主的仆人

42 “看啊,我所扶持、所拣选、所喜悦的仆人,
我已将我的灵赐给祂,
祂必将正义带给万邦。
祂不喧嚷,不呼喊,
不在街上高声说话。
压伤的芦苇,祂不折断;
将残的灯火,祂不吹灭。
祂必信实地带来正义。
祂不灰心也不沮丧,
直到祂在地上设立正义。
四海都渴望祂的训诲。”

创造诸天、铺展穹苍、
设立大地和地上的一切、
赐给世人生命气息和灵性的耶和华上帝说:
“我耶和华凭公义呼召你,
我必扶持你,保护你,
使你做我与众民立约的中保、
成为列国的光,
使你开瞎子的眼睛、
从监牢中释放囚犯、
领出陷在黑暗中的人。
我是耶和华,这就是我的名字。
我不会把我的荣耀给假神,
也不会把我当受的赞美给雕刻的偶像。
看啊,以前的预言都已应验,
我现在要宣告新的预言,
把还未发生的事告诉你们。”

赞美主的歌

10 航海的和海中的一切、
众海岛和岛上的居民啊,
你们要向耶和华高唱新歌,
从地极赞美祂。
11 旷野和其中的城邑以及基达人居住的村庄,
要一同扬声颂赞。
西拉的居民要歌唱,
在山顶欢呼。
12 愿他们把荣耀归给耶和华,
在众海岛上颂赞祂。
13 耶和华像出征的勇士,
像斗志激昂的战士。
祂必高呼吶喊,战胜仇敌。

上帝应许帮助以色列人

14 “我已沉默多时,我克制不语,
现在我要发出急促的呐喊,
像分娩的妇人。
15 我要使大山小丘一片荒凉,
上面的草木都枯萎。
我要使河川变成岛屿,
池塘干涸。
16 我要带领瞎子走他们不认识的路,
引导他们走陌生的道。
我要把他们面前的黑暗变为光明,
坎坷之地变得平坦。
我必行这些事,我必不离弃他们。
17 但那些信靠雕刻的偶像、
供奉金属铸像的必遭唾弃,
羞愧难当。

以色列眼瞎耳聋

18 “耳聋的人啊,听吧!
眼瞎的人啊,看吧!
19 有谁比我的仆人更瞎,
比我差遣的使者更聋呢?
有谁像那些与我立约的人那样瞎呢?
有谁像耶和华的仆人那样瞎呢?
20 你们看见许多事却不领会,
耳朵开着却听不见。”
21 耶和华乐意使祂的律法尊大而荣耀,
因为祂行事公义。
22 但这些百姓饱受劫掠,
都被困在坑中,囚在监内。
他们沦为俘虏,无人搭救;
被当作战利品掳走,无人追回。
23 你们当中谁肯专心听呢?
以后谁肯留心倾听呢?
24 谁把雅各交给了掳掠者,
使以色列任人劫掠?
难道不是被我们得罪的耶和华吗?
他们不肯遵行祂的道,
也不听从祂的训诲。
25 所以,祂把烈怒和战火倾倒在他们身上。
他们被火包围,却不明白;
被烈火焚身,却不在乎。

42 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.

He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.

A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.

He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.

Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:

I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;

To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.

Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.

10 Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof.

11 Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains.

12 Let them give glory unto the Lord, and declare his praise in the islands.

13 The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.

14 I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once.

15 I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools.

16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.

17 They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye are our gods.

18 Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see.

19 Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the Lord's servant?

20 Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.

21 The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.

22 But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore.

23 Who among you will give ear to this? who will hearken and hear for the time to come?

24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the Lord, he against whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law.

25 Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle: and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart.

The Servant of the Lord

42 “Behold! (A)My Servant whom I uphold,
My [a]Elect One in whom My soul (B)delights!
(C)I have put My Spirit upon Him;
He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.
He will not cry out, nor raise His voice,
Nor cause His voice to be heard in the street.
A bruised reed He will not break,
And [b]smoking flax He will not [c]quench;
He will bring forth justice for truth.
He will not fail nor be discouraged,
Till He has established justice in the earth;
(D)And the coastlands shall wait for His law.”

Thus says God the Lord,
(E)Who created the heavens and stretched them out,
Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it,
(F)Who gives breath to the people on it,
And spirit to those who walk on it:
“I,(G) the Lord, have called You in righteousness,
And will hold Your hand;
I will keep You (H)and give You as a covenant to the people,
As (I)a light to the Gentiles,
(J)To open blind eyes,
To (K)bring out prisoners from the prison,
Those who sit in (L)darkness from the prison house.
I am the Lord, that is My name;
And My (M)glory I will not give to another,
Nor My praise to carved images.
Behold, the former things have come to pass,
And new things I declare;
Before they spring forth I tell you of them.”

Praise to the Lord

10 (N)Sing to the Lord a new song,
And His praise from the ends of the earth,
(O)You who go down to the sea, and [d]all that is in it,
You coastlands and you inhabitants of them!
11 Let the wilderness and its cities lift up their voice,
The villages that Kedar inhabits.
Let the inhabitants of Sela sing,
Let them shout from the top of the mountains.
12 Let them give glory to the Lord,
And declare His praise in the coastlands.
13 The Lord shall go forth like a mighty man;
He shall stir up His zeal like a man of war.
He shall cry out, (P)yes, shout aloud;
He shall prevail against His enemies.

Promise of the Lord’s Help

14 “I have held My peace a long time,
I have been still and restrained Myself.
Now I will cry like a woman in [e]labor,
I will pant and gasp at once.
15 I will lay waste the mountains and hills,
And dry up all their vegetation;
I will make the rivers coastlands,
And I will dry up the pools.
16 I will bring the blind by a way they did not know;
I will lead them in paths they have not known.
I will make darkness light before them,
And crooked places straight.
These things I will do for them,
And not forsake them.
17 They shall be (Q)turned back,
They shall be greatly ashamed,
Who trust in carved images,
Who say to the molded images,
‘You are our gods.’

18 “Hear, you deaf;
And look, you blind, that you may see.
19 (R)Who is blind but My servant,
Or deaf as My messenger whom I send?
Who is blind as he who is perfect,
And blind as the Lord’s servant?
20 Seeing many things, (S)but you do not observe;
Opening the ears, but he does not hear.”

Israel’s Obstinate Disobedience

21 The Lord is well pleased for His righteousness’ sake;
He will exalt the law and make it honorable.
22 But this is a people robbed and plundered;
All of them are [f]snared in holes,
And they are hidden in prison houses;
They are for prey, and no one delivers;
For plunder, and no one says, “Restore!”

23 Who among you will give ear to this?
Who will listen and hear for the time to come?
24 Who gave Jacob for plunder, and Israel to the robbers?
Was it not the Lord,
He against whom we have sinned?
(T)For they would not walk in His ways,
Nor were they obedient to His law.
25 Therefore He has poured on him the fury of His anger
And the strength of battle;
(U)It has set him on fire all around,
(V)Yet he did not know;
And it burned him,
Yet he did not take it to (W)heart.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 42:1 Chosen
  2. Isaiah 42:3 dimly burning
  3. Isaiah 42:3 extinguish
  4. Isaiah 42:10 Lit. its fullness
  5. Isaiah 42:14 childbirth
  6. Isaiah 42:22 Or trapped in caves