Isaiah 49

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Coasts and islands, listen to me, pay attention, distant peoples. Yahweh cal ed me when I was in thewomb, before my birth he had pronounced my name.	1 Pay attention, you islands, and listen closely, you far away peoples. The Lord has called me from the womb; from the womb of my mother, he has been mindful of my name.
2 He made my mouth like a sharp sword, he hid me in the shadow of his hand. He made me into asharpened arrow and concealed me in his quiver.	2 And he has appointed my mouth as a sharp sword. In the shadow of his hand, he has protected me. And he has appointed me as an elect arrow. In his quiver, he has hidden me.
3 He said to me, 'Israel, you are my servant, through whom I shal manifest my glory.'	3 And he has said to me: “You are my servant, Israel. For in you, I will glory.”
4 But I said, 'My toil has been futile, I have exhausted myself for nothing, to no purpose.' Yet al the whilemy cause was with Yahweh and my reward with my God.	4 And I said: “I have labored toward emptiness. I have consumed my strength without purpose and in vain. Therefore, my judgment is with the Lord, and my work is with my God.”
5 And now Yahweh has spoken, who formed me in the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back tohim and to re-unite Israel to him;-I shal be honoured in Yahweh's eyes, and my God has been my strength.-	5 And now, says the Lord, who formed me from the womb as his servant, so that I may bring back Jacob to him, for Israel will not be gathered together, but I have been glorified in the eyes of the Lord and my God has become my strength,
6 He said, 'It is not enough for you to be my servant, to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back thesurvivors of Israel; I shal make you a light to the nations so that my salvation may reach the remotest parts ofearth.'	6 and so he has said: “It is a small thing that you should be my servant so as to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and so as to convert the dregs of Israel. Behold, I have offered you as a light for the Gentiles, so that you may be my salvation, even to the furthest regions of the earth.”
7 Thus says Yahweh, the redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, to the one who is despised, detested by thenation, to the slave of despots: Kings wil stand up when they see, princes wil see and bow low, because ofYahweh who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel who has chosen you.	7 Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, his Holy One, to a contemptible soul, to an abominable nation, to the servant of lords: The kings will see, and the princes will rise up, and they will adore, because of the Lord. For he is faithful, and he is the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.
8 Thus says Yahweh: At the time of my favour I have answered you, on the day of salvation I havehelped you. I have formed you and have appointed you to be the covenant for a people, to restore the land, toreturn ravaged properties,	8 Thus says the Lord: In a pleasing time, I have heeded you, and in the day of salvation, I have assisted you. And I have preserved you, and I have presented you as a covenant of the people, so that you would lift up the earth, and possess the scattered inheritances,
9 to say to prisoners, 'Come out,' to those who are in darkness, 'Show yourselves.' Along the roadwaythey will graze, and any bare height wil be their pasture.	9 so that you would say to those who are bound, “Go forth!” and to those who are in darkness, “Be released!” They will pasture along the roads, and their pastures will be in every open place.
10 They will never hunger or thirst, scorching wind and sun will never plague them; for he who pitiesthem wil lead them, wil guide them to springs of water.	10 They will not hunger or thirst, nor will the heat of the sun beat down upon them. For the one who takes pity on them will rule them, and he will give them to drink from fountains of waters.
11 I shal turn all my mountains into a road and my highways wil be raised aloft.	11 And I will make all my mountains into a road, and my paths will be exalted.
12 Look! Here they come from far away, look, these from the north and the west, those from the land ofSinim.	12 Behold, some will come from far away, and behold, others from the north and from the sea, and still others from the land of the south.
13 Shout for joy, you heavens; earth, exult! Mountains, break into joyful cries! For Yahweh has consoledhis people, is taking pity on his afflicted ones.	13 Give praise, O heavens! And exult, O earth! Let the mountains give praise with jubilation! For the Lord has consoled his people, and he will take pity on his poor ones.
14 Zion was saying, 'Yahweh has abandoned me, the Lord has forgotten me.'	14 And Zion said: “The Lord has abandoned me, and the Lord has forgotten me.”
15 Can a woman forget her baby at the breast, feel no pity for the child she has borne? Even if thesewere to forget, I shal not forget you.	15 Can a woman forget her infant, so as not to take pity on the child of her womb? But even if she would forget, still I shall never forget you.
16 Look, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands, your ramparts are ever before me.	16 Behold, I have engraved you on my hands. Your walls are always before my eyes.
17 Your rebuilders are hurrying, your destroyers and despoilers wil soon go away.	17 Your builders have arrived. Those who would tear you down and destroy you, they will depart from you.
18 Raise your eyes and look around you: all are assembling, coming to you. By my life, declaresYahweh, you will put them al on like jewels, like a bride, you wil fasten them on.	18 Lift up your eyes all around, and see: all these have been gathered together; they have come to you. As I live, says the Lord, you shall be clothed with all these things, as if with an ornament. And like a bride, you shall wrap these things all around you.
19 For your desolate places and your ruins and your devastated country from now on wil be too crampedfor your inhabitants, and your devourers wil be far away.	19 For your deserts, and your solitary places, and the land of your ruination will now be too narrow, because of all the inhabitants. And those who devoured you will be chased far away.
20 Once more they will say in your hearing, the children of whom you were bereft, 'The place is toocramped for me, make room for me to live.'	20 Even the children of your barrenness will say in your ears: “This place is too narrow for me. Make me a spacious place in which to dwell.”
21 Then you wil think to yourself, 'Who has borne me these? I was bereft and barren, exiled, turned outof my home; who has reared these? I was left all alone, so where have these come from?'	21 And you will say in your heart: “Who has conceived them? I was barren and unable to give birth. I was taken away and held captive. And so, who has raised them? I was destitute and alone. And so, where have they been?”
22 Thus says Lord Yahweh: Look, I am beckoning to the nations and hoisting a signal to the peoples:they will bring your sons in their arms and your daughters will be carried on their shoulders.	22 Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles, and I will exalt my sign before the peoples. And they will carry your sons in their arms, and they will bear your daughters on their shoulders.
23 Kings will be your foster-fathers and their princesses, your foster-mothers. They will fal prostratebefore you, faces to the ground, and lick the dust at your feet. And you wil know that I am Yahweh; those whohope in me wil not be disappointed.	23 And kings will be your caretakers, and queens will be your nursemaids. They will reverence you with their face to the ground, and they will lick the dust at your feet. And you will know that I am the Lord. For those who hope in him will not be confounded.
24 Can the body be snatched from the warrior, can the tyrant's captive be set free?	24 Can prey be taken from the strong? Or is anything taken captive by the powerful able to be saved?
25 But thus says Yahweh: The warrior's captive wil indeed be snatched away and the tyrant's booty willindeed be set free; I myself shall fight those who fight you and I myself shal save your children.	25 For thus says the Lord: Certainly, even the captives will be taken away from the strong, even what has been taken by the powerful will be saved. And truly, I will judge those who have judged you, and I will save your children.
26 I shal make your oppressors eat their own flesh, they wil be as drunk on their own blood as on newwine. And al humanity wil know that I am Yahweh, your Saviour, your redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.	26 And I will feed your enemies their own flesh. And they will be inebriated with their own blood, as with new wine. And all flesh will know that I am the Lord, who saves you, and your Redeemer, the Strong One of Jacob.