1 F or the Lord will have mercy on Jacob and will again choose Israel and set them in their own land; and foreigners will join them and will cleave to the house of Jacob (Israel).

For Yahweh will have compassion on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land. The foreigner will join himself with them, and they will unite with the house of Jacob.

2 A nd the peoples shall take them and bring them to their own country and help restore them. And the house of Israel will possess them in the land of the Lord as male and female servants; and they will take captive those whose captives they have been, and they will rule over their oppressors.

The peoples will take them, and bring them to their place. The house of Israel will possess them in Yahweh’s land for servants and for handmaids. They will take as captives those whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors.

3 W hen the Lord has given you rest from your sorrow and pain and from your trouble and unrest and from the hard service with which you were made to serve,

It will happen in the day that Yahweh will give you rest from your sorrow, from your trouble, and from the hard service in which you were made to serve,

4 Y ou shall take up this parable against the king of Babylon and say, How the oppressor has stilled! The golden and exacting city has ceased!

that you will take up this parable against the king of Babylon, and say, “How the oppressor has ceased! The golden city has ceased!”

5 T he Lord has broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers,

Yahweh has broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers,

6 W ho smote the peoples in anger with incessant blows and trod down the nations in wrath with unrelenting persecution— he who smote is persecuted and no one hinders any more.

who struck the peoples in wrath with a continual stroke, who ruled the nations in anger, with a persecution that no one restrained.

7 T he whole earth is at rest and is quiet; they break forth into singing.

The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet. They break out song.

8 Y es, the fir trees and cypresses rejoice at you, even the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since you have been laid low, no woodcutter comes up against us.

Yes, the cypress trees rejoice with you, with the cedars of Lebanon, saying, “Since you are humbled, no lumberjack has come up against us.”

9 S heol (Hades, the place of the dead) below is stirred up to meet you at your coming; it stirs up the shades of the dead to greet you—even all the chief ones of the earth; it raises from their thrones all the kings of the nations.

Sheol from beneath has moved for you to meet you at your coming. It stirs up the departed spirits for you, even all the rulers of the earth. It has raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.

10 A ll of them will say to you, Have you also become weak as we are? Have you become like us?

They all will answer and ask you, “Have you also become as weak as we are? Have you become like us?”

11 Y our pomp and magnificence are brought down to Sheol (the underworld), along with the sound of your harps; the maggots are spread out under you and worms cover you.

Your pomp is brought down to Sheol, with the sound of your stringed instruments. Maggots are spread out under you, and worms cover you.

12 H ow have you fallen from heaven, O light-bringer and daystar, son of the morning! How you have been cut down to the ground, you who weakened and laid low the nations

How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, who laid the nations low!

13 A nd you said in your heart, I will ascend to heaven; I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit upon the mount of assembly in the uttermost north.

You said in your heart, “I will ascend into heaven! I will exalt my throne above the stars of God! I will sit on the mountain of assembly, in the far north!

14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.

I will ascend above the heights of the clouds! I will make myself like the Most High!”

15 Y et you shall be brought down to Sheol (Hades), to the innermost recesses of the pit (the region of the dead).

Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the depths of the pit.

16 T hose who see you will gaze at you and consider you, saying, Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms?—

Those who see you will stare at you. They will ponder you, saying, “Is this the man who made the earth to tremble, who shook kingdoms;

17 W ho made the world like a wilderness and overthrew its cities, who would not permit his prisoners to return home?

who made the world like a wilderness, and overthrew its cities; who didn’t release his prisoners to their home?”

18 A ll the kings of the nations, all of them lie sleeping in glorious array, each one in his own sepulcher.

All the kings of the nations, sleep in glory, everyone in his own house.

19 B ut you are cast away from your tomb like a loathed growth or premature birth or an abominable branch and like the raiment of the slain; and you are clothed with the slain, those thrust through with the sword, who go down to the stones of the pit, like a dead body trodden underfoot.

But you are cast away from your tomb like an abominable branch, clothed with the slain, who are thrust through with the sword, who go down to the stones of the pit; like a dead body trodden under foot.

20 Y ou shall not be joined with them in burial, because you have destroyed your land and have slain your people. May the descendants of evildoers nevermore be named!

You will not join them in burial, because you have destroyed your land. You have killed your people. The offspring of evildoers will not be named forever.

21 P repare a slaughtering place for his sons because of the guilt and iniquity of their fathers, so that they may not rise, possess the earth, and fill the face of the world with cities.

Prepare for slaughter of his children because of the iniquity of their fathers, that they not rise up and possess the earth, and fill the surface of the world with cities.

22 A nd I will rise up against them, says the Lord of hosts, and cut off from Babylon name and remnant, and son and son’s son, says the Lord.

“I will rise up against them,” says Yahweh of Armies, “and cut off from Babylon name and remnant, and son and son’s son,” says Yahweh.

23 I will also make it a possession of the hedgehog and porcupine, and of marshes and pools of water, and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction, says the Lord of hosts.

“I will also make it a possession for the porcupine, and pools of water. I will sweep it with the broom of destruction,” says Yahweh of Armies.

24 T he Lord of hosts has sworn, saying, Surely, as I have thought and planned, so shall it come to pass, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand—

Yahweh of Armies has sworn, saying, “Surely, as I have thought, so shall it happen; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand:

25 T hat I will break the Assyrian in My land, and upon My mountains I will tread him underfoot. Then shall the yoke depart from, and his burden depart from their shoulders.

that I will break the Assyrian in my land, and tread him under foot on my mountains. Then his yoke will leave them, and his burden leave their shoulders.

26 T his is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth; and this is hand that is stretched out over all the nations.

This is the plan that is determined for the whole earth. This is the hand that is stretched out over all the nations.

27 F or the Lord of hosts has purposed, and who can annul it? And His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?

For Yahweh of Armies has planned, and who can stop it? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?”

28 I n the year that King Ahaz died there came this mournful, inspired prediction (a burden to be lifted up):

This burden was in the year that king Ahaz died.

29 R ejoice not, O Philistia, all of you, because the rod that smote you is broken; for out of the serpent’s root shall come forth an adder, and its offspring will be a fiery, flying serpent.

Don’t rejoice, O Philistia, all of you, because the rod that struck you is broken; for out of the serpent’s root an adder will emerge, and his fruit will be a fiery flying serpent.

30 A nd the firstborn of the poor and the poorest of the poor shall feed on My meadows, and the needy will lie down in safety; but I will kill your root with famine, and your remnant shall be slain.

The firstborn of the poor will eat, and the needy will lie down in safety; and I will kill your root with famine, and your remnant will be killed.

31 H owl, O gate! Cry, O city! Melt away, O Philistia, all of you! For there is coming a smoke out of the north, and there is no straggler in his ranks and none stands aloof.

Howl, gate! Cry, city! You are melted away, Philistia, all of you; for smoke comes out of the north, and there is no straggler in his ranks.

32 W hat then shall one answer the messengers of the nation? That the Lord has founded Zion, and in her shall the poor and afflicted of His people trust and find refuge.

What will they answer the messengers of the nation? That Yahweh has founded Zion, and in her the afflicted of his people will take refuge.