Isaiah 42

1 Behold my servant whom I uphold, mine elect [in whom] my soul delighteth! I will put my Spirit upon him; he shall bring forth judgment to the nations.

“Behold, my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen, in whom my soul delights— I have put my Spirit on him. He will bring mishpat ·justice· to the nations.

2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.

He will not shout, nor raise his voice, nor cause it to be sh'ma ·heard· in the street.

3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment according to truth.

He won’t break a bruised reed. He won’t quench a dimly burning wick. He will faithfully bring mishpat ·justice·.

4 He shall not faint nor be in haste, till he have set justice in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.

He will not fail nor be discouraged, until he has set mishpat ·justice· in the earth, and the islands will wait for his torot ·teachings·.”

5 Thus saith God, Jehovah, he that created the heavens and stretched them out, he that spread forth the earth and its productions, he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:

Thus says God Adonai, he who created the heavens and stretched them out, he who spread out the earth and that which comes out of it, he who gives breath to its people and spirit to those who walk in it.

6 I, Jehovah, have called thee in righteousness, and will take hold of thy hand; and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the nations,

“I, Adonai, have called you in righteousness, and will hold your hand, and will keep you, and make you a covenant ·binding contract between two or more parties· for the people, as a light for the nations;

7 to open the blind eyes, to bring forth the prisoner from the prison, them that sit in darkness out of the house of restraint.

to open the blind eyes, to bring the prisoners out of the dungeon, and those who sit in darkness out of the prison.

8 I am Jehovah, that is my name; and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.

“I am Adonai. That is my name. I will not give my kavod ·weighty glory· to another, nor my tehilah ·praise song· to engraved images.

9 Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth will I cause you to hear them.

Behold, the former things have happened, and I declare new things. I sh'ma ·hear obey, declare· to you about them before they come up.”

10 Sing unto Jehovah a new song, his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein, the isles and their inhabitants.

Sing to Adonai a new song, and his tehilah ·praise song· from the end of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is therein, the islands and their inhabitants.

11 Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up [their voice], the villages that Kedar doth inhabit; let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains:

Let the wilderness and its cities raise their voices, with the villages that Kedar inhabits. Let the inhabitants of Sela sing. Let them shout from the top of the mountains!

12 let them give glory unto Jehovah, and declare his praise in the islands.

Let them give kavod ·weighty glory· to Adonai, and declare his tehilah ·praise song· in the islands.

13 Jehovah will go forth as a mighty man, he will stir up jealousy like a man of war: he will cry, yea, he will shout; he will shew himself mighty against his enemies.

Adonai will go out like a mighty man. He will stir up zeal like a man of war. He will raise a war cry. Yes, he will shout aloud. He will triumph over his enemies.

14 Long time have I holden my peace; I have been still, I have restrained myself: I will cry like a woman that travaileth; I will blow and pant at once.

“I have been silent a long time. I have been quiet and restrained myself. Now I will cry out like a travailing woman. I will both gasp and pant.

15 I will lay waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools.

I will destroy mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs. I will make the rivers islands, and will dry up the pools.

16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they know not, in paths that they know not will I lead them; I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.

I will bring the blind by a way that they don’t know. I will lead them in paths that they don’t know. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. I will do these things, and I will not forsake them.

17 They shall be turned back, they shall be covered with shame, that confide in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye are our gods.

“Those who trust in engraved images, who tell molten images, ‘You are our deities’ will be turned back. They will be utterly disappointed.

18 — Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see.

“Sh'ma ·Hear obey·, you deaf, and look, you blind, that you may see.

19 Who is blind, but my servant? and deaf, as my messenger whom I sent? Who is blind as he in whom I have trusted, and blind as Jehovah's servant,

Who is blind, but my servant? Or who is as deaf as my messenger whom I send? Who is as blind as he who is at peace, and as blind as Adonai’s servant?

20 — seeing many things, and thou observest not? With opened ears, he heareth not.

You see many things, but don’t observe. His ears are open, but he does not sh'ma ·hear obey·.

21 Jehovah had delight [in him] for his righteousness' sake: he hath magnified the law, and made it honourable.

It pleased Adonai, for his righteousness’ sake, to magnify the Torah ·Teaching·, and make it honorable.

22 But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and hidden in prison-houses; they are become a prey, and none delivereth, — a spoil, and none saith, Restore.

But this is a robbed and plundered people. All of them are snared in holes, and they are hidden in prisons. They have become captives, and no one delivers; and a plunder, and no one says, ‘Restore them!’

23 Who among you will give ear to this, [who] will hearken and hear what is to come?

Who is there among you who will give ear to this? Who will listen and sh'ma ·hear obey· for the time to come?

24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? Did not Jehovah, he against whom we have sinned? And they would not walk in his ways, neither did they hearken unto his law.

Who gave Jacob [Supplanter] as plunder, and Israel [God prevails] to the robbers? Didn’t Adonai, he against whom we have sinned? For they would not walk in his ways, and they did not sh'ma ·hear obey· his Torah ·Teaching·.

25 And he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle: and it set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he took it not to heart.

Therefore he poured the fierceness of his anger on him, and the strength of battle; and it set him on fire all around, but he didn’t know; and it burned him, but he didn’t take it to heart.”