Isaiah 9

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; Upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone.	1 In the earlier time, the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali were lifted up. But in the later time, the way of the sea beyond the Jordan, the Galilee of the Gentiles, was weighed down.
2 You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing, As they rejoice before you as at the harvest, as men make merry when dividing spoils.	2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. A light has risen for the inhabitants of the region of the shadow of death.
3 For the yoke that burdened them, the pole on their shoulder, And the rod of their taskmaster you have smashed, as on the day of Midian.	3 You have increased the nation, but you have not increased the rejoicing. They will rejoice before you, like those who rejoice at the harvest, like the victorious exulting after capturing the prey, when they divide the spoils.
4 For every boot that tramped in battle, every cloak rolled in blood, will be burned as fuel for flames.	4 For you have prevailed over the yoke of their burden, and over the rod of their shoulder, and over the scepter of their oppressor, as in the day of Midian.
5 For a child is born to us, a son is given us; upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.	5 For every violent plunder with a tumult, and every garment mixed with blood, will be burned up and will become fuel for the fire.
6 His dominion is vast and forever peaceful, From David's throne, and over his kingdom, which he confirms and sustains By judgment and justice, both now and forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this!	6 For unto us a child is born, and unto us a son is given. And leadership is placed upon his shoulder. And his name shall be called: wonderful Counselor, mighty God, father of the future age, Prince of Peace.
7 The Lord has sent word against Jacob, it falls upon Israel;	7 His reign will be increased, and there will be no end to his peace. He will sit upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to confirm and strengthen it, in judgment and justice, from now even unto eternity. The zeal of the Lord of hosts shall accomplish this.
8 And all the people know it, Ephraim and those who dwell in Samaria, those who say in arrogance and pride of heart,	8 The Lord sent a word to Jacob, and it fell upon Israel.
9 "Bricks have fallen, but we will build with cut stone; Sycamores are felled, but we will replace them with cedars."	9 And all the people of Ephraim will know it. And the inhabitants of Samaria will say it, in the arrogance and haughtiness of their heart:
10 But the LORD raises up their foes against them and stirs up their enemies to action:	10 “The bricks have fallen, but we will build with squared stones. They have cut down the sycamores, but we will replace them with cedars.”
11 Aram on the east and the Philistines on the west devour Israel with open mouth. For all this, his wrath is not turned back, and his hand is still outstretched!	11 And the Lord will raise up the enemies of Rezin over him, and he will turn his adversaries into a tumult:
12 The people do not turn to him who struck them, nor seek the LORD of hosts.	12 the Syrians from the east and the Philistines from the west. And they will devour Israel with their whole mouth. After all this, his fury was not turned away; instead, his hand was still extended.
13 So the LORD severs from Israel head and tail, palm branch and reed in one day.	13 And the people did not return to the One who struck them, and they did not seek the Lord of hosts.
14 (The elder and the noble are the head, the prophet who teaches falsehood is the tail.)	14 And so, the Lord will disperse, away from Israel, the head and the tail, he who bows down and he who refrains, in one day.
15 The leaders of this people mislead them and those to be led are engulfed.	15 The long-lived and honorable, he is the head; and the prophet who teaches lies, he is the tail.
16 For this reason, the Lord does not spare their young men, and their orphans and widows he does not pity; They are wholly profaned and sinful, and every mouth gives vent to folly. For all this, his wrath is not turned back, his hand is still outstretched!	16 And those who deceitfully praise this people, and those who are praised, will be thrown down violently.
17 For wickedness burns like fire, devouring brier and thorn; It kindles the forest thickets, which go up in columns of smoke.	17 For this reason, the Lord will not rejoice over their youths. And he will not take pity on their orphans and widows. For each one is a hypocrite, and each one is wicked, and every mouth has spoken foolishness. After all this, his fury was not turned away; instead, his hand was still extended.
18 At the wrath of the LORD of hosts the land quakes, and the people are like fuel for fire; No man spares his brother, each devours the flesh of his neighbor.	18 For impiety has been kindled like a fire: it will devour brier and thorn, and it will burn in the dense forest, and it will be interwoven with the ascending smoke.
19 Though they hack on the right, they are hungry; though they eat on the left, they are not filled.	19 The earth has been shaken by the wrath of the Lord of hosts, and the people will become like fuel for the fire. A man will not spare his own brother.
20 Manasseh devours Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh; together they turn on Judah. For all this, his wrath is not turned back, his hand is still outstretched!	20 And he will turn toward the right, and he will be hungry. And he will eat toward the left, and he will not be satisfied. Each one will eat the flesh of his own arm: Manasseh Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh, and together they will be against Judah.
	21 After all this, his fury was not turned away; instead, his hand was still extended.