51:1 “Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the LORD: Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn;
51:2 look to Abraham, your father, and to Sarah, who gave you birth. When I called him he was but one, and I blessed him and made him many.
51:3 The LORD will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing.
51:4 “Listen to me, my people; hear me, my nation: The law will go out from me; my justice will become a light to the nations.
51:5 My righteousness draws near speedily, my salvation is on the way, and my arm will bring justice to the nations. The islands will look to me and wait in hope for my arm.
51:6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath; the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies. But my salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail.
51:7 “Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have my law in your hearts: Do not fear the reproach of men or be terrified by their insults.
51:8 For the moth will eat them up like a garment; the worm will devour them like wool. But my righteousness will last forever, my salvation through all generations.”
51:9 Awake, awake! Clothe yourself with strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in days gone by, as in generations of old. Was it not you who cut Rahab to pieces, who pierced that monster through?
51:10 Was it not you who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, who made a road in the depths of the sea so that the redeemed might cross over?
51:11 The ransomed of the LORD will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.
51:12 “I, even I, am he who comforts you. Who are you that you fear mortal men, the sons of men, who are but grass,
51:13 that you forget the LORD your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth, that you live in constant terror every day because of the wrath of the oppressor, who is bent on destruction? For where is the wrath of the oppressor?
51:14 The cowering prisoners will soon be set free; they will not die in their dungeon, nor will they lack bread.
51:15 For I am the LORD your God, who churns up the sea so that its waves roar–the LORD Almighty is his name.
51:16 I have put my words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of my hand–I who set the heavens in place, who laid the foundations of the earth, and who say to Zion, ‘You are my people.’”
51:17 Awake, awake! Rise up, O Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the hand of the LORD the cup of his wrath, you who have drained to its dregs the goblet that makes men stagger.
51:18 Of all the sons she bore there was none to guide her; of all the sons she reared there was none to take her by the hand.
51:19 These double calamities have come upon you–who can comfort you?–ruin and destruction, famine and sword–who can console you?
51:20 Your sons have fainted; they lie at the head of every street, like antelope caught in a net. They are filled with the wrath of the LORD and the rebuke of your God.
51:21 Therefore hear this, you afflicted one, made drunk, but not with wine.
51:22 This is what your Sovereign LORD says, your God, who defends his people: “See, I have taken out of your hand the cup that made you stagger; from that cup, the goblet of my wrath, you will never drink again.
51:23 I will put it into the hands of your tormentors, who said to you, ‘Fall prostrate that we may walk over you.’ And you made your back like the ground, like a street to be walked over.”
51:1 Listen to Me, you who pursue righteousness, / Who seek after Jehovah, / Look to the rock from which you were hewn, / And to the excavation of the quarry from which you were dug.
51:2 Look to Abraham your father, / And to Sarah who travailed with you; / For I called him when he was one person, / And blessed him and multiplied him.
51:3 For Jehovah has comforted Zion; / He has comforted all her waste places, / And made her wilderness like Eden, / And her desert like the garden of Jehovah. / Gladness and joy will be found in her, / Thanksgiving and the voice of song.
51:4 Hearken to Me, O My people; / Give ear to Me, O My nation; / For instruction will go out from Me; / And I will set My judgment as a light for the peoples.
51:5 My righteousness is near; My salvation has gone forth; / My arms will judge the peoples; / The coastlands will wait for Me / And place their hope in My arm.
51:6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, / And look upon the earth beneath; / For the heavens will vanish away like smoke, / And the earth will wear out like a garment, / And those who dwell there will die in like manner; / But My salvation will be forever, / And My righteousness will not be abolished.
51:7 Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, / A people in whose heart is My instruction, / Do not fear the reproach of man; / Do not be terrified at their revilings.
51:8 For the moth will eat them up like a garment, / And the worm will eat them like wool; / But My righteousness will be forever, / And My salvation from generation to generation.
51:9 Awake, awake! Put on strength, / O arm of Jehovah; / Awake as in the days of old, / As in the generations of past ages. / Was it not You who cut Rahab in pieces, / Who pierced through the dragon?
51:10 Was it not You who dried up the sea, / The waters of the great deep; / Who made the depths of the sea into a way / For the redeemed to pass through?
51:11 Therefore the ransomed of Jehovah will return / And will come to Zion with a ringing shout, / And eternal joy will be upon their heads. / They will lay hold on gladness and joy, / And sorrow and sighing will flee away.
51:12 I, even I, am He who will comfort you. / Who are you that you are afraid of man who will die, / And of the son of man who will be made like grass,
51:13 That you have forgotten Jehovah who made you, / Who stretched out the heavens / And laid the foundations of the earth, / That you have been continually afraid every day, / Because of the fury of the oppressor / When he sets himself up to destroy you? / But where is the fury of the oppressor?
51:14 The one who is bowed down will soon be released / And will not die in the pit, / Nor will his bread be lacking.
51:15 I am Jehovah your God, / Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar, / Jehovah of hosts is His name.
51:16 And I have put My words in your mouth, / And I have covered you in the shadow of My hand, / To plant the heavens and lay the foundations of the earth, / And to say to Zion, You are My people.
51:17 Wake yourself up, wake yourself up; / Stand up, O Jerusalem, / You who have drunk from the hand of Jehovah / The cup of His wrath; / The bowl of the cup of staggering / You have drunk; you have drained it out.
51:18 There is no one to guide her / Among all the children whom she has brought forth; / There is no one to take her by the hand / Among all the children she has raised up.
51:19 These two things have happened to you; / Who will lament for you? / Desolation and destruction, and famine and sword. / How will I comfort you?
51:20 Your sons have fainted; / They lie at the head of every street like an antelope in a net, / Full of the wrath of Jehovah, / The rebuke of your God.
51:21 Therefore hear this now, O afflicted one, / You who are drunk but not with wine:
51:22 Thus says your Lord Jehovah and your God / Who pleads the cause of His people, / Indeed, I have taken from your hand / The cup of staggering; / You will no longer need to drink / The bowl of the cup of My wrath anymore;
51:23 And I will put it into the hand of those who afflict you, / Who have said to your soul, Bow down / That we may walk over you; / And you have made your back like the ground, / Like the street for them to cross over.