Isaiah 40
1 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
“Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God.
2 Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem; and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she hath received of Jehovah’s hand double for all her sins.
“Speak comfortably to Jerusalem [City of peace]; and call out to her that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received of Adonai’s hand double for all her sins.”
3 The voice of one that crieth, Prepare ye in the wilderness the way of Jehovah; make level in the desert a highway for our God.
The voice of one who calls out, “Prepare the way of Adonai in the wilderness! Make a level highway in the desert for our God.
4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the uneven shall be made level, and the rough places a plain:
Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The uneven shall be made level, and the rough places a plain.
5 and the glory of Jehovah shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken it.
Adonai’s kavod ·weighty glory· shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of Adonai has spoken it.”
6 The voice of one saying, Cry. And one said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field.
The voice of one saying, “Cry!” One said, “What shall I cry?” “All flesh is like grass, and all its cheshed ·loving-kindness· is like the flower of the field.
7 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, because the breath of Jehovah bloweth upon it; surely the people is grass.
The grass withers, the flower fades, because Adonai’s breath blows on it. Surely the people are like grass.
8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth; but the word of our God shall stand forever.
The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God stands forever.”
9 O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up on a high mountain; O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold, your God!
You who tell good news to Zion [Mountain ridge, Marking], go up on a high mountain. You who tell good news to Jerusalem [City of peace], lift up your voice with strength. Lift it up. Don’t be afraid. Say to the cities of Judah [Praised], “Behold, your God!”
10 Behold, the Lord Jehovah will come as a mighty one, and his arm will rule for him: Behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.
Behold, the Lord Adonai will come as a mighty one, and his arm will rule for him. Behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.
11 He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arm, and carry them in his bosom, [and] will gently lead those that have their young.
He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will gather the lambs in his arm, and carry them in his bosom. He will gently lead those who have their young.
12 Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and marked off the sky with his span [9 in; 22.86 cm], and calculated the dust of the earth in a measuring basket, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?
13 Who hath directed the Spirit of Jehovah, or being his counsellor hath taught him?
Who has directed Ruach Yahweh [Spirit of He sustains breathing] or has taught him as his counselor?
14 With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed to him the way of understanding?
Who did he take counsel with, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of mishpat ·justice·, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?
15 Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are accounted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.
Behold, the nations are like a drop in a bucket, and are regarded as a speck of dust on a balance. Behold, he lifts up the islands like a very little thing.
16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt-offering.
Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor its animals sufficient for a burnt offering.
17 All the nations are as nothing before him; they are accounted by him as less than nothing, and vanity.
All the nations are like nothing before him. They are regarded by him as less than nothing, and vanity.
18 To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?
To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to him?
19 The image, a workman hath cast [it], and the goldsmith overlayeth it with gold, and casteth [for it] silver chains.
A workman has cast an image, and the goldsmith overlays it with gold, and casts silver chains for it.
20 He that is too impoverished for [such] an oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a skilful workman to set up a graven image, that shall not be moved.
He who is too impoverished for such an offering chooses a tree that will not rot. He seeks a skillful workman to set up an engraved image for him that will not be moved.
21 Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?
Haven’t you known? Haven’t you sh'ma ·heard obeyed·, yet? Haven’t you been told from the beginning? Haven’t you understood from the foundations of the earth?
22 [It is] he that sitteth above the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in;
It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in;
23 that bringeth princes to nothing; that maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.
who brings princes to nothing; who makes the judges of the earth like meaningless.
24 Yea, they have not been planted; yea, they have not been sown; yea, their stock hath not taken root in the earth: moreover he bloweth upon them, and they wither, and the whirlwind taketh them away as stubble.
They are planted scarcely. They are sown scarcely. Their stock has scarcely taken root in the ground. He merely blows on them, and they wither, and the whirlwind takes them away as stubble.
25 To whom then will ye liken me, that I should be equal [to him]? saith the Holy One.
“To whom then will you liken me? Who is my equal?” says the Holy One.
26 Lift up your eyes on high, and see who hath created these, that bringeth out their host by number; he calleth them all by name; by the greatness of his might, and for that he is strong in power, not one is lacking.
Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these, who brings out their army by number. He calls them all by name. By the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power, Not one is lacking.
27 Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from Jehovah, and the justice [due] to me is passed away from my God?
Why do you say, Jacob [Supplanter], and speak, Israel [God prevails], “My way is hidden from Adonai, and the mishpat ·justice· due to me is passed over by my God?”
28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard? The everlasting God, Jehovah, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary; there is no searching of his understanding.
Haven’t you known? Haven’t you sh'ma ·heard obeyed·? The everlasting God, Adonai, The Creator of the ends of the earth, does not faint. He is not weary. His understanding is unsearchable.
29 He giveth power to the faint; and to him that hath no might he increaseth strength.
He gives power to the weak. He increases the strength of him who has no might.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
Even the youths faint and get weary, and the young men utterly fall;
31 but they that wait for Jehovah shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint.
But those who wait for Adonai will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run, and not be weary. They will walk, and not faint.
