Isaiah 49

1 Hear yee me, O yles, and hearken, yee people from farre. The Lord hath called me from the wombe, and made mention of my name from my mothers bellie.

Listen, islands, to me; and listen, you peoples, from far: YHWH has called me from the womb; from the body of my mother has he made mention of my name:

2 And hee hath made my mouth like a sharpe sworde: vnder the shadowe of his hande hath he hid mee, and made me a chosen shafte, and hid me in his quiuer,

and he has made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand, he has hidden me; and he has made me a polished arrow, in his quiver has he kept me close:

3 And sayd vnto me, Thou art my seruaunt, Israel, for I will be glorious in thee.

and he said to me, "You are my servant; Israel, in whom I will be glorified."

4 And I said, I haue labored in vaine: I haue spent my strength in vaine and for nothing: but my iudgement is with the Lord, and my woorke with my God.

But I said, "I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely the justice due to me is with YHWH, and my reward with my God."

5 And now sayeth the Lord, that formed me from the wombe to be his seruaunt, that I may bring Iaakob againe to him (though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I bee glorious in the eyes of the Lord: and my God shall be my strength)

Now says YHWH who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, and that Israel be gathered to him; for I am honorable in the eyes of YHWH, and my God has become my strength.

6 And hee sayde, It is a small thing that thou shouldest be my seruaunt, to raise vp the tribes of Iaakob, and to restore the desolations of Israel: I will also giue thee for a light of the Gentiles, that thou maiest bee my saluation vnto the ende of the worlde.

And he says, "Is it too insignificant a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the remnant of Israel? I will also give you as a light to the nations, that you may bring salvation to the farthest part of the earth."

7 Thus sayeth the Lord the redeemer of Israel, and his Holie one, to him that is despised in soule, to a nation that is abhorred, to a seruaunt of rulers, Kinges shall see, and arise, and princes shall worship, because of the Lord, that is faithfull: and ye Holy one of Israel, which hath chosen thee.

Thus says YHWH, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to the one who is despised, to those abhorred as a nation, the servant of rulers: "Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall worship; because of YHWH who is faithful, even the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."

8 Thus sayeth the Lord, In an acceptable time haue I heard thee, and in a day of saluation haue I helped thee: and I will preserue thee, and wil giue thee for a couenant of ye people, that thou maiest raise vp the earth, and obtaine the inheritance of the desolate heritages:

Thus says YHWH, "In an acceptable time I have answered you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you; and I will preserve you, and give you as a covenant to the people, to raise up the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritage:

9 That thou maiest say to the prisoners, Goe foorth: and to them that are in darkenesse, Shewe your selues: they shall feede in the waies, and their pastures shall bee in all the toppes of the hilles.

saying to those who are bound, 'Come out.'; to those who are in darkness, 'Show yourselves.' "They shall feed in the ways, and on all bare heights shall be their pasture.

10 They shall not be hungrie, neither shall they be thirstie, neither shall the heat smite them, nor the sunne: for he that hath compassion on them, shall leade them: euen to the springs of waters shall he driue them.

They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun strike them: for he who has mercy on them will lead them, even by springs of water he will guide them.

11 And I will make all my mountaines, as a way, and my paths shalbe exalted.

I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.

12 Beholde, these shall come from farre: and loe, these from the North and from the West, and these from the land of Sinim.

Look, these shall come from far; and look, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Syene."

13 Reioyce, O heauens: and bee ioyfull, O earth: brast foorth into praise, O mountaines: for God hath comforted his people, and will haue mercie vpon his afflicted.

Sing, heavens; and be joyful, earth; and break forth into singing, mountains: for YHWH has comforted his people, and will have compassion on his afflicted.

14 But Zion saide, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me.

But Zion said, "YHWH has forsaken me, and my Lord has forgotten me."

15 Can a woman forget her childe, and not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe? though they should forget, yet wil I not forget thee.

"Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, these may forget, yet I will not forget you.

16 Behold, I haue grauen thee vpon the palme of mine hands: thy walles are euer in my sight.

Look, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.

17 Thy builders make haste: thy destroiers and they that made thee waste, are departed from thee.

Your builders hurry; your destroyers and those who devastated you shall depart from you.

18 Lift vp thine eies round about and behold: all these gather themselues together and come to thee: as I liue, sayeth the Lord, thou shalt surely put them all vpon thee as a garment, and girde thy selfe with them like a bride.

Lift up your eyes all around, and see: all these gather themselves together, and come to you. As I live," says YHWH, "you shall surely clothe yourself with them all as with an ornament, and dress yourself with them, like a bride.

19 For thy desolations, and thy waste places, and thy land destroied, shall surely be now narow for them that shall dwell in it, and they that did deuoure thee, shalbe farre away.

"For, as for your waste and your desolate places, and your land that has been destroyed, surely now you shall be too small for the inhabitants, and those who swallowed you up shall be far away.

20 The children of thy barennesse shall say againe in thine eares, The place is straict for mee: giue place to me that I may dwell.

The children of your bereavement shall yet say in your ears, The place is too small for me; give place to me that I may dwell.

21 Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten mee these, seeing I am baren and desolate, a captiue and a wanderer to and from? and who hath nourished them? beholde, I was left alone: whence are these?

Then you will say in your heart, 'Who has conceived these for me, since I have been bereaved of my children, and am solitary, an exile, and wandering back and forth? Who has brought up these? Look, I was left alone; these, where were they?'"

22 Thus sayeth the Lord God, Beholde, I will lift vp mine hande to the Gentiles and set vp my stadart to the people, and they shall bring thy sonnes in their armes: and thy daughters shall be caried vpon their shoulders.

Thus says the Lord YHWH, "Look, I will lift up my hand to the nations, and set up my banner to the peoples; and they shall bring your sons in their bosom, and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.

23 And Kings shalbe thy nourcing fathers, and Queenes shalbe thy nources: they shall worship thee with their faces towarde the earth, and licke vp the dust of thy feete: and thou shalt knowe that I am the Lord: for they shall not be ashamed that waite for me.

Kings shall be your nursing fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers: they shall bow down to you with their faces to the earth, and lick the dust of your feet; and you shall know that I am YHWH; and those who wait for me shall not be disappointed."

24 Shall the pray be taken from the mightie? or the iust captiuitie deliuered?

Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the captives of a tyrant be delivered?

25 But thus sayeth the Lord, euen the captiuitie of the mightie shall be taken away: and the pray of the tyrant shall be deliuered: for I wil contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will saue thy children,

But thus says YHWH, "Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the tyrant shall be delivered; for I will contend with him who contends with you, and I will save your children.

26 And will feede them that spoile thee, with their owne flesh, and they shall be drunken with their owne bloode, as with sweete wine: and all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy sauiour and thy redeemer, the mighty one of Iaakob.

I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh; and they shall be drunk with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I, YHWH, am your Savior, and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob."