Isaiah, 45

1. Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;

1. Thus says Yahweh to his anointed, to Cyrus: "I have taken you by the right hand to subdue nations before you and strip kings of their armor, to open the gateways before you so that they will be closed no more.

2. I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:

2. I will go before you to level the slopes, I will break the gates of brass and destroy the iron bars;

3. And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call [thee] by thy name, [am] the God of Israel.

3. I will give you treasures hidden in darkness and riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am Yahweh, the God of Israel who calls you by your name.

4. For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.

4. For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen one, I have called you by your name and given you your mission although you do not know me.

5. I [am] the LORD, and [there is] none else, [there is] no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:

5. I am Yahweh, and there is no other; there is no God besides me. I armed you when you did not know me,

6. That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that [there is] none beside me. I [am] the LORD, and [there is] none else.

6. so that, from the rising to the setting of the sun, all may know that there is no one besides me; I am Yahweh, and there is no other.

7. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these [things].

7. I form the light and create the dark; I usher in prosperity and bring calamity. I, Yahweh, do all this.

8. Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it.

8. Let the heavens send righteousness like dew and the clouds rain it down. Let the earth open and salvation blossom, so that justice also may sprout; I, Yahweh, have created it.

9. Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! [Let] the potsherd [strive] with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?

9. Woe to him who argues with his Maker being but a pot among pots. Will the clay say to him who fashions it, "What are you making? You have no skill."

10. Woe unto him that saith unto [his] father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?

10. Woe to him who asks a father, "What have you begotten!" or a mother, "To what have you given birth?"

11. Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me.

11. Thus says Yahweh, the Holy One, he who fashions Israel: Is it for you to question me about my children, or decide the work of my hands for me?

12. I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, [even] my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.

12. I am He who made the earth and created man upon it. I am He who stretched out the heavens with my own hands and gave order to their whole array.

13. I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts.

13. I have raised Cyrus for the sake of justice. I will direct his ways and make him rebuild my city. He will send my exiles home without ransom or indemnity. It is Yahweh Sabaoth who speaks.

14. Thus saith the LORD, The labour of Egypt, and merchandise of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine: they shall come after thee; in chains they shall come over, and they shall fall down unto thee, they shall make supplication unto thee, [saying], Surely God [is] in thee; and [there is] none else, [there is] no God.

14. Thus says Yahweh: The peasants of Egypt, the traders of Ethiopia and the tall men of Seba will pass near you in chains, and bow down facing you. In worship they will say, "Surely God is with you. There is no one else, there is no other god."

15. Verily thou [art] a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour.

15. Truly you are the God who remains hidden, the God of Israel, the Savior.

16. They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: they shall go to confusion together [that are] makers of idols.

16. All idol makers will be put to shame, they will go away humiliated.

17. [But] Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.

17. But Israel will be saved by Yahweh - delivered with an everlasting salvation. You will never be put to disgrace for everlasting ages.

18. For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I [am] the LORD; and [there is] none else.

18. Yes, this is what Yahweh says, he who created the heavens, - for he is God, who formed and shaped the earth, - for he himself set it: "I did not let confusion in it, I wanted people to live there instead" - for I am Yahweh and there is no other.

19. I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.

19. I have not spoken in secret, from a dark place of the earth; I have not said to the race of Jacob: "Seek me, but all will be confused", - for I Yahweh tell the truth and I speak openly - Every knee will bend

20. Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye [that are] escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god [that] cannot save.

20. Come, gather together, and try to understand, survivors from among the nations: They are but fools they who follow idols of wood and pray to gods that cannot move -

21. Tell ye, and bring [them] near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? [who] hath told it from that time? [have] not I the LORD? and [there is] no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; [there is] none beside me.

21. Let them present their arguments take counsel together and tell me: Who announced this from the beginning, who foretold it in the distant past? Is it not me Yahweh? There is no other God besides me, a Savior, a God of justice, there is no other one but me.

22. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I [am] God, and [there is] none else.

22. Turn to me and be saved, all you from the ends of the earth, for I am God and there is no other.

23. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth [in] righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.

23. By my own self I swear it, and what comes from my mouth is truth, a word I say will not be revoked. Before me every knee will bend, by me every tongue will swear,

24. Surely, shall [one] say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: [even] to him shall [men] come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.

24. saying, "In Yahweh alone are righteousness and strength." All who have raged against him will come to him in shame.

25. In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.

25. But through Yahweh there will be victory and glory to the people of Israel.