40:1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
40:2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’S hand double for all her sins.
40:3 A voice of one calling: “In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.
40:4 Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.
40:5 And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
40:6 A voice says, “Cry out.” And I said, “What shall I cry?” “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field.
40:7 The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass.
40:8 The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.”
40:9 You who bring good tidings to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, “Here is your God!”
40:10 See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and his arm rules for him. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.
40:11 He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.
40:12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance?
40:13 Who has understood the mind of the LORD, or instructed him as his counselor?
40:14 Whom did the LORD consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught him knowledge or showed him the path of understanding?
40:15 Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales; he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.
40:16 Lebanon is not sufficient for altar fires, nor its animals enough for burnt offerings.
40:17 Before him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by him as worthless and less than nothing.
40:18 To whom, then, will you compare God? What image will you compare him to?
40:19 As for an idol, a craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and fashions silver chains for it.
40:20 A man too poor to present such an offering selects wood that will not rot. He looks for a skilled craftsman to set up an idol that will not topple.
40:21 Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded?
40:22 He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in.
40:23 He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.
40:24 No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground, than he blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.
40:25 “To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.
40:26 Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.
40:27 Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD; my cause is disregarded by my God”?
40:28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.
40:29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
40:30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
40:31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
40:1 Comfort, oh, comfort My people, / Says your God.
40:2 Speak unto the heart of Jerusalem, / And cry out to her, / That her warfare has finished, / That the penalty for her iniquity has been accepted; / For she has received from the hand of Jehovah double / For all her sins.
40:3 The voice of one who cries / In the wilderness: Make clear / The way of Jehovah; / Make straight in the desert / A highway for our God.
40:4 Every valley will be lifted up, / And every mountain and hill will be made low, / And the crooked places will become straight, / And the rough places, a broad plain.
40:5 Then the glory of Jehovah will be revealed, / And all flesh will see it together, / Because the mouth of Jehovah has spoken.
40:6 A voice said, Cry out. / And he said, What shall I cry? / All flesh is grass / And all its glory is like the flower of the field;
40:7 The grass withers, the flower fades, / Because the breath of Jehovah blows upon it. / Surely the people are grass.
40:8 The grass withers and the flower fades, / But the word of our God will stand forever.
40:9 Go up to a high mountain, / O Zion, who brings glad tidings; / Lift up your voice with power, / O Jerusalem, who brings glad tidings; / Lift it up, Do not be afraid. / Say to the cities of Judah, / Behold your God!
40:10 Behold, the Lord Jehovah will come as a mighty One, / And His arm will rule for Him. / Behold, His reward is with Him, / And His recompense before Him.
40:11 He will feed His flock as a Shepherd; / In His arm He will gather the lambs; / In His bosom He will carry them. / He will lead those who are nursing the young.
40:12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, / Who has calculated the extent of the heavens with a handspan, / And measured out the dust of the earth by a measure, / And weighed the mountains in scales / And the hills in balances?
40:13 Who has directed the Spirit of Jehovah, / Or who has made matters known to Him as His counselor?
40:14 With whom did He consult and who instructed Him, / And taught Him in the path of justice, / And taught Him knowledge, / And caused Him to know the way of understanding?
40:15 Indeed the nations are like a drop from a bucket, / And are accounted as specks of dust on the scales. / Indeed He takes up the islands as very fine powder.
40:16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, / Nor are its beasts sufficient for a burnt offering.
40:17 All the nations are as nothing before Him; / They are counted by Him as less than nothing and vanity.
40:18 To whom then will you liken God? / Or what likeness will you compare to Him?
40:19 When the workman has cast an idol, / A goldsmith overlays it with gold / Also refining chains of silver for it.
40:20 He that is so impoverished that he lacks an offering / Chooses wood that will not rot, / And seeks a skillful craftsman for himself / To prepare an idol that will not be moved.
40:21 Do you not know? Have you not heard? / Has it not been told to you from the beginning? / Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
40:22 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;
40:23 Who brings the princes to nought; / He makes the judges of the earth as nothing.
40:24 They have scarcely been planted; / They have scarcely been sown; / Their stem has scarcely taken root in the earth; / Nevertheless He blows on them and they are withered, / And the storm wind carries them away like stubble.
40:25 To whom will you liken Me, / That I should be compared? Says the Holy One.
40:26 Lift up your eyes on high, / And see who has created these things, / Who brings out their host by number; / He calls all of them by name. / Through the greatness of His might and the strength of His power / Not one of them is missing.
40:27 Why do you say, O Jacob, / And why do you speak, O Israel, / My way is hidden from Jehovah, / And my judgment has been passed over by my God?
40:28 Do you not know, / Or have you not heard, / That the eternal God, Jehovah, / The Creator of the ends of the earth, / Does not faint and does not become weary? / There is no searching out of His understanding.
40:29 He gives power to the faint, / And to those who have no vigor He multiplies strength.
40:30 Although youths will faint and become weary, / And young men will collapse exhausted;
40:31 Yet those who wait on Jehovah will renew their strength; / They will mount up with wings like eagles; / They will run and will not faint; / They will walk and will not become weary.