Isaiah 35

1 The wilderness and dry land will celebrate; the desert will blossom like the crocus.

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad thereat; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the lily.

2 Bloom profusely, celebrate and sing! The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God.

It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice, yea, with joy and singing; the glory of the Lebanon shall be given unto it, the elegance of Carmel and Sharon; they indeed shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God.

3 Make the weak hands strong, and make the trembling knees firm!

Strengthen ye weak hands, and stumbling knees make ye firm.

4 Tell those who are frightened, “Be strong! Don't be afraid! Look, your God is coming to punish his enemies, with divine retribution he will come to save you.”

Say to the timid of heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God, [with] vengeance will he come, with God's recompense; it is he who will come and save you.

5 When that happens, the blind will see, and the deaf will hear.

Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.

6 The lame will jump like a deer, and the dumb will sing for joy. Springs will gush in the wilderness; streams will flow in the desert.

Then shall the lame leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing; for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and brooks in the desert.

7 The dried-up ground will become like a pool, the arid land like water springs. In the place where jackals used to live, there will be grass and reeds and rushes.

And the sandy waste shall be changed into a pool, and the thirsty land into springs of water: in the habitation of monsters, where each one used to lie, shall be a court for reeds and rushes.

8 There will be a highway there, a road called “The Way of Holiness.” Nobody bad will travel on it, only those who follow the Way. Fools will not go there.

And there shall be a highway and a way, and The holy way, shall it be called; no unclean one shall pass over it; but it shall be [only] theirs; the wayfaring man, and those unacquainted [therewith], shall not go astray.

9 No lions or other dangerous animals will be found there on the road—only the redeemed will walk along it.

No lion shall be there, and no ravenous beast shall go up thereon, shall not be found there; but there shall walk the redeemed:

10 Those the Lord has set free will return, singing as they enter Jerusalem, wearing crowns of everlasting joy. They are overcome with thankfulness and happiness; sorrow and sadness simply disappear.

And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with song, with everlasting joy upon their head; gladness and joy shall they obtain, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.