以賽亞書 第 41 章

Be renewed toward me, O islands, for the rulers will exchange their strength. Let them draw near and speak together; then let them declare judgment.

Who roused righteousness from the east, called it to follow at his feet, and it will go? He will give before nations and will make kings stand amazed, and he will cast their swords to the ground and their bows like driven-away brushwood.

And he will pursue them and pass through in peace — the way of his feet.

Who has worked and done these things? He who calls her has called her from the generations of the beginning. I, God, am first, and for the things to come, I am.

The nations saw and were afraid; the ends of the earth drew near and came together.

Each one judging for his neighbor and to help his brother, and he will say:

The craftsman grew strong, and the coppersmith, striking with a hammer, forging together. At one point he will say: The joint is good. They strengthened them with nails; they will set them in place, and they will not be moved.

But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I chose, seed of Abraham, whom I loved,

whom I took hold of from the ends of the earth, and from its watchtowers I called you and said to you: You are my servant; I chose you and did not forsake you.

Do not fear, for I am with you; do not go astray, for I am your God who strengthened you; and I helped you and made you secure with my righteous right hand.

Behold, all who oppose you will be ashamed and disgraced; for they will be as though they did not exist, and all who contend against you will perish.

You will seek them and will not find them — the men who act insolently against you; for they will be as though they did not exist, and those who war against you will be no more.

For I am your God, who holds your right hand, who says to you: Do not fear.

Jacob, you least one, Israel — I helped you, says God who redeems you, Israel.

Behold, I have made you like the threshing wheels of a wagon, new, saw-toothed; and you will thresh mountains and pulverize hills and make them like chaff.

And you will winnow, and wind will take them, and a whirlwind will scatter them; but you will rejoice among the holy ones of Israel, and they will exult.

For the poor and the needy will seek water, and there will be none; their tongue has dried up from thirst. I, the Lord God, I will answer them; the God of Israel, and I will not forsake them.

But I will open rivers on the mountains and springs in the midst of the plains; I will make the wilderness into marshes and the thirsty land into water channels.

I will set in the waterless land cedar and box tree and myrtle and cypress and white poplar,

so that they may see and know and consider and understand together that the hand of the Lord has done all these things, and the Holy One of Israel has displayed them.

Your case draws near, says the Lord God; your counsels have drawn near, says the King of Jacob.

Let them draw near and declare to you what will happen, or what the former things were. Tell us, and we will set our mind to it and will know what the last things are; and tell us the things that are coming.

Declare to us the things that are coming at the last, and we will know that you are gods. Do good or do harm, and we will marvel and look on together.

For where are you from, and where is your work from? You are an abomination out of the earth; they chose you.

But I raised up the one from the north and the one from the rising of the sun; they will be called by my name. Let rulers come! And as a potter's clay, and as a potter trampling the clay, so you will be trampled.

For who will declare the things from the beginning, that we may know, and the things before, and we will say: It is true? There is no one who foretells, nor anyone who hears your words.

I will give a beginning to Zion, and I will comfort Jerusalem on the way.

For look, from among the nations there is no one, and from among their idols there was none who declares; and if I ask them, Where are you from? they will not answer me.

For they are the ones who make you, and in vain are those who lead you astray.