Isaiah

Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.

1Look at my servant, the one I hold up. He is my chosen one, and I am delighted with him. I have put my Spirit on him. He will bring justice to the nations.

2He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.

2He will not shout or raise his voice. He will not make his voice heard in the streets.

3A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.

3He will not break a reed that is already bent. He will not put out a wick that is barely burning. He will bring real and lasting justice.

4He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.

4He will not grow weak and he will not give up, until he has set justice in the earth. Faraway lands across the sea will wait for his teaching.

5Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:

5This is what God the LORD says. He made the sky and spread it out. He spread out the earth and everything that grows from it. He gives breath to the people on it and life to all who walk there.

6I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;

6I, the LORD, have called you to do what is right. I will hold your hand and keep you safe. I will make you the living promise between me and the people, and a light for the nations.

7To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

7You will open eyes that cannot see. You will bring prisoners out of the dungeon, and lead out those who sit in the dark.

8I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.

8I am the LORD. That is my name. I will not give my glory to anyone else, or my praise to carved idols.

9Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.

9Look: what I said before has now happened. Now I am telling you new things. I tell you about them before they even begin.

10Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof.

10Sing a new song to the LORD. Praise him from the ends of the earth. Sing, you who sail the sea, and every creature in it, you faraway lands and everyone who lives there.

11Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains.

11Let the desert and its towns lift their voices. Let the villages where Kedar lives cry aloud. Let the people of the rock city sing, and shout from the mountaintops.

Note"The rock" is a place name here. It means the city of Sela, a town built among cliffs in Edom.

12Let them give glory unto the LORD, and declare his praise in the islands.

12Let them give glory to the LORD. Let them tell his praise in the lands across the sea.

13The LORD shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.

13The LORD marches out like a strong soldier. His burning zeal rises like a warrior's. He shouts, he roars, and he wins against his enemies.

Note"Jealousy" in 1611 English meant fierce, burning zeal for something you care about. It does not mean envy here.

14I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once.

14For a long time I have kept quiet. I stayed still and held myself back. Now I will cry out like a woman giving birth. I will gasp and pant.

15I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools.

15I will lay waste the mountains and hills and dry up all their plants. I will turn rivers into dry ground and drain the pools.

16And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.

16I will lead blind people along a road they never knew. I will guide them on paths they have not walked. I will turn their darkness into light and their rough ground smooth. I will do this for them, and I will not leave them.

17They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye are our gods.

17But those who trust in carved idols will be turned back in deep shame. They are the ones who say to metal statues, "You are our gods."

18Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see.

18Listen, you who are deaf. Look, you who are blind, so that you can see.

19Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the LORD’s servant?

19Who is as blind as my own servant? Who is as deaf as the messenger I send? Who is as blind as the one bound to me, as blind as the LORD's servant?

Note"He that is perfect" does not mean flawless. It means the one who is in a close, committed agreement with God.

20Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.

20You see many things, but you pay no attention. Your ears are open, but you do not really hear.

21The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.

21It pleased the LORD, because he himself is righteous, to make his law great and to give it honor.

22But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore.

22But these people have been robbed and stripped bare. They are all trapped in holes or shut inside prisons. They were carried off, and no one rescued them. No one said, "Give them back."

23Who among you will give ear to this? who will hearken and hear for the time to come?

23Which of you will listen to this? Who will pay careful attention from now on?

24Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the LORD, he against whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law.

24Who handed Jacob over to the robbers, and Israel to those who stole from them? It was the LORD, the one we sinned against. They refused to walk in his ways, and they would not obey his teaching.

25Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle: and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart.

25So he poured out his burning anger on them, and the fury of war. It set them on fire all around, but they did not understand. It burned them, but they did not take it to heart.