Isaiah 49:1-15 ▼

1 Listen, O islands, to Me, || And attend, O peoples, from afar, || YHWH has called Me from the womb, || From the bowels of My mother || He has made mention of My Name.

2 And He makes My mouth as a sharp sword, || He has hid Me in the shadow of His hand, || And He makes Me for a clear arrow, || He has hid Me in His quiver.

3 And He says to me, “You are My servant, O Israel, || In whom I beautify Myself.”

4 And I said, “I labored in vain, || I consumed my power for emptiness and vanity, || But my judgment [is] with YHWH, || And my wage with my God.”

5 “And now,” said YHWH, who is forming Me from the belly—His Servant, || To bring Jacob back to Him || (Though Israel is not gathered, || Yet I am honored in the eyes of YHWH, || And My God has been My strength).

6 And He says, “It has been a light thing || That You are My Servant || To raise up the tribes of Jacob, || And to bring back the preserved of Israel, || And I have given You for a light to the nations, || To be My salvation to the end of the earth.”

7 Thus said YHWH, Redeemer of Israel, His Holy One, || To the despised in soul, || To the detested of a nation, || To the Servant of rulers: “Kings see, and have risen, princes, and worship, || For the sake of YHWH, who is faithful, || The Holy of Israel, and He chooses You.”

8 Thus said YHWH: “In a time of good pleasure I answered You, || And in a day of salvation I helped You, || And I keep You, and give You, || For a covenant of the people, || To establish the earth, || To cause to inherit desolate inheritances.

9 To say to the bound, Go out, || To those in darkness, Be uncovered. They feed on the ways, || And their pasture is in all high places.

10 They do not hunger, nor thirst, || Nor do mirage and sun strike them, || For He who is pitying them leads them, || And tends them by fountains of waters.

11 And I have made all My mountains for a way, || And My highways are lifted up.

12 Behold, these come in from afar, || And behold, these from the north, and from the sea, || And these from the land of Sinim.”

13 Sing, O heavens, and rejoice, O earth, || And break forth, O mountains, with singing, || For YHWH has comforted His people, || And He pities His afflicted ones.

14 And Zion says, “YHWH has forsaken me, || And my Lord has forgotten me.”

15 “Does a woman forget her suckling, || The loved one—the son of her womb? Indeed, these forget—but I do not forget you.