Isaiah 26

1 In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; salvation will he appoint for walls and bulwarks.

In that day will this song be made in the land of Judah: We have a strong town; he will make salvation our walls and towers.

2 Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth truth may enter in.

Let the doors be open, so that the upright nation which keeps faith may come in.

3 Thou wilt keep [him] in perfect peace, [whose] mind [is] stayed [on thee]: because he trusteth in thee.

The man whose heart is unmoved you will keep in peace, because his hope is in you.

4 Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is an everlasting rock.

Let your hope be in the Lord for ever: for the Lord Jah is an unchanging Rock.

5 For he hath brought down them that dwell on high, the lofty city: he layeth it low, he layeth it low even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust.

For he has made low those who are lifted up, all the people of the town of pride: he makes it low, crushing it down to the earth; he makes it low in the dust.

6 The foot shall tread it down; even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy.

It will be crushed under the feet of the poor and the steps of those who are in need.

7 The way of the just is uprightness: thou that art up right dost direct the path of the just.

The way of the good man is straight; the road of the upright is made smooth by you.

8 Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; to thy name and to thy memorial is the desire of our soul.

We have been waiting for you, O Lord; the desire of our soul is for the memory of your name.

9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.

In the night the desire of my soul has been for you; early will my spirit be searching for you; for when your punishments come on the earth, the people of the world will get the knowledge of righteousness.

10 Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness; in the land of uprightness will he deal wrongfully, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD.

Even if you are kind to the evil-doer, he will not go after righteousness; even in the land of the upright he will still go on in his wrongdoing, and will not see the glory of the Lord.

11 LORD, thy hand is lifted up, yet they see not: but they shall see [thy] zeal for the people, and be ashamed; yea, fire shall devour thine adversaries.

Lord, your hand is lifted up, but they do not see: let them see ... yes, your haters will be burned up in the fire.

12 LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou hast also wrought all our works for us.

Lord, you will give us peace: for all our works are the outcome of your purpose.

13 O LORD our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us; but by thee only will we make mention of thy name.

O Lord, our God, other lords than you have had rule over us; but in you only is our salvation, and no other name will we take on our lips.

14 [They are] dead, they shall not live; [they are] deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish.

The dead will not come back to life: their spirits will not come back to earth; for this cause you have sent destruction on them, so that the memory of them is dead.

15 Thou hast increased the nation, O LORD, thou hast increased the nation; thou art glorified: thou hast enlarged all the borders of the land.

You have made the nation great, O Lord, you have made it great; glory is yours: you have made wide the limits of the land.

16 LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer [when] thy chastening was upon them.

Lord, in trouble our eyes have been turned to you, we sent up a prayer when your punishment was on us.

17 Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been before thee, O LORD.

As a woman with child, whose time is near, is troubled, crying out in her pain; so have we been before you, O Lord.

18 We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.

We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have given birth to wind; no salvation has come to the earth through us, and no children have come into the world.

19 Thy dead shall live; my dead bodies shall arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust: for thy dew is [as] the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast forth the dead.

Your dead will come back; their dead bodies will come to life again. Those in the dust, awaking from their sleep, will send out a song; for your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the shades.

20 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.

Come, my people, into your secret places, and let your doors be shut: keep yourself safe for a short time, till his wrath is over.

21 For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.

For the Lord is coming out of his place to send punishment on the people of the earth for their evil-doing: the earth will let the blood drained out on her be seen, and will keep her dead covered no longer.