Isaiæ 59
1 ecce non est adbreviata manus Domini ut salvare nequeat neque adgravata est auris eius ut non exaudiat
Behold, the hand of the Lord has not been shortened, so that it cannot save, and his ear has not been blocked, so that it cannot hear.
2 sed iniquitates vestrae diviserunt inter vos et Deum vestrum et peccata vestra absconderunt faciem eius a vobis ne exaudiret
But your iniquities have made a division between you and your God, and your sins have concealed his face from you, so that he would not hear.
3 manus enim vestrae pollutae sunt sanguine et digiti vestri iniquitate labia vestra locuta sunt mendacium et lingua vestra iniquitatem fatur
For your hands have been polluted by blood, and your fingers by iniquity. Your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue utters iniquity.
4 non est qui invocet iustitiam neque est qui iudicet vere sed confidunt in nihili et loquuntur vanitates conceperunt laborem et pepererunt iniquitatem
There is no one who calls for justice, and there is no one who judges truly. For they trust in nothing, and they speak emptiness. They have conceived hardship, and they have given birth to iniquity.
5 ova aspidum ruperunt et telas araneae texuerunt qui comederit de ovis eorum morietur et quod confotum est erumpet in regulum
They have ruptured the eggs of asps, and they have woven the webs of spiders. Whoever will eat of their eggs will die. For what has been incubated will hatch into a king snake.
6 telae eorum non erunt in vestimentum neque operientur operibus suis opera eorum opera inutilia et opus iniquitatis in manibus eorum
Their weavings will not be for clothing, nor will they cover themselves with their handiwork. Their works are useless things, and the work of iniquity is in their hands.
7 pedes eorum ad malum currunt et festinant ut effundant sanguinem innocentem cogitationes eorum cogitationes inutiles vastitas et contritio in viis eorum
Their feet run to evil, and they rush to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are useless thoughts; devastation and destruction are in their ways.
8 viam pacis nescierunt et non est iudicium in gressibus eorum semitae eorum incurvatae sunt eis omnis qui calcat in ea ignorat pacem
They have not known the way of peace, and there is no judgment in their steps. Their paths have become crooked for them. Anyone who treads in them knows no peace.
9 propter hoc elongatum est iudicium a nobis et non adprehendet nos iustitia expectavimus lucem et ecce tenebrae splendorem et in tenebris ambulavimus
Because of this, judgment is far from us, and justice will not take hold of us. We waited for light, and behold, darkness; we waited for brightness, and we walked in darkness.
10 palpavimus sicut caeci parietem et quasi absque oculis adtrectavimus inpegimus meridie quasi in tenebris in caligosis quasi mortui
We groped for the wall, like one who is blind, and we felt our way, like one without eyes. We stumbled at midday, as if in darkness; and in darkness, as if in death.
11 rugiemus quasi ursi omnes et quasi columbae meditantes gememus expectavimus iudicium et non est salutem et elongata est a nobis
We will all roar like bears, and we will sigh like despondent doves. We hoped for judgment, and there is none; for salvation, and it is far from us.
12 multiplicatae sunt enim iniquitates nostrae coram te et peccata nostra responderunt nobis quia scelera nostra nobiscum et iniquitates nostras cognovimus
For our iniquities have been multiplied in your sight, and our sins have answered us. For our wickedness is with us, and we have acknowledged our iniquities:
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
sinning and lying against the Lord. And we have turned away, not so as to go after our God, and so that we were speaking calumny and transgression. We have conceived, and spoken from the heart, words of falsehood.
14 et conversum est retrorsum iudicium et iustitia longe stetit quia corruit in platea veritas et aequitas non potuit ingredi
And judgment has been turned backwards, and justice has stood far away. For truth has fallen down in the street, and fairness was not able to enter.
15 et facta est veritas in oblivione et qui recessit a malo praedae patuit et vidit Dominus et malum apparuit in oculis eius quia non est iudicium
And the truth has gone into oblivion. And he who withdraws from evil endures plunder. And the Lord saw this, and it seemed evil in his eyes. For there is no judgment.
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
And he saw that there was no good man. And he was astonished that there was no one to meet him. And his own arm brought salvation to him, and his own justice strengthened him.
17 indutus est iustitia ut lorica et galea salutis in capite eius indutus est vestimentis ultionis et opertus est quasi pallio zeli
He clothed himself with justice as with a breastplate, and with a helmet of salvation upon his head. He put on the vestments of vengeance, and he was covered with zeal as with a cloak.
18 sicut ad vindictam quasi ad retributionem indignationis hostibus suis et vicissitudinem inimicis suis insulis vicem reddet
This was for vindication, as a repayment of indignation to his adversaries, and as a sudden reversal for his enemies. He will repay the islands in their turn.
19 et timebunt qui ab occidente nomen Domini et qui ab ortu solis gloriam eius cum venerit quasi fluvius violentus quem spiritus Domini cogit
And those from the west will fear the name of the Lord, and those from the rising of the sun will fear his glory, when he arrives like a violent river, which the Spirit of the Lord urges on.
20 et venerit Sion redemptor et eis qui redeunt ab iniquitate in Iacob dicit Dominus
And the Redeemer will arrive in Zion, and to those who return from the iniquity within Jacob, says the Lord.
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 dixit Dominus amodo et usque in sempiternum
This is my pact with them, says the Lord. My Spirit is within you, and my words, which I have put in your mouth, will not withdraw from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your offspring, nor from the mouth of your offspring’s offspring, says the Lord, from this moment, and even forever.
