Isaiah

44 Now then—hear, O Jacob my Servant,—and Israel, whom I have chosen:

2 Thus saith Yahweh—Who made thee and formed thee from birth, Who helpeth thee: Do not fear, O my Servant Jacob, and Jeshurun, whom I have chosen;

3 For I will pour Water upon the thirsty soil, and Floods upon the dry ground,—I will pour My spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thine offspring;

4 So will they spring up among the grass, As willows by the water-courses:

5 This one will say Yahweh’s am I, and That one will call himself by the name of Jacob, and Yonder one will write on his hand—Yahweh’s, And after the name of Israel will one entitle himself.

6 Thus saith Yahweh—King of Israel, Even his Redeemer Yahweh of hosts,—I am First and I Last, And besides me there is no God.

7 Who then like me can call and declare it and order it for me, Seeing that I appointed an age-abiding people,—Or things yet to be and that shall come to pass Let them declare on their part.

8 Do not ye dread nor yet be alarmed, Have I not from olden time told thee and declared? So that ye are my witnesses,—Whether there is a God besides me? Or is no Rock—I know of none!

9 The fashioners of an image—all of them are emptiness, And the things they delight in cannot profit,—And their witnesses they neither see nor know, That they may be ashamed.

10 Who hath fashioned a God, Or an image hath molten? It cannot profit!

11 Lo! all his partners turn pale, Even the artificers themselves are of the sons of earth,—Let them gather themselves together—all of them Let them take their stand, Let them dread and turn pale together!

12 As for the smith [with his] cutting-tool—When he hath wrought in the live coals, And with hammers hath fashioned it,—And hath wrought it with his strong arm Anon he is hungry and hath no strength, He hath drunk no water and so hath become faint!

13 As for the carpenter—He hath stretched out a line, hath drawn it with a pencil, Hath made it with carving tools, With compasses hath rounded it,—And so hath made it after the figure of a great man, After the beauty of a son of earth, that it may remain in a house!

14 When one was cutting him down cedars Then took he a holm-tree and an oak, And secured them for himself among the trees of the forest,—He planted a fir-tree and the pouring rain made it grow;

15 So it serveth for a man to burn, And he hath taken of [the branches] and warmed himself, Also he kindleth a fire and baketh bread,—Also he maketh a God and hath bowed himself down, Hath made of it a carved image and adored it:

16 The half thereof hath he burned in the fire, Over half thereof he eateth flesh, He roasteth roast that he may be satisfied,—Also he warmeth himself and saith, Aha! I am warm, I have seen a blaze;

17 And the residue thereof Into a God he maketh, Into his carved image,—Adoreth it and boweth down and prayeth unto it And saith, Deliver me, for my God thou art!

18 They have not taken note neither can they perceive,—He hath besmeared—past seeing—their eyes, Past understanding their hearts;

19 And no one reflecteth—There is neither knowledge nor discernment—to say, Half thereof have I burned up in the fire, Moreover also I have baked on the coals thereof bread, I roasted flesh and have been eating,—And of the remainder thereof an abomination shall I make? And to a log of wood shall I pay adoration?

20 He is feeding on ashes, A deluded heart hath turned him aside,—And he cannot deliver his own soul nor say, Is there not a falsehood in my right hand?

21 Remember these things, O Jacob, And Israel—for my Servant thou art,—I have fashioned thee, a Servant of mine thou art.

22 O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me. I have wiped out As with a thick cloud thy transgressions, And as with a broad cloud thy sins,—Return unto me for I have redeemed thee.

23 Shout in triumph, ye heavens, for Yahweh hath effectually wrought, Shout, O ye underparts of the earth, Ring out, Ye mountains into cries of triumph, Thou forest and every tree therein,—For Yahweh hath redeemed Jacob, And in Israel will he get himself glory.

24 Thus saith Yahweh Who hath redeemed thee, Who hath fashioned thee from birth,—I—Yahweh am the maker of all things, Stretching out the heavens alone, Spreading forth the earth of myself;

25 Frustrating the signs of praters, And diviners he confoundeth,—Turning wise men backwards, And their knowledge he maketh folly;

26 Establishing the word of his Servant, And the counsel of his Messengers he maketh good,—Who saith of Jerusalem—She shall be inhabited! And of the cities of Judah—They shall be built! And the ruins thereof will I set up!

27 Who saith to the deep—Be dry! and Thy rivers will I drain!

28 Who saith of Cyrus—My Shepherd! and All my pleasure shall he make good! Even saying of Jerusalem—She shall be built! And of the temple—Be her foundation laid!