Isaiah 51

1 [Yahweh says], “You people who desire to act righteously/justly, who want to do what I want you to do, listen to me! Think about Abraham! [It is as though] [MET] he was a huge rock cliff; and when you [people of Israel became a nation], [it was as though] [MET] you were cut from that rock [DOU].

Hearken to me, ye that pursue righteousness, that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye were hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye were dug up.

2 Think about your ancestor Abraham and [his wife] Sarah, of whom [all of] you are descendants. When I first spoke to Abraham, he had no children. But after I blessed him, he had a huge number of descendants.

Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bore you; for he was one when I called him, and I blessed him, and I increased him.

3 [Some day I], Yahweh, will encourage his descendants [again], and I will comfort all [the people who live in] the ruins [of Jerusalem]. The desert in that area will become like Eden, like the garden that I, Yahweh, [made/planted]. All the people there will be joyful and happy; they will thank me and sing.

Yea, the Lord hath comforted Zion; he hath comforted all her ruins; and he hath made her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord: gladness and joy shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of song.

4 My people of Judah, listen carefully [DOU] to me, because [I want you to] proclaim my laws; the just/right things that I do will be [like] [MET] a light for the people of the nations.

Listen unto me, my people; and O my nation, give ear unto me; for a law shall proceed from me, and my justice will I establish as a light of the people.

5 I will soon/quickly rescue you [DOU]; by my power [MTY] I will bring you back [from being exiled in Babylonia] [DOU]. The people who live on islands in the ocean will wait for me [to help them], confidently expecting for me to use my power [MTY].

My righteousness is near; my salvation goeth forth, and my arms shall judge the people: on me the isles shall wait, and for my arm shall they hope.

6 Look up at the sky, and look at the earth, [and see what they are like now], because [some day] the sky will disappear like [SIM] smoke, and the earth will wear out like [SIM] old clothes wear out, and people on the earth will die like gnats/flies. But I will rescue/save you, and you will remain free forever, and I will rule you righteously/fairly forever.

Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath; for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wear out like a garment, and they that dwell thereon shall die in like manner; but my salvation shall exist for ever, and my righteousness shall not be delayed.

7 You people who know what things are right to do, and who know in your inner beings [what is written in] my laws, listen to me! Do not be afraid of people who taunt/insult you; do not be disturbed/upset when people revile you,

Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, O people in whose heart my law is: ye must not fear the reproach of men, and of their revilings shall ye not be in dread.

8 because [some day they will be destroyed] like [MET] clothing that is eaten by ([larvae of] moths/cockroaches), like wool garments that have been eaten by worms. I will save you people, and you will be saved forever.”

For like a garment shall the moth eat them up, and like wool shall the worm eat them; but my righteousness shall exist for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.

9 Yahweh, wake up [and do something for us]! Show your power! Do mighty things like you did long ago, when you stabbed [RHQ] that sea monster/dragon Rahab and cut it into pieces.

Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord: awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of olden times. Art thou not it that struck down Rahab, that pierced the crocodile?

10 Surely you are [RHQ] the one who caused the [Red] Sea to become dry and made a path through that deep water in order that your people could cross it!

Art thou not it that dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep; that rendered the depths of the sea a road for the redeemed to pass through?

11 And those whom Yahweh will rescue [from being exiled in Babylonia] will [similarly] return to Jerusalem, singing. Their being joyful forever will be [like] [MET] a crown on their heads. They will not be sad or mourn any more; they will be [completely] joyful and happy.

And [so] shall the ransomed of the Lord return, and come to Zion with song, with everlasting joy upon their head; gladness and joy shall they obtain, while sorrow and sighing shall have fled away.

12 [Yahweh says], “I am the one who encourages you. So (why are you/you should not be) [RHQ] afraid of humans who will [wither and disappear like] [MET] grass.

I, I am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldst be afraid of a mortal that must die, and of a son of man who will wither as the grass?

13 (Why have you/You should not have) [RHQ] forgotten [me], Yahweh, the one who created your nation, the one who stretched out the sky and laid the foundations of the earth. (Why are you/You should not be) [RHQ] continually afraid of those who are angry with you and (oppress you/treat you cruelly) and want to get rid of you. [You should not be afraid of them now], because those angry people have now disappeared!

And thou forgettest the Lord, thy Maker, who hath spread out the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and thou dreadest continually, all the day, because of the fury of the oppressor, whenever he aimeth to destroy: and where is [now] the fury of the oppressor?

14 Soon you people who have been caused to be slaves [in Babylonia] will be freed! You will not remain in prison, and you will not die of hunger,

The exile will be speedily set free; and he shall not die in the dungeon, and his bread shall not fail.

15 because I am Yahweh, your God, the one who stirs up the sea and causes the waves to roar; I am the Commander of the armies of angels!

For I am the Lord thy God, who stirreth up the sea that its waves roar: the Lord of hosts is his name.

16 I have given you my message [MTY] to proclaim, and I have protected you with my hand [MTY]. I stretched out the sky and laid the foundation of the earth. And I am the one who says to you Israeli people, ‘You are my people!’”

And I have placed my words in thy mouth, and with the shadow of my hand have I covered thee: to plant the heavens, and to lay the foundations of the earth, and to say to Zion, Thou art my people.

17 [You people of] [APO] Jerusalem, wake up [DOU]! You have experienced Yahweh severely punishing [MTY] you. Yahweh has caused you to suffer much, all that he wanted you to suffer, like [MET] someone who causes another person to suffer by forcing him to drink every drop of [MTY] a cupful of bitter liquid.

Rouse up, rouse up, arise, O Jerusalem, thou who hast drunk from the hand of the Lord the cup of his fury: the deep cup of confusion hast thou drunk, hast thou drained.

18 [Now] you do not have any children who are alive [DOU] and able to take your hand and guide you.

There is none to lead her, from all the children whom she hath born; and there is none that taketh her by the hand, from all the children whom she hath brought up.

19 You have experienced several disasters: Your country has become desolate/deserted; [your cities have been] destroyed; [many people have] died from hunger; [many people have been] killed by your enemies’ swords. Now, there is no one [RHQ] left to console/comfort you and sympathize with you.

Two things are these which have befallen thee: who will have compassion for thee? desolation and destruction, and famine and sword—with whom shall I comfort thee?

20 Your children have fainted and lie in the streets; they are [as helpless as] [SIM] an antelope [that has been caught] in a net. What has happened to them is because Yahweh has been very angry with them; he has rebuked them severely.

Thy children have fainted, they lie at the entrance of all streets, as a wild bull caught in a net, [they are those] who are full of the fury of the Lord, the threatening of thy God.

21 So now, you people who have suffered much, [you act as though] you are drunk, but it is not because you have drunk a lot of wine.

Therefore hear now this, O thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine.

22 Yahweh, your Lord and your God, the one who argues/pleads your case, says this: “Note this: [It is as though] [MET] I have taken that cup of bitter liquid from your hands; I will not be angry with you and cause you to suffer any more.

Thus hath said thy Lord, the Eternal, and thy God, who will ever plead for his people, Behold, I have taken out of thy hand the cup of confusion, the deep cup of my fury: thou shalt never more drink it again.

23 Instead, I will cause those who have tormented you to suffer; [I will severely punish] those who said to you, ‘Prostrate yourselves in order that we may walk on you; [lie down on your stomachs] in order that your backs will be like [SIM] streets that we can walk on.’”

And I will place it in the hand of those who have tortured thee, that have said to thy soul, Bend thee down, that we may pass over; and thou madest like the earth thy back, and like the street for those that passed over.