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Isaiah 40
English Standard Version
Isaiah 40
English Standard Version
Comfort for God's People
40 (A)Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
2 (B)Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and cry to her
that (C)her warfare[a] is ended,
that her iniquity is pardoned,
that she has received from the Lord's hand
double for all her sins.
3 (D)A voice cries:[b]
(E)“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;
(F)make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 (G)Every valley shall be lifted up,
and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
and the rough places a plain.
5 (H)And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
and all flesh shall see it together,
(I)for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
The Word of God Stands Forever
6 A voice says, “Cry!”
And I said,[c] “What shall I cry?”
(J)All flesh is grass,
and all its beauty[d] is like the flower of the field.
7 The grass withers, the flower fades
when the breath of the Lord blows on it;
surely the people are grass.
8 (K)The grass withers, the flower fades,
but the word of our God will stand forever.
The Greatness of God
9 Go on up to a high mountain,
O Zion, (L)herald of good news;[e]
lift up your voice with strength,
O Jerusalem, herald of good news;[f]
lift it up, fear not;
say to the cities of Judah,
“Behold your God!”
10 (M)Behold, the Lord God comes with might,
and his arm rules for him;
(N)behold, his reward is with him,
and his recompense before him.
11 (O)He will tend his flock like a shepherd;
(P)he will gather the lambs in his arms;
(Q)he will carry them in his bosom,
and gently lead those that are with young.
12 (R)Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand
and marked off the heavens with a span,
enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure
and weighed the mountains in scales
and the hills in a balance?
13 (S)Who has measured[g] the Spirit of the Lord,
or what man shows him his counsel?
14 Whom did he consult,
and who made him understand?
(T)Who taught him the path of justice,
and taught him knowledge,
and showed him the way of understanding?
15 Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket,
and are accounted (U)as the dust on the scales;
behold, he takes up (V)the coastlands like fine dust.
16 Lebanon would not suffice for fuel,
nor are (W)its beasts enough for a burnt offering.
17 (X)All the nations are as nothing before him,
they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness.
18 (Y)To whom then will you liken God,
(Z)or what likeness compare with him?
19 (AA)An idol! A craftsman casts it,
and a goldsmith overlays it with gold
and casts for it silver chains.
20 (AB)He who is too impoverished for an offering
chooses wood[h] that will not rot;
he seeks out a skillful craftsman
to set up an idol that will not move.
21 (AC)Do you not know? Do you not hear?
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 (AD)like grasshoppers;
(AE)who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
and spreads them like a tent to dwell in;
23 (AF)who brings princes to nothing,
and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness.
24 Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown,
scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth,
when he blows on them, and they wither,
(AG)and the tempest carries them off like stubble.
25 (AH)To whom then will you compare me,
that I should be like him? says the Holy One.
26 Lift up your eyes on high and see:
who created these?
(AI)He who brings out their host by number,
calling them all by name;
by the greatness of his might
and because he is strong in power,
not one is missing.
27 Why do you say, O Jacob,
and speak, O Israel,
(AJ)“My way is hidden from the Lord,
(AK)and my right is disregarded by my God”?
28 Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is (AL)the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
(AM)his understanding is unsearchable.
29 He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.
30 Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
31 but (AN)they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings (AO)like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 40:2 Or hardship
- Isaiah 40:3 Or A voice of one crying
- Isaiah 40:6 Revocalization based on Dead Sea Scroll, Septuagint, Vulgate; Masoretic Text And someone says
- Isaiah 40:6 Or all its constancy
- Isaiah 40:9 Or O herald of good news to Zion
- Isaiah 40:9 Or O herald of good news to Jerusalem
- Isaiah 40:13 Or has directed
- Isaiah 40:20 Or He chooses valuable wood
Ésaïe 40
Segond 21
Ésaïe 40
Segond 21
La consolation d’Israël 40.1–66.24
Venue prochaine du Seigneur
40 «Consolez, consolez mon peuple,
dit votre Dieu.
2 Parlez au cœur de Jérusalem, criez-lui
que sa période de combat est terminée,
que sa faute est expiée,
qu'elle a reçu de l'Eternel
le salaire de tous ses péchés.»
3 *Une voix crie dans le désert:
«Préparez le chemin de l'Eternel,
faites une route bien droite pour notre Dieu dans les endroits arides!
4 Toute vallée sera comblée,
toute montagne et toute colline abaissées.
Ce qui est tortueux sera redressé
et les endroits rocailleux aplanis.
5 Alors la gloire de l'Eternel sera révélée,
et au même instant tout homme la verra.[a]
Oui, c’est l’Eternel qui l’affirme.»
6 Une voix a dit: «Proclame un message!»
Et j’ai répondu: «Que dois-je proclamer?»
«*Toute créature est comme l'herbe,
et toute sa beauté comme la fleur des champs.
7 L'herbe sèche et la fleur tombe
quand le vent de l'Eternel souffle dessus.
Vraiment, le peuple est pareil à l'herbe:
8 l'herbe sèche et la fleur tombe,
mais la parole de notre Dieu subsiste éternellement.»[b]
9 Monte sur une haute montagne,
Sion, pour annoncer la bonne nouvelle!
Elève avec force ta voix,
Jérusalem, pour proclamer la bonne nouvelle!
Elève ta voix, n’aie pas peur!
Dis aux villes de Juda: «Voici votre Dieu!»
10 Le Seigneur, l'Eternel vient avec puissance,
et son bras lui assure la souveraineté.
Il a son salaire avec lui
et sa récompense est devant lui.
11 Pareil à un berger, il s’occupera de son troupeau,
il prendra les agneaux dans ses bras
et les portera contre sa poitrine;
il conduira les brebis qui allaitent.
12 Qui a mesuré les océans dans le creux de sa main?
Qui a fixé les dimensions du ciel dans une mesure
et fait tenir toute la poussière de la terre dans un tiers de mesure?
Qui a pesé les montagnes à la balance
et les collines à la bascule?
13 *Qui a compris l'Esprit de l'Eternel
et quel homme a été son conseiller pour l’instruire?[c]
14 Avec qui a-t-il délibéré pour se laisser éclairer par lui?
Qui lui a appris le sentier du droit,
lui a enseigné son savoir-faire
et lui a fait connaître le chemin de l'intelligence?
15 Les nations sont pareilles à une goutte d’eau qui tombe d'un seau,
elles sont comme de la poussière sur une balance,
et les îles comme une fine poussière qui s'envole.
16 Les forêts du Liban ne suffiraient pas à alimenter le feu de l’autel
et ses animaux seraient en nombre insuffisant pour l'holocauste.
17 Toutes les nations sont réduites à rien devant lui,
elles comptent moins à ses yeux que le néant et le vide.
18 A qui voulez-vous comparer Dieu?
A quelle représentation pourriez-vous le comparer?
19 C'est un artisan qui fond la statue,
puis un orfèvre la couvre d'or
et y soude des chaînettes d'argent.
20 Celui qui est trop pauvre pour une telle offrande
choisit un bois qui ne pourrisse pas;
il sollicite les services d’un artisan assez habile
pour fabriquer une sculpture sacrée qui ne soit pas branlante.
21 Ne le savez-vous pas? Ne l'avez-vous pas appris?
Ne vous l'a-t-on pas révélé dès le début?
N'avez-vous jamais réfléchi aux fondations de la terre?
22 C’est l’Eternel qui siège au-dessus du cercle de la terre;
ses habitants sont, pour lui, pareils à des sauterelles.
Il déroule le ciel comme une étoffe légère,
il le déploie comme une tente pour en faire son lieu d’habitation.
23 C'est lui qui réduit les dirigeants à rien,
qui rend les juges de la terre pareils à du vide.
24 Ils ne sont même pas plantés, même pas semés,
leur tronc n'a pas encore développé de racine en terre
qu’il souffle sur eux; ils se dessèchent alors,
le tourbillon les emporte comme un brin de paille.
25 A qui me comparerez-vous pour que je lui ressemble?
demande le Saint.
26 Levez les yeux vers le ciel et regardez!
Qui a créé cela?
C’est celui qui fait sortir les corps célestes en bon ordre.
Il les appelle tous par leur nom.
Son pouvoir est si grand, sa force si puissante
que pas un seul ne manque.
27 Pourquoi dis-tu, Jacob,
et pourquoi affirmes-tu, Israël:
«Ma situation échappe à l'Eternel,
mon droit passe inaperçu de mon Dieu»?
28 Ne le sais-tu pas? Ne l'as-tu pas appris?
C'est le Dieu d'éternité, l'Eternel,
qui a créé les extrémités de la terre.
Il ne se fatigue pas, il ne s’épuise pas.
Son intelligence est impénétrable.
29 Il donne de la force à celui qui est fatigué
et il multiplie les ressources de celui qui est à bout.
30 Les adolescents se fatiguent et s’épuisent,
les jeunes gens se mettent à trébucher,
31 mais ceux qui comptent sur l'Eternel renouvellent leur force.
Ils prennent leur envol comme les aigles.
Ils courent sans s’épuiser,
ils marchent sans se fatiguer.
Footnotes
- Ésaïe 40:5 Une voix… verra: cité en Luc 3.4-6 et partiellement en Matthieu 3.3; Marc 1.3; Jean 1.23 à propos de Jean-Baptiste.
- Ésaïe 40:8 Toute… éternellement: cité en 1 Pierre 1.24-25 avec application à l’Evangile.
- Ésaïe 40:13 Qui… l’instruire: cité en Romains 11.34 et 1 Corinthiens 2.16.
Isaiah 40
New International Version
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
Isaiah 40
King James Version
Isaiah 40
King James Version
40 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
2 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.
3 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.
4 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:
5 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.
6 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:
7 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.
8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.
9 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.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
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Segond 21 (SG21)
Version Segond 21 Copyright © 2007 Société Biblique de Genève by Société Biblique de Genève
New International Version (NIV) 
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