Isaiah 49

1Listen, O islands, to Me, || And attend, O peoples, from afar, || YHWH has called Me from the womb, || From the bowels of My mother || He has made mention of My Name.

2And He makes My mouth as a sharp sword, || He has hid Me in the shadow of His hand, || And He makes Me for a clear arrow, || He has hid Me in His quiver.

3And He says to me, “You are My servant, O Israel, || In whom I beautify Myself.”

4And I said, “I labored in vain, || I consumed my power for emptiness and vanity, || But my judgment [is] with YHWH, || And my wage with my God.”

5“And now,” said YHWH, who is forming Me from the belly—His Servant, || To bring Jacob back to Him || (Though Israel is not gathered, || Yet I am honored in the eyes of YHWH, || And My God has been My strength).

6And He says, “It has been a light thing || That You are My Servant || To raise up the tribes of Jacob, || And to bring back the preserved of Israel, || And I have given You for a light to the nations, || To be My salvation to the end of the earth.”

7Thus said YHWH, Redeemer of Israel, His Holy One, || To the despised in soul, || To the detested of a nation, || To the Servant of rulers: “Kings see, and have risen, princes, and worship, || For the sake of YHWH, who is faithful, || The Holy of Israel, and He chooses You.”

8Thus said YHWH: “In a time of good pleasure I answered You, || And in a day of salvation I helped You, || And I keep You, and give You, || For a covenant of the people, || To establish the earth, || To cause to inherit desolate inheritances.

9To say to the bound, Go out, || To those in darkness, Be uncovered. They feed on the ways, || And their pasture is in all high places.

10They do not hunger, nor thirst, || Nor do mirage and sun strike them, || For He who is pitying them leads them, || And tends them by fountains of waters.

11And I have made all My mountains for a way, || And My highways are lifted up.

12Behold, these come in from afar, || And behold, these from the north, and from the sea, || And these from the land of Sinim.”

13Sing, O heavens, and rejoice, O earth, || And break forth, O mountains, with singing, || For YHWH has comforted His people, || And He pities His afflicted ones.

14And Zion says, “YHWH has forsaken me, || And my Lord has forgotten me.”

15“Does a woman forget her suckling, || The loved one—the son of her womb? Indeed, these forget—but I do not forget you.

16Behold, I have carved you on the palms of the hand, || Your walls [are] continually before Me.

17Those building you have hurried, || Those destroying you, and laying you waste, go out from you.

18Lift up your eyes, [look] around and see, || All of them have been gathered, || They have come to you. [As] I live,” a declaration of YHWH! “Surely you put on all of them as an ornament, || And you bind them on like a bride.

19Because your ruins, and your desolate places, || And the land of your ruins, || Are now surely restricted because of inhabitants, || And those consuming you have been far off.

20Again the sons of your bereavement say in your ears: The place is too narrow for me, || Come near to me—and I dwell.

21And you have said in your heart: Who has begotten these for me? And I [am] bereaved and barren, || A captive, and turned aside, || And who has nourished these? Behold, I was left by myself, these—where [are] they from?”

22Thus said Lord YHWH: “Behold, I lift up My hand to nations, || And I raise up My ensign to peoples, || And they have brought your sons in the bosom, || And your daughters are carried on the shoulder.

23And kings have been your nursing fathers, || And their princesses—your nursing mothers; Face to the earth—they bow down to you, || And they lick up the dust of your feet, || And you have known that I [am] YHWH, || That those expecting Me are not ashamed.”

24Is prey taken from the mighty? And the captive of the righteous delivered?

25For thus said YHWH: “Even the captive of the mighty is taken, || And the prey of the terrible is delivered, || And I strive with your striver, and I save your sons.

26And I have caused your oppressors to eat their own flesh, || And they drink their own blood as new wine, || And all flesh has known that I, YHWH, || Your Savior, and your Redeemer, || [Am] the Mighty One of Jacob!”