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SEGUNDA PARTE (40—55)

La buena noticia de la liberación

40 Consuelen, consuelen a mi pueblo,
dice su Dios.
Hablen al corazón de Jerusalén,
anúncienle a gritos
que se acabó su servidumbre,
que su culpa ha sido perdonada;
que ha recibido de mano del Señor
doble castigo por sus extravíos.
Una voz anuncia a gritos:
“Preparen en el desierto
un camino al Señor,
allanen en la estepa
una senda a nuestro Dios.
Las vaguadas serán levantadas,
montañas y colinas allanadas.
Lo tortuoso será enderezado,
lo escabroso será aplanado.
Aparecerá la gloria del Señor,
y todo ser vivo podrá ver
que ha hablado la boca del Señor”.
Dice una voz: “¡Grita!”.
Respondo: “¿Qué he de gritar?”.
“Que todo ser vivo es hierba,
su hermosura flor de campo.
Se seca la hierba, se amustia la flor,
cuando sopla sobre ellas el aliento del Señor.
Se seca la hierba, se amustia la flor,
permanece inmutable la palabra de nuestro Dios”.
Súbete a un monte encumbrado,
tú que traes buenas nuevas a Sión.
Alza luego con fuerza tu voz,
tú que traes buenas nuevas a Jerusalén.
Alza tu voz sin miedo,
di a las ciudades de Judá:
“Aquí tienen a su Dios.
10 Aquí llega con fuerza el Señor Dios;
su brazo le proporciona poder.
Aquí llega acompañado de su salario,
su recompensa le abre camino.
11 Conduce a su rebaño como un pastor,
lo va reuniendo con su brazo;
lleva en su regazo a los corderos,
va guiando a las que crían”.

El Dios creador y los ídolos

12 ¿Quién ha medido con su mano el mar,
o ha calculado a palmos el cielo,
o ha metido en un recipiente
el polvo de la tierra?
¿Quién ha pesado los montes en la balanza
o calculado en el peso las colinas?
13 ¿Quién podrá medir el espíritu del Señor
o le enseñará lo que ha de hacer?
14 ¿De quién se aconsejó para entender,
para aprender el camino de la justicia,
para que le enseñara a conocer
y le mostrara la senda del discernimiento?
15 Vean lo que son las naciones:
una gota que se escurre de un cubo,
un grano de tierra en la balanza.
Vean lo que son las islas:
una mota de polvo en un peso.
16 El Líbano no da abasto de leña,
los animales no dan abasto de víctimas.
17 Ante él nada son las naciones,
las tiene por nada de nada.
18 ¿Con quién compararán a Dios,
a qué imagen lo asemejarán?
19 El escultor funde un ídolo,
el orfebre lo recubre de oro,
le funde adornos de plata.
20 El que es pobre de recursos
elige madera incorruptible;
se busca un escultor profesional
que le haga una imagen consistente.
21 ¿No lo saben ni lo han oído?
¿No se lo han dicho desde el principio?
¿No han llegado a entender
cómo se sostiene la tierra?
22 Él habita en el orbe terrestre
(sus habitantes le parecen saltamontes),
despliega el cielo como un toldo
y lo extiende como tienda habitable.
23 Él convierte en nada a los príncipes
y transforma en nulidad a los gobernantes:
24 apenas los plantan, apenas los siembran,
apenas arraigan sus tallos en tierra,
si sopla sobre ellos, se agostan
y el vendaval los avienta como paja.
25 ¿Con quién me compararán?
¿Con quién me asemejarán?
—dice el Santo—.
26 Levanten los ojos a lo alto,
vean quién ha creado esas cosas:
el que saca a su ejército innumerable
y llama a cada cual por su nombre,
tan sobrado de poder y de fuerza
que no puede fallarle ninguno.
27 ¿Por qué afirmas, Jacob,
y andas diciendo, Israel:
“Mi conducta está oculta al Señor,
mi Dios se desentiende de mi causa”?
28 ¿No lo sabes, no has oído
que el Señor es un Dios eterno,
creador de los confines de la tierra?
No se cansa ni desfallece,
su inteligencia es inescrutable.
29 Da fuerza al cansado,
aumenta el vigor de los débiles.
30 Los jóvenes se cansan y se agotan,
una y otra vez tropiezan los mozos;
31 recobran, en cambio, su fuerza,
los que esperan en el Señor,
alzan su vuelo como las águilas;
corren pero no se cansan,
andan y no se fatigan.

40 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.

Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins.

The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:

And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!

10 Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.

11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

12 Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

13 Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counsellor hath taught him?

14 With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?

15 Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.

16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering.

17 All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.

18 To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?

19 The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains.

20 He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved.

21 Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?

22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:

23 That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.

24 Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble.

25 To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.

26 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.

27 Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God?

28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

God’s People Are Comforted(A)

40 “Comfort, yes, comfort My people!”
Says your God.
“Speak [a]comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her,
That her warfare is ended,
That her iniquity is pardoned;
(B)For she has received from the Lord’s hand
Double for all her sins.”

(C)The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
(D)“Prepare the way of the Lord;
(E)Make straight [b]in the desert
A highway for our God.
Every valley shall be exalted
And every mountain and hill brought low;
(F)The crooked places shall be made [c]straight
And the rough places smooth;
The (G)glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
And all flesh shall see it together;
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

The voice said, “Cry out!”
And [d]he said, “What shall I cry?”

(H)“All flesh is grass,
And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.
The grass withers, the flower fades,
Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it;
Surely the people are grass.
The grass withers, the flower fades,
But (I)the word of our God stands forever.”

O Zion,
You who bring good tidings,
Get up into the high mountain;
O Jerusalem,
You who bring good tidings,
Lift up your voice with strength,
Lift it up, be not afraid;
Say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!”

10 Behold, the Lord God shall come [e]with a strong hand,
And (J)His arm shall rule for Him;
Behold, (K)His reward is with Him,
And His [f]work before Him.
11 He will (L)feed His flock like a shepherd;
He will gather the lambs with His arm,
And carry them in His bosom,
And gently lead those who are with young.

12 (M)Who has measured the [g]waters in the hollow of His hand,
Measured heaven with a [h]span
And calculated the dust of the earth in a measure?
Weighed the mountains in scales
And the hills in a balance?
13 (N)Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord,
Or as His counselor has taught Him?
14 With whom did He take counsel, and who instructed Him,
And (O)taught Him in the path of justice?
Who taught Him knowledge,
And showed Him the way of understanding?

15 Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket,
And are counted as the small dust on the scales;
Look, He lifts up the isles as a very little thing.
16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn,
Nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt offering.
17 All nations before Him are as (P)nothing,
And (Q)they are counted by Him less than nothing and worthless.

18 To whom then will you (R)liken God?
Or what likeness will you compare to Him?
19 (S)The workman molds an image,
The goldsmith overspreads it with gold,
And the silversmith casts silver chains.
20 Whoever is too impoverished for such [i]a contribution
Chooses a tree that will not rot;
He seeks for himself a skillful workman
(T)To prepare a carved image that will not totter.

21 (U)Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
22 It is He who sits above the circle of the earth,
And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers,
Who (V)stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
And spreads them out like a (W)tent to dwell in.
23 He [j]brings the (X)princes to nothing;
He makes the judges of the earth useless.

24 Scarcely shall they be planted,
Scarcely shall they be sown,
Scarcely shall their stock take root in the earth,
When He will also blow on them,
And they will wither,
And the whirlwind will take them away like stubble.

25 “To(Y) whom then will you liken Me,
Or to whom shall I be equal?” says the Holy One.
26 Lift up your eyes on high,
And see who has created these things,
Who brings out their host by number;
(Z)He calls them all by name,
By the greatness of His might
And the strength of His power;
Not one is missing.

27 (AA)Why do you say, O Jacob,
And speak, O Israel:
“My way is hidden from the Lord,
And my just claim is passed over by my God”?
28 Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the Lord,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
(AB)His understanding is unsearchable.
29 He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
31 But those who (AC)wait on the Lord
(AD)Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 40:2 Lit. to the heart of
  2. Isaiah 40:3 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; LXX omits in the desert
  3. Isaiah 40:4 Or a plain
  4. Isaiah 40:6 So with MT, Tg.; DSS, LXX, Vg. I
  5. Isaiah 40:10 in strength
  6. Isaiah 40:10 recompense
  7. Isaiah 40:12 So with MT, LXX, Vg.; DSS adds of the sea; Tg. adds of the world
  8. Isaiah 40:12 A span .5 cubit, 9 inches; or the width of His hand
  9. Isaiah 40:20 an offering
  10. Isaiah 40:23 reduces

40 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye [a]comfortably to Jerusalem; and cry unto her, that her [b]warfare is accomplished, that her [c]iniquity is pardoned, that she hath received of Jehovah’s hand double for all her sins.

The voice of one [d]that crieth, Prepare ye in the wilderness the way of Jehovah; make level in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the uneven shall be made level, and the rough places a plain: and the glory of Jehovah shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken it.

The voice of one saying, Cry. And one said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, because the breath of Jehovah bloweth upon it; surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth; but the word of our God shall stand forever.

[e]O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up on a high mountain; [f]O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold, your God! 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. 11 He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and will gently lead those that have their young.

12 Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? 13 Who hath [g]directed the Spirit of Jehovah, or being his counsellor hath taught him? 14 With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed to him the way of understanding? 15 Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are accounted as the small dust of the balance: behold, [h]he taketh up the isles as a very little thing. 16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt-offering. 17 All the nations are as nothing before him; they are accounted by him as [i]less than nothing, and [j]vanity.

18 To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him? 19 The image, a workman hath cast it, and the goldsmith overlayeth it with gold, and casteth for it silver chains. 20 He that is too impoverished for such an oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a skilful workman to [k]set up a graven image, that shall not be moved. 21 Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not [l]understood from the foundations of the earth? 22 It is he that sitteth above the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as [m]a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in; 23 that bringeth princes to nothing; that maketh the judges of the earth as [n]vanity. 24 [o]Yea, they have not been planted; yea, they have not been sown; yea, their stock hath not taken root in the earth: moreover he bloweth upon them, and they wither, and the whirlwind taketh them away as stubble. 25 To whom then will ye liken me, that I should be equal to him? saith the Holy One. 26 Lift up your eyes on high, [p]and see who hath created these, that bringeth out their host by number; he calleth them all by name; by the greatness of his might, and for that he is strong in power, not one is lacking.

27 Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from Jehovah, and the justice due to me is passed away from my God? 28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard? [q]The everlasting God, Jehovah, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary; there is no searching of his understanding. 29 He giveth power to the faint; and to him that hath no might he increaseth strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 31 but they that wait for Jehovah shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 40:2 Hebrew to the heart of.
  2. Isaiah 40:2 Or, time of service
  3. Isaiah 40:2 Or, punishment is accepted. See Lev. 26:43.
  4. Isaiah 40:3 Or, that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way etc.
  5. Isaiah 40:9 Or, O Zion, that bringest good tidings
  6. Isaiah 40:9 Or, O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings
  7. Isaiah 40:13 Or, meted out
  8. Isaiah 40:15 Or, the isles are as the fine dust that is lifted up
  9. Isaiah 40:17 Or, as a thing of nought
  10. Isaiah 40:17 Or, confusion
  11. Isaiah 40:20 Or, prepare
  12. Isaiah 40:21 Or, understood the foundations
  13. Isaiah 40:22 Or, gauze
  14. Isaiah 40:23 Or, confusion
  15. Isaiah 40:24 Or, Scarce are they planted, scarce are they sown, scarce hath their stock taken root in the earth, when he bloweth upon them etc.
  16. Isaiah 40:26 Or, and see: who hath created these? he that etc.
  17. Isaiah 40:28 Or, Jehovah is an everlasting God, the Creator . . . he fainteth not etc.