1 L isten, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye peoples, from far: Jehovah hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name:

Listen 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.

2 a nd he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me: and he hath made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he kept me close:

And 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.

3 a nd he said unto me, Thou art my servant; Israel, in whom I will be glorified.

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

4 B ut I said, I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nought and vanity; yet surely the justice due to me is with Jehovah, and my recompense with my God.

Then 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.

5 A nd now saith Jehovah that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, and that Israel be gathered unto him (for I am honorable in the eyes of Jehovah, and my God is become my strength);

And 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—

6 y ea, he saith, It is too light a thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.

He 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.

7 T hus saith Jehovah, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers: Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall worship; because of Jehovah that is faithful, even the Holy One of Israel, who hath chosen thee.

Thus 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.

8 T hus saith Jehovah, In an acceptable time have I answered thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee; and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to raise up the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritages:

Thus 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,

9 s aying to them that are bound, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Show yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and on all bare heights shall be their pasture.

Saying 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.

10 T hey shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them will lead them, even by springs of water will he guide them.

They 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.

11 A nd I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.

And I will make all My mountains a way, and My highways will be raised up.

12 L o, these shall come from far; and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.

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

13 S ing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for Jehovah hath comforted his people, and will have compassion upon his afflicted.

Sing 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.

14 B ut Zion said, Jehovah hath forsaken me, and the Lord hath forgotten me.

But Zion said, The Lord has forsaken me, and my Lord has forgotten me.

15 C an a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, these may forget, yet will not I forget thee.

Can 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.

16 B ehold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.

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

17 T hy children make haste; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth from thee.

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

18 L ift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith Jehovah, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all as with an ornament, and gird thyself with them, like a bride.

Lift 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.

19 F or, as for thy waste and thy desolate places, and thy land that hath been destroyed, surely now shalt thou be too strait for the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away.

For 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.

20 T he children of thy bereavement shall yet say in thine ears, The place is too strait for me; give place to me that I may dwell.

The 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.

21 T hen shalt thou say in thy heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have been bereaved of my children, and am solitary, an exile, and wandering to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where were they?

Then, 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?

22 T hus saith the Lord Jehovah, Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations, and set up my ensign to the peoples; and they shall bring thy sons in their bosom, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.

Thus 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.

23 A nd kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their faces to the earth, and lick the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am Jehovah; and they that wait for me shall not be put to shame.

And 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.

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

Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captives of the just be delivered?

25 B ut thus saith Jehovah, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered; for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.

For 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.

26 A nd I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I, Jehovah, am thy Saviour, and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

And 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.