1
Hearken to me, ye that hold of righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: Take heed unto the stone, whereout ye are hewn, and to the grave whereout ye are digged. {Hearken unto me, ye that follow righteousness and seek the LORD. Look unto the rock ye were cut out, and to the cave and pit ye were digged out.}
2
Consider Abraham your father, and Sara that bare you: how that I called him alone, and prospered him well, and increased him: {Look unto Abraham your father and unto Sarah that bare you: how I called him only, and blessed him and multiplied him.}
3
how the LORD comforted Sion, and repaired all her decay: making her desert as a Paradise, and her wilderness as the garden of the LORD. Mirth and joy was there, thanksgiving, and the voice of praise. {For the LORD hath compassion on Sion and hath compassion on all that is decayed therein, and will make her wilderness as paradise, and her desert as the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness shall be found therein, with thanksgiving and the voice of praise.}
4
Have respect unto me then, O my people, and lay thine ear to me: for a law, and an ordinance shall go forth from me, to lighten the Gentiles. {Hearken unto me my people, and turn your ears to me my folk. There shall a law go out from me, and my judgement will I stablish to be a light unto nations.}
5
It is hard by, that my health and my righteousness shall go forth, and the people shall be ordered with mine arm. The Islands (that is the Gentiles) shall hope in me, and put their trust in mine arm. {My righteousness is nye, and my salvation shall go out, and mine arms shall judge nations, and islands shall look for me and shall tarry after mine arm.}
6
Lift up your eyes toward heaven, and look upon the earth beneath. For the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall tear like a cloth, and they that dwell therein, shall perish in like manner. But my health endureth for ever, and my righteousness shall not cease. {Lift up your eyes to heaven and behold the earth beneath. For heaven shall vanish away as smoke, and the earth shall wear away as a vesture, and the inhabiters thereof shall perish away after the same manner, but my salvation shall endure ever, and my righteousness shall not perish.}
7
Therefore hearken unto me, ye that have pleasure in righteousness, thou people that bearest my law in thine heart. Fear not the curse of men, be not afraid of their blasphemies and revilings: {Hearken unto me ye that know righteousness and so let the people that have my law in their hearts. Fear not the rebukes of man neither faint for their blasphemies.}
8
For worms and moths shall eat them up like cloth and wool. But my righteousness shall endure for ever, and my saving health from generation to generation. {For worms shall eat them as a garment, and moths shall devour them as it were wool. By my righteousness shall continue ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.}
9
Wake up, wake up, and be strong: O thou arm of the LORD: wake up, like as in times past, ever and since the world began.
10
Art not thou he, that hast wounded that proud lucifer, and hewn the dragon in pieces? Art not thou even he, which hast dried up the deep of the sea, which hast made plain the sea ground, that the delivered might go thorow?
11
That the redeemed of the LORD, which turned again, might come with joy unto Sion, there to endure for ever? That mirth and gladness might be with them: that sorrow and woe might flee from them?
12
Yea I, I am even he, that in all things giveth you consolation. What art thou then, that fearest a mortal man, the child of man, which goeth away as doeth the flour?
13
And forgetest the LORD that made thee, that spread out the heavens, and laid the foundation of the earth. But thou art ever afraid for the sight of thine oppressor, which is ready to do harm: Where is the wrath of the oppressor?
14
It cometh on fast, it maketh haste to appear: It shall not perish, that it should not be able to destroy, neither shall it fail for fault of nourishing.
15
I am the LORD thy God, that make the sea to be still, and to rage: whose name is the LORD of Hosts.
16
I shall put my word also in thy mouth, and defend thee with the turning of my hand: that thou mayest plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Sion: Thou art my people.
17
Awake, awake, and stand up, O Jerusalem, thou that from the hand of the LORD, hast drunken out the cup of his wrath: thou that hast supped of, and sucked out the slumbering cup to the bottom.
18
For among all the sons whom thou hast begotten, there is not one that may hold thee up: and not one to lead thee by the hand, of all the sons that thou hast nourished.
19
Both these things are happened unto thee, but who is sorry for it. Yea, destruction, wasting, hunger and sword: but who hath comforted thee?
20
Thy sons lie comfortless at the head of every street like a taken venison, and are full of the terrible wrath of the LORD, and punishment of thy God.
21
And therefore thou miserable and drunken (howbeit not with wine) Hear this:
22
Thus sayeth thy Lord: |LORDE| thy LORD and God, the defender of his people: Behold, I will take the slumbering cup out of thy hand, even the cup with the dregs of my wrath: that from hence forth thou shalt never drink it more,
23
and will put it in their hand that trouble thee: which have spoken to thy soul: stoop down, that we may go over thee: make thy body even with the ground, and as the street to go upon.