The Hebrew Prophets

--What do I say? seeing He said to me, And He Himself hath wrought, I go softly all my years for the bitterness of my soul.

Lord, by these do men live, And by all in them is the life of my spirit, And Thou savest me, make me also to live,

Lo, to peace He changed for me bitterness, And Thou hast delighted in my soul without corruption, For Thou hast cast behind Thy back all my sins.

For Sheol doth not confess Thee, Death doth not praise Thee, Those going down to the pit hope not for Thy truth.

The living, the living, he doth confess Thee.

Like myself to-day--a father to sons Doth make known of Thy faithfulness, O Jehovah--to save me: And my songs we sing all days of our lives In the house of Jehovah.'

And Isaiah saith, `Let them take a bunch of figs, and plaster over the ulcer, and he liveth.'

And Hezekiah saith, `What is the sign that I go up to the house of Jehovah!'

At that time hath Merodach-Baladan, son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah, when he heareth that he hath been sick, and is become strong.

And Hezekiah rejoiceth over them, and sheweth them the house of his spices, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the good ointment, and all the house of his vessels, and all that hath been found in his treasures; there hath not been a thing in his house, and in all his dominion, that Hezekiah hath not shewed them.

And Isaiah the prophet cometh in unto king Hezekiah, and saith unto him, `What said these men? and whence come they unto thee?' And Hezekiah saith, `From a land afar off they have come unto me--from Babylon.'

And he saith, `What saw they in thy house?' and Hezekiah saith, `All that is in my house they saw; there hath not been a thing that I have not shewed them among my treasures.'

And Isaiah saith unto Hezekiah, `Hear a word of Jehovah of Hosts:

Lo, days are coming, and borne hath been all that is in thy house, and that thy fathers have treasured up till this day, to Babylon; there is not left a thing, said Jehovah;

and of thy sons who come forth from thee, whom thou begettest, they take, and they have been eunuchs in a palace of the king of Babylon.'

And Hezekiah saith unto Isaiah, `Good is the word of Jehovah that thou hast spoken;' and he saith, `Because there is peace and truth in my days.'

Comfort ye, comfort ye, My people, saith your God.

Speak to the heart of Jerusalem, and call to her, That her warfare hath been completed, That accepted hath been her punishment, That she hath received from the hand of Jehovah Double for all her sins.

A voice is crying--in a wilderness--Prepare ye the way of Jehovah, Make straight in a desert a highway to our God.

Every valley is raised up, And every mountain and hill become low, And the crooked place hath become a plain, And the entangled places a valley.

And revealed hath been the honour of Jehovah, And seen it have all flesh together, For the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken.

A voice is saying, `Call,' And he said, `What do I call?' All flesh is grass, and all its goodliness is As a flower of the field:

Withered hath grass, faded the flower, For the Spirit of Jehovah blew upon it, Surely the people is grass;

Withered hath grass, faded the flower, But a word of our God riseth for ever.

On a high mountain get thee up, O Zion, Proclaiming tidings, Lift up with power thy voice, O Jerusalem, proclaiming tidings, Lift up, fear not, say to cities of Judah, `Lo, your God.'