Isaiah 41

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.

Hush now, dear islands, and let the people regain their strength. Let them approach, then let them speak. Let's come together to meet in court for judgment.

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.

Who brought forth the virtuous man from the east, beckoning him to stand by His side? He presented nations to him, crowning him ruler over kings. He made his enemies as insignificant as dust to his sword, and as easily swept away as chaff to his bow.

He pursued them, and passed safely; even by the way that he had not gone with his feet.

He chased after them, journeying unscathed through unfamiliar paths.

Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.

Who has created and accomplished everything, summoning all generations from the start? It's me, the Lord, the very first and forever the last; I am the one.

The isles saw it, and feared; the ends of the earth were afraid, drew near, and came.

The islands trembled in fear, the farthest corners of the earth were terrified, yet they gathered their courage and approached.

They helped every one his neighbour; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage.

They lovingly supported each other, always encouraging their siblings, "Stay strong and brave!"

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.

The carpenter cheered on the goldsmith, and the one who wielded the hammer encouraged the blacksmith, saying, "It's ready for joining." And so, they secured it with nails, ensuring it wouldn't budge.

But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.

But you, Israel, are my devoted servant, Jacob, my chosen one, the descendant of my dear friend Abraham.

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.

I've chosen you, plucked from the farthest corners of the earth, from among the greatest. You are my servant, and I will never abandon you.

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.

Don't be afraid, for I am always by your side. Don't lose hope, for I am your God. I will give you strength, I will support you, and I will lift you up with my righteous hand.

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.

Look, those who were angry with you will feel shame and confusion; they'll become insignificant. Those who fight against you will be destroyed.

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.

You'll look for your enemies, but won't find them. Those who fight against you will become insignificant, as if they never existed.

For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.

As your God, I promise to guide you, holding your hand tightly. Don't be afraid, I'm here to support you.

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.

Don't be afraid, Jacob, and all you people of Israel. Trust me, says the LORD, your savior, the Sacred One of Israel. I am here to support you.

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.

Look, I will make you into a new, sharp threshing sledge with many teeth: you will thresh the mountains and crush them, and turn the hills into chaff.

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.

You will disperse them like dust in the wind, and they'll be scattered like leaves in a storm. You will find joy and pride in your relationship with the Lord, the sacred one of Israel.

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.

When those in need are desperate for water, parched and unable to speak, I, the Lord, will listen. I, the God of Israel, will never abandon them.

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.

I will create streams on barren peaks, and springs within the valleys. I will transform the desert into a lake, and the parched ground into bubbling springs.

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:

In the barren wilderness, I will sow seeds of cedar, acacia, myrtle, and olive trees, breathing life into the desolate. In the arid desert, I will establish fir, pine, and box trees, creating a vibrant oasis amidst the solitude.

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.

May they witness and comprehend, deeply reflecting and realizing in unity, that all of this is the work of God's hand, and it is the Holy One of Israel who brought it into existence.

Produce your cause, saith the LORD; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob.

The Lord urges, "Present your case, show me your powerful arguments," declares the King of Jacob.

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.

Bring forth your predictions and show us what's to come. Remind us of past events so we can learn from them. Tell us about the future, so we can prepare for it.

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.

Show us the future, so we can believe you are divine. Whether you bring good or bad, let us face it together, so we may be awed.

Behold, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought: an abomination is he that chooseth you.

Look, you are nothing, and your actions are meaningless. Anyone who chooses you is detestable.

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.

I've summoned a champion from the north, and he will arrive. From the east, where the sun rises, he'll call on my name. He will treat leaders as if they were mere clay under a potter's foot.

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.

Who has known from the start, so we can understand? Who foresaw it, so we can affirm, He is just? Indeed, no one has shown, no one has proclaimed, no one has heard your words.

The first shall say to Zion, Behold, behold them: and I will give to Jerusalem one that bringeth good tidings.

The first will call out to Zion, "Look, here they are!" And I will send to Jerusalem a messenger of joy.

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.

I looked, but there was no one; among them there was no counselor, no one who could answer a single word when I questioned them.

Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion.

Look, everything they do is pointless; their actions mean nothing. Their crafted idols are as meaningless and confusing as the wind.