Comfort for God’s People

40 Comfort, comfort(A) my people,
    says your God.
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.

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)
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.
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)

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.
The grass withers(Q) and the flowers fall,
    because the breath(R) of the Lord blows(S) on them.
    Surely the people are grass.
The grass withers and the flowers(T) fall,
    but the word(U) of our God endures(V) forever.(W)

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

  1. Isaiah 40:3 Or A voice of one calling in the wilderness: / “Prepare the way for the Lord
  2. Isaiah 40:3 Hebrew; Septuagint make straight the paths of our God
  3. Isaiah 40:9 Or Zion, bringer of good news, / go up on a high mountain. / Jerusalem, bringer of good news
  4. Isaiah 40:13 Or mind

Comfort My People

40 “Comfort my people! Comfort them!” says your Elohim.

“Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and announce to it
    that its time of hard labor is over
        and its wrongs have been paid for.
            It has received from Yahweh double for all its sins.”

A voice cries out in the desert:

“Clear a way for Yahweh.
    Make a straight highway in the wilderness for our Elohim.
Every valley will be raised.
    Every mountain and hill will be lowered.
    Steep places will be made level.
    Rough places will be made smooth.
Then Yahweh’s glory will be revealed
    and all people will see it together.
        Yahweh has spoken.”

A voice called, “Call out!”

I asked, “What should I call out?”

“Call out: All people are like grass,
    and all their beauty is like a flower in the field.
Grass dries up,
    and flowers wither when Yahweh’s breath blows on them.
        Yes, people are like grass.
Grass dries up,
    and flowers wither,
        but the word of our Elohim will last forever.”

Go up a high mountain, Zion.
    Tell the good news!
    Call out with a loud voice, Jerusalem.
    Tell the good news!
    Raise your voice without fear.
    Tell the cities of Judah:
        “Here is your Elohim!”

10 Adonay Yahweh is coming with power
    to rule with authority.
    His reward is with him,
    and the people he has won arrive ahead of him.
11 Like a shepherd he takes care of his flock.
    He gathers the lambs in his arms.
    He carries them in his arms.
    He gently helps the sheep and their lambs.

God Gives Strength to Those Who Depend on Him

12 Who has measured the water of the sea[a] with the palm of his hand
    or measured the sky with the length of his hand?
    Who has held the dust of the earth in a bushel basket
    or weighed the mountains on a scale and the hills on a balance?
13 Who has directed the Ruach Yahweh
    or instructed him as his adviser?
14 Whom did he consult?
    Who gave him understanding?
        Who taught him the right way?
        Who taught him knowledge?
        Who informed him about the way to understanding?

15 The nations are like a drop in a bucket
    and are considered to be like dust on a scale.
    The weight of the islands is like fine dust.
16 All the trees in Lebanon are not enough to burn an offering.
    Its wild animals are not enough for a single burnt offering.
17 All the nations amount to nothing in his presence.
    He considers them less than nothing and worthless.
18 To whom, then, can you compare El?
    To what statue can you compare him?

19 Craftsmen make idols.
    Goldsmiths cover them with gold.
        Silversmiths make silver chains for them.
20 The poorest people choose wood that will not rot
    and search out skillful craftsmen
        to set up idols that will not fall over.
21 Don’t you know?
    Haven’t you heard?
        Haven’t you been told from the beginning?
            Don’t you understand the foundations of the earth?
22 God is enthroned above the earth,
    and those who live on it are like grasshoppers.
    He stretches out the sky like a canopy
    and spreads it out like a tent to live in.
23 He makes rulers unimportant
    and makes earthly judges worth nothing.
24 They have hardly been planted.
    They have hardly been sown.
    They have hardly taken root in the ground.
    Then he blows on them and they wither,
        and a windstorm sweeps them away like straw.
25 “To whom, then, can you compare me?
    Who is my equal?” asks the Holy One.

26 Look at the sky and see.
    Who created these things?
    Who brings out the stars one by one?
        He calls them all by name.
    Because of the greatness of his might and the strength of his power,
    not one of them is missing.
27 Jacob, why do you complain?
    Israel, why do you say,
    “My way is hidden from Yahweh,
        and my rights are ignored by my Elohim”?
28 Don’t you know?
    Haven’t you heard?
    El Olam, Yahweh, the Creator of the ends of the earth,
    doesn’t grow tired or become weary.
        His understanding is beyond reach.
29 He gives strength to those who grow tired
    and increases the strength of those who are weak.
30 Even young people grow tired and become weary,
    and young men will stumble and fall.
31 Yet, the strength of those who wait with hope in Yahweh
    will be renewed.
        They will soar on wings like eagles.
            They will run and won’t become weary.
            They will walk and won’t grow tired.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 40:12 Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic Text “Who has measured the water.”

El Señor consuela a Jerusalén

40 El Dios de ustedes dice:
«Consuelen, consuelen a mi pueblo;
hablen con cariño a Jerusalén
y díganle que su esclavitud ha terminado,
que ya ha pagado por sus faltas,
que ya ha recibido de mi mano
el doble del castigo por todos sus pecados.»

Una voz grita:
«Preparen al Señor un camino en el desierto,
tracen para nuestro Dios
una calzada recta en la región estéril.
Rellenen todas las cañadas,
allanen los cerros y las colinas,
conviertan la región quebrada y montañosa
en llanura completamente lisa.
Entonces mostrará el Señor su gloria,
y todos los hombres juntos la verán.
El Señor mismo lo ha dicho.»

Una voz dice: «Grita»,
y yo pregunto: «¿Qué debo gritar?»
«Que todo hombre es como hierba,
¡tan firme como una flor del campo!
La hierba se seca y la flor se marchita
cuando el soplo del Señor pasa sobre ellas.
Ciertamente la gente es como hierba.
La hierba se seca y la flor se marchita,
pero la palabra de nuestro Dios
permanece firme para siempre.»

Súbete, Sión, a la cumbre de un monte,
levanta con fuerza tu voz
para anunciar una buena noticia.
Levanta sin miedo la voz, Jerusalén,
y anuncia a las ciudades de Judá:
«¡Aquí está el Dios de ustedes!»
10 Llega ya el Señor con poder,
sometiéndolo todo con la fuerza de su brazo.
Trae a su pueblo
después de haberlo rescatado.
11 Viene como un pastor que cuida su rebaño;
levanta los corderos en sus brazos,
los lleva junto al pecho
y atiende con cuidado a las recién paridas.

Grandeza del Dios de Israel

12 ¿Quién ha medido el océano con la palma de la mano,
o calculado con los dedos la extensión del cielo?
¿Quién ha puesto en una medida
todo el polvo de la tierra,
o ha pesado en balanza
las colinas y montañas?
13 ¿Quién ha corregido al Señor
o quién le ha dado instrucciones?
14 ¿Quién le dio consejos y entendimiento?
¿Quién le enseñó a juzgar con rectitud?
¿Quién lo instruyó en la ciencia?
¿Quién le dio lecciones de sabiduría?
15 Para él las naciones son como una gota de agua,
como un grano de polvo en la balanza;
los países del mar valen lo que un grano de arena.
16 En todo el Líbano no hay animales suficientes
para ofrecerle un holocausto,
ni leña suficiente para el fuego.
17 Todas las naciones no son nada en su presencia;
para él no tienen absolutamente ningún valor.

18 ¿Con quién van ustedes a comparar a Dios?
¿Con qué imagen van a representarlo?
19 Un escultor funde una estatua,
y un joyero la recubre de oro
y le hace cadenas de plata.
20 El que fabrica una estatua
escoge madera que no se pudra,
y busca un hábil artesano
que la afirme, para que no se caiga.

21 ¿Acaso no lo sabían ustedes?
¿No lo habían oído decir?
¿No se lo contaron desde el principio?
¿No lo han comprendido desde la creación del mundo?
22 Dios tiene su trono sobre la bóveda que cubre la tierra,
y ve a los hombres como si fueran saltamontes.
Él extiende el cielo como un toldo,
lo despliega como una tienda de campaña.
23 Él convierte en nada a los grandes hombres
y hace desaparecer a los jefes de la tierra.
24 Son como plantas tiernas, recién plantadas,
que apenas han echado raíces en la tierra.
Si Dios sopla sobre ellos, se marchitan,
y el huracán se los lleva como a paja.
25 El Dios Santo pregunta:
«¿Con quién me van a comparar ustedes?
¿Quién puede ser igual a mí?»
26 Levanten los ojos al cielo y miren:
¿Quién creó todo eso?
El que los distribuye uno por uno
y a todos llama por su nombre.
Tan grande es su poder y su fuerza
que ninguno de ellos falta.
27 Israel, pueblo de Jacob,
¿por qué te quejas? ¿Por qué dices:
«El Señor no se da cuenta de mi situación;
Dios no se interesa por mí»?
28 ¿Acaso no lo sabes? ¿No lo has oído?
El Señor, el Dios eterno,
el creador del mundo entero,
no se fatiga ni se cansa;
su inteligencia es infinita.
29 Él da fuerzas al cansado,
y al débil le aumenta su vigor.
30 Hasta los jóvenes pueden cansarse y fatigarse,
hasta los más fuertes llegan a caer,
31 pero los que confían en el Señor
tendrán siempre nuevas fuerzas
y podrán volar como las águilas;
podrán correr sin cansarse
y caminar sin fatigarse.