Isaiah 44

1Yet listen now, Jacob my servant, and Israel, whom I have chosen. 2and formed you from the womb, who will help you says: and you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen. This is what Yahweh who made you, “Don’t be afraid, Jacob my servant; 3and streams on the dry ground. and my blessing on your offspring: For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, * 4as willows by the watercourses. and they will spring up among the grass, 5and another will be called by the name of Jacob; and another will write with his hand ‘to Yahweh,’ and honor the name of Israel.” One will say, ‘I am Yahweh’s;’ 6and his Redeemer, Yahweh of Armies, says: and besides me there is no God. This is what Yahweh, the King of Israel, “I am the first, and I am the last; 7Who will call, and will declare it, and set it in order for me, since I established the ancient people? and that will happen. Who is like me? Let them declare the things that are coming, 8neither be afraid. and shown it? Is there a God besides me? I don’t know any other Rock.” Don’t fear, Haven’t I declared it to you long ago, You are my witnesses. Indeed, there is not. 9The things that they delight in will not profit. Their own witnesses don’t see, nor know, that they may be disappointed. Everyone who makes an engraved image is vain. 10or molds an image that is profitable for nothing? Who has fashioned a god, 11and the workmen are mere men. Let them stand up. They will fear. They will be put to shame together. Behold, all his fellows will be disappointed; Let them all be gathered together. 12works in the coals, fashions it with hammers, and works it with his strong arm. and his strength fails; and is faint. The blacksmith takes an ax, He is hungry, he drinks no water, 13He marks it out with a pencil. He shapes it with planes. He marks it out with compasses, and shapes it like the figure of a man, with the beauty of a man, to reside in a house. The carpenter stretches out a line. 14and takes the cypress and the oak, and strengthens for himself one among the trees of the forest. and the rain nourishes it. He cuts down cedars for himself, He plants a cypress tree, 15and he takes some of it, and warms himself. Yes, he burns it, and bakes bread. he makes it an engraved image, and falls down to it. Then it will be for a man to burn; Yes, he makes a god, and worships it; 16With part of it, he eats meat. He roasts a roast, and is satisfied. and says, “Aha! I am warm. I have seen the fire.” He burns part of it in the fire. Yes, he warms himself, 17even his engraved image. and prays to it, and says, “Deliver me; for you are my god!” The rest of it he makes into a god, He bows down to it and worships, 18for he has shut their eyes, that they can’t see; and their hearts, that they can’t understand. They don’t know, neither do they consider: 19neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, “I have burned part of it in the fire. Yes, I have also baked bread on its coals. I have roasted meat and eaten it. Shall I make the rest of it into an abomination? Shall I bow down to a tree trunk?” No one thinks, 20A deceived heart has turned him aside; and he can’t deliver his soul, nor say, “Isn’t there a lie in my right hand?” He feeds on ashes. 21for you are my servant. I have formed you. You are my servant. Israel, you will not be forgotten by me. Remember these things, Jacob and Israel; 22and, as a cloud, your sins. Return to me, for I have redeemed you. I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, your transgressions, 23Shout, you lower parts of the earth! Break out into singing, you mountains, O forest, all of your trees, for Yahweh has redeemed Jacob, and will glorify himself in Israel. Sing, you heavens, for Yahweh has done it! 24and he who formed you from the womb says: who alone stretches out the heavens; who spreads out the earth by myself; Yahweh, your Redeemer, “I am Yahweh, who makes all things; 25and makes diviners mad; and makes their knowledge foolish; who frustrates the signs of the liars, who turns wise men backward, 26and performs the counsel of his messengers; and of the cities of Judah, ‘They will be built,’ and ‘I will raise up its waste places;’ who confirms the word of his servant, who says of Jerusalem, ‘She will be inhabited;’ 27and ‘I will dry up your rivers;’ who says to the deep, ‘Be dry,’ 28even saying of Jerusalem, ‘She will be built;’ and of the temple, ‘Your foundation will be laid.’” Who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure,’