Dual Panel1“Comfort <05162>, comfort <05162> my people <05971>,” says <0559> your God <0430>.
2“Speak <01696> kindly <03820> to <05921> Jerusalem <03389>, and tell <07121> her that <03588> her time of warfare <06635> is over <04390>, that <03588> her punishment <05771> is completed <07521>. For <03588> the Lord <03069> has made <03947> her pay double <03718> for all <03605> her sins <02403>.”
3A voice <06963> cries out <07121>, “In the wilderness <04057> clear <06437> a way <01870> for the Lord <03068>; construct <03474> in the desert <06160> a road <04546> for our God <0430>.
4Every <03605> valley <01516> must be elevated <05375>, and every <03605> mountain <02022> and hill <01389> leveled <08213>. The rough terrain <06121> will become <01961> a level plain <04334>, the rugged landscape <07406> a wide valley <01237>.
5The splendor <03519> of the Lord <03068> will be revealed <01540>, and all <03605> people <01320> will see <07200> it at the same time <03162>. For <03588> the Lord <03068> has decreed <01696> it.”
6A voice <06963> says <0559>, “Cry <07121> out!” Another asks <0559>, “What <04100> should I cry <07121> out?” The first voice responds: “All <03605> people <01320> are like grass <02682>, and all <03605> their promises <02617> are like the flowers <06731> in the field <07704>.
7The grass <02682> dries up <03001>, the flowers <06731> wither <05034>, when <03588> the wind <07307> sent by the Lord <03068> blows <05380> on them. Surely <0403> humanity <05971> is like grass <02682>.
8The grass <02682> dries up <03001>, the flowers <06731> wither <05034>, but the decree <01697> of our God <0430> is forever <05769> reliable <06965>.”
9Go up <05927> on <05921> a high <01364> mountain <02022>, O herald <01319> Zion <06726>! Shout out <07311> loudly <06963> <03581>, O herald <01319> Jerusalem <03389>! Shout <07311>, don’t <0408> be afraid <03372>! Say <0559> to the towns <05892> of Judah <03063>, “Here <02009> is your God <0430>!”
10Look <02009>, the sovereign <0136> Lord <03069> comes <0935> as a victorious <02389> warrior; his military power <02220> establishes his rule <04910>. Look <02009>, his reward <07939> is with <0854> him; his prize <06468> goes before <06440> him.
11Like a shepherd <07462> he tends <07462> his flock <05739>; he gathers up <06908> the lambs <02922> with his arm <02220>; he carries <05375> them close to his heart <02436>; he leads <05095> the ewes <05763> along.
12Who <04310> has measured <04058> out the waters <04325> in the hollow of his hand <08168>, or carefully measured <08505> the sky <08064>, or carefully weighed <07991> the soil <06083> of the earth <0776>, or weighed <08254> the mountains <02022> in a balance <06425>, or the hills <01389> on scales <03976>?
13Who <04310> comprehends <08505> the mind <07307> of the Lord <03068>, or gives <03045> him instruction <03045> as his counselor <06098>?
14From whom <04310> does he receive directions <0995> <03289>? Who teaches <03925> him the correct <04941> way <0734> to do things, or imparts <03925> knowledge <01847> to him, or instructs <01870> him in skillful <08394> design <03045>?
15Look <02005>, the nations <01471> are like a drop <04752> in a bucket <01805>; they are regarded <02803> as dust <07834> on the scales <03976>. He lifts <05190> the coastlands <0339> as if they were dust <01851>.
16Not <0369> even Lebanon <03844> could supply <01197> enough <01767> firewood <01197> for a sacrifice; its wild animals <02416> would not <0369> provide enough <01767> burnt offerings <05930>.
17All <03605> the nations <01471> are insignificant <0369> before <05048> him; they are regarded <02803> as absolutely nothing <08414> <0657>.
18To <0413> whom <04310> can you compare <01819> God <0410>? To what <04100> image <01823> can you liken <06186> him?
19A craftsman <02796> casts <05258> an idol <06459>; a metalsmith <06884> overlays <07554> it with gold <02091> and forges <06884> silver <03701> chains <07577> for it.
20To make <05533> a contribution <08641> one selects <0977> wood <06086> that will not <03808> rot <07537>; he then seeks <01245> a skilled <02450> craftsman <02796> to make <03559> an idol <06459> that will not <03808> fall over <04131>.
21Do you not <03808> know <03045>? Do you not <03808> hear <08085>? Has it not <03808> been told <05046> to you since the very beginning <07218>? Have you not <03808> understood <0995> from the time the earth’s <0776> foundations <04146> were made?
22He is the one who sits <03427> on <05921> the earth’s <0776> horizon <02329>; its inhabitants <03427> are like grasshoppers <02284> before him. He is the one who stretches out <05186> the sky <08064> like a thin curtain <01852>, and spreads <04969> it out <04969> like a pitched <03427> tent <0168>.
23He is the one who reduces <05414> rulers <07336> to nothing <0369>; he makes <06213> the earth’s <0776> leaders <08199> insignificant <08414>.
24Indeed <0637>, they are barely <01077> planted <05193>; yes <0637>, they are barely <01077> sown <02232>; yes <0637>, they barely <01077> take root <08327> in the earth <0776>, and then <01571> he blows on <05398> them, causing them to dry up <03001>, and the wind <05591> carries <05375> them away <05375> like straw <07179>.
25“To <0413> whom <04310> can you compare <01819> me? Whom do I resemble <07737>?” says <0559> the Holy One <06918>.
26Look up <05869> <05375> at the sky <04791>! Who <04310> created <01254> all these <0428> heavenly lights? He is the one who leads out <03318> their ranks <04557>; he calls <07121> them all <03605> by name <08034>. Because of his absolute <07230> power <0202> and awesome <0533> strength <03581>, not <03808> one <0376> of them is missing <05737>.
27Why <04100> do you say <0559>, Jacob <03290>, Why do you say <01696>, Israel <03478>, “The Lord <03068> is not aware <05641> of what is happening <01870> to me, My God <0430> is not concerned <05674> with my vindication <04941>”?
28Do you not <03808> know <03045>? Have you not <03808> heard <08085>? The Lord <03068> is an eternal <05769> God <0430>, the creator <07098> of the whole earth <0776>. He does not <03808> get tired <03286> or <03808> weary <03021>; there is no <0369> limit <02714> to his wisdom <08394>.
29He gives <05414> strength <03581> to those who are tired <03287>; to the ones who lack <0369> power <0202>, he gives renewed <07235> energy <06109>.
30Even youths <05288> get tired <03286> and weary <03021>; even strong young men <0970> clumsily stumble <03782> <03782>.
31But those who wait <06960> for the Lord’s <03068> help find renewed <02498> strength <03581>; they rise up <05927> as if they had eagles <05404>’ wings <083>, they run <07323> without <03808> growing weary <03021>, they walk <01980> without <03808> getting tired <03286>.