Isaiah 40:1-20 ▼

1 “Comfort, comfort My people,” says your God.

2 Speak to the heart of Jerusalem, and call to her, || That her warfare has been completed, || That her punishment has been accepted, || That she has received from the hand of YHWH || Double for all her sins.

3 A voice is crying in a wilderness: “Prepare the way of YHWH, || Make straight in a desert a highway for our God.

4 Every valley is raised up, || And every mountain and hill become low, || And the crooked place has become a plain, || And the entangled places a valley.

5 And the glory of YHWH has been revealed, || And all flesh have seen [it] together, || For the mouth of YHWH has spoken.”

6 A voice is saying, “Call,” || And he said, “What do I call?” All flesh [is] grass, and all its goodness || [Is] as a flower of the field:

7 Grass has withered, the flower faded, || For the Spirit of YHWH blew on it, || Surely the people [is] grass;

8 Grass has withered, the flower faded, || But a word of our God rises forever.

9 Get up on a high mountain, O Zion, || Proclaiming tidings, || Lift up your voice with power, O Jerusalem, proclaiming tidings, || Lift up, do not fear, say to cities of Judah, “Behold, your God.”

10 Behold, Lord YHWH comes with strength, || And His arm is ruling for Him, || Behold, His hire [is] with Him, and His wage before Him.

11 He feeds His flock as a shepherd, || He gathers lambs with His arm, || And He carries [them] in His bosom: He leads suckling ones.

12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, || And has meted out the heavens by a span, || And comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, || And has weighed the mountains in scales, || And the hills in a balance?

13 Who has meted out the Spirit of YHWH, || And [being] His counselor, teaches Him?

14 With whom [did] He consult, || That he causes Him to understand? And teaches Him in the path of judgment, || And teaches Him knowledge? And causes Him to know the way of understanding?

15 Behold, nations [are] as a drop from a bucket, || And have been reckoned as small dust of the balance, || Behold, He takes up islands as a small thing.

16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, || Nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt-offering.

17 All the nations [are] as nothing before Him, || Less than nothing and emptiness, || They have been reckoned to Him.

18 And to whom do you liken God, || And what likeness do you compare to Him?

19 An artisan has poured out the carved image, || And a refiner spreads it over with gold, || And he is refining chains of silver.

20 He who is poor [by] raised-offerings, || Chooses a tree [that is] not rotten, || He seeks a skillful artisan for it, || To establish a carved image—not moved.