1And now hear, O Jacob my servant, and Israel, whom I have chosen.
2Thus says YHWH, your maker, and your former from the womb, who helps you: Fear not, my servant Jacob, and Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.
3For I will pour water upon the thirsty, and streams upon the dry ground; I will pour my spirit (ruach) upon your seed, and my blessing upon your offspring.
4And they shall spring up among the grass, like willows by streams of water.
5This one shall say, "I am YHWH's," and that one shall call by the name of Jacob; and another shall write with his hand, "YHWH's," and surname himself by the name of Israel.
6Thus says YHWH, King of Israel, and his Redeemer, YHWH of hosts (tzevaot): I am the first and I am the last, and besides me there is no God.
7And who, like me, can call—let him declare it, and set it in order for me—since I appointed the people of old? And the things coming, and that which shall come, let them declare to them.
8Fear not, neither be afraid; have I not from of old made you hear, and declared it? And you are my witnesses. Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know none.
9The fashioners of a carved image, all of them are emptiness, and their delightful things do not profit; and their witnesses—they themselves—see not, nor know, that they may be ashamed.
10Who has formed a god, or cast an image, that profits for nothing?
11Behold, all his companions shall be ashamed, and the craftsmen, they are of man (adam); let them all gather together, let them stand; they shall fear, they shall be ashamed together.
12The craftsman of iron makes an axe and works in the coal, and with hammers he fashions it, and works it with the arm of his strength; yes, he is hungry, and there is no strength; he has not drunk water, and he is faint.
13The craftsman of wood stretches out a line; he marks it out with a stylus; he makes it with planes, and with the compass he marks it out, and makes it after the figure of a man (ish), according to the beauty of man (adam), to dwell in a house.
14He cuts down for himself cedars, and takes a holm tree and an oak, and strengthens for himself among the trees of the forest; he plants, and the rain makes it grow.
15And it becomes for man (adam) to burn; and he takes from them and warms himself; yes, he kindles and bakes bread; yes, he makes a god and bows down; he makes it a carved image and falls down to it.
16Half of it he has burned in the fire; upon the half of it he eats meat (basar), he roasts a roast and is satisfied; yes, he warms himself and says, "Aha, I am warm, I have seen fire."
17And the remainder of it he makes into a god, his carved image; he falls down to it and worships, and prays to it, and says, "Deliver me, for you are my god."
18They do not know, nor do they understand; for their eyes are smeared shut from seeing, their hearts from understanding.
19And none brings it back to his heart, nor is there knowledge nor understanding to say, "Half of it I burned in the fire, and also I baked bread on its coals; I roast meat (basar) and eat; and shall I make its remainder an abomination? Shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?"
20Feeding on ashes—a deceived heart has turned him aside—and he does not deliver his soul (nephesh), nor say, "Is there not a falsehood in my right hand?"
21Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for you are my servant; I have formed you, you are a servant to me; O Israel, you shall not be forgotten by me.
22I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions, and like a cloud your sins; return to me, for I have redeemed you.
23Sing, O heavens, for YHWH has done it; shout, O lower parts of the earth; break forth into singing, O mountains, O forest, and every tree in it; for YHWH has redeemed Jacob, and in Israel he glorifies himself.
24Thus says YHWH, your Redeemer, and your former from the womb: I am YHWH, who makes all, who stretches out the heavens alone, who spreads out the earth by myself;
25who frustrates the signs (ot) of the liars, and makes diviners mad; who turns the wise backward, and makes their knowledge foolish;
26who confirms the word of his servant, and fulfills the counsel of his messengers; who says of Jerusalem, "She shall be inhabited," and of the cities of Judah, "They shall be built, and her ruins I will raise up";
27who says to the deep, "Be dry, and your rivers I will dry up";
28who says of Cyrus, "My shepherd, and all my pleasure he shall fulfill," even saying of Jerusalem, "She shall be built," and of the temple, "You shall be founded."