נַחֲמ֥וּ נַחֲמ֖וּ עַמִּ֑י יֹאמַ֖ר אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ Comfort, oh comfort My people,
Says your God.
דַּבְּר֞וּ עַל־לֵ֤ב יְרוּשָׁלַ֙͏ִם֙ וְקִרְא֣וּ אֵלֶ֔יהָ כִּ֤י מָֽלְאָה֙ צְבָאָ֔הּ כִּ֥י נִרְצָ֖ה עֲוֺנָ֑הּ כִּ֤י לָֽקְחָה֙ מִיַּ֣ד יְהֹוָ֔ה כִּפְלַ֖יִם בְּכׇל־חַטֹּאתֶֽיהָ׃ {ס} Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
And declare to her
That her term of service is over,
That her iniquity is expiated;
For she has received at GOD’s hand
Double for all her sins.
ק֣וֹל קוֹרֵ֔א בַּמִּדְבָּ֕ר פַּנּ֖וּ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יְהֹוָ֑ה יַשְּׁרוּ֙ בָּעֲרָבָ֔ה מְסִלָּ֖ה לֵאלֹהֵֽינוּ׃ A voice rings out:
“Clear in the desert
A road for GOD!
Level in the wilderness
A highway for our God!
כׇּל־גֶּיא֙ יִנָּשֵׂ֔א וְכׇל־הַ֥ר וְגִבְעָ֖ה יִשְׁפָּ֑לוּ וְהָיָ֤ה הֶֽעָקֹב֙ לְמִישׁ֔וֹר וְהָרְכָסִ֖ים לְבִקְעָֽה׃ Let every valley be raised,
Every hill and mount made low.
Let the rugged ground become level
And the ridges become a plain.
וְנִגְלָ֖ה כְּב֣וֹד יְהֹוָ֑ה וְרָא֤וּ כׇל־בָּשָׂר֙ יַחְדָּ֔ו כִּ֛י פִּ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה דִּבֵּֽר׃ {פ}
The Presence of GOD shall appear,
And all flesh, as one, shall behold—
For GOD aGOD Heb. “the mouth of GOD.” has spoken.”
ק֚וֹל אֹמֵ֣ר קְרָ֔א וְאָמַ֖ר מָ֣ה אֶקְרָ֑א כׇּל־הַבָּשָׂ֣ר חָצִ֔יר וְכׇל־חַסְדּ֖וֹ כְּצִ֥יץ הַשָּׂדֶֽה׃ A voice rings out: “Proclaim!”
Another asks,bAnother asks 1QIsᵃ and Septuagint read “And I asked.” “What shall I proclaim?”
“All flesh is grass,
All its goodness like flowers of the field:
יָבֵ֤שׁ חָצִיר֙ נָ֣בֵֽל־צִ֔יץ כִּ֛י ר֥וּחַ יְהֹוָ֖ה נָ֣שְׁבָה בּ֑וֹ אָכֵ֥ן חָצִ֖יר הָעָֽם׃ Grass withers, flowers fade
When GOD’s breath blows on them.
Indeed, people are but grass:
יָבֵ֥שׁ חָצִ֖יר נָ֣בֵֽל צִ֑יץ וּדְבַר־אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ יָק֥וּם לְעוֹלָֽם׃ {ס} Grass withers, flowers fade—
But the word of our God is always fulfilled!”
עַ֣ל הַר־גָּבֹ֤הַּ עֲלִי־לָךְ֙ מְבַשֶּׂ֣רֶת צִיּ֔וֹן הָרִ֤ימִי בַכֹּ֙חַ֙ קוֹלֵ֔ךְ מְבַשֶּׂ֖רֶת יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם הָרִ֙ימִי֙ אַל־תִּירָ֔אִי אִמְרִי֙ לְעָרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה הִנֵּ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ Ascend a lofty mountain,
O herald of joy to Zion;
Raise your voice with power,
O herald of joy to Jerusalem—
Raise it, have no fear;
Announce to the cities of Judah:
Behold your God!
הִנֵּ֨ה אֲדֹנָ֤י יֱהֹוִה֙ בְּחָזָ֣ק יָב֔וֹא וּזְרֹע֖וֹ מֹ֣שְׁלָה ל֑וֹ הִנֵּ֤ה שְׂכָרוֹ֙ אִתּ֔וֹ וּפְעֻלָּת֖וֹ לְפָנָֽיו׃ Behold, my Sovereign GOD comes in might—
Whose arm wins triumph;
See, [God] has brought along the reward,
The recompensecthe reward, / The recompense To present to the cities of Judah; cf. Jer. 31.14, 16. is in view.
כְּרֹעֶה֙ עֶדְר֣וֹ יִרְעֶ֔ה בִּזְרֹעוֹ֙ יְקַבֵּ֣ץ טְלָאִ֔ים וּבְחֵיק֖וֹ יִשָּׂ֑א עָל֖וֹת יְנַהֵֽל׃ {ס} Like a shepherd who pastures the flock,
[God] gathers up the lambs
And carries them in the divine bosom,
While gently driving the mother sheep.
מִי־מָדַ֨ד בְּשׇׁעֳל֜וֹ מַ֗יִם וְשָׁמַ֙יִם֙ בַּזֶּ֣רֶת תִּכֵּ֔ן וְכָ֥ל בַּשָּׁלִ֖שׁ עֲפַ֣ר הָאָ֑רֶץ וְשָׁקַ֤ל בַּפֶּ֙לֶס֙ הָרִ֔ים וּגְבָע֖וֹת בְּמֹאזְנָֽיִם׃ Who measured the waters with a hand’s hollow,
And gauged the skies with a span,
And meted earth’s dust with a measure,dmeasure Heb. shalish “third,” probably a third of an ephah.
And weighed the mountains with a scale
And the hills with a balance?
מִֽי־תִכֵּ֥ן אֶת־ר֖וּחַ יְהֹוָ֑ה וְאִ֖ישׁ עֲצָת֥וֹ יוֹדִיעֶֽנּוּ׃ Who has plumbed the mind of GOD?
Can anyone disclose God’s plan?
אֶת־מִ֤י נוֹעָץ֙ וַיְבִינֵ֔הוּ וַֽיְלַמְּדֵ֖הוּ בְּאֹ֣רַח מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וַיְלַמְּדֵ֣הוּ דַ֔עַת וְדֶ֥רֶךְ תְּבוּנ֖וֹת יוֹדִיעֶֽנּוּ׃ Whom did [God] consult, and who bestowed understanding,
Providing guidance in the way of right?
Who guided [God] in knowledge
And made known the path of wisdom?
הֵ֤ן גּוֹיִם֙ כְּמַ֣ר מִדְּלִ֔י וּכְשַׁ֥חַק מֹאזְנַ֖יִם נֶחְשָׁ֑בוּ הֵ֥ן אִיִּ֖ים כַּדַּ֥ק יִטּֽוֹל׃ The nations are but a drop in a bucket,
Reckoned as dust on a balance;
The very coastlands are lifted like motes.
וּלְבָנ֕וֹן אֵ֥ין דֵּ֖י בָּעֵ֑ר וְחַ֨יָּת֔וֹ אֵ֥ין דֵּ֖י עוֹלָֽה׃ {פ}
Lebanon is not fuel enough,
Nor its beasts enough for sacrifice.
כׇּל־הַגּוֹיִ֖ם כְּאַ֣יִן נֶגְדּ֑וֹ מֵאֶ֥פֶס וָתֹ֖הוּ נֶחְשְׁבוּ־לֽוֹ׃ All nations are as naught in God’s sight,
Who accounts them as less than nothing.
וְאֶל־מִ֖י תְּדַמְּי֣וּן אֵ֑ל וּמַה־דְּמ֖וּת תַּ֥עַרְכוּ לֽוֹ׃ To whom, then, can you liken God,
With what form can you make comparison?
הַפֶּ֙סֶל֙ נָסַ֣ךְ חָרָ֔שׁ וְצֹרֵ֖ף בַּזָּהָ֣ב יְרַקְּעֶ֑נּוּ וּרְתֻק֥וֹת כֶּ֖סֶף צוֹרֵֽף׃ The idol? A woodworker shaped it,
And a smith overlaid it with gold,
Forging links of silver.eForging links of silver Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
הַֽמְסֻכָּ֣ן תְּרוּמָ֔ה עֵ֥ץ לֹא־יִרְקַ֖ב יִבְחָ֑ר חָרָ֤שׁ חָכָם֙ יְבַקֶּשׁ־ל֔וֹ לְהָכִ֥ין פֶּ֖סֶל לֹ֥א יִמּֽוֹט׃ {ס} As a gift, someone chooses the mulberryfmulberry Heb. mesukkan; according to a Jewish tradition, preserved by Jerome, a kind of wood; a similar word denotes a kind of wood in Akkadian.—
A wood that does not rot—
Then seeks a skillful woodworker
To make a firm idol,
That will not topple.
הֲל֤וֹא תֵֽדְעוּ֙ הֲל֣וֹא תִשְׁמָ֔עוּ הֲל֛וֹא הֻגַּ֥ד מֵרֹ֖אשׁ לָכֶ֑ם הֲלוֹא֙ הֲבִ֣ינוֹתֶ֔ם מוֹסְד֖וֹת הָאָֽרֶץ׃ Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
Have you not been told
From the very first?
Have you not discerned
How the earth was founded?gHow the earth was founded Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
הַיֹּשֵׁב֙ עַל־ח֣וּג הָאָ֔רֶץ וְיֹשְׁבֶ֖יהָ כַּחֲגָבִ֑ים הַנּוֹטֶ֤ה כַדֹּק֙ שָׁמַ֔יִם וַיִּמְתָּחֵ֥ם כָּאֹ֖הֶל לָשָֽׁבֶת׃ It is [God] who is enthroned above the vault of the earth,
So that its inhabitants seem as grasshoppers;
Who spread out the skies like gauze,
Stretched them out like a tent to dwell in—
הַנּוֹתֵ֥ן רוֹזְנִ֖ים לְאָ֑יִן שֹׁ֥פְטֵי אֶ֖רֶץ כַּתֹּ֥הוּ עָשָֽׂה׃ Bringing potentates to naught,
Making rulers of the earth as nothing.
אַ֣ף בַּל־נִטָּ֗עוּ אַ֚ף בַּל־זֹרָ֔עוּ אַ֛ף בַּל־שֹׁרֵ֥שׁ בָּאָ֖רֶץ גִּזְעָ֑ם וְגַם־נָשַׁ֤ף בָּהֶם֙ וַיִּבָ֔שׁוּ וּסְעָרָ֖ה כַּקַּ֥שׁ תִּשָּׂאֵֽם׃ {ס} Hardly are they planted,
Hardly are they sown,
Hardly has their stem
Taken root in earth,
When [God] blows upon them and they dry up,
And the storm bears them off like straw.
וְאֶל־מִ֥י תְדַמְּי֖וּנִי וְאֶשְׁוֶ֑ה יֹאמַ֖ר קָדֽוֹשׁ׃ To whom, then, can you liken Me,
To whom can I be compared?
—says the Holy One.
שְׂאוּ־מָר֨וֹם עֵינֵיכֶ֤ם וּרְאוּ֙ מִֽי־בָרָ֣א אֵ֔לֶּה הַמּוֹצִ֥יא בְמִסְפָּ֖ר צְבָאָ֑ם לְכֻלָּם֙ בְּשֵׁ֣ם יִקְרָ֔א מֵרֹ֤ב אוֹנִים֙ וְאַמִּ֣יץ כֹּ֔חַ אִ֖ישׁ לֹ֥א נֶעְדָּֽר׃ {ס} Lift high your eyes and see:
Who created these?
The One who sends out their host by count,
Who calls them each by name:
Given such great might and vast power,
Not a single one fails to appear.
לָ֤מָּה תֹאמַר֙ יַעֲקֹ֔ב וּתְדַבֵּ֖ר יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל נִסְתְּרָ֤ה דַרְכִּי֙ מֵיְהֹוָ֔ה וּמֵאֱלֹהַ֖י מִשְׁפָּטִ֥י יַעֲבֽוֹר׃ Why do you say, O Jacob,
Why declare, O Israel,
“My way is hid from GOD,
My cause is ignored by my God”?
הֲל֨וֹא יָדַ֜עְתָּ אִם־לֹ֣א שָׁמַ֗עְתָּ אֱלֹהֵ֨י עוֹלָ֤ם ׀ יְהֹוָה֙ בּוֹרֵא֙ קְצ֣וֹת הָאָ֔רֶץ לֹ֥א יִיעַ֖ף וְלֹ֣א יִיגָ֑ע אֵ֥ין חֵ֖קֶר לִתְבוּנָתֽוֹ׃ Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The ETERNAL is God from of old,
Creator of the earth from end to end,
Who never grows faint or weary,
Whose wisdom cannot be fathomed—
נֹתֵ֥ן לַיָּעֵ֖ף כֹּ֑חַ וּלְאֵ֥ין אוֹנִ֖ים עׇצְמָ֥ה יַרְבֶּֽה׃ Who gives strength to the weary,
Fresh vigor to the spent.
וְיִעֲפ֥וּ נְעָרִ֖ים וְיִגָ֑עוּ וּבַחוּרִ֖ים כָּשׁ֥וֹל יִכָּשֵֽׁלוּ׃ Youths may grow faint and weary,
And young men stumble and fall;
וְקוֹיֵ֤ יְהֹוָה֙ יַחֲלִ֣יפוּ כֹ֔חַ יַעֲל֥וּ אֵ֖בֶר כַּנְּשָׁרִ֑ים יָר֙וּצוּ֙ וְלֹ֣א יִיגָ֔עוּ יֵלְכ֖וּ וְלֹ֥א יִיעָֽפוּ׃ {ס} But they who trust in GOD shall renew their strength
As eagles grow new plumes:hAs eagles grow new plumes Alluding to a popular belief that eagles regain their youth when they molt; cf. Ps. 103.5.
They shall run and not grow weary,
They shall march and not grow faint.