451 Thus says Yahweh to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held, to subdue nations before him, and strip kings of their armor; to open the doors before him, and the gates shall not be shut: 2 “I will go before you,
and make the rough places smooth.
I will break the doors of brass in pieces,
and cut apart the bars of iron. 3 I will give you the treasures of darkness,
and hidden riches of secret places,
that you may know that it is I, Yahweh, who call you by your name,
even the God of Israel. 4 For Jacob my servant’s sake,
and Israel my chosen,
I have called you by your name.
I have surnamed you,
though you have not known me.
5 I am Yahweh, and there is none else.
Besides me, there is no God.
I will strengthen [1] you,
though you have not known me; 6 that they may know from the rising of the sun,
and from the west,
that there is none besides me.
I am Yahweh, and there is no one else. 7 I form the light,
and create darkness.
I make peace,
and create calamity.
I am Yahweh,
who does all these things.
8 Distil, you heavens, from above,
and let the skies pour down righteousness.
Let the earth open, that it may bring forth salvation,
and let it cause righteousness to spring up with it.
I, Yahweh, have created it. 9 Woe to him who strives with his Maker—
a clay pot among the clay pots of the earth!
Shall the clay ask him who fashions it, ‘What are you making?’
or your work, ‘He has no hands?’ 10 Woe to him who says to a father, ‘What have you become the father of?’
or to a mother, ‘To what have you given birth?’”
11 Thus says Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel,
and his Maker:
“You ask me about the things that are to come, concerning my sons,
and you command me concerning the work of my hands! 12 I have made the earth, and created man on it.
I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens;
and I have commanded all their army. 13 I have raised him up in righteousness,
and I will make straight all his ways.
He shall build my city,
and he shall let my exiles go free,
not for price nor reward,” says Yahweh of Armies. 14 Thus says Yahweh: “The labor of Egypt,
and the merchandise of Ethiopia,
and the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over to you,
and they shall be yours.
They will go after you.
They shall come over in chains;
and they will bow down to you.
They will make supplication to you:
‘Surely God is in you; and there is none else.
There is no other god. 15 Most certainly you are a God who hid yourself,
God of Israel, the Savior.’” 16 They will be disappointed,
yes, confounded, all of them.
Those who are makers of idols will go into confusion together. 17 Israel will be saved by Yahweh with an everlasting salvation.
You will not be disappointed nor confounded to ages everlasting. 18 For thus says Yahweh who created the heavens,
the God who formed the earth and made it,
who established it and didn’t create it a waste,
who formed it to be inhabited:
“I am Yahweh;
and there is no other. 19 I have not spoken in secret,
in a place of the land of darkness.
I didn’t say to the seed of Jacob, ‘Seek me in vain.’
I, Yahweh, speak righteousness.
I declare things that are right.
20 “Assemble yourselves and come.
Draw near together, you who have escaped from the nations.
Those have no knowledge who carry the wood of their engraved image,
and pray to a god that can’t save. 21 Declare and present it.
Yes, let them take counsel together.
Who has shown this from ancient time?
Who has declared it of old?
Haven’t I, Yahweh?
There is no other God besides me, a just God and a Savior;
There is no one besides me. 22 “Look to me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth;
for I am God, and there is no other. 23 By myself have I sworn, the word has gone forth from my mouth in righteousness, and will not return, that to me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. 24 They will say of me, ‘There is righteousness and strength only in Yahweh.’”
Even to him shall men come; and all those who were incensed against him shall be disappointed. 25 In Yahweh shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.
31 For, behold, the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, takes away from Jerusalem and from Judah supply and support,
the whole supply of bread,
and the whole supply of water; 2 the mighty man,
the man of war,
the judge,
the prophet,
the diviner,
the elder, 3 the captain of fifty,
the honorable man,
the counselor,
the skilled craftsman,
and the clever enchanter. 4 I will give boys to be their princes,
and children shall rule over them. 5 The people will be oppressed,
everyone by another,
and everyone by his neighbor.
The child will behave himself proudly against the old man,
and the base against the honorable. 6 Indeed a man shall take hold of his brother in the house of his father, saying,
“You have clothing, you be our ruler,
and let this ruin be under your hand.” 7 In that day he will cry out, saying, I will not be a healer;
for in my house is neither bread nor clothing.
You shall not make me ruler of the people. 8 For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen;
because their tongue and their doings are against Yahweh,
to provoke the eyes of his glory.
9 The look of their faces testify against them.
They parade their sin like Sodom.
They don’t hide it.
Woe to their soul!
For they have brought disaster upon themselves. 10 Tell the righteous “Good!”
For they shall eat the fruit of their deeds. 11 Woe to the wicked!
Disaster is upon them;
for the deeds of his hands will be paid back to him. 12 As for my people, children are their oppressors,
and women rule over them.
My people, those who lead you cause you to err,
and destroy the way of your paths. 13 Yahweh stands up to contend,
and stands to judge the peoples. 14 Yahweh will enter into judgment with the elders of his people,
and their leaders:
“It is you who have eaten up the vineyard.
The spoil of the poor is in your houses. 15 What do you mean that you crush my people,
and grind the face of the poor?” says the Lord, Yahweh of Armies.
16 Moreover Yahweh said, “Because the daughters of Zion are haughty,
and walk with outstretched necks and flirting eyes,
walking to trip as they go,
jingling ornaments on their feet; 17 therefore the Lord brings sores on the crown of the head of the women of Zion,
and Yahweh will make their scalps bald.” 18 In that day the Lord will take away the beauty of their anklets, the headbands, the crescent necklaces, 19 the earrings, the bracelets, the veils, 20 the headdresses, the ankle chains, the sashes, the perfume bottles, the charms, 21 the signet rings, the nose rings, 22 the fine robes, the capes, the cloaks, the purses, 23 the hand mirrors, the fine linen garments, the tiaras, and the shawls. 24 It shall happen that instead of sweet spices, there shall be rottenness;
instead of a belt, a rope;
instead of well set hair, baldness;
instead of a robe, a girding of sackcloth;
and branding instead of beauty. 25 Your men shall fall by the sword,
and your mighty in the war. 26 Her gates shall lament and mourn;
and she shall be desolate and sit on the ground.
