Isaiah 35

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Let the desert and the dry lands be glad, let the wasteland rejoice and bloom; like the asphodel,	1 The desolate and impassable land will rejoice, and the place of solitude will exult, and it will flourish like the lily.
2 let it burst into flower, let it rejoice and sing for joy. The glory of Lebanon is bestowed on it, thesplendour of Carmel and Sharon; then they wil see the glory of Yahweh, the splendour of our God.	2 It will spring up and blossom, and it will exult with rejoicing and praising. The glory of Lebanon has been given to it, with the beauty of Carmel and Sharon. These will see the glory of the Lord and the beauty of our God.
3 Strengthen al weary hands, steady al trembling knees	3 Strengthen the lax hands, and confirm the weak knees!
4 and say to the faint-hearted, 'Be strong! Do not be afraid. Here is your God, vengeance is coming,divine retribution; he is coming to save you.'	4 Say to the fainthearted: “Take courage and fear not! Behold, your God will bring the vindication of retribution. God himself will arrive to save you.”
5 Then the eyes of the blind wil be opened, the ears of the deaf unsealed,	5 Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be cleared.
6 then the lame will leap like a deer and the tongue of the dumb sing for joy; for water wil gush in thedesert and streams in the wastelands,	6 Then the disabled will leap like a buck, and the tongue of the mute will be untied. For the waters have burst forth in the desert, and torrents in solitary places.
7 the parched ground wil become a marsh and the thirsty land springs of water; the lairs where thejackals used to live wil become plots of reed and papyrus.	7 And the land that was dry will have a pond, and the thirsty land will have fountains of water. In the hollows where the serpents lived before, there will rise up the greenery of reed and bulrush.
8 And through it wil run a road for them and a highway which will be cal ed the Sacred Way; the uncleanwil not be al owed to use it; He wil be the one to use this road, the fool will not stray along it.	8 And there shall be a path and a road in that place. And it will be called the Holy Way. The defiled will not pass through it. For this will be an upright path for you, so much so that the foolish will not wander along it.
9 No lion wil be there, no ferocious beast set foot on it, nothing of the sort be found; it will be used by theredeemed.	9 There will be no lions in that place, and harmful wild animals will neither climb up to it, nor be found there. Only those who have been freed will walk in that place.
10 For those whom Yahweh has ransomed wil return, they will come to Zion shouting for joy, their headscrowned with joy unending; rejoicing and gladness wil escort them and sorrow and sighing wil take flight.	10 And the redeemed of the Lord will be converted, and they will return to Zion with praising. And everlasting joy will be upon their heads. They will obtain gladness and rejoicing. For pain and sorrow will flee away.