Isaiah 40
New International Version
Comfort for God’s People
40 Comfort, comfort(A) my people,
says your God.
2 Speak tenderly(B) to Jerusalem,
and proclaim to her
that her hard service(C) has been completed,(D)
that her sin has been paid for,(E)
that she has received from the Lord’s hand
double(F) for all her sins.
3 A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare
the way(G) for the Lord[a];
make straight(H) in the desert
a highway for our God.[b](I)
4 Every valley shall be raised up,(J)
every mountain and hill(K) made low;
the rough ground shall become level,(L)
the rugged places a plain.
5 And the glory(M) of the Lord will be revealed,
and all people will see it together.(N)
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”(O)
6 A voice says, “Cry out.”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
“All people are like grass,(P)
and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.
7 The grass withers(Q) and the flowers fall,
because the breath(R) of the Lord blows(S) on them.
Surely the people are grass.
8 The grass withers and the flowers(T) fall,
but the word(U) of our God endures(V) forever.(W)”
9 You who bring good news(X) to Zion,
go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good news to Jerusalem,[c](Y)
lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
say to the towns of Judah,
“Here is your God!”(Z)
10 See, the Sovereign Lord comes(AA) with power,(AB)
and he rules(AC) with a mighty arm.(AD)
See, his reward(AE) is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.
11 He tends his flock like a shepherd:(AF)
He gathers the lambs in his arms(AG)
and carries them close to his heart;(AH)
he gently leads(AI) those that have young.(AJ)
12 Who has measured the waters(AK) in the hollow of his hand,(AL)
or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?(AM)
Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,
or weighed the mountains on the scales
and the hills in a balance?(AN)
13 Who can fathom the Spirit[d](AO) of the Lord,
or instruct the Lord as his counselor?(AP)
14 Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him,
and who taught him the right way?
Who was it that taught him knowledge,(AQ)
or showed him the path of understanding?(AR)
15 Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket;
they are regarded as dust on the scales;(AS)
he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.(AT)
16 Lebanon(AU) is not sufficient for altar fires,
nor its animals(AV) enough for burnt offerings.
17 Before him all the nations(AW) are as nothing;(AX)
they are regarded by him as worthless
and less than nothing.(AY)
18 With whom, then, will you compare God?(AZ)
To what image(BA) will you liken him?
19 As for an idol,(BB) a metalworker casts it,
and a goldsmith(BC) overlays it with gold(BD)
and fashions silver chains for it.
20 A person too poor to present such an offering
selects wood(BE) that will not rot;
they look for a skilled worker
to set up an idol(BF) that will not topple.(BG)
21 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?(BH)
Has it not been told(BI) you from the beginning?(BJ)
Have you not understood(BK) since the earth was founded?(BL)
22 He sits enthroned(BM) above the circle of the earth,
and its people are like grasshoppers.(BN)
He stretches out the heavens(BO) like a canopy,(BP)
and spreads them out like a tent(BQ) to live in.(BR)
23 He brings princes(BS) to naught
and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.(BT)
24 No sooner are they planted,
no sooner are they sown,
no sooner do they take root(BU) in the ground,
than he blows(BV) on them and they wither,(BW)
and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.(BX)
25 “To whom will you compare me?(BY)
Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.(BZ)
26 Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:(CA)
Who created(CB) all these?
He who brings out the starry host(CC) one by one
and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,(CD)
not one of them is missing.(CE)
27 Why do you complain, Jacob?
Why do you say, Israel,
“My way is hidden from the Lord;
my cause is disregarded by my God”?(CF)
28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?(CG)
The Lord is the everlasting(CH) God,
the Creator(CI) of the ends of the earth.(CJ)
He will not grow tired or weary,(CK)
and his understanding no one can fathom.(CL)
29 He gives strength(CM) to the weary(CN)
and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men(CO) stumble and fall;(CP)
31 but those who hope(CQ) in the Lord
will renew their strength.(CR)
They will soar on wings like eagles;(CS)
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.(CT)
Footnotes
- Isaiah 40:3 Or A voice of one calling in the wilderness: / “Prepare the way for the Lord
- Isaiah 40:3 Hebrew; Septuagint make straight the paths of our God
- Isaiah 40:9 Or Zion, bringer of good news, / go up on a high mountain. / Jerusalem, bringer of good news
- Isaiah 40:13 Or mind
Yesaya 40
Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero
Mawu a Chitonthozo kwa Anthu a Mulungu
40 Atonthozeni, atonthozeni anthu anga,
akutero Mulungu wanu.
2 Ayankhuleni moleza mtima anthu a ku Yerusalemu
ndipo muwawuzitse
kuti nthawi ya ukapolo wawo yatha,
tchimo lawo lakhululukidwa.
Ndawalanga mokwanira
chifukwa cha machimo awo onse.
3 Mawu a wofuwula mʼchipululu akuti,
“Konzani njira ya Yehova
mʼchipululu;
wongolani njira zake;
msewu owongoka wa Mulungu wathu mʼdziko lopanda kanthu.
4 Chigwa chilichonse achidzaze.
Phiri lililonse ndi chitunda chilichonse azitsitse;
Dziko lokumbikakumbika alisalaze,
malo azitundazitunda awasandutse zidikha.
5 Ndipo ulemerero wa Yehova udzaonekera,
ndipo mitundu yonse ya anthu idzawuona,
pakuti wanena zimenezi ndi Yehova.”
6 Wina ananena kuti, “Lengeza.”
Ndipo ine ndinati, “Kodi ndifuwule chiyani?
“Pakuti anthu onse ali ngati udzu
ndipo kukongola kwawo kuli ngati maluwa akuthengo.
7 Udzu umanyala ndipo maluwa amafota
chifukwa cha kuwomba kwa mpweya wa Yehova.”
Mawu aja anatinso, “Ndithudi anthu sasiyana ndi udzu.
8 Udzu umanyala ndipo maluwa amafota,
koma mawu a Mulungu wathu adzakhalapo mpaka muyaya.”
9 Iwe amene ukulengeza nkhani yabwino ku Ziyoni,
kwera pa phiri lalitali.
Iwe amene ukulengeza nkhani yabwino ku Yerusalemu,
fuwula kwambiri,
kweza mawu, usachite mantha;
uza mizinda ya ku Yuda kuti,
“Mulungu wanu akubwera!”
10 Taonani, Ambuye Yehova akubwera mwamphamvu,
ndipo dzanja lake likulamulira,
taonani akubwera ndi mphotho yake
watsogoza zofunkha zako za ku nkhondo.
11 Iye adzasamalira nkhosa zake ngati mʼbusa:
Iye adzasonkhanitsa ana ankhosa aakazi mʼmanja mwake
ndipo Iye akuwanyamula pachifuwa chake
ndi kutsogolera bwinobwino nkhosa zoyamwitsa.
12 Kodi ndani akhoza kuyeza kuchuluka kwa madzi a mʼnyanja ndi chikhatho chake,
kapena kuyeza kutalika kwa mlengalenga ndi dzanja lake?
Ndani akhoza kuyeza dothi lonse la dziko lapansi mʼdengu,
kapena kuyeza kulemera kwa
mapiri ndi zitunda ndi pasikelo?
13 Ndani anapereka malangizo kwa Mzimu wa Yehova
kapena kumuphunzitsa Iye monga phungu wake?
14 Kodi Yehova anapemphapo nzeru kwa yani kuti akhale wopenya,
kapena kuti aphunzire njira yoyenera ndi nzeru?
Iye anapempha nzeru kwa yani
ndi njira ya kumvetsa zinthu?
15 Ndithudi mitundu ya anthu ili ngati dontho la madzi ochoka mu mtsuko.
Iwo akungoyesedwa ngati fumbi chabe pa sikelo;
mʼmanja mwa Yehova zilumba nʼzopepuka ngati fumbi.
16 Nkhalango ya ku Lebanoni singakwanire nkhuni zosonkhera moto pa guwa lansembe,
ngakhale nyama zake sizingakwanire kupereka nsembe zopsereza.
17 Pamaso pa Yehova mitundu yonse ya anthu ili ngati chinthu chopandapake;
Iye amayiwerengera ngati chinthu chopanda phindu
ndi cha chabechabe.
18 Kodi tsono Mulungu mungamuyerekeze ndi yani?
Kodi mungamufanizire ndi chiyani?
19 Likakhala fano, mʼmisiri ndiye analipanga
ndipo mʼmisiri wa golide amalikuta ndi golide
naliveka mkanda wasiliva.
20 Mʼmphawi amene sangathe kupeza ngakhale chopereka nsembe chotere
amasankha mtengo umene sudzawola,
nafunafuna mʼmisiri waluso woti
amupangire fano limene silingasunthike.
21 Kodi simukudziwa?
Kodi simunamve?
Kodi sanakuwuzeni kuyambira pachiyambi pomwe?
Kodi simunamvetsetse chiyambire cha dziko lapansi?
22 Yehova amene amakhala pa mpando wake waufumu kumwamba ndiye analenga dziko lapansi,
Iye amaona anthu a dziko lapansi ngati ziwala.
Ndipo anafunyulula mlengalenga ngati nsalu yotchinga,
nayikunga ngati tenti yokhalamo.
23 Amatsitsa pansi mafumu amphamvu
nasandutsa olamula a dziko kukhala achabechabe.
24 Inde, iwo ali ngati mbewu zimene zangodzalidwa kumene
kapena kufesedwa chapompano,
ndi kungoyamba kuzika mizu kumene
ndi pamene mphepo imawombapo nʼkuziwumitsa
ndipo kamvuluvulu amaziwulutsa ngati mankhusu.
25 Woyera uja akuti, “Kodi mudzandiyerekeza Ine ndi yani?
Kapena kodi alipo wofanana nane?”
26 Tayangʼanani mlengalenga ndipo onani.
Kodi ndani analenga zonsezi mukuzionazi?
Yehova ndiye amene amazitsogolera ngati gulu la ankhondo,
nayitana iliyonse ndi dzina lake.
Ndipo popeza Iye ali ndi nyonga zambiri,
palibe ndi imodzi yomwe imene inasowapo.
27 Iwe Yakobo, chifukwa chiyani umanena
ndi kumadandaula iwe Israeli, kuti,
“Yehova sakudziwa mavuto anga,
Mulungu wanga sakusamala zomwe zikundichitikira ine?”
28 Kodi simukudziwa?
Kodi simunamve?
Yehova ndiye Mulungu wamuyaya,
ndiyenso Mlengi wa dziko lonse lapansi.
Iye sadzatopa kapena kufowoka
ndipo palibe amene angadziwe maganizo ake.
29 Iye amalimbitsa ofowoka
ndipo otopa amawawonjezera mphamvu.
30 Ngakhale achinyamata amalefuka ndi kufowoka,
ndipo achinyamata amapunthwa ndi kugwa;
31 koma iwo amene amakhulupirira Yehova
adzalandira mphamvu zatsopano.
Adzawuluka ngati chiwombankhanga;
adzathamanga koma sadzalefuka,
adzayenda koma sadzatopa konse.
Isaiah 40
New King James Version
God’s People Are Comforted(A)
40 “Comfort, yes, comfort My people!”
Says your God.
2 “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.”
3 (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.
4 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;
5 The (G)glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
And all flesh shall see it together;
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
6 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.
7 The grass withers, the flower fades,
Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it;
Surely the people are grass.
8 The grass withers, the flower fades,
But (I)the word of our God stands forever.”
9 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
- Isaiah 40:2 Lit. to the heart of
- Isaiah 40:3 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; LXX omits in the desert
- Isaiah 40:4 Or a plain
- Isaiah 40:6 So with MT, Tg.; DSS, LXX, Vg. I
- Isaiah 40:10 in strength
- Isaiah 40:10 recompense
- Isaiah 40:12 So with MT, LXX, Vg.; DSS adds of the sea; Tg. adds of the world
- Isaiah 40:12 A span .5 cubit, 9 inches; or the width of His hand
- Isaiah 40:20 an offering
- Isaiah 40:23 reduces
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
The Word of God in Contemporary Chichewa Copyright © 2002, 2016 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide. Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Mwini © 2002, 2016 ndi Biblica, Inc.® Kugwiritsa ntchito mwachilolezo. Umwini ndi otetezedwa pa dziko lonse.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

