Zion Will Be Glorious
1“People of Jerusalem, get up.
Shine, because your light has come.
The glory of the Lord will shine on you.
2Darkness covers the earth.
Thick darkness spreads over the nations.
But I will rise and shine on you.
My glory will appear over you.
3Nations will come to your light.
Kings will come to the brightness of your new day.
4“Look up. Look all around you.
All your people are getting together to come back to you.
Your sons will come from far away.
Your daughters will be carried on the hip like little children.
5Then your face will glow with joy.
Your heart will beat fast because you are so happy.
Wealth from across the ocean will be brought to you.
The riches of the nations will come to you.
6Herds of young camels will cover your land.
They will come from Midian and Ephah.
They will also come from Sheba.
They’ll carry gold and incense.
And people will shout praises to me.
7All of Kedar’s flocks will be gathered to you.
The rams of Nebaioth will serve as your sacrifices.
I will accept them as offerings on my altar.
That is how I will bring honor to my glorious temple.
8“Whose ships are these that sail along like clouds?
They fly like doves to their nests.
9People from the islands are coming to me.
The ships of Tarshish are out in front.
They are bringing your children back from far away.
Your children are bringing their silver and gold with them.
They are coming to honor me.
I am the Lord your God.
I am the Holy One of Israel.
I have honored you.
10“People from other lands will rebuild your walls.
Their kings will serve you.
When I was angry with you, I struck you.
But now I will show you my tender love.
11Your gates will always stand open.
They will never be shut, day or night.
Then people can bring you the wealth of the nations.
Their kings will come along with them.
12The nation or kingdom that will not serve you will be destroyed.
It will be completely wiped out.
13“Lebanon’s glorious trees will be brought to you.
Its junipers, firs and cypress trees will be brought.
They will be used to make my temple beautiful.
And I will bring glory to the place where my throne is.
14The children of those who crush you will come and bow down to you.
All those who hate you will kneel down at your feet.
Jerusalem, they will call you the City of the Lord.
They will name you Zion, the City of the Holy One of Israel.
15“You have been deserted and hated.
No one even travels through you.
But I will make you into something to be proud of forever.
You will be a place of joy for all time to come.
16You will get everything you need from kings and nations.
You will be like children who are nursing
at their mother’s breasts.
Then you will know that I am the one who saves you.
I am the Lord. I set you free.
I am the Mighty One of Jacob.
17Instead of bronze I will bring you gold.
In place of iron I will give you silver.
Instead of wood I will bring you bronze.
In place of stones I will give you iron.
I will make peace govern you.
I will make godliness rule over you.
18People will no longer harm one another in your land.
They will not wipe out or destroy anything inside your borders.
You will call your walls Salvation.
And you will name your gates Praise.
19You will not need the light of the sun by day anymore.
The bright light of the moon will no longer have to shine on you.
I will be your light forever.
My glory will shine on you.
I am the Lord your God.
20Your sun will never set again.
Your moon will never lose its light.
I will be your light forever.
Your days of sorrow will come to an end.
21Then all your people will do what is right.
The land will belong to them forever.
They will be like a young tree I have planted.
My hands have created them.
They will show how glorious I am.
22The smallest family among you will become a tribe.
The smallest tribe will become a mighty nation.
I am the Lord.
When it is the right time, I will act quickly.”
Guds lys over Jerusalem og frelse for hans folk
1Herren siger: „Jerusalem, nu kan du snart stråle af lys igen, for der er nyt lys på vej til dig. Min herlighed vil igen skinne på dig. 2Hele jorden er dækket af mørke, og folkeslagene går rundt i blinde. Men du skal få min herlighed at se. Jeg vil lade mit lys skinne på dig. 3Folkeslag og konger vil søge hen imod det lys, der udstråler fra dig.
4Løft dit blik og se dig omkring. Alle dine sønner og døtre vender hjem til dig fra fjerne lande. 5Da stråler dine øjne af lykke, dit hjerte jubler af spænding og glæde. Man kommer sejlende til dig med kostbarheder fra hele verden. 6Lange karavaner af kameler og dromedarer fra Midjan, Efa og Saba styrer imod dig læsset med røgelse og guld, og de lovpriser min storhed. 7Kedars fåreflokke bringes til dig som gave, Nebajots væddere føres til mit alter og anerkendes som offerdyr. Mit herlige tempel udsmykkes med folkenes gaver.
8Hvad er det, der kommer flyvende som skyer, som duer, der vender hjem til dueslaget? 9Det er store skibe, der bringer dine sønner og døtre hjem fra fjerne lande. De er lastet med kostbarheder, medbringer sølv og guld for at ære Herrens navn, Israels hellige Gud, hvis herlighed stråler over dig.
10Fremmede folk skal genopbygge dine byer, og fjerne konger give tilsagn om hjælp. Skønt jeg knuste dig i min vrede, viser jeg dig nu barmhjertighed og nåde. 11Dine porte står åbne døgnet rundt, så konger kan bringe dig gaver fra deres folk. 12De nationer, som nægter at hjælpe dig, går til grunde, og deres indbyggere bliver udslettet. 13Libanons vældige træer bliver bragt til dig, cypresser, enebær- og fyrretræer, til udsmykning af mit hellige tempel, som er min fodskammel.
14De, der før undertrykte dig, kommer nu og bøjer sig ærbødigt for dig. De, som forfulgte dig, kysser dine fødder og kalder Jerusalem for ‚Herrens by’ og Zion for ‚Israels Guds bjerg’.
15Engang var du foragtet og hadet og svigtet af alle, men i fremtiden skal du blive æret og ophøjet og opleve glæde slægt efter slægt. 16Mægtige konger og nationer skal forsyne dig med det bedste, de har, og sørge for alle dine behov. Da vil du endelig for alvor forstå, at jeg, Herren, er din Frelser og Befrier, Israels mægtige Gud. 17Jeg udskifter dit kobber med guld, dit jern med sølv, dit træ med bronze og dine sten med jern. Jeg lader fred og retfærdighed omslutte dig. 18Man skal ikke mere høre om vold og ødelæggelse i landet. Bag dine mure er der tryghed, og på torvene er der lovsang.
19Da har du ikke længere brug for lyset fra solen om dagen og månen om natten, for jeg, Herren, din Gud, skal være dit evighedslys og din herlighed. 20Din nye sol går aldrig ned, og din nye måne aftager ikke, for jeg vil for altid være dit lys. Din sørgetid er til ende. 21Hele dit folk bliver et retskaffent folk, og de skal bo i landet for evigt som en plante, jeg selv har plantet. Det er mit værk, og det bringer mig ære. 22Den mindste familie bliver til en mægtig slægt, den ubetydeligste til et stort folk. Det vil jeg gøre, siger Herren. Når tiden er inde, vil jeg lade det ske i hast.”
