Isaiah 42

1Behold, My servant, I take hold on Him, || My Chosen One—My soul has accepted, I have put My Spirit on Him, || He brings forth judgment to nations.

2He does not cry, nor lift up, || Nor cause His voice to be heard in the street.

3A bruised reed He does not break, || And faded flax He does not quench, || He brings forth judgment to truth.

4He does not become weak nor bruised, || Until He sets judgment in the earth, || And islands wait with hope for His law.

5Thus said God, YHWH, || Creating the heavens, and stretching them out, || Spreading out the earth and its productions, || Giving breath to the people on it, || And spirit to those walking in it.

6I, YHWH, called you in righteousness, || And I lay hold on your hand, and keep you, || And I give you for a covenant of a people, || And a light of nations.

7To open the eyes of the blind, || To bring forth the bound one from prison, || Those sitting in darkness from the house of restraint.

8I [am] YHWH, this [is] My Name, || And I do not give My glory to another, || Nor My praise to carved images.

9The former things, behold, have come, || And I am declaring new things, || Before they spring up I cause you to hear.

10Sing a new song to YHWH, || His praise from the end of the earth, || You who are going down to the sea, and its fullness, || Islands, and their inhabitants.

11The wilderness and its cities lift up [their voice], || Kedar inhabits the villages, || The inhabitants of Sela sing, || They cry from the top of mountains.

12They ascribe to YHWH glory, || And they declare His praise in the islands.

13YHWH goes forth as a mighty one. He stirs up zeal as a man of war, || He cries, indeed, He shrieks, || He shows Himself mighty against His enemies.

14I have kept silent from of old, || I keep silent, I refrain Myself, || I cry out as a travailing woman, || I desolate and swallow up together.

15I make desolate mountains and hills, || And I dry up all their herbs, || And I have made rivers become islands, || And I dry up ponds.

16And I have caused the blind to go, || In a way they have not known, || I cause them to tread in paths they have not known, || I make a dark place become light before them, || And unleveled places become a plain, || These [are] the things I have done to them, || And I have not forsaken them.

17Removed backward—utterly ashamed, || Are those trusting in a carved image, || Those saying to a molten image, “You [are] our gods.”

18You deaf, hear; and you blind, look to see.

19Who [is] blind but My servant? And deaf as My messenger I send? Who [is] blind as he who is at peace, || Indeed, blind, as the servant of YHWH?

20Seeing many things, and you do not observe, || Opening ears, and he does not hear.

21YHWH has delight for the sake of His righteousness, || He magnifies law, and makes honorable.

22And this [is] a people seized and spoiled, || Snared in holes—all of them, || And they were hidden in houses of restraint, || They have been for a prey, || And there is no deliverer, || A spoil, and none is saying, “Restore.”

23Who among you gives ear [to] this? Attends, and hears afterward?

24Who has given Jacob for a spoil, || And Israel to the spoilers? Is it not YHWH—He against whom we sinned? Indeed, they have not been willing to walk in His ways, || Nor have they listened to His law.

25And He pours fury on him, || His anger, and the strength of battle, || And it sets him on fire all around, || And he has not known, || And it burns against him, and he does not lay it to heart!