1 “ Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God.

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

2 “ Speak comfortably to Jerusalem; and call out to her that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received of Yahweh’s hand double for all her sins.”

“ 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.”

3 T he voice of one who calls out, “Prepare the way of Yahweh in the wilderness! Make a level highway in the desert for our God.

A voice is calling, “ Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness; Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.

4 E very valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The uneven shall be made level, and the rough places a plain.

“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;

5 Y ahweh’s glory shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken it.”

Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, And all flesh will see it together; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

6 T he voice of one saying, “Cry!” One said, “What shall I cry?” “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory is like the flower of the field.

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.

7 T he grass withers, the flower fades, because Yahweh’s breath blows on it. Surely the people are like grass.

The grass withers, the flower fades, When the breath of the Lord blows upon it; Surely the people are grass.

8 T he grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God stands forever.”

The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.

9 Y ou who tell good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who tell good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with strength. Lift it up. Don’t be afraid. Say to the cities of Judah, “Behold, your God!”

Get 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!”

10 B ehold, the Lord Yahweh will come as a mighty one, and his arm will rule for him. Behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.

Behold, the Lord God will come with might, With His arm ruling for Him. Behold, His reward is with Him And His recompense before Him.

11 H e will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will gather the lambs in his arm, and carry them in his bosom. He will gently lead those who have their young.

Like 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.

12 W ho has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and marked off the sky with his span, and calculated the dust of the earth in a measuring basket, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

Who 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?

13 W ho has directed Yahweh’s Spirit, or has taught him as his counselor?

Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, Or as His counselor has informed Him?

14 W ho did he take counsel with, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?

With 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?

15 B ehold, the nations are like a drop in a bucket, and are regarded as a speck of dust on a balance. Behold, he lifts up the islands like a very little thing.

Behold, 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.

16 L ebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor its animals sufficient for a burnt offering.

Even Lebanon is not enough to burn, Nor its beasts enough for a burnt offering.

17 A ll the nations are like nothing before him. They are regarded by him as less than nothing, and vanity.

All the nations are as nothing before Him, They are regarded by Him as less than nothing and meaningless.

18 T o whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to him?

To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare with Him?

19 A workman has cast an image, and the goldsmith overlays it with gold, and casts silver chains for it.

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

20 H e who is too impoverished for such an offering chooses a tree that will not rot. He seeks a skillful workman to set up an engraved image for him that will not be moved.

He 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.

21 H aven’t you known? Haven’t you heard, yet? Haven’t you been told from the beginning? Haven’t you understood from the foundations of the earth?

Do 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?

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 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.

23 w ho brings princes to nothing; who makes the judges of the earth like meaningless.

He it is who reduces rulers to nothing, Who makes the judges of the earth meaningless.

24 T hey are planted scarcely. They are sown scarcely. Their stock has scarcely taken root in the ground. He merely blows on them, and they wither, and the whirlwind takes them away as stubble.

Scarcely 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.

25 “ To whom then will you liken me? Who is my equal?” says the Holy One.

“ To whom then will you liken Me That I would be his equal?” says the Holy One.

26 L ift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these, who brings out their army by number. He calls them all by name. by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power, Not one is lacking.

Lift 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.

27 W hy do you say, Jacob, and speak, Israel, “My way is hidden from Yahweh, and the justice due me is disregarded by my God?”

Why 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”?

28 H aven’t you known? Haven’t you heard? The everlasting God, Yahweh, The Creator of the ends of the earth, doesn’t faint. He isn’t weary. His understanding is unsearchable.

Do 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.

29 H e gives power to the weak. He increases the strength of him who has no might.

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

30 E ven the youths faint and get weary, and the young men utterly fall;

Though youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous young men stumble badly,

31 B ut those who wait for Yahweh will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run, and not be weary. They will walk, and not faint.

Yet 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.