Isaiæ 40
1 consolamini consolamini populus meus dicit Deus vester
“Comfort, yes comfort my people!” says your God.
2 loquimini ad cor Hierusalem et avocate eam quoniam conpleta est malitia eius dimissa est iniquitas illius suscepit de manu Domini duplicia pro omnibus peccatis suis
“Speak lovingly to the people of Jerusalem, telling them that their hard times are over, that their sins have been forgiven, and that the Lord has paid them twice over for their sins.”
3 vox clamantis in deserto parate viam Domini rectas facite in solitudine semitas Dei nostri
A voice is heard calling, “Prepare the way for the Lord in the wilderness, make a straight highway for our God through the desert.
4 omnis vallis exaltabitur et omnis mons et collis humiliabitur et erunt prava in directa et aspera in vias planas
Fill in all the valleys; level all the mountains and hills; smooth out the uneven ground; make the rough places flat.
5 et revelabitur gloria Domini et videbit omnis caro pariter quod os Domini locutum est
The Lord's glory will be revealed, and everyone will see it together. This is what the Lord has declared.”
6 vox dicentis clama et dixi quid clamabo omnis caro faenum et omnis gloria eius quasi flos agri
A voice is heard saying, “Shout it out.” I asked, “What shall I shout?” “All human beings are like grass, and all their trustworthiness is like the flowers of the field.
7 exsiccatum est faenum et cecidit flos quia spiritus Domini sufflavit in eo vere faenum est populus
The grass wilts and the flower fades when the Lord's breathes on them. Yes, the people are grass!
8 exsiccatum est faenum cecidit flos verbum autem Dei nostri stabit in aeternum
However, even though the grass wilts and the flower fades, the word of our God will endure forever.”
9 super montem excelsum ascende tu quae evangelizas Sion exalta in fortitudine vocem tuam quae evangelizas Hierusalem exalta noli timere dic civitatibus Iudae ecce Deus vester
Zion, bringer of good news, go up a high mountain. Jerusalem, bringer of good news, raise your voice and shout out loud. Don't be afraid to shout really loud! Tell the towns of Judah, “Here is your God!”
10 ecce Dominus Deus in fortitudine veniet et brachium eius dominabitur ecce merces eius cum eo et opus illius coram eo
Look! The Lord God is coming with power! He will rule with a firm hand. Look! He's bringing his reward with him, coming to give his gift.
11 sicut pastor gregem suum pascet in brachio suo congregabit agnos et in sinu suo levabit fetas ipse portabit
He looks after his flock like a shepherd. He picks up the lambs in his arms and holds them close to his chest. He leads those that are nursing young.
12 quis mensus est pugillo aquas et caelos palmo ponderavit quis adpendit tribus digitis molem terrae et libravit in pondere montes et colles in statera
Who has measured the waters he holds in the palm of his hand? Who has marked off the heavens with the span of his hand? Who has worked out the amount of dust of the earth? Who has weighed the mountains on a scale and the hills with a balance?
13 quis adiuvit spiritum Domini aut quis consiliarius eius fuit et ostendit illi
Who has measured the Spirit of the Lord, or taught him what to do as his counselor?
14 cum quo iniit consilium et instruxit eum et docuit eum semitam iustitiae et erudivit eum scientiam et viam prudentiae ostendit illi
Who did the Lord go to for advice to help him understand? Who taught him right from wrong? Who gave him knowledge and showed him the way of wisdom?
15 ecce gentes quasi stilla situlae et quasi momentum staterae reputatae sunt ecce insulae quasi pulvis exiguus
It's obvious that the nations are just a drop in a bucket. They're like dust on a set of scales. He can pick up islands as if they weigh next to nothing.
16 et Libanus non sufficiet ad succendendum et animalia eius non sufficient ad holocaustum
All the wood in Lebanon for a fire and all its animals as a sacrifice wouldn't be enough a burnt offering.
17 omnes gentes quasi non sint sic sunt coram eo et quasi nihilum et inane reputatae sunt ei
To him all the nations are like nothing. He counts them as less than nothing—like they don't exist.
18 cui ergo similem fecistis Deum aut quam imaginem ponetis ei
Who do you think is like God? What image do you think he looks like?
19 numquid sculptile conflavit faber aut aurifex auro figuravit illud et lamminis argenteis argentarius
Is he a metal idol that a craftsman casts in a mold, and then a goldsmith overlays it with gold and makes silver chains for it?
20 forte lignum et inputribile elegit artifex sapiens quaerit quomodo statuat simulacrum quod non moveatur
Those who are too poor to pay for that choose wood that won't rot, then they look for a skilled wood-carver to make an idol that won't fall over.
21 numquid non scietis numquid non audietis numquid non adnuntiatum est ab initio vobis numquid non intellexistis fundamenta terrae
Don't you know? Haven't you heard? Hasn't it been explained to you from the very beginning? Haven't you understood from the time the world was created?
22 qui sedet super gyrum terrae et habitatores eius sunt quasi lucustae qui extendit velut nihilum caelos et expandit eos sicut tabernaculum ad inhabitandum
God sits on his throne above the horizon of the earth; the people that live there are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a curtain, spreading them out like a tent to live in.
23 qui dat secretorum scrutatores quasi non sint iudices terrae velut inane fecit
He brings leaders down; he makes the rulers of the world like nothing.
24 et quidem neque plantatos neque satos neque radicato in terra trunco eorum repente flavit in eos et aruerunt et turbo quasi stipulam auferet eos
In fact they are hardly even planted, hardly even sown, hardly even taken root, when he blows on them and they wither, and the wind carries them away like straw.
25 et cui adsimilastis me et adaequastis dicit Sanctus
“Who are you going to compare me with? Who is equal to me?” asks the Holy One.
26 levate in excelsum oculos vestros et videte quis creavit haec qui educit in numero militiam eorum et omnes ex nomine vocat prae multitudine fortitudinis et roboris virtutisque eius neque unum reliquum fuit
Look at the heavens. Who created all this? He leads the stars like an army, and calls each one by name. Because he has great power and incredible strength, not a single one of them is missing.
27 quare dicis Iacob et loqueris Israhel abscondita est via mea a Domino et a Deo meo iudicium meum transibit
Why do you speak like this, Jacob, and why do you say, Israel, “The Lord doesn't see what's happening to me, and he's ignoring my rights!”
28 numquid nescis aut non audisti Deus sempiternus Dominus qui creavit terminos terrae non deficiet neque laborabit nec est investigatio sapientiae eius
Don't you know? Haven't you heard? The Lord is the eternal God, the Creator of the whole earth. He's never weak or tired; you can't find out all he knows.
29 qui dat lasso virtutem et his qui non sunt fortitudinem et robur multiplicat
He gives strength to the weary and power the powerless.
30 deficient pueri et laborabunt et iuvenes in infirmitate cadent
Even young people grow weak and tired—they fall down when they're exhausted.
31 qui autem sperant in Domino mutabunt fortitudinem adsument pinnas sicut aquilae current et non laborabunt ambulabunt et non deficient
But those who trust in the Lord will have their strength renewed. They will fly high with wings like eagles. They will run and not be tired. They will walk and not be worn out.
