1 T hus saith the Lord, Where is the bill of your mother’s divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.

Thus said Jehovah: `Where this -- the bill of your mother's divorce, Whom I sent away? Or to which of My creditors have I sold you? Lo, for your iniquities ye have been sold, And for your transgressions Hath your mother been sent away.

2 W herefore, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because there is no water, and dieth for thirst.

Wherefore have I come, and there is no one? I called, and there is none answering, Hath My hand been at all short of redemption? And is there not in me power to deliver? Lo, by My rebuke I dry up a sea, I make rivers a wilderness, Their fish stinketh, for there is no water, And dieth with thirst.

3 I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering.

I clothe the heavens blackness, And sackcloth I make their covering.

4 T he Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.

The Lord Jehovah hath given to me The tongue of taught ones, To know to aid the weary a word, He waketh morning by morning, He waketh for me an ear to hear as taught ones.

5 T he Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.

The Lord Jehovah opened for me the ear, And I rebelled not -- backward I moved not.

6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

My back I have given to those smiting, And my cheeks to those plucking out, My face I hid not from shame and spitting.

7 F or the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.

And the Lord Jehovah giveth help to me, Therefore I have not been ashamed, Therefore I have set my face as a flint, And I know that I am not ashamed.

8 H e is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me.

Near He who is justifying me, Who doth contend with me? We stand together, who mine opponent? Let him come nigh unto me.

9 B ehold, the Lord God will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.

Lo, the Lord Jehovah giveth help to me, Who he that declareth me wicked? Lo, all of them as a garment wear out, A moth doth eat them.

10 W ho is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.

Who among you, fearing Jehovah, Hearkening to the voice of His servant, That hath walked in dark places, And there is no brightness for him? Let him trust in the name of Jehovah, And lean upon his God.

11 B ehold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow.

Lo, all ye kindling a fire, girding on sparks, Walk ye in the light of your fire, And in the sparks ye have caused to burn, From my hand hath this been to you, In grief ye lie down!