神对以色列的保证
众海岛啊，在我面前静默； 万民要重新得力， 让他们近前来陈述， 我们可以彼此辩论。Keep silence before me, O islands; and let the people renew their strength: let them come near; then let them speak: let us come near together to judgment.
2谁从东方兴起一人， 凭公义召他来到脚前？ 谁将列国交给他， 使他管辖列王， 把他们如灰尘交与他的刀， 如风吹的碎秸交与他的弓？Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? he gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow.
3他追赶君王， 安然走过， 快速地脚不落地☛“快速地脚不落地”：死海古卷是“他们不认识脚所走的路”；七十士译本是“他们脚所走的路”。。He pursued them, and passed safely; even by the way that he had not gone with his feet.
4谁做成这事， 从起初宣召历代呢？ 就是我－耶和华！ 我是首先的， 也与末后的同在。Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.
5众海岛看见就都害怕， 地极也都战兢， 他们近前来；The isles saw it, and feared; the ends of the earth were afraid, drew near, and came.
6各人互相帮助， 对弟兄说：“壮胆吧！”They helped every one his neighbour; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage.
7木匠鼓励银匠， 用锤子打光的鼓励打砧的， 对焊工说：“焊得好！” 又用钉子钉稳，免得它倒下。So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that smootheth with the hammer him that smote the anvil, saying, It is ready for the sodering: and he fastened it with nails, that it should not be moved.
8惟你以色列，我的仆人， 雅各，我所拣选的， 我朋友亚伯拉罕的后裔，But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.
9你是我从地极领来， 从地角召来的， 我对你说：“你是我的仆人； 我拣选你，并不弃绝你。”Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away.
10你不要害怕，因为我与你同在； 不要惊惶，因为我是你的神。 我必坚固你，帮助你， 用我公义的右手扶持你。Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
11看哪，凡向你发怒的都抱愧蒙羞， 与你相争的必如无有，并要灭亡。Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish.
12与你争斗的，你要寻找他们，却遍寻不着； 与你争战的必如无有，成为虚无。Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought.
13因为我耶和华－你的神 必搀扶你的右手， 对你说：“不要害怕！ 我必帮助你。”For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.
14虫子雅各，以色列人哪， 不要害怕！ 我必帮助你； 救赎你的是以色列的圣者。 这是耶和华说的。Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
15看哪，我使你成为 全新的打谷机，齿轮锐利； 你要把山岭打得粉碎， 使冈陵如同糠秕。Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff.
16你要簸扬它们，风要将它们吹去； 旋风要刮散它们。 你却要以耶和华为喜乐， 因以色列的圣者夸耀。Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shalt rejoice in the LORD, and shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel.
17困苦贫穷人寻找水，却寻不着； 他们因口渴，舌头干燥。 我－耶和华必应允他们， 我─以色列的神必不离弃他们。When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.
18我要在光秃的高地开江河， 在谷中开泉源； 我要使沙漠变为水池， 使干地变为涌泉。I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.
19我要在旷野栽植香柏树、 皂荚树、番石榴树，和野橄榄树。 在沙漠一同栽上松树、杉树， 和黄杨树，I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together:
20好叫人看见，知道， 思想，明白； 这是耶和华亲手做的， 是以色列的圣者所造的。耶和华向偶像挑战
That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.
21耶和华说： “你们要呈上你们的案件。” 雅各的君王说： “你们要提出你们的理由。”Produce your cause, saith the LORD; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob.
22让它们近前来，告诉我们将来要发生什么事！ 你们要说明先前发生的事，好让我们思索； 或者告诉我们将来的事，使我们得知事情的结局。Let them bring them forth, and shew us what shall happen: let them shew the former things, what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come.
23你们要指明未来的事， 使我们知道你们是神明！ 你们或降福，或降祸， 好使我们惊奇，一同观看。Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together.
24看哪，你们属乎虚无， 你们的作为也属虚空； 那选择你们的是可憎恶的。Behold, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought: an abomination is he that chooseth you.
25我从北方兴起一人， 他从日出之地而来， 是求告我名的； 他必踩踏☛“踩踏”：原文是“临到”；下同。掌权者，如踩踏泥土， 又如陶匠踹泥一般。I have raised up one from the north, and he shall come: from the rising of the sun shall he call upon my name: and he shall come upon princes as upon morter, and as the potter treadeth clay.
26有谁从起初宣布这事，使我们知道呢？ 有谁从先前指明，使我们说“他是对的”呢？ 没有人宣布， 没有人指明， 也没有人听见你们的话。Who hath declared from the beginning, that we may know? and beforetime, that we may say, He is righteous? yea, there is none that sheweth, yea, there is none that declareth, yea, there is none that heareth your words.
27我首先对锡安说，看哪，他们在此！ 我要将一位报好信息的赐给耶路撒冷。The first shall say to Zion, Behold, behold them: and I will give to Jerusalem one that bringeth good tidings.
28然而我观看，并无一人； 我询问的时候， 他们中间也没有谋士可回答。For I beheld, and there was no man; even among them, and there was no counsellor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word.
29看哪，他们尽是麻烦☛“麻烦”：死海古卷和一些译本是“虚空”。， 所做的工都属虚无； 所铸的偶像是风，是虚空。Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion.