra responderunt nobis. quia scelera nostra nobiscum, et iniquitates nostras cognovimus,
[But these things are happening] because [it is as though] our sins are piled high in the presence of God, and that they testify [PRS] against us. We cannot deny it; we know that we have done many wrong things.
13 peccare et mentiri contra Dominum: et aversi sumus ne iremus post tergum Dei nostri, ut loqueremur calumniam et transgressionem: concepimus, et locuti sumus de corde verba mendacii.
[We know that] we have rebelled against Yahweh; we have turned away from him. We (oppress people/treat people cruelly) by what we testify [against them]; we do not allow them to get what they have a right to get. We [SYN] think about the lies that we can tell, and then we tell them.
14 Et conversum est retrorsum iudicium, et iustitia longe stetit: quia corruit in platea veritas, et aequitas non potuit ingredi.
[In our courts, the judges] do not decide cases/matters fairly; no one is acting righteously. In plazas where people gather together, no one tells the truth [PRS]; [it seems that people] are not allowed to say what is true.
15 Et facta est veritas in oblivionem: et qui recessit a malo, praedae patuit: et vidit Dominus, et malum apparuit in oculis eius, quia non est iudicium.
No one tells the truth, and people try to ruin [the reputations of] those who quit doing evil. Yahweh looked around, and he saw that no one was doing what is just/fair, and he was [very] displeased.
16 et vidit quia non est vir: et aporiatus est, quia non est qui occurrat: et salvavit sibi brachium suum, et iustitia eius ipsa confirmavit eum.
He was disgusted when he saw that no one tried to help [those who were being treated cruelly]. So he used his own power [MTY] to rescue them; it is because he is always righteous that he did that [PRS].
17 Indutus est iustitia ut lorica, et galea salutis in capite eius: indutus est vestimentis ultionis, et opertus est quasi pallio zeli.
[It is as though he is a soldier who] [MET] puts on his armor and a helmet; his continually doing what is right is like [MET] his armor, and his ability to rescue people is [like] his helmet. His being extremely angry and his being ready to get revenge [on those who do evil] are like [MET] his robes.
18 Sicut ad vindictam quasi ad retributionem indignationis hostibus suis, et vicissitudinem inimicis suis: insulis vicem reddet.
He will repay his enemies for the evil things that they have done. He will severely punish [MTY] even those who live far [from Jerusalem].
19 Et timebunt qui ab Occidente, nomen Domini: et qui ab ortu solis, gloriam eius: cum venerit quasi fluvius violentus, quem spiritus Domini cogit:
When that happens, people everywhere, from the east to the west, will respect and honor Yahweh [MTY], because he will come like [SIM] a rushing river that is pushed along by the strong wind that Yahweh sent.
20 et venerit Sion redemptor, et eis, qui redeunt ab iniquitate in Iacob, dicit Dominus.
And Yahweh says that he will come to Jerusalem to free [his people]; he will come to rescue those in Judah who have quit (doing sinful things/their sinful behavior).
21 Hoc foedus meum cum eis, dicit Dominus: Spiritus meus, qui est in te, et verba mea, quae posui in ore tuo, non recedent de ore tuo, et de ore seminis tui, et de ore seminis seminis tui, dicit Dominus, amodo et usque in sempiternum.
This is what Yahweh says to his people: “This is the agreement that I will make with you: My Spirit will not leave you, and you will always have my message. You will [be able to] declare it [MTY], and your children and grandchildren will [be able to] declare it forever.”
