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

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

2 “ Speak kindly to Jerusalem; And call out to her, that her warfare has ended, That her iniquity has been removed, That she has received of the Lord’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 A voice is calling, “ Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness; Make smooth 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 “ Let every valley be lifted up, And every mountain and hill be made low; And let the rough ground become a plain, And the rugged terrain a broad valley;

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 T hen the glory of the Lord will be revealed, And all flesh will see it together; For the mouth of the Lord has 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 says, “Call out.” Then he answered, “What shall I call out?” All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like 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 withers, the flower fades, When the breath of the Lord blows upon it; Surely the people are 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 withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.

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

9 G et yourself up on a high mountain, O Zion, bearer of good news, Lift up your voice mightily, O Jerusalem, bearer of good news; Lift it up, do not fear. Say to the cities of Judah, “ Here is 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 God will come with might, With His arm ruling for Him. Behold, His reward is with Him And His recompense 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 L ike a shepherd He will tend His flock, In His arm He will gather the lambs And carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes.

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 has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, And marked off the heavens by the span, And calculated the dust of the earth by the measure, And weighed the mountains in a balance And the hills in a pair of 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 has directed the Spirit of the Lord, Or as His counselor has informed Him?

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

14 W ith whom did He consult and who gave Him understanding? And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge And informed Him of 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 like a drop from a bucket, And are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales; Behold, He lifts up the islands like fine dust.

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 E ven Lebanon is not enough to burn, Nor its beasts enough 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 regarded by Him as less than nothing and meaningless.

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 you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare with Him?

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

19 A s for the idol, a craftsman casts it, A goldsmith plates it with gold, And a silversmith fashions chains of silver.

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 who is too impoverished for such an offering Selects a tree that does not rot; He seeks out for himself a skillful craftsman To prepare an idol that will not totter.

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 D o you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been declared to you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations 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 I t is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain And spreads them out like 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 H e it is who reduces rulers to nothing, Who makes the judges of the earth meaningless.

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

24 S carcely have they been planted, Scarcely have they been sown, Scarcely has their stock taken root in the earth, But He merely blows on them, and they wither, And the storm carries them away like 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 “ To whom then will you liken Me That I would be his equal?” says 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 has created these stars, The One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, Not one of them is missing.

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 do you say, O Jacob, and assert, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the Lord, And the justice due me escapes the notice of 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 o you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable.

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 gives strength to the weary, And to him who lacks might He increases power.

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

30 T hough youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous young men stumble badly,

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

31 Y et those who wait for the Lord Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.

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.