Isaiah 40

1 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.

"Comfort, comfort my people," says your God.

2 Speak to the heart of Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her time of suffering is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she hath received of Jehovah's hand double for all her sins.

"Speak tenderly to Jerusalem; and call out to her that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received of the LORD's hand double for all her sins."

3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of Jehovah, make straight in the desert a highway for our God!

The voice of one who calls out in the wilderness, "Prepare the way of the LORD. Make his roads straight.

4 Every valley shall be raised up, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places a plain.

Every valley will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be made low, and the uneven will 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.

And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all humanity will see the salvation of God together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

6 A voice saith, Cry. And he saith, What shall I cry? — All flesh is grass, and all the comeliness thereof as the flower of the field.

The voice of one saying, "Cry." And I said, "What shall I cry?" "All flesh is like grass, and all its glory is like the flower of the field.

7 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, for the breath of Jehovah bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.

The grass withers, the flower fades, because the LORD's breath blows on it. Surely the people are like grass.

8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth; but the word of our God abideth for ever.

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of the LORD stands forever."

9 O Zion, that bringest glad tidings, get thee up into a high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest glad tidings, 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, go up on a high mountain. You who tell good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with strength. Lift it up. Do not be afraid. Say to the cities of Judah, "Look, your God."

10 Behold, the Lord Jehovah will come with might, and his arm shall rule for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompence before him.

Look, the LORD will come as a mighty one, and his arm will rule for him. Look, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.

11 He will feed his flock like a shepherd: he will gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom; he will gently lead those that give suck.

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 the heavens with [his] span, and grasped the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in a balance, and the hills in scales?

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and marked off the sky with his span, and calculated the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

13 Who hath directed the Spirit of Jehovah, and, [as] his counsellor, hath taught him?

Who has known the mind of the LORD, or who has instructed him as his counselor?

14 With whom took he counsel, and [who] gave him intelligence, and instructed him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed him the way of understanding?

From whom did he take counsel with, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding? Or who has first given to him, and it will be repaid to him again?

15 Behold, the nations are esteemed as a drop of the bucket, and as the fine dust on the scales; behold, he taketh up the isles as an atom.

Look, the nations are like a drop in a bucket, and are regarded as a speck of dust on a balance. Look, 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 esteemed by him less than a cipher, 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? and what likeness will ye compare unto him?

To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to him?

19 The workman casteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains [for it].

A workman has cast an image, and the goldsmith overlays it with gold, and casts silver chains for it.

20 He that is impoverished, so that he hath no offering, chooseth a tree that doth not rot; he seeketh unto him a skilled workman to prepare 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 — Do ye not know? Have ye not heard? Hath it not been told you from the beginning? Have ye not understood the foundation of the earth?

Haven't you known? Haven't you heard, 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 upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a gauze 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 the princes to nothing, that maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.

who brings princes to nothing; who makes the judges of the earth meaningless.

24 Scarcely are they planted, scarcely are they sown, scarcely hath their stock taken root in the earth, but he also 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, or shall I be equal? 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 things, bringing out their host by number? He calleth them all by name; through the greatness of his might and strength of power, not one faileth.

Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these, who brings out their host 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, Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from Jehovah, and my right is passed away from my God?

Why do you say, Jacob, and why do you assert, Israel, "My way is hidden from the LORD, and the justice due me is disregarded by my God?"

28 Dost thou not know, hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, Jehovah, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not nor tireth? There is no searching of his understanding.

And now, haven't you known? Haven't you heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the farthest parts of the earth, doesn't faint. He isn't 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 shall tire, and the young men shall stumble and fall;

Even the youths faint and get weary, and the young men utterly fall;

31 but they that wait upon Jehovah shall renew [their] strength: they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not tire; they shall walk, and not faint.

But those who wait for the LORD 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.