The Lord’s Saving Power for Zion Lasts Forever
1The Lord says, “Listen to me, you who want to do what is right.
Pay attention, you who look to me.
Consider the rock you were cut out of.
Think about the rock pit you were dug from.
2Consider Abraham. He is the father of your people.
Think about Sarah. She is your mother.
When I chose Abraham, he did not have any children.
But I blessed him and gave him many of them.
3You can be sure that I will comfort Zion’s people.
I will look with loving concern on all their destroyed buildings.
I will make their deserts like Eden.
I will make their dry and empty land like the garden of the Lord.
Joy and gladness will be there.
People will sing and give thanks to me.
4“Listen to me, my people.
Pay attention, my nation.
My instruction will go out to the nations.
I make everything right.
That will be a guiding light for them.
5The time for me to set you free is near.
I will soon save you.
My powerful arm will make everything right among the nations.
The islands will put their hope in me.
They will wait for my powerful arm to act.
6Look up toward the heavens.
Then look at the earth.
The heavens will vanish like smoke.
The earth will wear out like clothes.
Those who live there will die like flies.
But I will save you forever.
My saving power will never end.
7“Listen to me, you who know what is right.
Pay attention, you who have taken my instruction to heart.
Do not be afraid when mere human beings make fun of you.
Do not be terrified when they laugh at you.
8They will be like clothes that moths have eaten up.
They will be like wool that worms have chewed up.
But my saving power will last forever.
I will save you for all time to come.”
9Wake up, arm of the Lord! Wake up!
Dress yourself with strength as if it were your clothes!
Wake up, just as you did in the past.
Wake up, as you did long ago.
Didn’t you cut Rahab to pieces?
Didn’t you stab that sea monster to death?
10Didn’t you dry up the Red Sea?
Didn’t you dry up those deep waters?
You made a road on the bottom of that sea.
Then those who were set free went across.
11Those the Lord has saved will return to their land.
They will sing as they enter the city of Zion.
Joy that lasts forever will be like beautiful crowns on their heads.
They will be filled with gladness and joy.
Sorrow and sighing will be gone.
12The Lord says to his people,
“I comfort you because of who I am.
Why are you afraid of mere human beings?
They are like grass that dries up.
13How can you forget me? I made you.
I stretch out the heavens.
I lay the foundations of the earth.
Why are you terrified every day?
Is it because those who are angry with you are crushing you?
Is it because they are trying to destroy you?
Their anger can’t harm you anymore.
14You prisoners who are so afraid will soon be set free.
You will not die in your prison cells.
You will not go without food.
15I am the Lord your God.
I stir up the ocean. I make its waves roar.
My name is the Lord Who Rules Over All.
16I have put my words in your mouth.
I have kept you safe in the palm of my hand.
I set the heavens in place.
I laid the foundations of the earth.
I say to Zion, ‘You are my people.’ ”
The Cup of the Lord’s Great Anger
17Wake up, Jerusalem!
Wake up! Get up!
The Lord has handed you the cup of his great anger.
And you have drunk from it.
That cup makes people unsteady on their feet.
And you have drunk from it to the very last drop.
18Among all the children who were born to you
there was none to guide you.
Among all the children you brought up
there was none to lead you by the hand.
19Nothing but trouble has come to you.
You have been wiped out and destroyed.
And you have suffered hunger and war.
No one feels sorry for you.
No one can comfort you.
20Your children have fainted.
They lie helpless at every street corner.
They are like antelope that have been caught in a net.
They have felt the full force of the Lord’s great anger.
Jerusalem, your God had to warn them strongly.
21So listen to me, you suffering people of Jerusalem.
You have been made drunk, but not by drinking wine.
22Your Lord and King speaks.
He is your God.
He stands up for his people. He says,
“I have taken from you the cup of my great anger.
It made you unsteady on your feet.
But you will never drink
from that cup again.
23Instead, I will give it to those who made you suffer.
They said to you,
‘Fall down flat on the ground.
Then we can walk all over you.’
And that is exactly what you did.
You made your back like a street to be walked on.”
主對錫安的安慰
1耶和華說：「追求公義、
尋求我的人啊，聽我說。
你們要追想那磐石，
你們是從那裡被鑿出來的；
你們要追想那岩穴，
你們是從那裡被挖出來的。
2你們要追想你們的祖先亞伯拉罕和生你們的撒拉。
我呼召亞伯拉罕的時候，
他是孤身一人，
但我賜福給他，
使他子孫眾多。
3我必安慰錫安和錫安所有的荒場，
使曠野像伊甸園，
使沙漠變成我的園囿，
裡面有歡喜、快樂、感謝和歌頌的聲音。
4「我的子民啊，要留心聽我的話；
我的國民啊，要側耳聽我說。
因為我必賜下訓誨，
我的公正必成為萬民的光。
5我的公義臨近，
我的拯救已經開始，
我的臂膀要審判萬民。
眾海島都在等候我，
仰賴我的臂膀。
6你們舉目仰望穹蒼，
俯首觀看大地吧。
穹蒼必像煙雲消散，
大地必像衣服一樣漸漸破舊，
地上的居民必像蚊蠅一樣死亡。
但我的救恩永遠長存，
我的公義永不廢除。
7認識公義、銘記我訓誨的人啊，
聽我說。
你們不要害怕人的辱罵，
也不要畏懼他們的譭謗。
8因為蛀蟲必吃掉他們，
像吃衣服；
蟲子必蠶食他們，如食羊毛。
但我的公義永遠長存，
我的救恩延及萬代。」
9耶和華啊，伸出臂膀，
施展能力吧，
像在從前的世代一樣施展你的能力吧！
難道不是你砍碎了拉哈伯，
刺死了海怪嗎？
10難道不是你使海洋和深淵乾涸，
在海中開出道路讓蒙救贖的人穿過的嗎？
11耶和華所救贖的人必回來，
必歡唱著回到錫安，
得到永遠的福樂。
他們將歡喜快樂，
再沒有憂愁和歎息。
12耶和華說：「安慰你們的是我，是我。
你為什麼要害怕難逃一死、
生命如草芥的世人呢？
13難道你忘記了創造你、
鋪展穹蒼、
奠立大地根基的耶和華嗎？
難道因為試圖毀滅你的欺壓者大發怒氣，
你就整天驚恐不安嗎？
他們的怒氣如今在哪裡呢？
14被囚的人快得釋放了，
他們不會死在牢中，
也不會缺乏食物。
15我是你的上帝耶和華，
我翻動大海、捲起波濤，
萬軍之耶和華是我的名。
16我把我的話傳給你，
用我的手庇護你。
我鋪展穹蒼，奠立大地的根基，
對錫安說，『你是我的子民。』」
17耶路撒冷啊，醒來，醒來，站起來吧！你從耶和華手中的杯裡喝了祂的憤怒，喝乾了那杯使人東倒西歪的酒。
18你生育的兒子沒有一個來引導你，
你撫養成人的眾子沒有一個來攙扶你。
19荒涼、毀滅、饑荒、
戰禍已臨到你身上，
誰會為你哀哭呢？
誰能安慰你呢51·19 「誰能安慰你呢」有古卷作「我該怎樣安慰你呢」。？
20你的兒子們昏倒在街頭，
好像羚羊掉進網羅，
你的上帝耶和華把祂的憤怒和責備重重地降在他們身上。
21你這身受痛苦、並非因酒而醉的人啊，
要聽我的話。
22你的主耶和華是為祂子民申辯的上帝，祂說：
「看啊，我已從你手中拿走那使人東倒西歪的杯和盛滿我憤怒的碗，
你必不再喝。
23我必把這杯給苦待你的人，
他們曾對你說，『趴下，
我們好從你身上走過。』
你曾把你的背當作地面，
當作街道任人踐踏。」
