50:7 But the sovereign Lord helps me,

so I am not humiliated.

For that reason I am steadfastly resolved; ¹ 

I know I will not be put to shame.

50:8 The one who vindicates me is close by.

Who dares to argue with me? Let us confront each other! ² 

Who is my accuser? ³  Let him challenge me! ⁴ 

50:9 Look, the sovereign Lord helps me.

Who dares to condemn me?

Look, all of them will wear out like clothes;

a moth will eat away at them.

50:10 Who among you fears the Lord?

Who obeys ⁵  his servant?

Whoever walks in deep darkness, ⁶ 

without light,

should trust in the name of the Lord

and rely on his God.

50:11 Look, all of you who start a fire

and who equip yourselves with ⁷  flaming arrows, ⁸ 

walk ⁹  in the light ¹⁰  of the fire you started

and among the flaming arrows you ignited! ¹¹ 

This is what you will receive from me: ¹² 

you will lie down in a place of pain. ¹³ 

51:1 “Listen to me, you who pursue godliness, ¹⁴ 

who seek the Lord!

Look at the rock from which you were chiseled,

at the quarry ¹⁵  from which you were dug! ¹⁶ 

51:2 Look at Abraham, your father,

and Sarah, who gave you birth. ¹⁷ 

When I summoned him, he was a lone individual, ¹⁸ 

but I blessed him ¹⁹  and gave him numerous descendants. ²⁰ 

51:3 Certainly the Lord will console Zion;

he will console all her ruins.

He will make her wilderness like Eden,

her desert like the Garden of the Lord.

Happiness and joy will be restored to ²¹  her,

thanksgiving and the sound of music.

51:4 Pay attention to me, my people!

Listen to me, my people!

For ²²  I will issue a decree, ²³ 

I will make my justice a light to the nations. ²⁴ 

51:5 I am ready to vindicate, ²⁵ 

I am ready to deliver, ²⁶ 

I will establish justice among the nations. ²⁷ 

The coastlands ²⁸  wait patiently for me;

they wait in anticipation for the revelation of my power. ²⁹ 

51:6 Look up at the sky!

Look at the earth below!

For the sky will dissipate ³⁰  like smoke,

and the earth will wear out like clothes;

its residents will die like gnats.

But the deliverance I give ³¹  is permanent;

the vindication I provide ³²  will not disappear. ³³ 

51:7 Listen to me, you who know what is right,

you people who are aware of my law! ³⁴ 

Don’t be afraid of the insults of men;

don’t be discouraged because of their abuse!

51:8 For a moth will eat away at them like clothes;

a clothes moth will devour them like wool.

But the vindication I provide ³⁵  will be permanent;

the deliverance I give will last.”

51:9 Wake up! Wake up!

Clothe yourself with strength, O arm of the Lord! ³⁶ 

Wake up as in former times, as in antiquity!

Did you not smash ³⁷  the Proud One? ³⁸ 

Did you not ³⁹  wound the sea monster? ⁴⁰ 

51:10 Did you not dry up the sea,

the waters of the great deep?

Did you not make ⁴¹  a path through the depths of the sea,

so those delivered from bondage ⁴²  could cross over?

51:11 Those whom the Lord has ransomed will return;

they will enter Zion with a happy shout.

Unending joy will crown them, ⁴³ 

happiness and joy will overwhelm ⁴⁴  them;

grief and suffering will disappear. ⁴⁵ 

51:12 “I, I am the one who consoles you. ⁴⁶ 

Why are you afraid of mortal men,

of mere human beings who are as short-lived as grass? ⁴⁷ 

51:13 Why do you forget ⁴⁸  the Lord, who made you,

who stretched out the sky ⁴⁹ 

and founded the earth?

Why do you constantly tremble all day long ⁵⁰ 

at the anger of the oppressor,

when he makes plans to destroy?

Where is the anger of the oppressor? ⁵¹ 

51:14 The one who suffers ⁵²  will soon be released;

he will not die in prison, ⁵³ 

he will not go hungry. ⁵⁴ 

51:15 I am the Lord your God,

who churns up the sea so that its waves surge.

The Lord who commands armies is his name!

51:16 I commission you ⁵⁵  as my spokesman; ⁵⁶ 

I cover you with the palm of my hand, ⁵⁷ 

to establish ⁵⁸  the sky and to found the earth,

to say to Zion, ‘You are my people.’” ⁵⁹