1 Give ear, O sea-lands, to me; and take note, you peoples from far: I have been marked out by the Lord from the first; when I was still in my mother's body, he had my name in mind:
1 Listen to Me, O (A)islands,And pay attention, you peoples from afar.(B)The Lord called Me from the womb;From the (a)body of My mother He named Me.
1 Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.
1 Coastlands,(a) listen to me;distant peoples, pay attention.The Lord called(A) me before I was born.He named me while I was in my mother’s womb.(B)
1 "Listen to me, you coastlands! Pay attention, you people from far away! The LORD called me from the womb; while I was still in my mother's body, he pronounced my name.
2 And he has made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shade of his hand he has kept me; and he has made me like a polished arrow, keeping me in his secret place;
2 He has made My (C)mouth like a sharp sword,In the (D)shadow of His hand He has concealed Me;And He has also made Me a (b)select (E)arrow,He has hidden Me in His quiver.
2 And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me;
2 He made my words like a sharp sword;(C)He hid me in the shadow of His hand.(D)He made me like a sharpened arrow;He hid me in His quiver.
2 He made my mouth like a sharp sword; he hid me in the shadow of his hands. He made me like a polished arrow and hid me away in his quivers.
4 And I said, I have undergone weariness for nothing, I have given my strength for no purpose or profit: but still the Lord will take up my cause, and my God will give me my reward.
4 But I said, “I have (H)toiled in vain,I have spent My strength for nothing and vanity;Yet surely the justice due to Me is with the Lord,And My (I)reward with My God.”
4 Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God.
4 But I myself said: I have labored in vain,I have spent my strength for nothing and futility;yet my vindication is with the Lord,and my reward is with my God.
4 "I said: "I've labored for nothing. I've exhausted my strength on futility and on emptiness.' Yet surely my recompense is with the LORD, and my reward is with my God.
5 And now, says the Lord, who made me his servant when I was still in my mother's body, so that I might make Jacob come back to him, and so that Israel might come together to him: and I was honoured in the eyes of the Lord, and my God became my strength.
5 And now says (J)the Lord, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant,To bring Jacob back to Him, so that (K)Israel might be gathered to Him(For I am (L)honored in the sight of the Lord,And My God is My (M)strength),
5 And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.
5 And now, says the Lord,who formed me from the womb to be His Servant,to bring Jacob back to Himso that Israel might be gathered to Him;for I am honored in the sight of the Lord,and my God is my strength—
5 "And now, says the LORD, who formed you from the womb as his servant to bring Jacob back to him so that Israel might be gathered to him and I am honored in the LORD's sight and my God has been my help
6 It is not enough for one who is my servant to put the tribes of Jacob again in their place, and to get back those of Israel who have been sent away: my purpose is to give you as a light to the nations, so that you may be my salvation to the end of the earth.
6 He says, “It is too (d)small a thing that You should be My ServantTo raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the (N)preserved ones of Israel;I will also make You a (O)light (e)of the nationsSo that My salvation may (f)reach to the (P)end of the earth.”
6 And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.
6 He says,“It is not enough for you to be My Servantraising up the tribes of Jacoband restoring the protected ones of Israel.I will also make you a light for the nations,(F)to be My salvation to the ends of the earth.”(G)
6 he says: "It is too small a thing for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Israel and bring back those of Jacob I have preserved. I'll also make you as a light to the nations, to be my salvation to the ends of the earth.
7 The Lord who takes up Israel's cause, even his Holy One, says to him whom men make sport of, who is hated by the nations, a servant of rulers: Kings will see and get up from their places, and chiefs will give worship: because of the Lord who keeps faith; even the Holy One of Israel who has taken you for himself.
7 Thus says the Lord, the (Q)Redeemer of Israel and its Holy One,To the (R)despised One,To the One abhorred by the nation,To the Servant of rulers,“(S)Kings will see and arise,Princes will also (T)bow down,Because of the Lord who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel who has chosen You.”
7 Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.
7 This is what the Lord,the Redeemer(H) of Israel, his Holy One, saysto one who is despised,to one abhorred by people,(b)(I)to a servant of rulers:“Kings will see and stand up,and princes(c) will bow down,because of the Lord, who is faithful,the Holy One of Israel(J)—and He has chosen you.”(K)
7 "This is what my Lord says the LORD your Redeemer, O Israel, and his Holy One to one despised by people, to those abhorred as a nation, to the servant of rulers: "Kings see and arise, and princes will bow down, because of the LORD who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, the one who has chosen you."
8 This is the word of the Lord: I have given ear to you at a good time, and I have been your helper in a day of salvation: and I will keep you safe, and will make you a glory for the people, putting the land in order, and giving them the heritages which now are waste;
8 Thus says the Lord,“In a (U)favorable time I have answered You,And in a day of salvation I have helped You;And I will (V)keep You and (W)give You for a covenant of the people,To (g)(X)restore the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritages;
8 Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;
8 This is what the Lord says:I will answer you in a time of favor,and I will help you in the day of salvation.(L)I will keep you, and I will appoint youto be a covenant for the people,(M)to restore the land,to make them possess the desolate inheritances,
8 "This what the LORD says: "I'll answer you in a time of favor, and on a day of salvation I'll help you. I have watched over you, and given you as a covenant for the people, to restore the land, to reassign the inheritances that have been devastated;
9 Saying to those who are in chains, Go free; to those who are in the dark, Come out into the light. They will get food by the way wherever they go, and have grass-lands on all the dry mountain-tops.
9 Saying to those who are (Y)bound, ‘Go forth,’To those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.’Along the roads they will feed,And their pasture will be on all (Z)bare heights.
9 That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.
9 saying to the prisoners: Come out,(N)and to those who are in darkness: Show yourselves.They will feed along the pathways,and their pastures will be on all the barren heights.(O)
9 saying to captives, "Come out!' and to those who are in darkness, "Be free!' "They will feed on all the mountains, and their pasture will be on all the barren hills.
10 They will not be in need of food or drink, or be troubled by the heat or the sun: for he who has mercy on them will be their guide, taking them by the springs of water.
10 “They will (AA)not hunger or thirst,Nor will the scorching (AB)heat or sun strike them down;For (AC)He who has compassion on them will (AD)lead themAnd will guide them to (AE)springs of water.
10 They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.
10 They will not hunger or thirst,the scorching heat or sun will not strike them;for their compassionate One will guide them,and lead them to springs of water.(P)
10 They won't hunger or thirst, nor will the desert heat or sun beat upon them; for the one who has compassion on them will drive them and guide them alongside springs of water.
12 See, these are coming from far; and these from the north and the west; and these from the land of Sinim.
12 “Behold, these will come (AH)from afar;And lo, these will come from the (AI)north and from the west,And these from the land of Sinim.”
12 Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.
12 See, these will come from far away,from the north and from the west,(d)(R)and from the land of Sinim.(e)(f)
12 "Watch! They'll come from far away some from the north and from the west, and others from the region of China."
13 Let your voice be loud in song, O heavens; and be glad, O earth; make sounds of joy, O mountains, for the Lord has given comfort to his people, and will have mercy on his crushed ones.
13 (AJ)Shout for joy, O heavens! And rejoice, O earth!Break forth into joyful shouting, O mountains!For the (AK)Lord has comforted His peopleAnd will (AL)have compassion on His afflicted.
13 Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.
13 Shout for joy, you heavens!(S)Earth, rejoice!Mountains break into joyful shouts!For the Lord has comforted His people,(T)and will have compassion on His afflicted ones.(U)
13 Shout with joy, you heavens, and rock with glee, you earth! Break out in song, you mountains! The LORD is comforting his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.
14 But Zion said, The Lord has given me up, I have gone from his memory.
14 But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me,And the Lord has forgotten me.”
14 But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me.
14 Zion says, “The Lord has abandoned me;The Lord has forgotten me!”
14 "But Zion said, "The LORD has abandoned me, and my God has forgotten me.'
15 Will a woman give up the child at her breast, will she be without pity for the fruit of her body? yes, these may, but I will not let you go out of my memory.
15 “Can a woman forget her nursing childAnd have no compassion on the son of her womb?Even these may forget, but (AM)I will not forget you.
15 Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.
15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child,or lack compassion for the child of her womb?Even if these forget,yet I will not forget you.
15 "Can a woman forget her nursing child, or have no compassion for the child of her womb? Even these mothers may forget; But as for me, I'll never forget you!
16 See, your name is marked on my hands; your walls are ever before me.
16 “Behold, I have (AN)inscribed you on the palms of My hands;Your (AO)walls are continually before Me.
16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.
16 Look! I've inscribed you on the palms of my hands, and your walls are forever before me.
17 Your builders are coming quickly; your haters and those who made you waste will go out of you.
17 Thy children shall make haste; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee.
17 Your builders are working faster than your destroyers, and those who devastated you go away from you.
18 Let your eyes be lifted up round about, and see: they are all coming together to you. By my life, says the Lord, truly you will put them all on you as an ornament, and be clothed with them like a bride.
18 “(AQ)Lift up your eyes and look around;(AR)All of them gather together, (AS)they come to you.(AT)As I live,” declares the Lord,“You will surely (AU)put on all of them as (i)jewels and bind them on as a bride.
18 Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith the LORD, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as a bride doeth.
18 Look up, and look around.They all gather together; they come to you.(W)As I live”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“you will wear all your children(h) as jewelry,and put them on as a bride does.
18 Lift up your eyes and look around they have all gathered together and are coming to you. "As surely as I live," says the LORD, "you will clothe yourself with all of them like ornaments, and tie them on like a bride.
19 For though the waste places of your land have been given to destruction, now you will not be wide enough for your people, and those who made you waste will be far away.
19 “For (AV)your waste and desolate places and your destroyed land—Surely now you will be (AW)too cramped for the inhabitants,And those who (AX)swallowed you will be far away.
19 For thy waste and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away.
19 For your waste and desolate placesand your land marked by ruins—will now be indeed too small for the inhabitants,(X)and those who swallowed you up will be far away.
19 Indeed, your ruins, your desolate places, and your devastated land will now be too crowded for your inhabitants, while those who swallowed you up will be far away.
20 The children to whom you gave birth in other lands will say in your ears, The place is not wide enough for me: make room for me to have a resting-place.
20 “The (AY)children of (j)whom you were bereaved will yet say in your ears,‘The place is too cramped for me;Make room for me that I may live here.’
20 The children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, shall say again in thine ears, The place is too strait for me: give place to me that I may dwell.
20 Yet as you listen, the childrenthat you have been deprived of will say,‘This place is too small for me;make room for me so that I may settle.’(Y)
20 "The children who are grieving at present will yet say in your hearing, "This place is too crowded for me; make room for me, so I may have a place to live.'
21 Then you will say in your heart, Who has given me all these children? when my children had been taken from me, and I was no longer able to have others, who took care of these? when I was by myself, where then were these?
21 “Then you will (AZ)say in your heart,‘Who has begotten these for me,Since I have been bereaved of my childrenAnd am (BA)barren, an (BB)exile and a wanderer?And who has reared these?Behold, I was (BC)left alone;(k)(BD)From where did these come?’”
21 Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where had they been?
21 Then you will say within yourself,‘Who fathered these for me?I was deprived of my children and unable to conceive,exiled and wandering—but who brought them up?See, I was left by myself—but these, where did they come from?’”(i)
21 Then you'll ask in your heart, "Who bore these children for me, although I was childless and barren, and an exile and cast aside? Who brought these up? Look! For my part I was left all alone; but as for these, where have they come from?'
22 This is the word of the Lord God: See, I will make a sign with my hand to the nations, and put up my flag for the peoples; and they will take up your sons on their beasts, and your daughters on their backs.
22 Thus says the Lord (l)God,“Behold, I will lift up My hand to the nationsAnd set up My (BE)standard to the peoples;And they will (BF)bring your sons in their bosom,And your daughters will be carried on their shoulders.
22 Thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.
22 This is what the Lord God says:Look, I will lift up My hand to the nations,and raise My banner to the peoples.(Z)They will bring your sons in their arms,and your daughters will be carried on their shoulders.(AA)
22 "For this what the LORD says, "Watch! I'll lift up my hand to the nations and raise my banner to the nations. They will bring your sons in their arms, and your daughters will be carried on their shoulders.'
23 And kings will take care of you, and queens will give you their milk: they will go down on their faces before you, kissing the dust of your feet; and you will be certain that I am the Lord, and that those who put their hope in me will not be shamed.
23 “(BG)Kings will be your guardians,And their princesses your nurses.They will (BH)bow down to you with their faces to the earthAnd (BI)lick the dust of your feet;And you will (BJ)know that I am the Lord;Those who hopefully (BK)wait for Me will (BL)not be put to shame.
23 And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.
23 Kings will be your foster fathers,and their queens(j) your nursing mothers.(AB)They will bow down to youwith their faces to the ground,and lick the dust at your feet.(AC)Then you will know that I am Yahweh;(AD)those who put their hope in Mewill not be put to shame.(AE)
23 "Oh, yes! Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens will be your nursing mothers. They will bow to you with their faces to the ground, and lick the dust from your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in me will not be disappointed.
25 But the Lord says, Even the prisoners of the strong will be taken from him, and the cruel made to let go his goods: for I will take up your cause against your haters, and I will keep your children safe.
25 Surely, thus says the Lord,“Even the (BN)captives of the mighty man will be taken away,And the prey of the tyrant will be rescued;For I will contend with the one who contends with you,And I will (BO)save your sons.
25 But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.
25 For this is what the Lord says:“Even the captives of a mighty man will be taken,and the prey of a tyrant will be delivered;I will contend with the one who contends with you,and I will save your children.
25 But this is what the LORD says: "He will seize even the warriors' plunder, and the captives of tyrants will be rescued. I myself will quarrel with those who have a quarrel with you, and I myself will save your children.
26 And the flesh of your attackers will be taken by themselves for food; and they will take their blood for drink, as if it was sweet wine: and all men will see that I the Lord am your saviour, even he who takes up your cause, the Strong One of Jacob.
26 “I will feed your (BP)oppressors with their (BQ)own flesh,And they will become drunk with their own blood as with sweet wine;And (BR)all flesh will know that I, the Lord, am your (BS)SaviorAnd your (BT)Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”
26 And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.
26 I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,(AF)and they will be drunk with their own bloodas with sweet wine.Then all flesh will knowthat I, Yahweh, am your Savior,(AG)and your Redeemer,(AH) the Mighty One of Jacob.”(AI)
26 "I'll make those who mistreat you eat their own flesh, and they will get drunk on their own blood, as with new wine. "Then all mankind will know that I am the LORD your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob."
Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain
Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.
International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.
King James Version Public Domain
New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org