Isaiah 50

1 This is what Yahweh says, “Where is the certificate of divorce with which I divorced your mother? To which of my creditors did I sell you? Look, you were sold because of your sins, and because of your rebellion, your mother was sent away.

Thus said Jehovah: 'Where [is] this — the bill of your mother's divorce, Whom I sent away? Or to which of My creditors have I sold you? Lo, for your iniquities ye have been sold, And for your transgressions Hath your mother been sent away.

2 Why did I come but there was no one there? Why did I call but no one answered? Was my hand too short to ransom you? Was there no power in me to rescue you? Look, at my rebuke I dry up the sea; I make the rivers a desert; their fish die for lack of water and rot.

Wherefore have I come, and there is no one? I called, and there is none answering, Hath My hand been at all short of redemption? And is there not in me power to deliver? Lo, by My rebuke I dry up a sea, I make rivers a wilderness, Their fish stinketh, for there is no water, And dieth with thirst.

3 I clothe the sky with darkness; I cover it with sackcloth.”

I clothe the heavens [with] blackness, And sackcloth I make their covering.

4 The Lord Yahweh has given me a tongue as one of those who are taught, so that I speak a sustaining word to the weary one; he wakes me morning by morning; he awakens my ear to hear like those who are taught.

The Lord Jehovah hath given to me The tongue of taught ones, To know to aid the weary [by] a word, He waketh morning by morning, He waketh for me an ear to hear as taught ones.

5 The Lord Yahweh has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, nor did I turn away backward.

The Lord Jehovah opened for me the ear, And I rebelled not — backward I moved not.

6 I gave my back to those who beat me, and my cheeks to those who plucked out my beard; I did not hide my face from acts of shame and spitting.

My back I have given to those smiting, And my cheeks to those plucking out, My face I hid not from shame and spitting.

7 For the Lord Yahweh will help me; therefore I am not disgraced; so I have made my face like flint, for I know that I will not be put to shame.

And the Lord Jehovah giveth help to me, Therefore I have not been ashamed, Therefore I have set my face as a flint, And I know that I am not ashamed.

8 He who will justify me is close by. Who will oppose me? Let us stand and confront one another. Who is my accuser? Let him come near to me.

Near [is] He who is justifying me, Who doth contend with me? We stand together, who [is] mine opponent? Let him come nigh unto me.

9 See, the Lord Yahweh will help me. Who will declare me guilty? See, they will all wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up.

Lo, the Lord Jehovah giveth help to me, Who [is] he that declareth me wicked? Lo, all of them as a garment wear out, A moth doth eat them.

10 Who among you fears Yahweh? Who obeys the voice of his servant? Who walks in deep darkness without light? He should trust in the name of Yahweh and lean on his God.

Who [is] among you, fearing Jehovah, Hearkening to the voice of His servant, That hath walked in dark places, And there is no brightness for him? Let him trust in the name of Jehovah, And lean upon his God.

11 Look, all you who light fires, who equip yourselves with torches: walk in the light of your fire and in the flames that you have ignited. This is what you have received from me: You will lie down in a place of pain.

Lo, all ye kindling a fire, girding on sparks, Walk ye in the light of your fire, And in the sparks ye have caused to burn, From my hand hath this been to you, In grief ye lie down!