A light for the nations
Listen to me, islands; pay attention, peoples from far away. The LORD called me from the womb; from my mother's body he has made mention of my name. He made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand he hid me. He made me a polished shaft and hid me in his quiver. He said to me, ‘You are my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.’ Then I said, ‘I've laboured in vain and spent my strength for nothing and in vain. Yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God.’ And now says the LORD, who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him — though Israel is not gathered, yet I will be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God will be my strength — he says, ‘It is a light thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and restore the preserved of Israel. I will also give you as a light to the Gentiles, so that you may be my salvation to the end of the earth.’ This is what the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, says to the one people despise, to the one the nation abhors, to the servant of rulers: ‘Kings will see and rise; princes also will worship, because of the LORD who is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.’ This is what the LORD says: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you. I will preserve you and give you as a covenant of the people, to establish the earth and cause the desolate inheritances to be inherited.’ To say to the prisoners, Come out, and to those in the dark, Show yourselves. They'll graze along the roads and find pasture on every bare height. They won't hunger or thirst, neither will the heat nor sun strike them, because the one who has mercy on them will lead them, and by springs of water he will guide them. I'll turn all my mountains into a road, and my highways will be built up. Look: these are coming from far off, and look: these from the north and the west, and these from the land of Sinim. Sing, heavens; be joyful, earth; break out into singing, mountains, because the LORD has comforted his people and will have mercy on his afflicted.
Listen to me, you islands. Pay attention, you peoples far off. The Lord called me from the womb. He spoke my name while I was still inside my mother. He made my mouth like a sharp sword. He hid me in the shadow of his hand. He made me a polished arrow and put me away in his quiver. And he said to me: You're my servant, Israel, and I'll show my glory in you. But I said: I've worked for nothing. I've spent my strength on emptiness and nothing at all. Still, what's owing to me is with the Lord, and my payment is with my God. And now the Lord says — the one who shaped me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him so Israel would be gathered to him, and I'm honoured in the eyes of the Lord and my God is my strength — he says: It's too small a thing for you to be my servant just to raise up the tribes of Jacob and bring back the ones I've kept of Israel. I'll make you a light for the nations, so my salvation reaches to the end of the earth. This is what the Lord says, the redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to the one people despise, to the one the nation loathes, to the servant of rulers: Kings will see it and stand up, princes will bow down — because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you. This is what the Lord says: In a time of favour I've answered you, and on a day of salvation I've helped you. I'll keep you and give you as a covenant for the people, to set the land up again and hand out the desolate inheritances — to say to the prisoners, Come out, and to those in the dark, Show yourselves. They'll graze along the roads and find pasture on every bare height. They won't go hungry or thirsty. The heat and the sun won't beat them down. Because the one who has mercy on them will lead them and take them along springs of water. I'll turn all my mountains into a road, and my highways will be built up. Look — these are coming from far off, and look — these from the north and the west, and these from the land of Sinim. Sing out, you heavens, and celebrate, earth. Break out singing, you mountains. Because the Lord has comforted his people and will have mercy on his afflicted ones.
Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me; And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified. Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God. And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength. And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee. Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places. They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them. And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted. Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim. Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.
Listen to me, islands; pay attention, peoples from far away. The LORD called me from the womb; from my mother's body he has made mention of my name.
Listen to me, you islands. Pay attention, you peoples far off. The Lord called me from the womb. He spoke my name while I was still inside my mother.
Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.
He made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand he hid me. He made me a polished shaft and hid me in his quiver.
He made my mouth like a sharp sword. He hid me in the shadow of his hand. He made me a polished arrow and put me away in his quiver.
And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me;
He said to me, ‘You are my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.’
And he said to me: You're my servant, Israel, and I'll show my glory in you.
And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.
Then I said, ‘I've laboured in vain and spent my strength for nothing and in vain. Yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God.’
But I said: I've worked for nothing. I've spent my strength on emptiness and nothing at all. Still, what's owing to me is with the Lord, and my payment is with my God.
Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God.
And now says the LORD, who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him — though Israel is not gathered, yet I will be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God will be my strength —
And now the Lord says — the one who shaped me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him so Israel would be gathered to him, and I'm honoured in the eyes of the Lord and my God is my strength —
And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.
he says, ‘It is a light thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and restore the preserved of Israel. I will also give you as a light to the Gentiles, so that you may be my salvation to the end of the earth.’
he says: It's too small a thing for you to be my servant just to raise up the tribes of Jacob and bring back the ones I've kept of Israel. I'll make you a light for the nations, so my salvation reaches to the end of the earth.
And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.
This is what the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, says to the one people despise, to the one the nation abhors, to the servant of rulers: ‘Kings will see and rise; princes also will worship, because of the LORD who is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.’
This is what the Lord says, the redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to the one people despise, to the one the nation loathes, to the servant of rulers: Kings will see it and stand up, princes will bow down — because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.
Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.
This is what the LORD says: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you. I will preserve you and give you as a covenant of the people, to establish the earth and cause the desolate inheritances to be inherited.’
This is what the Lord says: In a time of favour I've answered you, and on a day of salvation I've helped you. I'll keep you and give you as a covenant for the people, to set the land up again and hand out the desolate inheritances —
Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;
To say to the prisoners, Come out, and to those in the dark, Show yourselves. They'll graze along the roads and find pasture on every bare height.
to say to the prisoners, Come out, and to those in the dark, Show yourselves. They'll graze along the roads and find pasture on every bare height.
That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.
They won't hunger or thirst, neither will the heat nor sun strike them, because the one who has mercy on them will lead them, and by springs of water he will guide them.
They won't go hungry or thirsty. The heat and the sun won't beat them down. Because the one who has mercy on them will lead them and take them along springs of water.
They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.
I'll turn all my mountains into a road, and my highways will be built up.
And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.
Look: these are coming from far off, and look: these from the north and the west, and these from the land of Sinim.
Look — these are coming from far off, and look — these from the north and the west, and these from the land of Sinim.
Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.
Sing, heavens; be joyful, earth; break out into singing, mountains, because the LORD has comforted his people and will have mercy on his afflicted.
Sing out, you heavens, and celebrate, earth. Break out singing, you mountains. Because the Lord has comforted his people and will have mercy on his afflicted ones.
Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.
Carved on the palms of my hands
But Zion said, ‘The LORD has abandoned me, and my Lord has forgotten me.’ ‘Can a woman forget her nursing child, so that she has no compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, they may forget — yet I will not forget you.’ ‘I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. Your walls are always before me.’ Your children come hurrying back, and those who tore you down and destroyed you are on their way out. Look around. They're all gathering and coming to you. As surely as I live, declares the LORD, you'll put them all on like jewellery and wear them like a bride. Your waste and desolate places, and the land of your destruction, will now be too narrow because of the people; those who swallowed you up will be far away. The children born while you were bereaved will say right in your ears: This place is too tight for me. Make room for me to live here. Then you'll say in your heart, ‘Where did all these children come from? I had lost my children and was left desolate, captive and wandering. Who raised all these? I was left alone — so where did they come from?’ This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles and set up my standard to the people. They'll bring your sons in their arms, and your daughters will be carried on their shoulders.’ Kings will be your nursing fathers and their queens your nursing mothers. They'll bow to you with their faces toward the earth and lick up the dust of your feet. Then you'll know that I am the LORD, because those who wait for me will not be ashamed. Can the plunder be taken off a strong man, or the lawful captive be rescued? This is what the LORD says: ‘Even the captives of the mighty will be taken away, and the prey of the terrible will be delivered. I will contend with the one who contends with you, and I will save your children.’ ‘I'll feed those who oppress you with their own flesh, and they'll be drunk with their own blood as with sweet wine. All flesh will know that I the LORD am your Saviour and your Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.’
But Zion said: The Lord has left me. My master has forgotten me. Can a woman forget the baby she's feeding, and have no mercy on the son of her own body? Even if she forgets, I won't forget you. Look — I've carved you on the palms of my hands. Your walls are always in front of me. Your children come hurrying back, and the ones who tore you down and wrecked you are on their way out. Lift up your eyes and look round. They're all gathering and coming to you. As surely as I live, declares the Lord, you'll put them all on like jewellery and tie them on like a bride. Because your ruins and your wasted places and the land that was pulled down will be too small for the people living there now, and the ones who swallowed you up will be far away. The children born while you were bereaved will say right in your ears: This place is too tight for me. Make room for me to live here. Then you'll say in your heart: Who fathered these for me? I was bereaved and barren, sent away and turned out. So who brought these up? I was left on my own — so where have these come from? This is what the Lord God says: Look — I'll lift my hand to the nations and raise my banner to the peoples. They'll bring your sons in their arms and carry your daughters on their shoulders. Kings will be your foster fathers and their queens your nurses. They'll bow down to you with their faces to the ground and lick the dust off your feet. And you'll know that I'm the Lord, and the ones who wait for me won't be ashamed. Can the plunder be taken off a strong man, or the lawful captive be rescued? But this is what the Lord says: Even the captives of a strong man will be taken and the plunder of the ruthless rescued. Because I'll fight the one who fights you, and I'll save your children. I'll make the ones who oppress you eat their own flesh, and they'll be drunk on their own blood like new wine. And everyone alive will know that I, the Lord, am your saviour and your redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me. Thy children shall make haste; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee. Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith the LORD, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as a bride doeth. For thy waste and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away. The children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, shall say again in thine ears, The place is too strait for me: give place to me that I may dwell. Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where had they been? Thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders. And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me. Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered? But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children. And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.
But Zion said, ‘The LORD has abandoned me, and my Lord has forgotten me.’
But Zion said: The Lord has left me. My master has forgotten me.
But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me.
‘Can a woman forget her nursing child, so that she has no compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, they may forget — yet I will not forget you.’
Can a woman forget the baby she's feeding, and have no mercy on the son of her own body? Even if she forgets, I won't forget you.
Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.
‘I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. Your walls are always before me.’
Look — I've carved you on the palms of my hands. Your walls are always in front of me.
Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.
Your children come hurrying back, and those who tore you down and destroyed you are on their way out.
Your children come hurrying back, and the ones who tore you down and wrecked you are on their way out.
Thy children shall make haste; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee.
Look around. They're all gathering and coming to you. As surely as I live, declares the LORD, you'll put them all on like jewellery and wear them like a bride.
Lift up your eyes and look round. They're all gathering and coming to you. As surely as I live, declares the Lord, you'll put them all on like jewellery and tie them on like a bride.
Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith the LORD, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as a bride doeth.
Your waste and desolate places, and the land of your destruction, will now be too narrow because of the people; those who swallowed you up will be far away.
Because your ruins and your wasted places and the land that was pulled down will be too small for the people living there now, and the ones who swallowed you up will be far away.
For thy waste and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away.
The children born while you were bereaved will say right in your ears: This place is too tight for me. Make room for me to live here.
The children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, shall say again in thine ears, The place is too strait for me: give place to me that I may dwell.
Then you'll say in your heart, ‘Where did all these children come from? I had lost my children and was left desolate, captive and wandering. Who raised all these? I was left alone — so where did they come from?’
Then you'll say in your heart: Who fathered these for me? I was bereaved and barren, sent away and turned out. So who brought these up? I was left on my own — so where have these come from?
Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where had they been?
This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles and set up my standard to the people. They'll bring your sons in their arms, and your daughters will be carried on their shoulders.’
This is what the Lord God says: Look — I'll lift my hand to the nations and raise my banner to the peoples. They'll bring your sons in their arms and carry your daughters on their shoulders.
Thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.
Kings will be your nursing fathers and their queens your nursing mothers. They'll bow to you with their faces toward the earth and lick up the dust of your feet. Then you'll know that I am the LORD, because those who wait for me will not be ashamed.
Kings will be your foster fathers and their queens your nurses. They'll bow down to you with their faces to the ground and lick the dust off your feet. And you'll know that I'm the Lord, and the ones who wait for me won't be ashamed.
And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.
Can the plunder be taken off a strong man, or the lawful captive be rescued?
Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?
This is what the LORD says: ‘Even the captives of the mighty will be taken away, and the prey of the terrible will be delivered. I will contend with the one who contends with you, and I will save your children.’
But this is what the Lord says: Even the captives of a strong man will be taken and the plunder of the ruthless rescued. Because I'll fight the one who fights you, and I'll save your children.
But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.
‘I'll feed those who oppress you with their own flesh, and they'll be drunk with their own blood as with sweet wine. All flesh will know that I the LORD am your Saviour and your Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.’
I'll make the ones who oppress you eat their own flesh, and they'll be drunk on their own blood like new wine. And everyone alive will know that I, the Lord, am your saviour and your redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.