JPS - Isaiah - 44

44:1  Yet now hear, O Jacob My servant, and Israel, whom I have chosen;

44:2  Thus saith HaShem that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, who will help thee: Fear not, O Jacob My servant, and thou, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.

44:3  For I will pour water upon the thirsty land, and streams upon the dry ground; I will pour My spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thine offspring;

44:4  And they shall spring up among the grass, as willows by the watercourses.

44:5  One shall say: 'I am HaShem'S'; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto HaShem, and surname himself by the name of Israel.

44:6  Thus saith HaShem, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer HaShem of hosts: I am the first, and I am the last, and beside Me there is no G-d.

44:7  And who, as I, can proclaim--let him declare it, and set it in order for Me--since I appointed the ancient people? And the things that are coming, and that shall come to pass, let them declare.

44:8  Fear ye not, neither be afraid; have I not announced unto thee of old, and declared it? And ye are My witnesses. Is there a G-d beside Me? Yea, there is no Rock; I know not any.

44:9  They that fashion a graven image are all of them vanity, and their delectable things shall not profit; and their own witnesses see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.

44:10  Who hath fashioned a god, or molten an image that is profitable for nothing?

44:11  Behold, all the fellows thereof shall be ashamed; and the craftsmen skilled above men; let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; they shall fear, they shall be ashamed together.

44:12  The smith maketh an axe, and worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with his strong arm; yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth; he drinketh no water, and is faint.

44:13  The carpenter stretcheth out a line; he marketh it out with a pencil; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compasses, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man, to dwell in the house.

44:14  He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the ilex and the oak, and strengtheneth for himself one among the trees of the forest; he planteth a bay-tree, and the rain doth nourish it.

44:15  Then a man useth it for fuel; and he taketh thereof, and warmeth himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.

44:16  He burneth the half thereof in the fire; with the half thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied; yea, he warmeth himself, and saith: 'Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire';

44:17  And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image; he falleth down unto it and worshippeth, and prayeth unto it, and saith: 'Deliver me, for thou art my god.'

44:18  They know not, neither do they understand; for their eyes are bedaubed, that they cannot see, and their hearts, that they cannot understand.

44:19  And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say: 'I have burned the half of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh and eaten it; and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? Shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?'

44:20  He striveth after ashes, a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say: 'Is there not a lie in my right hand?'

44:21  Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for thou art My servant; I have formed thee, thou art Mine own servant; O Israel, thou shouldest not forget Me.

44:22  I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins; return unto Me, for I have redeemed thee.

44:23  Sing, O ye heavens, for HaShem hath done it; shout, ye lowest parts of the earth; break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein; for HaShem hath redeemed Jacob, and doth glorify Himself in Israel.

44:24  Thus saith HaShem, thy Redeemer, and He that formed thee from the womb: I am HaShem, that maketh all things; that stretched forth the heavens alone; that spread abroad the earth by Myself;

44:25  That frustrateth the tokens of the imposters, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;

44:26  That confirmeth the word of His servant, and performeth the counsel of His messengers; that saith of Jerusalem: 'She shall be inhabited'; and of the cities of Judah: 'They shall be built, and I will raise up the waste places thereof';

44:27  That saith to the deep: 'Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers';

44:28  That saith of Cyrus: 'He is My shepherd, and shall perform all My pleasure'; even saying of Jerusalem: 'She shall be built'; and to the temple: 'My foundation shall be laid.'