Isaiah, 66

1. Thus saith the LORD, The heaven [is] my throne, and the earth [is] my footstool: where [is] the house that ye build unto me? and where [is] the place of my rest?

1. Thus says Yahweh: Heaven is my throne and earth my footstool. What house, then, could you build for me, and what could you offer as my resting place?

2. For all those [things] hath mine hand made, and all those [things] have been, saith the LORD: but to this [man] will I look, [even] to [him that is] poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

2. My hands have made all this and it is all mine, but what I am looking for is the one who is meek and contrite of heart, who trembles at my word.

3. He that killeth an ox [is as if] he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, [as if] he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, [as if he offered] swine's blood; he that burneth incense, [as if] he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.

3. They sacrifice an ox, then they murder a man. They sacrifice a lamb, then they break a dog's neck; they bring a cereal offering, then they offer swine's blood. They burn incense, but they burn it for idols. Since they have chosen their own ways and taken delight in their dirty idols,

4. I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose [that] in which I delighted not.

4. I will likewise choose afflictions for them that they fear and abhor. For when I called no one answered, when I spoke no one listened. Instead they did what was evil in my sight and chose that in which I had no delight.

5. Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.

5. Hear the word of Yahweh, you who tremble at his word: Because of my name your brothers hate and reject you, saying, "Let Yahweh show his glory, that we may see your joy." These mockers will be put to shame.

6. A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the LORD that rendereth recompence to his enemies.

6. Listen, an uproar from the city, a voice from the temple! It is the voice of Yahweh avenging and paying back his enemies.

7. Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child.

7. Long before being in labor, she has given birth; before having birth pangs she has been delivered of a son.

8. Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? [or] shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.

8. Has anyone ever heard of such a thing? Has anyone seen the like of it? How could a land spring forth in one day? How could a nation be formed in a moment? Yet Zion had scarcely been in travail when she gave birth to her children.

9. Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut [the womb]? saith thy God.

9. Yahweh says: Do I allow to conceive and yet not to give birth? For I am the one who opens the womb and who closes it.

10. Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her:

10. "Rejoice for Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you who love her. Be glad with her, rejoice with her, all you who were in grief over her,

11. That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.

11. that you may suck of the milk from her comforting breasts, that you may drink deeply from the abundance of her glory."

12. For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon [her] sides, and be dandled upon [her] knees.

12. For this is what Yahweh says: I will send her peace, overflowing like a river; and the nations' wealth, rushing like a torrent towards her. And you will be nursed and carried in her arms and fondled upon her lap.

13. As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

13. As a son comforted by his mother, so will I comfort you.

14. And when ye see [this], your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and [his] indignation toward his enemies.

14. At the sight of this, your heart will rejoice; like grass, your bones will flourish. For it shall be known that Yahweh's hand is with his servant, but his fury is upon his enemy.

15. For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.

15. Look, Yahweh will come in fire, his chariots like the whirlwind, to release his anger with fury and his threat with flames of fire.

16. For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many.

16. For by fire will Yahweh execute judgment, and by his sword, against all mankind. Those slain by yahweh will be many.

17. They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one [tree] in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD.

17. As for those who sanctify and purify themselves by going to the gardens and following the priestess in the midst - those who eat the flesh of pigs, reptiles and rats - their deeds and thoughts will suddenly come to an end, says Yahweh.

18. For I [know] their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory.

18. Now I am going to gather the nations of every tongue, and they will witness my glory,

19. And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, [to] Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, [to] Tubal, and Javan, [to] the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles.

19. for I will perform a wonderful thing among them. Then I will send some of their survivors to the nations - Tarshish, Put, Lud, Moscheck, Rosh, Tubal, and Javan - to the distant islands where no one has ever heard of me or seen my glory. They will proclaim my glory among the nations.

20. And they shall bring all your brethren [for] an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD.

20. They will bring your brothers from all the nations as an offering to Yahweh on horses, in chariots, in litters, on mules, on camels to my holy mountain in Jerusalem, says Yahweh, just as the Israelites bring oblations in clean vessels to the house of Yahweh.

21. And I will also take of them for priests [and] for Levites, saith the LORD.

21. Then I will choose priests and Levites even from them, says Yahweh.

22. For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.

22. Yahweh says, "As the new heavens and the new earth that I will make shall endure before me, so will your name and your descendants also endure."

23. And it shall come to pass, [that] from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.

23. From new moon to new moon, from sabbath to sabbath, every mortal will come to worship me, says Yahweh.

24. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

24. And on their way out they will see the corpses of those who rebelled against me. Their worms shall not die, nor their fire be quenched, and they will be abhorrent to all.