Isaiah 50

1 This is what Yahweh says, “Where is the certificate of divorce with which I divorced your mother? To which of my creditors did I sell you? Look, you were sold because of your sins, and because of your rebellion, your mother was sent away.

Thus saith the Lord, Of what kind is your mother's bill of divorcement, by which I put her away? or to which debtor have I sold you? Behold, ye are sold for your sins, and for your iniquities have I put your mother away.

2 Why did I come but there was no one there? Why did I call but no one answered? Was my hand too short to ransom you? Was there no power in me to rescue you? Look, at my rebuke I dry up the sea; I make the rivers a desert; their fish die for lack of water and rot.

Why did I come, and there was no man? [why] did I call, and there was none to hearken? Is not my hand strong to redeem? or can I not deliver? behold, by my rebuke I will dry up the sea, and make rivers a wilderness; and their fish shall be dried up because there is no water, and shall die for thirst.

3 I clothe the sky with darkness; I cover it with sackcloth.”

I will clothe the sky with darkness, and will make its covering as sackcloth.

4 The Lord Yahweh has given me a tongue as one of those who are taught, so that I speak a sustaining word to the weary one; he wakes me morning by morning; he awakens my ear to hear like those who are taught.

The Lord [even] God gives me the tongue of instruction, to know when it is fit to speak a word: he has appointed for me early, he has given me an ear to hear:

5 The Lord Yahweh has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, nor did I turn away backward.

and the instruction of the Lord, even the Lord, opens mine ears, and I do not disobey, nor dispute.

6 I gave my back to those who beat me, and my cheeks to those who plucked out my beard; I did not hide my face from acts of shame and spitting.

I gave my back to scourges, and my cheeks to blows; and I turned not away my face from the shame of spitting:

7 For the Lord Yahweh will help me; therefore I am not disgraced; so I have made my face like flint, for I know that I will not be put to shame.

but the Lord God became my helper; therefore I was not ashamed, but I set my face as a solid rock; and I know that I shall never be ashamed,

8 He who will justify me is close by. Who will oppose me? Let us stand and confront one another. Who is my accuser? Let him come near to me.

for he that has justified me draws near; who is he that pleads with me? let him stand up against me at the same time: yea, who is he that pleads with me? let him draw nigh to me.

9 See, the Lord Yahweh will help me. Who will declare me guilty? See, they will all wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up.

Behold, the Lord, the Lord, will help me; who will hurt me? behold, all ye shall wax old as a garment, and a moth shall devour you.

10 Who among you fears Yahweh? Who obeys the voice of his servant? Who walks in deep darkness without light? He should trust in the name of Yahweh and lean on his God.

Who is among you that fears the Lord? let him hearken to the voice of his servant: ye that walk in darkness, and have no light, trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon God.

11 Look, all you who light fires, who equip yourselves with torches: walk in the light of your fire and in the flames that you have ignited. This is what you have received from me: You will lie down in a place of pain.

Behold, ye all kindle a fire, and feed a flame: walk in the light of your fire, and in the flame which ye have kindled. This has happened to you for my sake; ye shall lie down in sorrow.