Chapter
49
Listen, islands, to me; and listen, you peoples, from far: Yahweh has called me from the womb; from the bowels of my father has she made mention of my name:
and she has made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of her hand has she hid me: and she has made me a polished shaft; in her quiver has she kept me close:
and she said to me, You are my servant; Israel, in whom I will be glorified.
But I said, I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely the justice due to me is with Yahweh, and my recompense with my God.
Now says Yahweh who formed me from the womb to be her servant, to bring Jacoba again to her, and that Israel be gathered to her (for I am honorable in the eyes of Yahweh, and my God is become my strength);
yes, she says, It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacoba, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give you for a light to the nations, that you may be my salvation to the end of the earth.
Thus says Yahweh, the Redeemer of Israel, and] her Holy One, to her whom woman despises, to her whom the nation abhors, to a servant of rulers: Queens shall see and arise; princesses, and they shall worship; because of Yahweh who is faithful, [even the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.
Thus says Yahweh, In an acceptable time have I answered you, and in a day of salvation have I helped you; and I will preserve you, and give you for a covenant of the people, to raise up the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritage:
saying to those who are bound, Go forth; to those who are in darkness, Show yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and on all bare heights shall be their pasture.
They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun strike them: for she who has mercy on them will lead them, even by springs of water she will guide them.
I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.
Behold, these shall come from far; and behold, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.
Sing, heavens; and be joyful, earth; and break forth into singing, mountains: for Yahweh has comforted her people, and will have compassion on her afflicted.
But Zion said, Yahweh has forsaken me, and the Domina has forgotten me.
Can a man forget his sucking child, that he should not have compassion on the daughter of his womb? yes, these may forget, yet I will not forget you.
Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.
Your children make haste; your destroyers and those who made you waste shall go forth from you.
Lift up your eyes round about, and see: all these gather themselves together, and come to you. As I live, says Yahweh, you shall surely clothe you with them all as with an ornament, and gird yourself with them, like a bridegroom.
For, as for your waste and your desolate places, and your land that has been destroyed, surely now shall you be too small for the inhabitants, and those who swallowed you up shall be far away.
The children of your bereavement shall yet say in your ears, The place is too small for me; give place to me that I may dwell.
Then shall you say in your heart, Who has conceived these for me, seeing I have been bereaved of my children, and am solitary, an exile, and wandering back and forth? and who has brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where were they?
Thus says the Domina Yahweh, Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations, and set up my banner to the peoples; and they shall bring your daughters in their bosom, and your sons shall be carried on their shoulders.
Queens shall be your nursing mothers, and their kings your nursing fathers: they shall bow down to you with their faces to the earth, and lick the dust of your feet; and you shall know that I am Yahweh; and those who wait for me shall not be disappointed.
Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captives be delivered?
But thus says Yahweh, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered; for I will contend with her who contends with you, and I will save your children.
I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I, Yahweh, am your Savior, and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacoba.