1 C omfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.

“Comfort, comfort My people,” says your God.

2 S peak to the heart of Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her time of suffering is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she hath received of Jehovah's hand double for all her sins.

“Speak kind words to Jerusalem. Call out to her that her time of war has ended, that her sin has been taken away, and that she has received from the Lord’s hand twice as much for all her sins.”

3 T he voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of Jehovah, make straight in the desert a highway for our God!

A voice is calling, “Make the way ready for the Lord in the desert. Make the road in the desert straight for our God.

4 E very valley shall be raised up, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places a plain.

Every valley will be lifted up and every mountain and hill will be brought down. The turns in the road will be made straight and the bad places will be made smooth.

5 A nd the glory of Jehovah shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see together: for the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken.

Then the shining-greatness of the Lord will be seen. All flesh together will see it, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

6 A voice saith, Cry. And he saith, What shall I cry?—All flesh is grass, and all the comeliness thereof as the flower of the field.

A voice says, “Cry.” And he said, “What should I cry?” All flesh is grass. All its beauty is like the flower of the field.

7 T he grass withereth, the flower fadeth, for the breath of Jehovah bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.

The grass dries up and the flower loses its color when the breath of the Lord blows upon it. For sure the people are grass.

8 T he grass withereth, the flower fadeth; but the word of our God abideth for ever.

The grass dries up. The flower loses its color. But the Word of our God stands forever.

9 O Zion, that bringest glad tidings, get thee up into a high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest glad tidings, lift up thy voice with strength: lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!

O Zion, you who bring good news, go up on the high mountain! Lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, you who bring good news. Lift it up, do not be afraid. Say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!”

10 B ehold, the Lord Jehovah will come with might, and his arm shall rule for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompence before him.

See, the Lord God will come with power, and His arm will rule for Him. See, He is bringing the reward He will give to everyone for what he has done.

11 H e will feed his flock like a shepherd: he will gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom; he will gently lead those that give suck.

He will feed His flock like a shepherd. He will gather the lambs in His arms and carry them close to His heart. He will be gentle in leading those that are with young.

12 W ho hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out the heavens with span, and grasped the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in a balance, and the hills in scales?

Who knows how much water is in His hand? Who has used his hand to know how far the heavens reach? Who knows what the dust of the earth would fill? Who has weighed the mountains and the hills?

13 W ho hath directed the Spirit of Jehovah, and, his counsellor, hath taught him?

Who has led the Spirit of the Lord? Who has taught Him words of wisdom?

14 W ith whom took he counsel, and gave him intelligence, and instructed him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed him the way of understanding?

From whom did He ask for wisdom, and who gave Him understanding? Who taught Him the right way, and taught Him much learning? Who showed Him the way of understanding?

15 B ehold, the nations are esteemed as a drop of the bucket, and as the fine dust on the scales; behold, he taketh up the isles as an atom.

See, the nations are like a drop in a pail. Their weight is like a little piece of dust. See, He lifts up the islands like fine dust.

16 A nd Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt-offering.

Even Lebanon is not enough to burn. Its animals are not enough for a burnt gift in worship.

17 A ll the nations are as nothing before him; they are esteemed by him less than a cipher, and vanity.

All the nations are as nothing before Him. He thinks of them as less than nothing and of no worth.

18 T o whom then will ye liken God? and what likeness will ye compare unto him?

To Whom then is God like? What will you compare Him with?

19 T he workman casteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains.

An able workman makes a false god. A man who works with gold covers it with gold. And a man who works with silver makes silver chains for it.

20 H e that is impoverished, so that he hath no offering, chooseth a tree that doth not rot; he seeketh unto him a skilled workman to prepare a graven image that shall not be moved.

He who is too poor to give such a gift, picks out a tree that will not waste away. He finds an able workman to set up a false god that will not be moved.

21 — Do ye not know? Have ye not heard? Hath it not been told you from the beginning? Have ye not understood the foundation of the earth?

Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told to you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the beginning of the earth?

22 h e that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a gauze curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in;

It is God Who sits on the throne above the earth. The people living on the earth are like grasshoppers. He spreads out the heavens like a curtain. He spreads them out like a tent to live in.

23 t hat bringeth the princes to nothing, that maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.

It is He Who brings rulers down to nothing. He makes the judges of the earth as nothing.

24 S carcely are they planted, scarcely are they sown, scarcely hath their stock taken root in the earth, but he also bloweth upon them and they wither, and the whirlwind taketh them away as stubble.

They have just been planted, and have begun to take root in the earth. But He only blows on them and they dry up, and the storm carries them away like dry grass.

25 T o whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.

“To whom will you compare Me, that I should be like him?” says the Holy One.

26 L ift up your eyes on high, and see! Who hath created these things, bringing out their host by number? He calleth them all by name; through the greatness of his might and strength of power, not one faileth.

Lift up your eyes and see. Who has made these stars? It is the One Who leads them out by number. He calls them all by name. Because of the greatness of His strength, and because He is strong in power, not one of them is missing.

27 W hy sayest thou, Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from Jehovah, and my right is passed away from my God?

O Jacob and Israel, why do you say, “My way is hidden from the Lord. My God does not think about my cause”?

28 D ost thou not know, hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, Jehovah, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not nor tireth? There is no searching of his understanding.

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The God Who lives forever is the Lord, the One Who made the ends of the earth. He will not become weak or tired. His understanding is too great for us to begin to know.

29 H e giveth power to the faint; and to him that hath no might he increaseth strength.

He gives strength to the weak. And He gives power to him who has little strength.

30 E ven the youths shall faint and shall tire, and the young men shall stumble and fall;

Even very young men get tired and become weak and strong young men trip and fall.

31 b ut they that wait upon Jehovah shall renew strength: they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not tire; they shall walk, and not faint.

But they who wait upon the Lord will get new strength. They will rise up with wings like eagles. They will run and not get tired. They will walk and not become weak.