1 L isten to me, O isles and coastlands, and hearken, you peoples from afar. The Lord has called me from the womb; from the body of my mother He has named my name.

Listen to Me, O islands. Listen, you people from far away. The Lord called Me before I was born. From the body of My mother he said My name.

2 A nd He has made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of His hand has He hid me and made me a polished arrow; in His quiver has He kept me close and concealed me.

He has made My mouth like a sharp sword. He has hidden Me in the shadow of His hand. He has made Me a shining arrow, keeping Me in His secret place.

3 A nd said to me, You are My servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.

And He said to Me, “You are My Servant Israel, in Whom I will show My shining-greatness.”

4 T hen I said, I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and in empty futility; yet surely my right is with the Lord, and my recompense is with my God.

But I said, “My work has been for nothing. I have spent My strength for nothing. Yet for sure what should come to Me is with the Lord, and My reward is with My God.”

5 A nd now, says the Lord—Who formed me from the womb to be His servant to bring Jacob back to Him and that Israel might be gathered to Him and not be swept away, for I am honorable in the eyes of the Lord and my God has become my strength—

And now the Lord speaks, Who made Me before I was born to be His Servant, to bring Jacob back to Him, that Israel might be gathered to Him. For I am honored in the eyes of the Lord, and My God is My strength.

6 H e says, It is too light a thing that you should be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel; I will also give you for a light to the nations, that My salvation may extend to the end of the earth.

He says, “It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the family groups of Jacob, and to bring back those of Israel I have kept safe. I will also make You a light to the nations, so that men over all the earth can be saved from the punishment of their sins.”

7 T hus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, Israel’s Holy One, to him whom man rejects and despises, to him whom the nations abhor, to the servant of rulers: Kings shall see you and arise; princes, and they shall prostrate themselves, because of the Lord, Who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, Who has chosen you.

This is what the Lord, the One Who saves Israel, and its Holy One, says to the hated One, to the One hated by the nations, to the Servant of rulers: “Kings will see and rise up. Rulers will also bow down, because of the Lord Who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel Who has chosen You.” Israel as a Nation

8 T hus says the Lord, In an acceptable and favorable time I have heard and answered you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you; and I will preserve you and give you for a covenant to the people, to raise up and establish the land and to apportion and cause them to inherit the desolate heritages,

The Lord says, “I have answered You at the right time. I have helped You in a day when people are saved. I will keep You and give You for an agreement to the people, to make the land good again, and to give them their land which had been destroyed.

9 S aying to those who are bound, Come forth, and to those who are in darkness, Show yourselves. They shall feed in all the ways, and their pastures shall be on all the bare hills.

I will say to those in prison, ‘Come out,’ and to those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.’ They will eat along the roads, and find grass on all the hills.

10 T hey will not hunger or thirst, neither will mirage or scorching wind or sun smite them; for He Who has mercy on them will lead them, and by springs of water will He guide them.

They will not be hungry or thirsty. The burning heat of the sun will not trouble them. For He Who has loving-pity on them will lead them. He will lead them to wells of water.

11 A nd I will make all My mountains a way, and My highways will be raised up.

And I will make all My mountains a road. My straight roads will be raised up.

12 B ehold, these shall come from afar—and, behold, these from the north and from the west, and these from the land of Sinim (China).

See, these will come from far away. See, these will come from the north and from the west, and from the land of Sinim.”

13 S ing for joy, O heavens, and be joyful, O earth, and break forth into singing, O mountains! For the Lord has comforted His people and will have compassion upon His afflicted.

Sing for joy, O heavens! Be glad, O earth! Break out into songs of joy, O mountains! For the Lord has comforted His people. He will have loving-pity on His suffering people. God Remembers Zion

14 B ut Zion said, The Lord has forsaken me, and my Lord has forgotten me.

But Zion said, “The Lord has left me alone. The Lord has forgotten me.”

15 C an a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, they may forget, yet I will not forget you.

“Can a woman forget her nursing child? Can she have no pity on the son to whom she gave birth? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you.

16 B ehold, I have indelibly imprinted (tattooed a picture of) you on the palm of each of My hands; your walls are continually before Me.

See, I have marked your names on My hands. Your walls are always before Me.

17 Y our children and your builders make haste; your destroyers and those who laid you waste go forth from you.

Your builders hurry. And those who destroy you will leave you.

18 L ift up your eyes round about and see; all these gather together and come to you. As I live, says the Lord, you shall surely clothe yourself with them all as with an ornament and bind them on you as a bride does.

Lift up your eyes and look around. All of them gather together and come to you. As I live,” says the Lord, “you will put them on like objects of beauty. You will tie them on as a bride does.

19 F or your waste and desolate places and your land of destruction surely now will be too narrow to accommodate the population, and those who once swallowed you up will be far away.

For your waste places and your destroyed land will now be too small for the people. And those who destroyed you will be far away.

20 T he children of your bereavement shall yet say in your ears, The place is too narrow for me; make room for me, that I may live.

The children born to you during the time of your sorrow will say for you to hear, ‘The place is too small for us. Make a bigger place for us to live in.’

21 T hen, you will say in your heart, Who has borne me all these children, seeing that I lost my offspring and am alone and barren and unfruitful, an exile put away and wandering hither and thither? And who brought them up? Behold, I was left alone; from where then did all these children come?

Then you will say in your heart, ‘Who has given birth to these for me? My children were taken from me, and I could not give birth. I was sent away and had no place of my own. Who has brought up these children? See, I was left alone. Where have these come from?’”

22 T hus says the Lord God: Behold, I will lift up My hand to the Gentile nations and set up My standard and raise high My signal banner to the peoples; and they will bring your sons in the bosom of their garments, and your daughters will be carried upon their shoulders.

The Lord God says, “See, I will lift up My hand to the nations. I will raise My flag to the people. And they will bring your sons in their arms, and your daughters will be carried on their shoulders.

23 A nd kings shall be your foster fathers and guardians, and their queens your nursing mothers. They shall bow down to you with their faces to the earth and lick up the dust of your feet; and you shall know that I am the Lord; for they shall not be put to shame who wait for, look for, hope for, and expect Me.

Kings will take care of you as fathers. And their queens will be your nursing mothers. They will bow down to you with their faces to the ground, and kiss the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord. Those who wait for Me with hope will not be put to shame.

24 S hall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captives of the just be delivered?

“Can that which was taken by a strong man in battle be taken from him? Can those taken away to prison by a powerful ruler be saved?”

25 F or thus says the Lord: Even the captives of the mighty will be taken away, and the prey of the terrible will be delivered; for I will contend with him who contends with you, and I will give safety to your children and ease them.

The Lord says, “Even those taken away by the strong man will be taken from him. Those taken by the powerful ruler will be saved. For I will fight with the one who fights with you, and I will save your sons.

26 A nd I will make those who oppress you consume themselves, thus eating their own flesh; and they will be drunk with their own blood, as with sweet wine; and all flesh will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

I will feed those who make it hard for you with their own flesh. They will become drunk with their own blood as with sweet wine. Then all flesh will know that I, the Lord, am the One Who saves you, and the One Who bought you, the Powerful One of Jacob.”