“Comfort,נַחֲמוּcomfortנַחֲמוּmy people,”עַמִּיsaysיֹאמַרyour Elohim.אֱלֹהֵיכֶם
“Speakדַּבְּרוּto the heartעַל לֵבof Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַםand call outוְקִרְאוּto herאֵלֶיהָthatכִּיher serviceצְבָאָהּis completed,מָלְאָהthatכִּיher iniquityעֲוֺנָהּis paid off,נִרְצָהthatכִּיshe has receivedלָקְחָהfrom the handמִיַּדof YHWHיְהוָהdoubleכִּפְלַיִםfor allבְּכָלher sins.”חַטֹּאתֶיהָ
A voiceקוֹלcalls out:קוֹרֵא“In the wildernessבַּמִּדְבָּרclearפַּנּוּthe wayדֶּרֶךְof YHWH;יְהוָהmake straightיַשְּׁרוּin the Arabahבָּעֲרָבָהa highwayמְסִלָּהfor our Elohim.לֵאלֹהֵינוּ
Everyכָּלvalleyגֶּיאwill be lifted up,יִנָּשֵׂאand everyוְכָלmountainהַרand hillוְגִבְעָהwill be made low;יִשְׁפָּלוּand the crookedוְ הֶעָקֹבwill becomeהָיָהa plain,לְמִישׁוֹרand the rough placesוְהָרְכָסִיםa broad valley.לְבִקְעָה
And the gloryוְ כְּבוֹדof YHWHיְהוָהwill be revealed,נִגְלָהand allוְ כָלfleshבָּשָׂרwill see itרָאוּtogether,יַחְדָּוforכִּיthe mouthפִּיof YHWHיְהוָהhas spoken.”דִּבֵּר
A voiceקוֹלsays,אֹמֵר“Call out.”קְרָאAnd he said,וְאָמַר“Whatמָהshall I call out?”אֶקְרָא“Allכָּלfleshהַבָּשָׂרis grass,חָצִירand allוְכָלits loyal loveחַסְדּוֹis like the flowerכְּצִיץof the field.הַשָּׂדֶה
The grassחָצִירwithers,יָבֵשׁthe flowerצִיץfades,נָבֵלwhenכִּיthe breathרוּחַof YHWHיְהוָהblowsנָשְׁבָהon it;בּוֹsurelyאָכֵןthe peopleהָעָםis grass.חָצִיר
The grassחָצִירwithers,יָבֵשׁthe flowerצִיץfades,נָבֵלbut the wordוּדְבַרof our Elohimאֱלֹהֵינוּwill standיָקוּםforever.”לְעוֹלָם
Onעַלa highגָּבֹהַmountainהַרgo up,עֲלִי לָךְZion,צִיּוֹןyou who bring good news;מְבַשֶּׂרֶתlift upהָרִימִיwith strengthבַכֹּחַyour voice,קוֹלֵךְJerusalem,יְרוּשָׁלִָםyou who bring good news;מְבַשֶּׂרֶתlift it up,הָרִימִיdo notאַלfear;תִּירָאִיsayאִמְרִיto the citiesלְעָרֵיof Judah,יְהוּדָה“Look,הִנֵּהyour Elohim!”אֱלֹהֵיכֶם
Look,הִנֵּהAdonaiאֲדֹנָיYHWHיְהוִהcomesיָבוֹאwith might,בְּחָזָקand his armוּזְרֹעוֹrulesמֹשְׁלָהfor him;לוֹlook,הִנֵּהhis rewardשְׂכָרוֹis with him,אִתּוֹand his wagesוּפְעֻלָּתוֹbefore him.לְפָנָיו
Like a shepherdכְּרֹעֶהhe will tendיִרְעֶהhis flock;עֶדְרוֹwith his armבִּזְרֹעוֹhe will gatherיְקַבֵּץthe lambs,טְלָאִיםand in his bosomוּבְחֵיקוֹhe will carry them;יִשָּׂאthose that are nursingעָלוֹתhe will lead gently.יְנַהֵל
Whoמִיhas measuredמָדַדin the hollow of his handבְּשָׁעֳלוֹthe waters,מַיִםand the heavensוְשָׁמַיִםwith the spanבַּזֶּרֶתgauged,תִּכֵּןand heldוְכָלin a measureבַּשָּׁלִשׁthe dustעֲפַרof the earth,הָאָרֶץand weighedוְשָׁקַלwith the scaleבַּפֶּלֶסthe mountainsהָרִיםand the hillsוּגְבָעוֹתwith a balance?בְּמֹאזְנָיִם
Whoמִיhas gaugedתִכֵּןthe spiritאֶת רוּחַof YHWH,יְהוָהor as the manוְאִישׁof his counselעֲצָתוֹhas made it known to him?יוֹדִיעֶנּוּ
With whomאֶת מִיdid he take counsel,נוֹעָץthat he might make him understandוַיְבִינֵהוּand teach himוַיְלַמְּדֵהוּin the pathבְּאֹרַחof justice,מִשְׁפָּטand teach himוַיְלַמְּדֵהוּknowledge,דַעַתand make known to himיוֹדִיעֶנּוּthe wayוְדֶרֶךְof understanding?תְּבוּנוֹת
Look,הֵןthe nationsגּוֹיִםare like a dropכְּמַרfrom a bucket,מִדְּלִיand like dustוּכְשַׁחַקon the balanceמֹאזְנַיִםthey are regarded;נֶחְשָׁבוּlook,הֵןthe coastlandsאִיִּיםhe lifts upיִטּוֹלlike fine powder.כַּדַּק
And Lebanonוּלְבָנוֹןis notאֵיןenoughדֵּיto burn,בָּעֵרand its animalsוְחַיָּתוֹare notאֵיןenoughדֵּיfor a burnt offering.עוֹלָה
Allכָּלthe nationsהַגּוֹיִםare as nothingכְּאַיִןbefore him;נֶגְדּוֹas less than nothingמֵאֶפֶסand emptinessוָתֹהוּthey are regardedנֶחְשְׁבוּby him.לוֹ
And to whomוְאֶל מִיwill you likenתְּדַמְּיוּןEl,אֵלand whatוּמַהlikenessדְּמוּתwill you setתַּעַרְכוּbeside him?לוֹ
The carved image?הַפֶּסֶלA craftsmanחָרָשׁcasts it,נָסַךְand a goldsmithוְצֹרֵףoverlays itיְרַקְּעֶנּוּwith gold,בַּזָּהָבand chainsוּרְתֻקוֹתof silverכֶּסֶףthe goldsmith casts.צוֹרֵף
The one too poorהַמְסֻכָּןfor a contributionתְּרוּמָהchoosesיִבְחָרwoodעֵץthat will notלֹאrot;יִרְקַבhe seeksיְבַקֶּשׁfor himselfלוֹa skilledחָכָםcraftsmanחָרָשׁto make firmלְהָכִיןa carved imageפֶּסֶלthat will notלֹאtotter.יִמּוֹט
Do you notהֲלוֹאknow?תֵדְעוּDo you notהֲלוֹאhear?תִשְׁמָעוּHas it notהֲלוֹאbeen declaredהֻגַּדto youלָכֶםfrom the beginning?מֵרֹאשׁHave you notהֲלוֹאunderstoodהֲבִינֹתֶםfrom the foundationsמוֹסְדוֹתof the earth?הָאָרֶץ
It is he who sitsהַיֹּשֵׁבaboveעַלthe circleחוּגof the earth,הָאָרֶץand its inhabitantsוְיֹשְׁבֶיהָare like grasshoppers;כַּחֲגָבִיםwho stretches outהַנּוֹטֶהlike a thin veilכַדֹּקthe heavens,שָׁמַיִםand spreads them outוַיִּמְתָּחֵםlike a tentכָּאֹהֶלto dwell in;לָשָׁבֶת
who bringsהַנּוֹתֵןrulersרוֹזְנִיםto nothing;לְאָיִןthe judgesשֹׁפְטֵיof the earthאֶרֶץhe makesעָשָׂהlike emptiness.כַּתֹּהוּ
Scarcelyאַף בַּלare they planted,נִטָּעוּscarcelyאַף בַּלare they sown,זֹרָעוּscarcelyאַף בַּלhas their trunkגִּזְעָםtaken rootשֹׁרֵשׁin the earth,בָּאָרֶץwhen he also blowsוְגַם נָשַׁףon them,בָּהֶםand they wither,וַיִּבָשׁוּand the stormוּסְעָרָהlike stubbleכַּקַּשׁcarries them off.תִּשָּׂאֵם
“And to whomוְאֶל מִיwill you liken me,תְדַמְּיוּנִיthat I should be equal to him?”וְאֶשְׁוֶהsaysיֹאמַרthe Holy One.קָדוֹשׁ
Lift upשְׂאוּon highמָרוֹםyour eyesעֵינֵיכֶםand see:וּרְאוּwhoמִיcreatedבָרָאthese?אֵלֶּהHe who brings outהַמּוֹצִיאby numberבְמִסְפָּרtheir army,צְבָאָםcallsיִקְרָאthem allלְכֻלָּםby name;בְּשֵׁםby the greatnessמֵרֹבof his vigor,אוֹנִיםand being mightyוְאַמִּיץin strength,כֹּחַnot oneאִישׁ לֹאis missing.נֶעְדָּר
Whyלָמָּהdo you say,תֹאמַרJacob,יַעֲקֹבand speak,וּתְדַבֵּרIsrael,יִשְׂרָאֵל“My wayדַרְכִּיis hiddenנִסְתְּרָהfrom YHWH,מֵיְהוָהand from my Elohimוּמֵאֱלֹהַיmy rightמִשְׁפָּטִיpasses away”?יַעֲבוֹר
Do you notהֲלוֹאknow,יָדַעְתָּorאִםhave you notלֹאheard?שָׁמַעְתָּThe eternalעוֹלָםElohimאֱלֹהֵיis YHWH,יְהוָהCreatorבּוֹרֵאof the endsקְצוֹתof the earth;הָאָרֶץhe does notלֹאgrow tiredיִיעַףnorוְלֹאweary;יִיגָעthere is noאֵיןsearchingחֵקֶרof his understanding.לִתְבוּנָתוֹ
He givesנֹתֵןstrengthכֹּחַto the tired,לַיָּעֵףand to him who has noוּלְאֵיןvigorאוֹנִיםhe increasesיַרְבֶּהpower.עָצְמָה
Youthsנְעָרִיםwill grow tiredוְיִעֲפוּand grow weary,וְיִגָעוּand young menוּבַחוּרִיםstumbling,כָּשׁוֹלwill stumble;יִכָּשֵׁלוּ
but those who wait forוְקוֹיֵYHWHיְהוָהwill renewיַחֲלִיפוּtheir strength;כֹחַthey will go upיַעֲלוּwith plumageאֵבֶרlike eagles;כַּנְּשָׁרִיםthey will runיָרוּצוּand notוְלֹאgrow weary;יִיגָעוּthey will walkיֵלְכוּand notוְלֹאgrow tired.יִיעָפוּ