Isaiah 51:4-8
New English Translation
4 Pay attention to me, my people.
Listen to me, my people!
For[a] I will issue a decree,[b]
I will make my justice a light to the nations.[c]
5 I am ready to vindicate,[d]
I am ready to deliver,[e]
I will establish justice among the nations.[f]
The coastlands[g] wait patiently for me;
they wait in anticipation for the revelation of my power.[h]
6 Look up at the sky.
Look at the earth below.
For the sky will dissipate[i] like smoke,
and the earth will wear out like clothes;
its residents will die like gnats.
But the deliverance I give[j] is permanent;
the vindication I provide[k] will not disappear.[l]
7 Listen to me, you who know what is right,
you people who are aware of my law.[m]
Don’t be afraid of the insults of men;
don’t be discouraged because of their abuse.
8 For a moth will eat away at them like clothes;
a clothes moth will devour them like wool.
But the vindication I provide[n] will be permanent;
the deliverance I give will last.”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 51:4 tn Or “certainly.”
- Isaiah 51:4 tn Heb “instruction [or “a law”] will go out from me.”
- Isaiah 51:4 tn Heb “and my justice for a light to the nations I will cause to rest.”
- Isaiah 51:5 tn Heb “my righteousness [or “vindication”] is near.”
- Isaiah 51:5 tn Heb “my deliverance goes forth.”
- Isaiah 51:5 tn Heb “and my arms will judge [on behalf of] nations.”
- Isaiah 51:5 tn Or “islands” (NIV); TEV “Distant lands.”
- Isaiah 51:5 tn Heb “for my arm” (so NIV, NRSV).
- Isaiah 51:6 tn Heb “will be torn in pieces.” The perfect indicates the certitude of the event, from the Lord’s rhetorical perspective.
- Isaiah 51:6 tn Heb “my deliverance.” The same Hebrew word can also be translated “salvation” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); cf. CEV “victory.”
- Isaiah 51:6 tn Heb “my righteousness [or “vindication”].”
- Isaiah 51:6 tn Heb “will not be shattered [or “dismayed”].”
- Isaiah 51:7 tn Heb “people (who have) my law in their heart.”
- Isaiah 51:8 tn Heb “my vindication”; many English versions “my righteousness”; NRSV, TEV “my deliverance”; CEV “my victory.”
Isaiah 51:4-8
Lexham English Bible
4 “Listen attentively to me, my people,
and my nation, listen to me!
For a teaching will go out from me,
and I will cause my justice to rest for a light to the peoples.
5 My righteousness is near; my salvation has gone out,
and my arms will judge the peoples.
The coastlands wait for me,
and for my arm they wait.
6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens
and look to the earth beneath,
for the heavens will be torn to pieces like smoke,
and the earth will be worn out like a garment,
and those who inhabit her will die like gnats.
But[a] my salvation will be forever,
and my righteousness will not be broken to pieces.
7 Listen to me, you who know righteousness,
people who have my teaching in their heart;
you must not fear the reproach of men,
or be terrified because of their abuse.
8 For a moth will eat them like garments;
a moth will devour[b] them like wool,
but[c] my righteousness will be forever,
and my salvation for generation after generation.[d]”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 51:6 Or “And”
- Isaiah 51:8 Or “eat”
- Isaiah 51:8 Or “and”
- Isaiah 51:8 Literally “generation of generations”
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