Comfort my people
‘Comfort, comfort my people,’ says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and tell her that her hard service is over, her wrongdoing is forgiven, and she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins. The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.’ Every valley will be exalted, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked will be made straight, and the rough places plain. The glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all flesh will see it together, because the mouth of the LORD has spoken it. A voice said, 'Call out.' And he said, 'What should I call out?' All people are like grass, and all their beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers and the flower fades because the spirit of the LORD blows on it. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. O Zion, bearer of good tidings, get up onto the high mountain. O Jerusalem, bearer of good tidings, lift up your voice with strength. Lift it up; don’t be afraid. Say to the cities of Judah, ‘Here is your God!’ the Lord GOD will come with a strong hand, and his arm will rule for him. His reward is with him, and his work is before him. He'll feed his flock like a shepherd. He'll gather the lambs in his arm, carry them close to his chest, and gently lead those that are with young.
Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak gently to Jerusalem and call out to her that her hard service is finished, that her wrongdoing is paid for, that she's had from the Lord's hand double for all her sins. A voice calling: In the wilderness get the road ready for the Lord. Make a straight highway in the desert for our God. Every valley will be lifted up and every mountain and hill brought down. The crooked places will be made straight and the rough ground smooth. And the glory of the Lord will be uncovered, and everyone alive will see it together. Because the mouth of the Lord has spoken it. A voice said, Call out. And he said, What do I call out? All flesh is grass, and all its faithfulness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers and the flower fades, because the breath of the Lord blows on it. The people are grass, no question. The grass withers and the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever. You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with strength. Lift it up, don't be afraid. Say to the towns of Judah: Here's your God. Look — the Lord God is coming with strength, and his arm rules for him. Look — his reward is with him and his payment goes in front of him. He tends his flock like a shepherd. He gathers the lambs in his arm and carries them against his chest, and he leads the ones with young gently.
Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD’s hand double for all her sins. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever. O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.
‘Comfort, comfort my people,’ says your God.
Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and tell her that her hard service is over, her wrongdoing is forgiven, and she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins.
Speak gently to Jerusalem and call out to her that her hard service is finished, that her wrongdoing is paid for, that she's had from the Lord's hand double for all her sins.
Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.
The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.’
A voice calling: In the wilderness get the road ready for the Lord. Make a straight highway in the desert for our God.
The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Every valley will be exalted, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked will be made straight, and the rough places plain.
Every valley will be lifted up and every mountain and hill brought down. The crooked places will be made straight and the rough ground smooth.
Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:
The glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all flesh will see it together, because the mouth of the LORD has spoken it.
And the glory of the Lord will be uncovered, and everyone alive will see it together. Because the mouth of the Lord has spoken it.
And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
A voice said, 'Call out.' And he said, 'What should I call out?' All people are like grass, and all their beauty is like the flower of the field.
A voice said, Call out. And he said, What do I call out? All flesh is grass, and all its faithfulness is like the flower of the field.
The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:
The grass withers and the flower fades because the spirit of the LORD blows on it. Surely the people are grass.
The grass withers and the flower fades, because the breath of the Lord blows on it. The people are grass, no question.
The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.
The grass withers and the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.
The grass withers and the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.
The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.
O Zion, bearer of good tidings, get up onto the high mountain. O Jerusalem, bearer of good tidings, lift up your voice with strength. Lift it up; don’t be afraid. Say to the cities of Judah, ‘Here is your God!’
You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with strength. Lift it up, don't be afraid. Say to the towns of Judah: Here's your God.
O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!
the Lord GOD will come with a strong hand, and his arm will rule for him. His reward is with him, and his work is before him.
Look — the Lord God is coming with strength, and his arm rules for him. Look — his reward is with him and his payment goes in front of him.
Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
He'll feed his flock like a shepherd. He'll gather the lambs in his arm, carry them close to his chest, and gently lead those that are with young.
He tends his flock like a shepherd. He gathers the lambs in his arm and carries them against his chest, and he leads the ones with young gently.
He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.
Who has measured the waters?
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, measured heaven with a span, held the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance? Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or taught him as his counsellor? Who did he take counsel with? Who instructed him, taught him the path of judgment, gave him knowledge or showed him the way of understanding? the nations are like a drop from a bucket and are counted as the small dust of the balance. He takes up the islands as a very little thing. Lebanon isn't enough to burn, nor all its beasts enough for a burnt offering. All nations before him are as nothing. To him they're counted less than nothing — completely empty. So who will you compare God to? What likeness will you set beside him? A craftsman casts an idol. A goldsmith plates it with gold and hammers out silver chains for it. The man too poor for that picks out a piece of wood that won't rot and finds himself a skilled craftsman to set up an idol that won't fall over. Haven't you known? Haven't you heard? Hasn't it been told you from the beginning? Haven't you understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he who sits on the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain and spreads them out like a tent to live in. He brings princes to nothing and makes the judges of the earth count for nothing. Yes, they're scarcely planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stock taken root in the earth, when he blows on them and they wither, and the whirlwind carries them away like stubble. ‘Who then will you liken me to? Who is my equal?’ says the Holy One. Look up and see who created all this. He brings out the stars one by one and calls each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one is missing.
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or marked off the sky with the width of his hand, or held the dust of the earth in a measure, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance? Who has taken the measure of the Spirit of the Lord, or been the one to teach him as his counsellor? Who did he ask for advice? Who taught him and showed him the way of justice, and taught him knowledge and showed him the way of understanding? Look — the nations are a drop in a bucket, counted as dust on the scales. He picks up the islands like fine grit. Lebanon isn't enough to keep the fire going, and its animals aren't enough for a burnt offering. All the nations are nothing in front of him. He counts them less than nothing and empty. So who will you liken God to? What likeness will you set up beside him? A craftsman casts an idol. A goldsmith plates it with gold and hammers out silver chains for it. The man too poor for that picks out a piece of wood that won't rot and finds himself a skilled craftsman to set up an idol that won't fall over. Haven't you known? Haven't you heard? Wasn't it told you from the start? Haven't you understood since the foundations of the earth? He's the one who sits above the circle of the earth, and the people who live on it are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a curtain and spreads them like a tent to live in. He brings princes to nothing and makes the rulers of the earth like emptiness. They're barely planted, barely sown, their stock barely rooted in the ground, before he blows on them and they wither, and the whirlwind takes them off like stubble. So who will you liken me to, that I should be his equal? says the Holy One. Lift your eyes up high and look. Who made these? He's the one who brings out their host by number and calls them all by name. Because of his great might and his mighty strength, not one of them is missing.
Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him? With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding? Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing. And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering. All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity. To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him? The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains. He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved. Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in: That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity. Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble. To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, measured heaven with a span, held the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or marked off the sky with the width of his hand, or held the dust of the earth in a measure, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance?
Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?
Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or taught him as his counsellor?
Who has taken the measure of the Spirit of the Lord, or been the one to teach him as his counsellor?
Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?
Who did he take counsel with? Who instructed him, taught him the path of judgment, gave him knowledge or showed him the way of understanding?
Who did he ask for advice? Who taught him and showed him the way of justice, and taught him knowledge and showed him the way of understanding?
With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?
the nations are like a drop from a bucket and are counted as the small dust of the balance. He takes up the islands as a very little thing.
Look — the nations are a drop in a bucket, counted as dust on the scales. He picks up the islands like fine grit.
Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.
Lebanon isn't enough to burn, nor all its beasts enough for a burnt offering.
Lebanon isn't enough to keep the fire going, and its animals aren't enough for a burnt offering.
And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering.
All nations before him are as nothing. To him they're counted less than nothing — completely empty.
All the nations are nothing in front of him. He counts them less than nothing and empty.
All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.
So who will you compare God to? What likeness will you set beside him?
So who will you liken God to? What likeness will you set up beside him?
To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?
A craftsman casts an idol. A goldsmith plates it with gold and hammers out silver chains for it.
The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains.
The man too poor for that picks out a piece of wood that won't rot and finds himself a skilled craftsman to set up an idol that won't fall over.
He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved.
Haven't you known? Haven't you heard? Hasn't it been told you from the beginning? Haven't you understood from the foundations of the earth?
Haven't you known? Haven't you heard? Wasn't it told you from the start? Haven't you understood since the foundations of the earth?
Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?
It is he who sits on the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain and spreads them out like a tent to live in.
He's the one who sits above the circle of the earth, and the people who live on it are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a curtain and spreads them like a tent to live in.
It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:
He brings princes to nothing and makes the judges of the earth count for nothing.
He brings princes to nothing and makes the rulers of the earth like emptiness.
That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.
Yes, they're scarcely planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stock taken root in the earth, when he blows on them and they wither, and the whirlwind carries them away like stubble.
They're barely planted, barely sown, their stock barely rooted in the ground, before he blows on them and they wither, and the whirlwind takes them off like stubble.
Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble.
‘Who then will you liken me to? Who is my equal?’ says the Holy One.
So who will you liken me to, that I should be his equal? says the Holy One.
To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.
Look up and see who created all this. He brings out the stars one by one and calls each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one is missing.
Lift your eyes up high and look. Who made these? He's the one who brings out their host by number and calls them all by name. Because of his great might and his mighty strength, not one of them is missing.
Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.
Wings like eagles
Why do you say, Jacob, and speak, Israel, ‘My way is hidden from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over by my God’ ? Haven't you known? Haven't you heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, doesn't faint or grow weary. There is no searching out his understanding. He gives power to the faint, and to those with no might he increases strength. Even the youths will faint and grow weary, and the young men will utterly fall. But those who wait on the LORD will renew their strength. They'll mount up with wings like eagles; they'll run and not be weary, and they'll walk and not faint.
Why do you say, Jacob, and talk like this, Israel: My way is hidden from the Lord and my case has gone past my God? Haven't you known? Haven't you heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth — he doesn't faint and he doesn't get tired. His understanding is past searching out. He gives strength to the faint, and to the one with no might he gives plenty of strength. Even young men faint and get tired, and young men stumble and fall. But those who wait for the Lord will get their strength back. They'll go up with wings like eagles. They'll run and not get tired. They'll walk and not faint.
Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God? Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Why do you say, Jacob, and speak, Israel, ‘My way is hidden from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over by my God’ ?
Why do you say, Jacob, and talk like this, Israel: My way is hidden from the Lord and my case has gone past my God?
Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God?
Haven't you known? Haven't you heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, doesn't faint or grow weary. There is no searching out his understanding.
Haven't you known? Haven't you heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth — he doesn't faint and he doesn't get tired. His understanding is past searching out.
Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
He gives power to the faint, and to those with no might he increases strength.
He gives strength to the faint, and to the one with no might he gives plenty of strength.
He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
Even the youths will faint and grow weary, and the young men will utterly fall.
Even young men faint and get tired, and young men stumble and fall.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
But those who wait on the LORD will renew their strength. They'll mount up with wings like eagles; they'll run and not be weary, and they'll walk and not faint.
But those who wait for the Lord will get their strength back. They'll go up with wings like eagles. They'll run and not get tired. They'll walk and not faint.
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.