Isaiah 45
1 Thus says the Lord to my anointed Cyrus, whose right hand I hold, so that I may subjugate the nations before his face, and I may turn the backs of kings, and I may open the doors before him, and so that the gates will not be shut.
Thus hath said the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whom I have taken hold of by his right hand, to subdue nations before him, even the loins of kings will I ungird, to open before him [city-]doors, and gates that they shall not be shut;
2 I will go before you. And I will humble the glorious ones of the earth. I will shatter the gates of brass, and I will break apart the bars of iron.
I myself will go before thee, and proud eminences will I level: doors of brass will I break in pieces, and bolts of iron will I cut asunder.
3 And I will give you hidden treasures and the knowledge of secret things, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who calls your name.
And I will give unto thee the treasures of darkness, and riches hidden in secret places; in order that thou mayest know that I am the Lord, who call thee by thy name, the God of Israel;
4 For the sake of Jacob, my servant, and Israel, my elect, I have even called you by your name. I have taken you up, and you have not known me.
For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my elect; and I have called thee by thy name: I have designated thee, though thou hast not known me.
5 I am the Lord, and there is no one else. There is no god beside me. I girded you, and you have not known me.
I am the Lord, and there is none else, beside me there is no god; I assisted thee, though thou hast not known me.
6 So may those who are from the rising of the sun, and those who are from its setting, know that there is no one beside me. I am the Lord, and there is no other.
In order that they may know from the rising of the sun, and from its setting, that there is nothing without me. I am the Lord, and there is no one else;
7 I form the light and create the darkness. I make peace and create disaster. I, the Lord, do all these things.
Forming the light, and creating darkness; making peace, and creating evil: I the Lord do all these things.
8 Send down dew from above, O heavens, and let the clouds rain down upon the just! Let the earth open and spring forth a savior! And let justice rise up at once! I, the Lord, have created him.
Drop down ye heavens, and let the skies distil blessing; let the earth open and let them [all] be fruitful of prosperity, and let righteousness spring up likewise: I the Lord have created it.
9 Woe to him who contradicts his Maker, a mere shard from an earthen vessel! Should the clay say to the potter, “What are you making?” or, “Your work is not made by your hands?”
Woe unto him that contendeth with the one who formed him—a potsherd among the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?
10 Woe to him who says to his father, “Why did you conceive?” or to a woman, “Why did you give birth?”
Woe unto him that saith unto [his] father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What bringest thou forth?
11 Thus says the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, his Maker: Would you question me about the future, concerning my sons, and command me concerning the work of my hands?
Thus hath said the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and he who hath formed him, About events to come will you ask me? concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands will ye command me?
12 I made the earth, and I created man upon it. My hand stretched out the heavens, and I have commanded all their hosts.
[When] I myself have made the earth, and created man upon it; [when] I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and I have ordained all their host.
13 I have raised him up unto justice, and I will direct all his ways. He himself will build my city and release my captives, but not for ransom or gifts, says the Lord, the God of hosts.
I myself have waked him up in righteousness, and all his ways will I make straight: he shall build my city, and my exiles shall he dismiss free, not for purchase-money nor for presents, saith the Lord of hosts.
14 Thus says the Lord: The labor of Egypt, and the business dealings of Ethiopia, and of the Sabeans, men of stature, will pass to you and will be yours. They will walk behind you. They will travel, bound in irons. And they will adore you and petition you: “In you alone is God, and there is no God apart from you.
Thus hath said the Lord, The labor of Egypt, and the merchandise of Ethiopia, and of the Sabeans, men of high stature, shall pass over unto thee, and thine shall they be: behind thee shall they walk; in chains shall they pass along, and unto thee shall they bow, unto thee shall they pray, [saying] Yea, only among thee is God; and there is no one else beside God.
15 Truly, you are a hidden God, the God of Israel, the Savior.”
Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour.
16 They have all been confounded and should be ashamed! These fabricators of errors have departed together into confusion!
They are ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: together shall they go to confusion that are makers of idols.
17 Israel is saved in the Lord by an eternal salvation. You will not be confounded, and you will not be ashamed, even forever and ever.
[But] Israel shall be helped by the Lord with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed and not be confounded unto all eternity.
18 For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens, God himself who formed the earth and made it, the very Molder of it. He did not create it to no purpose. He formed it so that it would be inhabited. I am the Lord, and there is no other.
For thus hath said the Lord the creator of the heavens; he, the God that formed the earth and made it; he that hath established it, —not for naught did he create it, to be inhabited did he form it: I am the Lord; and there is no one else.
19 I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth. I have not said to the offspring of Jacob, “Seek me in vain.” I am the Lord, who speaks justice, who announces what is right.
Not on a secret spot have I spoken, in a dark place of the earth; I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me for naught; [but] I the Lord speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.
20 Assemble yourselves, and approach, and draw near together, you who have been saved among the Gentiles. They lack knowledge, who lift up the wood of their sculpture, and who petition a god unable to save.
Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye escaped fugitives of the nations! They have no knowledge that carry the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.
21 Announce it, and approach, and consult together. Who has caused this to be heard from the beginning, and who has foretold it from that time? Is it not I, the Lord? And is there some other god beside me? I am a just God who saves, and there is no one except me.
Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: Who hath announced this in ancient times? told it from the beginning? is it not I the Lord? and there is no other god without me, a just god and a saviour; there is none beside me.
22 All ends of the earth, be converted to me, and you will be saved. For I am God, and there is no other.
Turn unto me, so that ye may be helped, all ye ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no one else.
23 I have sworn by myself. The Word of justice will proceed from my mouth, and it will not turn back. For every knee shall bend to me, and every tongue shall swear it.
By myself have I sworn, righteousness is gone out of my mouth, a word [which] shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bend, every tongue shall swear.
24 Therefore, he will say, “In the Lord are my justices and my dominion.” They will go to him. And all who fight against him will be confounded.
Only in the Lord, —shall men say of me, —there are righteousness and strength. Unto him shall come and be ashamed all that are incensed against him.
25 In the Lord, all the offspring of Israel will be justified and praised.
In the Lord shall be justified, and shall glory themselves all the seed of Israel.
