< Isaiah 52 >

1 Awake, awake! Put on your strength, Zion. Put on your beautiful garments, Jerusalem, the holy city, for from now on the uncircumcised and the unclean will no more come into you.
Awake, awake, put on your strength, Zion; put on your beautiful garments, Jerusalem, holy city; for never again will the uncircumcised or the unclean enter you.
2 Shake yourself from the dust! Arise, sit up, Jerusalem! Release yourself from the bonds of your neck, captive daughter of Zion!
Shake yourself off from the dust; arise and sit, Jerusalem; take off the chain from your neck, captive, daughter of Zion.
3 For Yahweh says, “You were sold for nothing; and you will be redeemed without money.”
For this is what Yahweh says, “You were sold for nothing, and you will be redeemed without money.”
4 For the Lord Yahweh says: “My people went down at the first into Egypt to live there; and the Assyrian has oppressed them without cause.
For this is what the Lord Yahweh says, “In the beginning my people went down to live temporarily in Egypt; and Assyria has oppressed them for no good reason.
5 “Now therefore, what do I do here,” says Yahweh, “seeing that my people are taken away for nothing? Those who rule over them mock,” says Yahweh, “and my name is blasphemed continually all day long.
Now what do I have here—this is Yahweh's declaration—seeing that my people are taken away for nothing? Those who rule over them mock—this is Yahweh's declaration—and my name is blasphemed continually all day long.
6 Therefore my people shall know my name. Therefore they shall know in that day that I am he who speaks. Behold, it is I.”
Therefore my people will know my name; they will know in that day that I am the one who says, “Yes, it is I!”
7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, who announces peace, who bears good tidings, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
8 Your watchmen lift up their voice. Together they sing; for they shall see eye to eye when Yahweh returns to Zion.
Listen, your watchmen raise their voices, together they shout for joy, for they will see, every eye of theirs, Yahweh's return to Zion.
9 Break out into joy! Sing together, you waste places of Jerusalem; for Yahweh has comforted his people. He has redeemed Jerusalem.
Break out into joyful singing together, you ruins of Jerusalem; for Yahweh has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusalem.
10 Yahweh has made his holy arm bare in the eyes of all the nations. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Yahweh has bared his holy arm in the sight of all the nations; all the earth will see the salvation of our God.
11 Depart! Depart! Go out from there! Touch no unclean thing! Go out from among her! Cleanse yourselves, you who carry Yahweh’s vessels.
Leave, leave, go out from there; touch nothing unclean; leave from her midst; purify yourselves, you who carry the vessels of Yahweh.
12 For you shall not go out in haste, neither shall you go by flight; for Yahweh will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.
For you will not go out in a rush, nor will you leave in a panic; for Yahweh will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rearguard.
13 Behold, my servant will deal wisely. He will be exalted and lifted up, and will be very high.
Look, my servant will act wisely; he will be high and lifted up, and he will be exalted.
14 Just as many were astonished at you— his appearance was marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men—
As many were horrified at you— his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man, and his form no longer looked like anything human.
15 so he will cleanse many nations. Kings will shut their mouths at him; for they will see that which had not been told them, and they will understand that which they had not heard.
Even so, my servant will sprinkle many nations and kings will shut their mouths because of him. For that which they had not been told, they will see, and that which they had not heard, they will understand.

< Isaiah 52 >