Isaiah 41

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Coasts and islands, fal silent before me, and let the peoples renew their strength, let them comeforward and speak; let us assemble for judgement.	1 Coasts and islands, fal silent before me, and let the peoples renew their strength, let them comeforward and speak; let us assemble for judgement.
2 'Who has raised from the east him whom saving justice summons in its train, him to whom Yahwehdelivers up the nations and subjects kings, him who reduces them to dust with his sword, and to driven stubblewith his bow,	2 'Who has raised from the east him whom saving justice summons in its train, him to whom Yahwehdelivers up the nations and subjects kings, him who reduces them to dust with his sword, and to driven stubblewith his bow,
3 him who pursues them and advances unhindered, his feet scarcely touching the road?	3 him who pursues them and advances unhindered, his feet scarcely touching the road?
4 Who has acted thus, who has done this? He who cal s each generation from the beginning: I, Yahweh,who am the first and til the last I shal still be there.'	4 Who has acted thus, who has done this? He who cal s each generation from the beginning: I, Yahweh,who am the first and til the last I shal still be there.'
5 The coasts and islands have seen and taken fright, the remotest parts of earth are trembling: they areapproaching, they are here!	5 The coasts and islands have seen and taken fright, the remotest parts of earth are trembling: they areapproaching, they are here!
6 People help one another, they say to each other, 'Take heart!'	6 People help one another, they say to each other, 'Take heart!'
7 The woodworker encourages the smelter, the polisher encourages the hammerer, saying of thesoldering, 'It is sound'; and he fastens it with nails to keep it steady.	7 The woodworker encourages the smelter, the polisher encourages the hammerer, saying of thesoldering, 'It is sound'; and he fastens it with nails to keep it steady.
8 But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, descendant of Abraham my friend,	8 But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, descendant of Abraham my friend,
9 whom I have taken to myself, from the remotest parts of the earth and summoned from countries faraway, to whom I have said, 'You are my servant, I have chosen you, I have not rejected you,'	9 whom I have taken to myself, from the remotest parts of the earth and summoned from countries faraway, to whom I have said, 'You are my servant, I have chosen you, I have not rejected you,'
10 do not be afraid, for I am with you; do not be alarmed, for I am your God. I give you strength, truly Ihelp you, truly I hold you firm with my saving right hand.	10 do not be afraid, for I am with you; do not be alarmed, for I am your God. I give you strength, truly Ihelp you, truly I hold you firm with my saving right hand.
11 Look, al those who rage against you wil be put to shame and humiliated; those who picked quarrelswith you will be reduced to nothing and wil perish.	11 Look, al those who rage against you wil be put to shame and humiliated; those who picked quarrelswith you will be reduced to nothing and wil perish.
12 You wil look for them but wil not find them, those who used to fight you; they wil be destroyed andbrought to nothing, those who made war on you.	12 You wil look for them but wil not find them, those who used to fight you; they wil be destroyed andbrought to nothing, those who made war on you.
13 For I, Yahweh, your God, I grasp you by your right hand; I tel you, 'Do not be afraid, I shal help you.'	13 For I, Yahweh, your God, I grasp you by your right hand; I tel you, 'Do not be afraid, I shal help you.'
14 Do not be afraid, Jacob, you worm! You little handful of Israel! I shall help you, declares Yahweh; yourredeemer is the Holy One of Israel.	14 Do not be afraid, Jacob, you worm! You little handful of Israel! I shall help you, declares Yahweh; yourredeemer is the Holy One of Israel.
15 Look, I am making you into a threshing-sledge, new, with double teeth; you wil thresh and beat themountains to dust and reduce the hills to straw.	15 Look, I am making you into a threshing-sledge, new, with double teeth; you wil thresh and beat themountains to dust and reduce the hills to straw.
16 You wil winnow them and the wind wil carry them off, the gale will scatter them; whereas you wilrejoice in Yahweh, will glory in the Holy One of Israel.	16 You wil winnow them and the wind wil carry them off, the gale will scatter them; whereas you wilrejoice in Yahweh, will glory in the Holy One of Israel.
17 The oppressed and needy search for water, and there is none, their tongue is parched with thirst. I,Yahweh, shal answer them, I, the God of Israel, shal not abandon them.	17 The oppressed and needy search for water, and there is none, their tongue is parched with thirst. I,Yahweh, shal answer them, I, the God of Israel, shal not abandon them.
18 I shal open up rivers on barren heights and water-holes down in the ravines; I shall turn the desertinto a lake and dry ground into springs of water.	18 I shal open up rivers on barren heights and water-holes down in the ravines; I shall turn the desertinto a lake and dry ground into springs of water.
19 I shal plant the desert with cedar trees, acacias, myrtles and olives; in the wastelands I shal putcypress trees, plane trees and box trees side by side;	19 I shal plant the desert with cedar trees, acacias, myrtles and olives; in the wastelands I shal putcypress trees, plane trees and box trees side by side;
20 so that people may see and know, so that they may all observe and understand that the hand ofYahweh has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it.	20 so that people may see and know, so that they may all observe and understand that the hand ofYahweh has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it.
21 'Present your case,' says Yahweh, 'Produce your arguments,' says Jacob's king.	21 'Present your case,' says Yahweh, 'Produce your arguments,' says Jacob's king.
22 'Let them produce and reveal to us what is going to happen. What happened in the past? Reveal it sothat we can consider it and know what the outcome wil be. Or tel us about the future,	22 'Let them produce and reveal to us what is going to happen. What happened in the past? Reveal it sothat we can consider it and know what the outcome wil be. Or tel us about the future,
23 reveal what is to happen next, and then we shal know that you are gods. At least, do something, be itgood or bad, so that we may feel alarm and fear.	23 reveal what is to happen next, and then we shal know that you are gods. At least, do something, be itgood or bad, so that we may feel alarm and fear.
24 Look, you are less than nothingness, and what you do is less than nothing; to choose you is anoutrage.'	24 Look, you are less than nothingness, and what you do is less than nothing; to choose you is anoutrage.'
25 I have raised him from the north and he has come, from the east he has been summoned by name.He tramples on rulers like mud, like a potter treading clay.	25 I have raised him from the north and he has come, from the east he has been summoned by name.He tramples on rulers like mud, like a potter treading clay.
26 Who revealed this from the beginning for us to know, and in the past for us to say, 'That is right'? Noone in fact revealed it, no one proclaimed it, no one has heard you speak.	26 Who revealed this from the beginning for us to know, and in the past for us to say, 'That is right'? Noone in fact revealed it, no one proclaimed it, no one has heard you speak.
27 First-fruits of Zion, look, here they come! I send a messenger to Jerusalem,	27 First-fruits of Zion, look, here they come! I send a messenger to Jerusalem,
28 and I look -- no one, not a single counsel or among them who, if I asked, could give an answer.	28 and I look -- no one, not a single counsel or among them who, if I asked, could give an answer.
29 Taken altogether they are nothingness, what they do is nothing, their statues, wind and emptiness.	29 Taken altogether they are nothingness, what they do is nothing, their statues, wind and emptiness.