Isaiah, 42

1. Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, [in whom] my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.

1. Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight. I have put my spirit upon him, and he will bring justice to the nations.

2. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.

2. He does not shout or raise his voice proclamations are not heard in the streets.

3. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.

3. A broken reed he will not crush, nor will he snuff out the light of the wavering wick. He will make justice appear in truth.

4. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.

4. He will not waver or be broken until he has established justice on earth; the islands are waiting for his law.

5. Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:

5. Thus says God, Yahweh, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread the earth and all that comes from it, who gives life and breath to those who walk on it:

6. I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;

6. I, Yahweh, have called you for the sake of justice; I will hold your hand to make you firm; I will make you as a covenant to the people, and as a light to the nations,

7. To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, [and] them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

7. to open eyes that do not see, to free captives from prison, to bring out to light those who sit in darkness.

8. I [am] the LORD: that [is] my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.

8. I am Yahweh, that is my name, I will not give my glory to another; or my praise to graven images.

9. Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.

9. See, the former things have come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.

10. Sing unto the LORD a new song, [and] his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof.

10. Sing a new song to Yahweh; let his praise reach the ends of the earth. Let the sea and all that it holds, let the coastlands and their inhabitants resound with song and praise of him.

11. Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up [their voice], the villages [that] Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains.

11. Let the wilderness and the cities lift up their voice, together with the villages of Kedar. Let the inhabitants of Sela sing, and shout from the top of the mountain.

12. Let them give glory unto the LORD, and declare his praise in the islands.

12. Let them give glory to Yahweh and praise him in the far islands.

13. The LORD shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.

13. Yahweh comes like a mighty warrior, he stirs up his fury before the fight. He threatens, he raises the battlecry, and he triumphs over his enemies.

14. I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, [and] refrained myself: [now] will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once.

14. For a long time I have been silent; I have kept still and restrained myself, I moaned like a woman in labor, breathing and panting:

15. I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools.

15. I will lay waste mountains and hills and wither all their vegetation; I will turn rivers into wasteland and dry up the pools.

16. And I will bring the blind by a way [that] they knew not; I will lead them in paths [that] they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.

16. I will lead the blind by ways which they do not know; along unseen paths I will guide them. I will turn darkness into light before them and make the rough ground smooth. These are the things that I will do, and I will not forsake them.

17. They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye [are] our gods.

17. But those who trust in graven images and say to idols, "You are our gods" will be turned back in shame.

18. Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see.

18. Listen, O deaf, look, O blind, that you may see!

19. Who [is] blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger [that] I sent? who [is] blind as [he that is] perfect, and blind as the LORD'S servant?

19. Who is blind, but my servant, or deaf as the messenger I send? Who is blind but the one I am lifting up? Who is deaf but the servant of Yahweh?

20. Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.

20. You have seen many things without observing; your ears were open but without hearing.

21. The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make [it] honourable.

21. It pleased Yahweh, the Just One, that his Law receive glory and fame.

22. But this [is] a people robbed and spoiled; [they are] all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore.

22. But this is a people robbed and plundered, all of them ensnared in pits or languishing in prison. They have become a prey, with no one to rescue them; they have become a spoil, with no one to order, "Send them back!"

23. Who among you will give ear to this? [who] will hearken and hear for the time to come?

23. Who among you will give ear to this? Who will listen and hear for the time to come?

24. Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the LORD, he against whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law.

24. Who handed Jacob to the spoilers and Israel to the plunderers? Was it not Yahweh, against whom we have sinned, in whose ways they would not walk, and whose law they would not obey?

25. Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle: and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid [it] not to heart.

25. Therefore he poured out on them the fury of his anger - the violence of war. It blazed round about them, and they failed to know what it meant; it burned and consumed them, and they remained in bewilderment.