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

“Comfort, 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 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 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, “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 exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The uneven shall be made level, 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 Y ahweh’s glory shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken it.”

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 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, “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, because Yahweh’s breath blows on it. Surely the people are like 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 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!”

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 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.

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 in his arm, and carry them in his bosom. He will gently lead those who have their young.

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 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 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 Yahweh’s Spirit, or has taught him as his counselor?

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

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?

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 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.

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 L ebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor its animals 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 like nothing before him. They are regarded by him as less than nothing, 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 you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to him?

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

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

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

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

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.

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? Who is my 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, 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 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, Jacob, and speak, Israel, “My way is hidden from Yahweh, and the justice due me is disregarded by 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 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.

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 power to the weak. He increases the strength of him who has no might.

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

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

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

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.

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.