Esias 43

1 And now thus saith the Lord God that made thee, O Jacob, and formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee [by] thy name; thou art mine.

But now thus says YHWH who created you, Jacob, and he who formed you, Israel: "Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by your name. You are mine.

2 And if thou pass through water, I am with thee; and the rivers shall not overflow thee: and if thou go through fire, thou shalt not be burned; the flame shall not burn thee.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, and the flame will not scorch you.

3 For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, that saves thee: I have made Egypt and Ethiopia thy ransom, and [given] Soene for thee.

For I am YHWH your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I have given Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place.

4 Since thou becamest precious in my sight, thou hast become glorious, and I have loved thee: and I will give men for thee, and princes for thy life.

Since you have been precious and honored in my sight, and I have loved you; therefore I will give people in your place, and nations instead of your life.

5 Fear not; for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and will gather thee from the west.

Do not be afraid; for I am with you. I will bring your descendants from the east, and gather you from the west.

6 I will say to the north, Bring; and to the south, Keep not back; bring my sons from the [land] afar off, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;

I will tell the north, 'Give them up.' and tell the south, 'Do not hold them back. Bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the farthest parts of the earth?

7 [even] all who are called by my name: for I have prepared him for my glory, and I have formed him, and have made him:

everyone who is called by my name, and whom I have created for my glory, whom I have formed, yes, whom I have made.'"

8 and I have brought forth the blind people; for [their] eyes are alike blind, and they that have ears are deaf.

Bring out the blind people who have eyes, and the deaf who have ears.

9 All the nations are gathered together, and princes shall be gathered out of them: who will declare these things? or who will declare to you things from the beginning? let them bring forth their witnesses, and be justified; and let them hear, and declare the truth.

Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the peoples be assembled. Who among them can declare this, and show us former things? Let them bring their witnesses, that they may be justified; or let them hear, and say, "That is true."

10 Be ye my witnesses, and I [too am] a witness, saith the Lord God, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know, and believe, and understand that I am [he]: before me there was no other God, and after me there shall be none.

"You are my witnesses," says YHWH, "With my servant whom I have chosen; that you may know and believe me, and understand that I am he. Before me there was no God formed, neither will there be after me.

11 I am God; and beside me there is no Saviour.

I, I am YHWH; and besides me there is no savior.

12 I have declared, and have saved; I have reproached, and there was no strange [god] among you: ye are my witnesses, and I am the Lord God,

I have declared, I have saved, and I have shown; and there was no strange god among you. Therefore you are my witnesses," says YHWH, "and I am God.

13 even from the beginning; and there is none that can deliver out of my hands: I will work, and who shall turn it back?

Yes, since the day was I am he; and there is no one who can deliver out of my hand. I will work, and who can hinder it?"

14 Thus saith the Lord God that redeems you, the Holy One of Israel; for your sakes I will send to Babylon, and I will stir up all that flee, and the Chaldeans shall be bound in ships.

Thus says YHWH, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "For your sake, I have sent to Babylon, and I will bring all of them down as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, in the ships of their rejoicing.

15 I am the Lord God, your Holy One, who have appointed for Israel your king.

I am YHWH, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King."

16 Thus saith the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty water;

Thus says YHWH, who makes a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;

17 who brought forth chariots and horse, and a mighty multitude: but they have lain down, and shall not rise: they are extinct, as quenched flax.

who brings forth the chariot and horse, the army and the mighty man (they lie down together, they shall not rise; they are extinct, they are quenched like a wick):

18 Remember ye not the former things, and consider not the ancient things.

"Do not remember the former things, and do not consider the things of old.

19 Behold, I [will] do new things, which shall presently spring forth, and ye shall know them: and I will make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the dry land.

Look, I will do a new thing. It springs forth now. Do you not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

20 the beasts of the field shall bless me, the owls and young ostriches; for I have given water in the wilderness, and rivers in the dry land, to give drink to my chosen race,

The animals of the field shall honor me, the jackals and the ostriches; because I give water in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen,

21 my people whom I have preserved to tell forth my praises.

the people which I formed for myself, that they might set forth my praise.

22 I have not now called thee, O Jacob; neither have I made thee weary, O Israel.

Yet you have not called on me, Jacob; but you have been weary of me, Israel.

23 Thou hast not brought me the sheep of thy whole-burnt-offering; neither hast thou glorified me with thy sacrifices. I have not caused thee to serve with sacrifices, neither have I wearied thee with frankincense.

You have not brought me of your sheep for burnt offerings; neither have you honored me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with offerings, nor wearied you with frankincense.

24 Neither hast thou purchased for me victims for silver, neither have I desired the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou didst stand before me in thy sins, and in thine iniquities.

You have bought me no sweet cane with money, nor have you filled me with the fat of your sacrifices; but you have burdened me with your sins. You have wearied me with your iniquities.

25 I, [even] I, am he that blots out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and thy sins; and I will not remember [them].

I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake; and I will not remember your sins.

26 But do thou remember, and let us plead [together]: do thou first confess thy transgressions, that thou mayest be justified.

Put me in remembrance. Let us plead together. Set forth your case, that you may be justified.

27 Your fathers first, and your princes have transgressed against me.

Your first father sinned, and your teachers have transgressed against me.

28 And the princes have defiled my sanctuaries: so I gave Jacob [to enemies] to destroy, and Israel to reproach.

Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary; and I will make Jacob a curse, and Israel a reviling."