Isaiah 45

1Thus said Jehovah, To His anointed, to Cyrus, Whose right hand I have laid hold on, To subdue nations before him, Yea, loins of kings I loose, To open before him two-leaved doors, Yea, gates are not shut:

1The Lord says to the man of his selection, to Cyrus, whom I have taken by the right hand, putting down nations before him, and taking away the arms of kings; making the doors open before him, so that the ways into the towns may not be shut;

2`I go before thee, and crooked places make straight, Two-leaved doors of brass I shiver, And bars of iron I cut asunder,

2I will go before you, and make the rough places level: the doors of brass will be broken, and the iron rods cut in two:

3And have given to thee treasures of darkness, Even treasures of secret places, So that thou knowest that I, Jehovah, Who am calling on thy name--<FI> am<Fi> the God of Israel.

3And I will give you the stores of the dark, and the wealth of secret places, so that you may be certain that I am the Lord, who gave you your name, even the God of Israel.

4For the sake of my servant Jacob, And of Israel My chosen, I call also thee by thy name, I surname thee, And thou hast not known Me.

4Because of Jacob my servant, and Israel whom I have taken for myself, I have sent for you by name, giving you a name of honour, though you had no knowledge of me.

5I <FI>am<Fi> Jehovah, and there is none else, Except Me there is no God, I gird thee, and thou hast not known Me.

5I am the Lord, and there is no other; there is no God but me: I will make you ready for war, though you had no knowledge of me:

6So that they know from the rising of the sun, And from the west, that there is none besides Me, I <FI>am<Fi> Jehovah, and there is none else,

6So that they may see from the east and from the west that there is no God but me: I am the Lord, and there is no other.

7Forming light, and preparing darkness, Making peace, and preparing evil, I <FI>am<Fi> Jehovah, doing all these things.'

7I am the giver of light and the maker of the dark; causing blessing, and sending troubles; I am the Lord, who does all these things.

8Drop, ye heavens, from above, And clouds do cause righteousness to flow, Earth openeth, and they are fruitful, Salvation and righteousness spring up together, I, Jehovah, have prepared it.

8Let righteousness come down, O heavens, from on high, and let the sky send it down like rain: let the earth be open to give the fruit of salvation, causing righteousness to come up with it; I the Lord have made it come about.

9Woe <FI>to<Fi> him who is striving with his Former, (A potsherd with potsherds of the ground!) Doth clay say to its Framer, `What dost thou?' And thy work, `He hath no hands?'

9Cursed is he who has an argument with his Maker, the pot which has an argument with the Potter! Will the wet earth say to him who is working with it, What are you doing, that your work has nothing by which it may be gripped?

10Woe <FI>to<Fi> him who is saying to a father, `What dost thou beget?' Or to a wife, `What dost thou bring forth?

10Cursed is he who says to a father, To what are you giving life? or to a woman, What are you in birth-pains with?

11Thus said Jehovah, The Holy One of Israel, and his Former: Ask Me of the things coming concerning My sons, Yea, concerning the work of My hands, ye command Me.'

11The Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, says, Will you put a question to me about the things which are to come, or will you give me orders about my sons, and the work of my hands?

12I made earth, and man on it prepared, I--My hands stretched out the heavens, And all their host I have commanded.

12I have made the earth, forming man on it: by my hands the heavens have been stretched out, and all the stars put in their ordered places.

13I have stirred him up in righteousness, And all his ways I make straight, He doth build My city, and My captivity doth send out, Not for price, nor for bribe, said Jehovah of Hosts.

13I have sent him out to overcome the nations, and I will make all his ways straight: I will give him the work of building my town, and he will let my prisoners go free, without price or reward, says the Lord of armies.

14Thus said Jehovah, `The labour of Egypt, And the merchandise of Cush, And of the Sebaim--men of measure, Unto thee pass over, and thine they are, After thee they go, in fetters they pass over, And unto thee they bow themselves, Unto thee they pray: Only in thee <FI>is<Fi> God, And there is none else, no <FI>other<Fi> God.

14The Lord says, The workmen of Egypt, and the traders of Ethiopia, and the tall Sabaeans, will come over the sea to you, and they will be yours; they will go after you; in chains they will come over: and they will go down on their faces before you, and will make prayer to you, saying, Truly, God is among you; and there is no other God.

15Surely Thou <FI>art<Fi> a God hiding Thyself, God of Israel--Saviour!

15Truly, you have a secret God, the God of Israel is a Saviour!

16They have been ashamed, And they have even blushed--all of them, Together gone in confusion have those carving images.

16All those who have gone against him will be put to shame; the makers of images will be made low.

17Israel hath been saved in Jehovah, A salvation age-during! Ye are not ashamed nor confounded Unto the ages of eternity!

17But the Lord will make Israel free with an eternal salvation: you will not be put to shame or made low for ever and ever.

18For thus said Jehovah, Creator of heaven, He is God, Former of earth, and its Maker, He established it--not empty He prepared it, For inhabiting He formed it: `I <FI>am<Fi> Jehovah, and there is none else.

18For this is the word of the Lord who made the heavens; he is God; the maker and designer of the earth; who made it not to be a waste, but as a living-place for man: I am the Lord, and there is no other.

19Not in secret have I spoken, in a dark place of the earth, I have not said to the seed of Jacob, In vain seek ye Me, I <FI>am<Fi> Jehovah, speaking righteousness, Declaring uprightness.

19I have not given my word in secret, in a place in the underworld; I did not say to the seed of Jacob, Go into a waste land to make request of me: I the Lord say what is true, my word is righteousness.

20Be gathered, and come in, Come nigh together, ye escaped of the nations, They have not known, Who are lifting up the wood of their graven image, And praying unto a god <FI>that<Fi> saveth not.

20Come together, even come near, you nations who are still living: they have no knowledge who take up their image of wood, and make prayer to a god in whom is no salvation.

21Declare ye, and bring near, Yea, they take counsel together, Who hath proclaimed this from of old? From that time hath declared it? Is it not I--Jehovah? And there is no other god besides Me, A God righteous and saving, there is none save Me.

21Give the word, put forward your cause, let us have a discussion together: who has given news of this in the past? who made it clear in early times? did not I, the Lord? and there is no God but me; a true God and a saviour; there is no other.

22Turn to Me, and be saved, all ends of the earth, For I <FI>am<Fi> God, and there is none else.

22Let your hearts be turned to me, so that you may have salvation, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is no other.

23By Myself I have sworn, Gone out from my mouth in righteousness hath a word, And it turneth not back, That to Me, bow doth every knee, every tongue swear.

23By myself have I taken an oath, a true word has gone from my mouth, and will not be changed, that to me every knee will be bent, and every tongue will give honour.

24Only in Jehovah, said hath one, Have I righteousness and strength, Unto Him he cometh in, And ashamed are all those displeased with Him.

24Only in the Lord will Jacob overcome and be strong: together all those who were angry with him will be put to shame and come to destruction.

25In Jehovah are all the seed of Israel justified, And they boast themselves.'

25In the Lord will all the seed of Israel get their rights, and they will give glory to him.