Noyes - Isaiah - 44

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

44:2  Thus saith Jehovah, thy Creator, He that formed thee, and hath helped thee from thy birth, Fear not, O Jacob, my servant, O 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 out my spirit on thy children, And my blessing on thine offspring;

44:4  And they shall grow up, as among grass; As willows by the water-brooks.

44:5  One shall say, "I belong to Jehovah"; Another shall call upon the name of Jacob; Another shall write upon his hand, Jehovah’s! And praise the name of Israel.

44:6  Thus saith Jehovah, the King of Israel, His redeemer, Jehovah of hosts: I am the first, and I the last, And besides me there is no God.

44:7  Who like me hath proclaimed the future,—Let him declare it, and set it in order before me!— Since I established the people of old? Let them make known the future, even that which is to come!

44:8  Fear ye not, neither be ye afraid! Have I not declared and made it known to you of old? Ye are my witnesses; Is there a God beside me? Yea, there is no other rock; I know not any.

44:9  They that make a graven image are all of them vanity, And their valued works are profitable for nothing; They are their own witnesses; They neither see nor understand, So that they may be ashamed.

44:10  Who hath formed a god, And cast a graven image, that is profitable for nothing?

44:11  Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed; The workmen are themselves mortal men; They shall all be assembled; they shall stand up; They shall tremble, and be put to shame together!

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

44:13  The carpenter stretcheth out the line; He marketh out the form of it with the sharp tool; He formeth it with planes; He marketh it with the compass; He maketh it in the figure of a man, With the beauty of a man, To dwell in a house.

44:14  He heweth him down cedars; He taketh the ilex and the oak; He chooseth for himself among the trees of the forest; He planteth the ash, and the rain matureth it;

44:15  These are fuel for man; He taketh thereof and warmeth himself; He kindleth with it, and baketh bread; A god also he formeth of it, and worshippeth it; A graven image, and falleth down before it.

44:16  Half of it he burneth with fire; With half of it he eateth flesh; He roasteth meat, and satisfieth himself; He also warmeth himself, and saith, Aha! I am warm; I feel the fire.

44:17  Of the residue he maketh a god, even his graven image; He falleth down before it and worshippeth it, And prayeth to it, and saith, "Deliver me, for thou art my God!"

44:18  They know not, neither understand; For their eyes are closed up, that they cannot see, And their hearts, that they cannot understand.

44:19  None considereth in his mind, Or hath knowledge and understanding to say: "Half of it I have burned with fire; I have also baked bread on the coals of it; I have roasted flesh and have eaten; And shall I make the remnant an abomination? Shall I fall down before the stock of a tree?"

44:20  He toileth for ashes; A deluded heart turneth him aside, So that he cannot deliver himself, and say "Is there not a lie in my right hand?"

44:21  Remember these things, O Jacob, O Israel, for thou art my servant! I formed thee; thou art my servant; O Israel, I will not forget thee.

44:22  I have caused thy transgressions to vanish like a cloud, And thy sins like a mist; Return to me, for I have redeemed thee!

44:23  Sing, O ye heavens, for Jehovah hath done it; Shout, O ye depths of the earth! Break forth into song, ye mountains! Thou forest, and every tree therein! For Jehovah hath redeemed Jacob, And glorified himself in Israel.

44:24  Thus saith Jehovah, thy Redeemer, Even he that formed thee from the womb; I am Jehovah, who made all things; Who stretched out the heavens alone; Who spread out the earth by myself;

44:25  Who frustrateth the signs of deceivers, And maketh the diviners mad; Who putteth the wise men to shame, And maketh their knowledge folly;

44:26  Who establisheth the word of his servant, And performeth the purpose of his messengers; Who saith of Jerusalem, "She shall be inhabited," And of the cities of Judah, "They shall be built," And, "Her desolated places I will restore."

44:27  Who saith to the deep, "Be dry! I will dry up thy streams!"

44:28  Who saith of Cyrus, "He is my shepherd; He shall perform all my pleasure"; Who saith of Jerusalem, "She shall be built," And of the temple, "Her foundation shall be laid."