The Hebrew Prophets

Because thy wastes, and thy desolate places, And the land of thy ruins, Surely now are straitened because of inhabitants, And far off have been those consuming thee.

Again do the sons of thy bereavement say in thine ears: `The place is too strait for me, Come nigh to me--and I dwell.'

And thou hast said in thy heart: `Who hath begotten for me--these? And I bereaved and gloomy, A captive, and turned aside, And these--who hath nourished? Lo, I--I was left by myself, these--whence are they?

Thus said the Lord Jehovah: `Lo, I lift up unto nations My hand, And unto peoples I raise up Mine ensign, And they have brought thy sons in the bosom, And thy daughters on the shoulder are carried.

And kings have been thy nursing fathers, And their princesses thy nursing mothers; Face to the earth--they bow down to thee, And the dust of thy feet they lick up, And thou hast known that I am Jehovah, That those expecting Me are not ashamed.

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

For thus said Jehovah: Even the captive of the mighty is taken, And the prey of the terrible is delivered, And with thy striver I strive, and thy sons I save.

And I have caused thine oppressors to eat their own flesh, And as new wine they drink their own blood, And known have all flesh that I, Jehovah, Thy saviour, and thy redeemer, Am the Mighty One of Jacob!'

Thus said Jehovah: `Where is this--the bill of your mother's divorce, Whom I sent away? Or to which of My creditors have I sold you? Lo, for your iniquities ye have been sold, And for your transgressions Hath your mother been sent away.

Wherefore have I come, and there is no one? I called, and there is none answering, Hath My hand been at all short of redemption? And is there not in me power to deliver? Lo, by My rebuke I dry up a sea, I make rivers a wilderness, Their fish stinketh, for there is no water, And dieth with thirst.

I clothe the heavens with blackness, And sackcloth I make their covering.

The Lord Jehovah hath given to me The tongue of taught ones, To know to aid the weary by a word, He waketh morning by morning, He waketh for me an ear to hear as taught ones.

The Lord Jehovah opened for me the ear, And I rebelled not--backward I moved not.

My back I have given to those smiting, And my cheeks to those plucking out, My face I hid not from shame and spitting.

And the Lord Jehovah giveth help to me, Therefore I have not been ashamed, Therefore I have set my face as a flint, And I know that I am not ashamed.

Near is He who is justifying me, Who doth contend with me? We stand together, who is mine opponent? Let him come nigh unto me.

Lo, the Lord Jehovah giveth help to me, Who is he that declareth me wicked? Lo, all of them as a garment wear out, A moth doth eat them.

Who is among you, fearing Jehovah, Hearkening to the voice of His servant, That hath walked in dark places, And there is no brightness for him? Let him trust in the name of Jehovah, And lean upon his God.

Lo, all ye kindling a fire, girding on sparks, Walk ye in the light of your fire, And in the sparks ye have caused to burn, From my hand hath this been to you, In grief ye lie down!

Hearken unto Me, ye pursuing righteousness, Seeking Jehovah, Look attentively unto the rock--ye have been hewn, And unto the hole of the pit--ye have been digged.

Look attentively unto Abraham your father, And unto Sarah--she bringeth you forth, For--one--I have called him, And I bless him, and multiply him.

For Jehovah hath comforted Zion, He hath comforted all her wastes, And He setteth her wilderness as Eden, And her desert as a garden of Jehovah, Joy, yea, gladness is found in her, Confession, and the voice of song.

Attend unto Me, O My people, And, O My nation, unto Me give ear. For a law from Me goeth out, And My judgment to the light, Peoples I do cause to rest.

Near is My righteousness, Gone out hath My salvation and Mine arms, Peoples they judge, on Me isles do wait, Yea, on Mine arm they do wait with hope.

Lift ye up to the heavens your eyes, And look attentively unto the earth beneath, For the heavens as smoke have vanished, And the earth as a garment weareth out, And its inhabitants as gnats do die, And My salvation is to the age, And My righteousness is not broken.