Isaiah 40 (LSV)
1 “Comfort, comfort My people,” says your God. 2 Speak to the heart of Jerusalem, and call to her, || That her warfare has been completed, || That her punishment has been accepted, || That she has received from the hand of YHWH || Double for all her sins. 3 A voice is crying in a wilderness: “Prepare the way of YHWH, || Make straight in a desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley is raised up, || And every mountain and hill become low, || And the crooked place has become a plain, || And the entangled places a valley. 5 And the glory of YHWH has been revealed, || And all flesh have seen [it] together, || For the mouth of YHWH has spoken.” 6 A voice is saying, “Call,” || And he said, “What do I call?” All flesh [is] grass, and all its goodness || [Is] as a flower of the field: 7 Grass has withered, the flower faded, || For the Spirit of YHWH blew on it, || Surely the people [is] grass; 8 Grass has withered, the flower faded, || But a word of our God rises forever. 9 Get up on a high mountain, O Zion, || Proclaiming tidings, || Lift up your voice with power, O Jerusalem, proclaiming tidings, || Lift up, do not fear, say to cities of Judah, “Behold, your God.” 10 Behold, Lord YHWH comes with strength, || And His arm is ruling for Him, || Behold, His hire [is] with Him, and His wage before Him. 11 He feeds His flock as a shepherd, || He gathers lambs with His arm, || And He carries [them] in His bosom: He leads suckling ones. 12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, || And has meted out the heavens by a span, || And comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, || And has weighed the mountains in scales, || And the hills in a balance? 13 Who has meted out the Spirit of YHWH, || And [being] His counselor, teaches Him? 14 With whom [did] He consult, || That he causes Him to understand? And teaches Him in the path of judgment, || And teaches Him knowledge? And causes Him to know the way of understanding? 15 Behold, nations [are] as a drop from a bucket, || And have been reckoned as small dust of the balance, || Behold, He takes up islands as a small thing. 16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, || Nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt-offering. 17 All the nations [are] as nothing before Him, || Less than nothing and emptiness, || They have been reckoned to Him. 18 And to whom do you liken God, || And what likeness do you compare to Him? 19 An artisan has poured out the carved image, || And a refiner spreads it over with gold, || And he is refining chains of silver. 20 He who is poor [by] raised-offerings, || Chooses a tree [that is] not rotten, || He seeks a skillful artisan for it, || To establish a carved image—not moved. 21 Do you not know—do you not hear? Has it not been declared from the first to you? Have you not understood || [From] the foundations of the earth? 22 He who is sitting on the circle of the earth, || And its inhabitants [are] as grasshoppers, || He who is stretching out the heavens as a thin thing, || And spreads them as a tent to dwell in. 23 He who is making princes become nothing, || Has made judges of earth formless; 24 Indeed, they have not been planted, || Indeed, they have not been sown, || Indeed, their stock is not taking root in the earth, || And He has also blown on them, and they wither, || And a whirlwind takes them away as stubble. 25 And to whom do you liken Me, || And [to whom] I equal? Says the Holy One. 26 Lift up your eyes on high, || And see—who has created these? He who is bringing out their host by number, || He calls to all of them by name, || By the abundance of His strength || And mighty power, || Not one is lacking. 27 Why say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, “My way has been hid from YHWH, || And from my God my judgment passes over?” 28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The God of the age—YHWH, || Preparer of the ends of the earth, || Is not wearied nor fatigued, || There is no searching of His understanding. 29 He is giving power to the weary, || And to those not strong He increases might. 30 Even youths are wearied and fatigued, || And young men utterly stumble, 31 But those expecting YHWH pass [to] power, || They raise up the pinion as eagles, || They run and are not fatigued, || They go on and do not faint!