Chapter 51

Hearken³ to me, ye that follow after⁶ righteousness, ye that seek¹⁸ the LORD: look⁵⁴ unto the rock [whence] ye are hewn,²⁷ and to the hole of the pit [whence] ye are digged.²⁷

Look⁵⁴ unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah [that] bare³⁴ you: for I called¹ him alone, and blessed¹⁷ him, and increased⁵⁵ him.

For the LORD shall comfort¹⁴ Zion: he will comfort¹⁴ all her waste places; and he will make⁴ her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found¹¹ therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.

Hearken⁵⁴ unto me, my people; and give ear⁵⁴ unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed⁴ from me, and I will make my judgment to rest⁵⁵ for a light of the people.

My righteousness [is] near; my salvation is gone forth,¹ and mine arms shall judge⁴ the people; the isles shall wait¹⁷ upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust.¹⁷

Lift up³ your eyes to the heavens, and look⁵⁴ upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away⁸ like smoke, and the earth shall wax old⁴ like a garment, and they that dwell⁶ therein shall die⁴ in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.¹¹

Hearken³ unto me, ye that know⁶ righteousness, the people in whose heart [is] my law; fear⁴ ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid¹¹ of their revilings.

For the moth shall eat⁴ them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat⁴ them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.

Awake,³ awake,³ put on³ strength, O arm of the LORD; awake,³ as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. [Art] thou not it that hath cut⁵⁶ Rahab, [and] wounded²⁶ the dragon?

[Art] thou not it which hath dried⁵⁶ the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made¹ the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed⁷ to pass over?²

Therefore the redeemed⁷ of the LORD shall return,⁴ and come¹ with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy [shall be] upon their head: they shall obtain⁵⁵ gladness and joy; [and] sorrow and mourning shall flee away.¹

I, [even] I, [am] he that comforteth¹⁸ you: who [art] thou, that thou shouldest be afraid⁴ of a man [that] shall die,⁴ and of the son of man [which] shall be made¹¹ [as] grass;

And forgettest⁴ the LORD thy maker,⁶ that hath stretched forth⁶ the heavens, and laid the foundations⁵ of the earth; and hast feared¹⁷ continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor,⁵⁶ as if he were ready³¹ to destroy?⁵³ and where [is] the fury of the oppressor?⁵⁶

The captive exile⁶ hasteneth¹⁴ that he may be loosed,⁹ and that he should not die⁴ in the pit, nor that his bread should fail.⁴

But I [am] the LORD thy God, that divided⁶ the sea, whose waves roared:⁴ The LORD of hosts [is] his name.

And I have put⁴ my words in thy mouth, and I have covered¹⁴ thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant² the heavens, and lay the foundations² of the earth, and say² unto Zion, Thou [art] my people.

Awake,¹¹² awake,¹¹² stand up,³ O Jerusalem, which hast drunk¹ at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken¹ the dregs of the cup of trembling, [and] wrung [them] out.¹

[There is] none to guide¹⁸ her among all the sons [whom] she hath brought forth;¹ neither [is there any] that taketh⁵⁶ her by the hand of all the sons [that] she hath brought up.¹⁴

These two [things] are come⁶ unto thee; who shall be sorry⁴ for thee? desolation, and destruction, and the famine, and the sword: by whom shall I comfort¹⁷ thee?

Thy sons have fainted,²⁷ they lie¹ at the head of all the streets, as a wild bull in a net: they are full of the fury of the LORD, the rebuke of thy God.

Therefore hear³ now this, thou afflicted, and drunken,⁷ but not with wine:

Thus saith¹ thy Lord the LORD, and thy God [that] pleadeth⁴ the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken¹ out of thine hand the cup of trembling, [even] the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more⁵⁵ drink² it again:

But I will put¹ it into the hand of them that afflict⁵⁶ thee; which have said¹ to thy soul, Bow down,³ that we may go over:⁴ and thou hast laid⁴ thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over.⁶