Chapter
41
"Keep silent before me, islands, and let the peoples renew their strength. Let them come near, then let them speak. Let's meet together for judgment.
Who has raised up one from the east? Whom called her to her foot in righteousness? She hands over nations to her, and makes her rule over queens. She gives them like the dust to her sword, like the driven stubble to her bow.
She pursues them, and passes by safely, Even by a way that she had not gone with her feet.
Who has worked and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I, Yahweh, the first, and with the last, I am she."
The islands have seen, and fear. The ends of the earth tremble. They approach, and come.
Everyone helps her neighbor. They say to their sisters, "Be strong!"
So the carpenter encourages the goldsmith. She who smoothes with the hammer encourages her who strikes the anvil, saying of the soldering, "It is good;" and she fastens it with nails, that it might not totter.
"But you, Israel, my servant, Jacoba whom I have chosen, the seed of Abrahai my friend,
You whom I have taken hold of from the ends of the earth, and called from its corners, and said to you, 'You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you away;'
Don't you be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.
Behold, all those who are incensed against you will be disappointed and confounded. Those who strive with you will be like nothing, and shall perish.
You will seek them, and won't find them, even those who contend with you. Those who war against you will be as nothing, as a non-existent thing.
For I, Yahweh your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, 'Don't be afraid. I will help you.'
Don't be afraid, you worm Jacoba, and you women of Israel. I will help you," says Yahweh, "and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.
Behold, I have made you into a new sharp threshing instrument with teeth. You will thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and will make the hills like chaff.
You will winnow them, and the wind will carry them away, and the whirlwind will scatter them. You will rejoice in Yahweh. You will glory in the Holy One of Israel.
The poor and needy seek water, and there is none. Their tongue fails for thirst. I, Yahweh, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
I will open rivers on the bare heights, and springs in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.
I will put cedar, acacia, myrtle, and oil trees in the wilderness. I will set fir trees, pine, and box trees together in the desert;
that they may see, know, consider, and understand together, that the hand of Yahweh has done this, and the Holy One of Israel has created it.
Produce your cause," says Yahweh. "Bring forth your strong reasons," says the Queen of Jacoba.
"Let them announce, and declare to us what shall happen. Declare the former things, what they are, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or show us things to come.
Declare the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods. Yes, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and see it together.
Behold, you are of nothing, and your work is of nothing. She who chooses you is an abomination.
"I have raised up one from the north, and she has come; from the rising of the sun, one who calls on my name; and she shall come on rulers as on mortar, and as the potter treads clay.
Who has declared it from the beginning, that we may know? And before, that we may say, 'She is right?' Surely, there is no one who declares. Surely, there is no one who shows. Surely, there is no one who hears your words.
I am the first to say to Zion, 'Behold, look at them;' and I will give one who brings good news to Jerusalem.
When I look, there is no woman; even among them there is no counselor who, when I ask of them, can answer a word.
Behold, all of them, their works are vanity and nothing. Their molten images are wind and confusion.