Isaiah 41
Authorized (King James) Version
41 Keep silence before me, O islands;
and let the people renew their strength:
let them come near; then let them speak:
let us come near together to judgment.
2 Who raised up the righteous man from the east,
called him to his foot, gave the nations before him,
and made him rule over kings?
he gave them as the dust to his sword,
and as driven stubble to his bow.
3 He pursued them, and passed safely;
even by the way that he had not gone with his feet.
4 Who hath wrought and done it,
calling the generations from the beginning?
I the Lord, the first,
and with the last; I am he.
5 The isles saw it, and feared;
the ends of the earth were afraid, drew near, and came.
6 They helped every one his neighbour;
and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage.
7 So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith,
and he that smootheth with the hammer him that smote the anvil,
saying, It is ready for the sodering:
and he fastened it with nails, that it should not be moved.
8 But thou, Israel, art my servant,
Jacob whom I have chosen,
the seed of Abraham my friend.
9 Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth,
and called thee from the chief men thereof,
and said unto thee, Thou art my servant;
I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away.
10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee:
be not dismayed; for I am thy God:
I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee;
yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
11 Behold, all they that were incensed against thee
shall be ashamed and confounded:
they shall be as nothing;
and they that strive with thee shall perish.
12 Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them,
even them that contended with thee:
they that war against thee shall be as nothing,
and as a thing of nought.
13 For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand,
saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.
14 Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel;
I will help thee, saith the Lord,
and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
15 Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth:
thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small,
and shalt make the hills as chaff.
16 Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away,
and the whirlwind shall scatter them:
and thou shalt rejoice in the Lord,
and shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel.
17 When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none,
and their tongue faileth for thirst,
I the Lord will hear them,
I the God of Israel will not forsake them.
18 I will open rivers in high places,
and fountains in the midst of the valleys:
I will make the wilderness a pool of water,
and the dry land springs of water.
19 I will plant in the wilderness the cedar,
the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree;
I will set in the desert the fir tree,
and the pine, and the box tree together:
20 that they may see, and know,
and consider, and understand together,
that the hand of the Lord hath done this,
and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.
21 Produce your cause, saith the Lord;
bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob.
22 Let them bring them forth, and shew us what shall happen:
let them shew the former things, what they be,
that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them;
or declare us things for to come.
23 Shew the things that are to come hereafter,
that we may know that ye are gods:
yea, do good, or do evil,
that we may be dismayed, and behold it together.
24 Behold, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought:
an abomination is he that chooseth you.
25 I have raised up one from the north, and he shall come:
from the rising of the sun shall he call upon my name:
and he shall come upon princes as upon morter,
and as the potter treadeth clay.
26 Who hath declared from the beginning, that we may know?
and beforetime, that we may say, He is righteous?
yea, there is none that sheweth,
yea, there is none that declareth,
yea, there is none that heareth your words.
27 The first shall say to Zion, Behold, behold them:
and I will give to Jerusalem one that bringeth good tidings.
28 For I beheld, and there was no man; even among them,
and there was no counsellor,
that, when I asked of them, could answer a word.
29 Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing:
their molten images are wind and confusion.
Isaiah 41
New King James Version
Israel Assured of God’s Help
41 “Keep (A)silence before Me, O coastlands,
And let the people renew their strength!
Let them come near, then let them speak;
Let us (B)come near together for judgment.
2 “Who raised up one (C)from the east?
Who in righteousness called him to His feet?
Who (D)gave the nations before him,
And made him rule over kings?
Who gave them as the dust to his sword,
As driven stubble to his bow?
3 Who pursued them, and passed [a]safely
By the way that he had not gone with his feet?
4 (E)Who has performed and done it,
Calling the generations from the beginning?
‘I, the Lord, am (F)the first;
And with the last I am (G)He.’ ”
5 The coastlands saw it and feared,
The ends of the earth were afraid;
They drew near and came.
6 (H)Everyone helped his neighbor,
And said to his brother,
[b]“Be of good courage!”
7 (I)So the craftsman encouraged the (J)goldsmith;[c]
He who smooths with the hammer inspired him who strikes the anvil,
Saying, [d]“It is ready for the soldering”;
Then he fastened it with pegs,
(K)That it might not totter.
8 “But you, Israel, are My servant,
Jacob whom I have (L)chosen,
The descendants of Abraham My (M)friend.
9 You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth,
And called from its farthest regions,
And said to you,
‘You are My servant,
I have chosen you and have not cast you away:
10 (N)Fear not, (O)for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
11 “Behold, all those who were incensed against you
Shall be (P)ashamed and disgraced;
They shall be as nothing,
And those who strive with you shall perish.
12 You shall seek them and not find them—
[e]Those who contended with you.
Those who war against you
Shall be as nothing,
As a nonexistent thing.
13 For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand,
Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’
14 “Fear not, you (Q)worm Jacob,
You men of Israel!
I will help you,” says the Lord
And your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
15 “Behold, (R)I will make you into a new threshing sledge with sharp teeth;
You shall thresh the mountains and beat them small,
And make the hills like chaff.
16 You shall (S)winnow them, the wind shall carry them away,
And the whirlwind shall scatter them;
You shall rejoice in the Lord,
And (T)glory in the Holy One of Israel.
17 “The poor and needy seek water, but there is none,
Their tongues fail for thirst.
I, the Lord, will hear them;
I, the God of Israel, will not (U)forsake them.
18 I will open (V)rivers in desolate heights,
And fountains in the midst of the valleys;
I will make the (W)wilderness a pool of water,
And the dry land springs of water.
19 I will plant in the wilderness the cedar and the acacia tree,
The myrtle and the oil tree;
I will set in the (X)desert the cypress tree and the pine
And the box tree together,
20 (Y)That they may see and know,
And consider and understand together,
That the hand of the Lord has done this,
And the Holy One of Israel has created it.
The Futility of Idols
21 “Present your case,” says the Lord.
“Bring forth your strong reasons,” says the (Z)King of Jacob.
22 “Let(AA) them bring forth and show us what will happen;
Let them show the (AB)former things, what they were,
That we may [f]consider them,
And know the latter end of them;
Or declare to us things to come.
23 (AC)Show the things that are to come hereafter,
That we may know that you are gods;
Yes, (AD)do good or do evil,
That we may be dismayed and see it together.
24 Indeed (AE)you are nothing,
And your work is nothing;
He who chooses you is an abomination.
25 “I have raised up one from the north,
And he shall come;
From the [g]rising of the sun (AF)he shall call on My name;
(AG)And he shall come against princes as though mortar,
As the potter treads clay.
26 (AH)Who has declared from the beginning, that we may know?
And former times, that we may say, ‘He is righteous’?
Surely there is no one who shows,
Surely there is no one who declares,
Surely there is no one who hears your words.
27 (AI)The first time (AJ)I said to Zion,
‘Look, there they are!’
And I will give to Jerusalem one who brings good tidings.
28 (AK)For I looked, and there was no man;
I looked among them, but there was no counselor,
Who, when I asked of them, could answer a word.
29 (AL)Indeed they are all [h]worthless;
Their works are nothing;
Their molded images are wind and confusion.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 41:3 Lit. in peace
- Isaiah 41:6 Lit. Be strong
- Isaiah 41:7 refiner
- Isaiah 41:7 Or The soldering is good
- Isaiah 41:12 Lit. Men of your strife
- Isaiah 41:22 Lit. set our heart on them
- Isaiah 41:25 East
- Isaiah 41:29 So with MT, Vg.; DSS, Syr., Tg. nothing; LXX omits first line
Isaiah 41
Modern English Version
The Lord Helps Israel
41 Keep silent before Me, O islands,
and let the peoples renew their strength.
Let them come near, then let them speak;
let us come near together to judgment.
2 Who raised up the righteous man from the east,
called him to His foot,
gave the nations before him,
and made him rule over kings?
He makes them as the dust with his sword,
and as driven stubble with his bow.
3 He pursued them, and passed safely,
by paths his feet have not traveled.
4 Who has performed and done this,
calling the generations from the beginning?
I, the Lord, am the first,
and with the last. I am He.
5 The coastlands saw it and feared,
the ends of the earth were afraid;
they drew near and came.
6 Every one helped his neighbor,
and every one said to his brother, “Be of good courage.”
7 So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith,
and he who smooths metal with the hammer
encourages him who strikes the anvil,
saying, “It is ready for the soldering”;
and he fastened it with nails so that it should not totter.
8 But you, Israel, are My servant,
Jacob whom I have chosen,
the seed of Abraham, My friend.
9 You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth,
and called from its remotest parts,
and said to you, “You are My servant;
I have chosen you and have not rejected you.”
10 Do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
yes, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
11 Certainly all those who were incensed against you
shall be ashamed and humiliated;
they shall be as nothing,
and those who strive with you shall perish.
12 You shall seek them
and shall not find them, even those who contended with you.
Those who war against you
shall be as nothing, as a thing of nonexistence.
13 For I, the Lord your God,
will hold your right hand,
saying to you, “Do not fear;
I will help you.”
14 Do not fear, you worm Jacob,
and you men of Israel.
I will help you, says the Lord
and your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
15 See, I will make you a new sharp threshing instrument
with double edges;
you shall thresh the mountains, and beat them small,
and shall make the hills as chaff.
16 You shall fan them, and the wind shall carry them away,
and the whirlwind shall scatter them;
and you shall rejoice in the Lord,
and shall glory in the Holy One of Israel.
17 When the poor and needy seek water,
and there is none,
and their tongues fail for thirst,
I, the Lord, will hear them,
I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
18 I will open rivers in high places,
and fountains in the midst of the valleys;
I will make the wilderness a pool of water,
and the dry land springs of water.
19 I will plant in the wilderness
the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle, and the olive tree;
I will set in the desert
the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together,
20 that they may see, and know,
and consider, and understand together,
that the hand of the Lord has done this,
and the Holy One of Israel has created it.
The Futility of Idols
21 Present your case, says the Lord.
Bring forth your arguments, says the King of Jacob.
22 Let them bring them forth, and show us
what shall happen;
let them show the former things, what they were,
that we may consider them
and know their outcome,
or declare to us things to come.
23 Show the things that are to come hereafter,
that we may know that you are gods;
do good, or do evil,
that we may be dismayed and see it together.
24 Indeed you are nothing,
and your work amounts to nothing;
he who chooses you is an abomination.
25 I have raised up one from the north, and he shall come;
from the rising of the sun he shall call on My name;
and he shall come on princes as on mortar,
and as the potter treads clay.
26 Who has declared from the beginning, that we may know?
And from former times, that we may say, “He is right!”?
There is no one who shows,
no one who declares,
no one who hears your words.
27 Formerly I said to Zion, “Look, here they are,”
and to Jerusalem, “I will give one who brings good news.”
28 But when I look, there is no man,
even among them, and there is no counselor
who, when I ask of them, could answer a word.
29 See, they all are vanity;
their works are nothing;
their molded images are wind and emptiness.
Isaías 41
Reina Valera Contemporánea
Seguridad de Dios para Israel
41 Ustedes, las costas, ¡escúchenme! Y ustedes, los pueblos, cobren fuerza! ¡Acérquense, y entonces hablen! ¡Entablemos juntos el juicio! 2 ¿Quién despertó del oriente al justo? ¿Quién le pidió seguir sus pasos? ¿Quién le entregó naciones y lo hizo señor de reyes? ¿Quién los hizo polvo con su espada? ¿Quién los arrebató con su arco, como hojarasca? 3 Él fue tras ellos, y tranquilamente pasó por caminos antes intransitables. 4 ¿Quién hizo esto posible? ¿Quién llamó desde el principio a las generaciones? ¡Yo, que soy el Señor! ¡Yo, que soy el primero y el último! 5 Las costas vieron esto, y tuvieron temor; los confines de la tierra se asustaron y corrieron a reunirse. 6 Unos a otros se ayudaron; entre vecinos y parientes se animaron. 7 El carpintero animó al platero; el que martilleaba el metal dijo al que lo moldeaba en el yunque: «Esto va saliendo bien», y lo afirmó con clavos, para que no se moviera.
8 Pero tú, Israel, eres mi siervo; tú, Jacob, a quien yo escogí, desciendes de mi amigo Abrahán.(A) 9 Yo fui quien te tomó de los confines de la tierra; yo te llamé de tierras lejanas. Yo te escogí, y no te rechacé; yo te dije: «Tú eres mi siervo».
10 No tengas miedo, que yo estoy contigo; no te desanimes, que yo soy tu Dios. Yo soy quien te da fuerzas, y siempre te ayudaré; siempre te sostendré con mi justiciera mano derecha. 11 Todos los que se enojan contra ti quedarán avergonzados y confundidos; los que contienden contigo perecerán, y serán como nada. 12 Cuando busques a los que contienden contigo, no los hallarás; los que te hacen la guerra serán como nada, ¡inexistentes! 13 Yo soy el Señor, tu Dios, que te sostiene por la mano derecha y te dice: «No tengas miedo, que yo te ayudo. 14 Y tú, Jacob, eres como un gusano. Pero no tengas miedo. Ustedes los israelitas, son muy pocos; pero yo soy su socorro.»
—Palabra del Señor, el Santo de Israel, tu Redentor.
15 Yo te he puesto como un trillo, un trillo nuevo lleno de dientes; y trillarás montes y colinas, y los molerás hasta reducirlos a tamo. 16 Los lanzarás al viento, y el viento se los llevará; los esparcirá el torbellino, pero tú te alegrarás en el Señor, y tu orgullo será el Santo de Israel.
17 Los afligidos y menesterosos buscan agua, y no la encuentran; la sed les seca la lengua. Pero yo, el Señor, los he escuchado; yo, el Dios de Israel, no voy a desampararlos. 18 Abriré ríos en los montes, y manantiales en medio de los valles; en el desierto abriré estanques de agua, y manantiales en la tierra seca. 19 En el desierto haré crecer cedros, acacias, arrayanes y olivos; en el yermo pondré juntos cipreses, pinos y bojes; 20 y esto, para que todos vean y sepan, y se den cuenta y entiendan, que esto lo ha hecho la mano del Señor; que el Santo de Israel lo ha creado.
Dios reta a los falsos dioses
21 El Señor, el Rey de Jacob, dice:
«Aleguen en favor de su causa; presenten sus pruebas. 22 Hagan venir y anuncien lo que está por llegar; dígannos lo que desde el principio ha pasado, y nos pondremos a considerarlo; hágannos saber y entender también los acontecimientos futuros, lo que habrá de venir. 23 Anuncien lo que habrá de suceder, para que sepamos que ustedes son dioses. Por lo menos, hagan algo bueno, o malo, para que tengamos algo que contar, y todos juntos nos sorprendamos. 24 Lo cierto es que ustedes no son nada, y que sus obras no tienen sustancia; ¡despreciable es quien los ha escogido!
25 »Yo he levantado a uno del norte, y está por venir; invocará mi nombre desde el lugar donde nace el sol, y pisoteará a los príncipes como pisa el barro el alfarero. 26 ¿Quién anunció esto desde el principio, para que lo supiéramos? ¿Quién lo dijo tiempo atrás, para que dijéramos que está bien? Lo cierto es que no hay quien anuncie ni quien enseñe nada; lo cierto es que no hay quien oiga sus palabras. 27 Yo fui el primero en enseñarle estas cosas a Sión; yo envié a Jerusalén un mensajero con buenas noticias. 28 Cuando miré, no había nadie; cuando pregunté acerca de estas cosas, no hubo un solo consejero; cuando pregunté, nadie me dio respuesta. 29 Todos ellos son ilusorios, y sus obras no son nada; un viento sin sustancia son sus imágenes fundidas.
Yeshayah 41
Orthodox Jewish Bible
41 Keep silence before Me, O iyim (islands); and let the people renew their ko’ach (strength); let them come near; then let them speak; let us come near together for mishpat (judgment, i.e., G-d’s tribunal)
2 Who awakened the just one [Koresh, Cyrus 44:28] from the mizrach (east), called him to His raglayim, gave the Goyim before him, and made him rule over melachim? He gave them as the aphar to his [the conqueror’s] cherev, and as windblown kash (chaff, stubble) to his [the conqueror’s] keshet (bow).
3 He [the conqueror] pursued them, and passed on in shalom; even by the orach (path) that his feet do not even come.
4 Who hath wrought and done it, calling forth the dorot from the beginning? I Hashem, the Rishon (First), and with the Acharonim (Last ones); I am He.
5 The iyim (islands) saw it, and feared; the ketzot ha’aretz (ends of the earth) trembled; they approached and came near.
6 They helped everyone his re’a; and everyone said to his brother, chazak!
7 So the charash (craftsman) encouraged the tzoref (goldsmith), and he that smootheth with the patish (hammer) encouraged him that strikes the anvil, saying, of the soldering, tov hu; and he fastened it with nails, so that it should not topple.
8 But thou, Yisroel, art Avdi, Ya’akov whom I have chosen, the zera Avraham Ohavi (My friend).
9 Thou whom I have taken hold of from the ketzot ha’aretz, and called thee from the farthest borders thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art Avdi; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away.
10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee; be not dismayed; for I am Eloheicha; I will strengthen thee; indeed, I will help thee; indeed, I will uphold thee with My yamin tzedek.
11 Surely, all they that were raging against thee shall be ashamed and disgraced; they shall be as nothing; and the anshei rivecha (they that strive with thee) shall perish.
12 Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even the anshei matzutecha (them that contended with thee): the anshei matzutecha (they that war against thee) shall be as nothing, and as a thing of naught.
13 For I Hashem Eloheicha will take hold of thy yamin (right hand), saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.
14 Fear not, thou tola’at (worm) Ya’akov, and ye men of Yisroel; I will help thee, saith Hashem, and thy Go’el (Redeemer), the Kadosh Yisroel.
15 Hinei, I will make thee a new sharp threshing iron having pifiyyot (blades); thou shalt thresh the harim, and beat them small, and shalt make the geva’ot (hills) as motz (chaff).
16 Thou shalt winnow them, and the ru’ach shall carry them away, and the se’arah shall scatter them; and thou shalt rejoice in Hashem, and shalt glory in Kadosh Yisroel.
17 When the aniyim and evyonim seek mayim, and there is none, and their leshon faileth for tzama (thirst), I Hashem will hear them, I the Elohei Yisroel will not forsake them.
18 I will open neharot on the hilltops, and springs in the midst of the valleys; I will make the midbar a pool of mayim, and the dry land sources of mayim.
19 I will plant in the midbar the cedar, the acacia, and the myrtle, and the etz shemen; I will set in the Aravah the cypress, and the fir, and the box tree together;
20 So that they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the Yad Hashem hath done this, and the Kadosh Yisroel hath created it.
21 Present your case, saith Hashem; bring forth your strong arguments for proof, saith Melech Ya’akov.
22 Let them bring them forth, and tell us what shall happen; let them tell the rishonot (former things), what they are, that we may consider them, and know the acharit (latter end, final outcome) of them; or declare us things to come.
23 Tell the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are elohim; indeed, do tov, or do rah, that we may be afraid, and terrified.
24 See, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought; a toevah (abomination) is he that chooseth you.
25 I have awakened one [Koresh, Cyrus] from the tzafon (north), and he shall come; from the rising of the shemesh shall he call upon My Shem; and he shall come upon rulers as upon mortar, and as the yotzer (potter) treadeth clay.
26 Who hath declared from the beginning, that we may know? And from beforehand, that we may say, He was in the right? Indeed, there is none that telleth, indeed, there is none that preacheth, indeed, there is none that heareth your words.
27 The rishon shall say to Tziyon, Hinei, behold them; and I will give to Yerushalayim mevaser (one that bringeth good news).
28 For I beheld, and there was no ish; even among them, and there was no Yo’etz (counselor), that, when I asked of them, could answer a word.
29 See, they [the idols] are all aven (wickedness); their ma’asim are nothing; their molten images are ruach and tohu.
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