² The people walking in darkness^(C)
    have seen a great light;^(D)
on those living in the land of deep darkness^(E)
    a light has dawned.^(F)
3 You have enlarged the nation^(G)
    and increased their joy;^(H)
they rejoice before you
    as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
    when dividing the plunder.^(I)
4 For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,^(J)
    you have shattered^(K)
the yoke^(L) that burdens them,
    the bar across their shoulders,^(M)
    the rod of their oppressor.^(N)
5 Every warrior’s boot used in battle
    and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,^(O)
    will be fuel for the fire.
⁶ For to us a child is born,^(P)
    to us a son is given,^(Q)
    and the government^(R) will be on his shoulders.^(S)
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor,^(T) Mighty God,^(U)
    Everlasting^(V) Father,^(W) Prince of Peace.^(X)
7 Of the greatness of his government^(Y) and peace^(Z)
    there will be no end.^(AA)
He will reign^(AB) on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice^(AC) and righteousness^(AD)
    from that time on and forever.^(AE)
The zeal^(AF) of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.

Yet for all this, his anger^(AR) is not turned away,
    his hand is still upraised.^(AS)

¹³ But the people have not returned^(AT) to him who struck^(AU) them,
    nor have they sought^(AV) the Lord Almighty.
¹⁴ So the Lord will cut off from Israel both head and tail,
    both palm branch and reed^(AW) in a single day;^(AX)
15 the elders^(AY) and dignitaries^(AZ) are the head,
    the prophets^(BA) who teach lies^(BB) are the tail.
¹⁶ Those who guide^(BC) this people mislead them,
    and those who are guided are led astray.^(BD)
17 Therefore the Lord will take no pleasure in the young men,^(BE)
    nor will he pity^(BF) the fatherless and widows,
for everyone is ungodly^(BG) and wicked,^(BH)
    every mouth speaks folly.^(BI)

Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
    his hand is still upraised.^(BJ)

¹⁸ Surely wickedness burns like a fire;^(BK)
    it consumes briers and thorns,^(BL)
it sets the forest thickets ablaze,^(BM)
    so that it rolls upward in a column of smoke.
¹⁹ By the wrath^(BN) of the Lord Almighty
    the land will be scorched^(BO)
and the people will be fuel for the fire;^(BP)
    they will not spare one another.^(BQ)
20 On the right they will devour,
    but still be hungry;^(BR)
on the left they will eat,^(BS)
    but not be satisfied.
Each will feed on the flesh of their own offspring^[b]:
²¹     Manasseh will feed on Ephraim, and Ephraim on Manasseh;^(BT)
    together they will turn against Judah.^(BU)

Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
    his hand is still upraised.^(BV)

He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes,^(J)
    or decide by what he hears with his ears;^(K)
4 but with righteousness^(L) he will judge the needy,^(M)
    with justice^(N) he will give decisions for the poor^(O) of the earth.
He will strike^(P) the earth with the rod of his mouth;^(Q)
    with the breath^(R) of his lips he will slay the wicked.^(S)
5 Righteousness will be his belt^(T)
    and faithfulness^(U) the sash around his waist.^(V)

⁶ The wolf will live with the lamb,^(W)
    the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling^[a] together;
    and a little child will lead them.
⁷ The cow will feed with the bear,
    their young will lie down together,
    and the lion will eat straw like the ox.^(X)
8 The infant^(Y) will play near the cobra’s den,
    and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s^(Z) nest.
⁹ They will neither harm nor destroy^(AA)
    on all my holy mountain,^(AB)
for the earth^(AC) will be filled with the knowledge^(AD) of the Lord
    as the waters cover the sea.

¹² He will raise a banner^(AU) for the nations
    and gather^(AV) the exiles of Israel;^(AW)
he will assemble the scattered people^(AX) of Judah
    from the four quarters of the earth.^(AY)
13 Ephraim’s jealousy will vanish,
    and Judah’s enemies^[d] will be destroyed;
Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah,
    nor Judah hostile toward Ephraim.^(AZ)
14 They will swoop down on the slopes of Philistia^(BA) to the west;
    together they will plunder the people to the east.^(BB)
They will subdue Edom^(BC) and Moab,^(BD)
    and the Ammonites^(BE) will be subject to them.^(BF)
15 The Lord will dry up^(BG)
    the gulf of the Egyptian sea;
with a scorching wind^(BH) he will sweep his hand^(BI)
    over the Euphrates River.^(BJ)
He will break it up into seven streams
    so that anyone can cross over in sandals.^(BK)
16 There will be a highway^(BL) for the remnant^(BM) of his people
    that is left from Assyria,^(BN)
as there was for Israel
    when they came up from Egypt.^(BO)

⁴ They will rebuild the ancient ruins^(S)
    and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
    that have been devastated for generations.
⁵ Strangers^(T) will shepherd your flocks;
    foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.
⁶ And you will be called priests^(U) of the Lord,
    you will be named ministers of our God.
You will feed on the wealth^(V) of nations,
    and in their riches you will boast.

⁷ Instead of your shame^(W)
    you will receive a double^(X) portion,
and instead of disgrace
    you will rejoice in your inheritance.
And so you will inherit^(Y) a double portion in your land,
    and everlasting joy^(Z) will be yours.

⁸ “For I, the Lord, love justice;^(AA)
    I hate robbery and wrongdoing.
In my faithfulness I will reward my people
    and make an everlasting covenant^(AB) with them.
⁹ Their descendants^(AC) will be known among the nations
    and their offspring among the peoples.
All who see them will acknowledge
    that they are a people the Lord has blessed.”^(AD)

¹⁰ I delight greatly in the Lord;
    my soul rejoices^(AE) in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
    and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,^(AF)
as a bridegroom adorns his head^(AG) like a priest,
    and as a bride^(AH) adorns herself with her jewels.
¹¹ For as the soil makes the sprout come up
    and a garden^(AI) causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness^(AJ)
    and praise spring up before all nations.

³ Strengthen the feeble hands,
    steady the knees^(J) that give way;
⁴ say^(K) to those with fearful hearts,^(L)
    “Be strong, do not fear;^(M)
your God will come,^(N)
    he will come with vengeance;^(O)
with divine retribution
    he will come to save^(P) you.”

⁵ Then will the eyes of the blind be opened^(Q)
    and the ears of the deaf^(R) unstopped.
⁶ Then will the lame^(S) leap like a deer,^(T)
    and the mute tongue^(U) shout for joy.^(V)
Water will gush forth in the wilderness
    and streams^(W) in the desert.
⁷ The burning sand will become a pool,
    the thirsty ground^(X) bubbling springs.^(Y)
In the haunts where jackals^(Z) once lay,
    grass and reeds^(AA) and papyrus will grow.

⁸ And a highway^(AB) will be there;
    it will be called the Way of Holiness;^(AC)
    it will be for those who walk on that Way.
The unclean^(AD) will not journey on it;
    wicked fools will not go about on it.
⁹ No lion^(AE) will be there,
    nor any ravenous beast;^(AF)
    they will not be found there.
But only the redeemed^(AG) will walk there,
¹⁰     and those the Lord has rescued^(AH) will return.
They will enter Zion with singing;^(AI)
    everlasting joy^(AJ) will crown their heads.
Gladness^(AK) and joy will overtake them,
    and sorrow and sighing will flee away.^(AL)

“Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce^(A)
    with which I sent her away?
Or to which of my creditors
    did I sell^(B) you?
Because of your sins^(C) you were sold;^(D)
    because of your transgressions your mother was sent away.
² When I came, why was there no one?
    When I called, why was there no one to answer?^(E)
Was my arm too short^(F) to deliver you?
    Do I lack the strength^(G) to rescue you?
By a mere rebuke^(H) I dry up the sea,^(I)
    I turn rivers into a desert;^(J)
their fish rot for lack of water
    and die of thirst.
³ I clothe the heavens with darkness^(K)
    and make sackcloth^(L) its covering.”

⁴ The Sovereign Lord^(M) has given me a well-instructed tongue,^(N)
    to know the word that sustains the weary.^(O)
He wakens me morning by morning,^(P)
    wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.^(Q)
5 The Sovereign Lord^(R) has opened my ears;^(S)
    I have not been rebellious,^(T)
    I have not turned away.
⁶ I offered my back to those who beat^(U) me,
    my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard;^(V)
I did not hide my face
    from mocking and spitting.^(W)
7 Because the Sovereign Lord^(X) helps^(Y) me,
    I will not be disgraced.
Therefore have I set my face like flint,^(Z)
    and I know I will not be put to shame.^(AA)
8 He who vindicates^(AB) me is near.^(AC)
    Who then will bring charges against me?^(AD)
    Let us face each other!^(AE)
Who is my accuser?
    Let him confront me!
⁹ It is the Sovereign Lord^(AF) who helps^(AG) me.
    Who will condemn^(AH) me?
They will all wear out like a garment;
    the moths^(AI) will eat them up.

¹⁰ Who among you fears^(AJ) the Lord
    and obeys^(AK) the word of his servant?^(AL)
Let the one who walks in the dark,
    who has no light,^(AM)
trust^(AN) in the name of the Lord
    and rely on their God.
¹¹ But now, all you who light fires
    and provide yourselves with flaming torches,^(AO)
go, walk in the light of your fires^(AP)
    and of the torches you have set ablaze.
This is what you shall receive from my hand:^(AQ)
    You will lie down in torment.^(AR)

“Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce^(A)
    with which I sent her away?
Or to which of my creditors
    did I sell^(B) you?
Because of your sins^(C) you were sold;^(D)
    because of your transgressions your mother was sent away.
² When I came, why was there no one?
    When I called, why was there no one to answer?^(E)
Was my arm too short^(F) to deliver you?
    Do I lack the strength^(G) to rescue you?
By a mere rebuke^(H) I dry up the sea,^(I)
    I turn rivers into a desert;^(J)
their fish rot for lack of water
    and die of thirst.
³ I clothe the heavens with darkness^(K)
    and make sackcloth^(L) its covering.”

⁴ The Sovereign Lord^(M) has given me a well-instructed tongue,^(N)
    to know the word that sustains the weary.^(O)
He wakens me morning by morning,^(P)
    wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.^(Q)
5 The Sovereign Lord^(R) has opened my ears;^(S)
    I have not been rebellious,^(T)
    I have not turned away.
⁶ I offered my back to those who beat^(U) me,
    my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard;^(V)
I did not hide my face
    from mocking and spitting.^(W)
7 Because the Sovereign Lord^(X) helps^(Y) me,
    I will not be disgraced.
Therefore have I set my face like flint,^(Z)
    and I know I will not be put to shame.^(AA)
8 He who vindicates^(AB) me is near.^(AC)
    Who then will bring charges against me?^(AD)
    Let us face each other!^(AE)
Who is my accuser?
    Let him confront me!
⁹ It is the Sovereign Lord^(AF) who helps^(AG) me.
    Who will condemn^(AH) me?
They will all wear out like a garment;
    the moths^(AI) will eat them up.

¹⁰ Who among you fears^(AJ) the Lord
    and obeys^(AK) the word of his servant?^(AL)
Let the one who walks in the dark,
    who has no light,^(AM)
trust^(AN) in the name of the Lord
    and rely on their God.
¹¹ But now, all you who light fires
    and provide yourselves with flaming torches,^(AO)
go, walk in the light of your fires^(AP)
    and of the torches you have set ablaze.
This is what you shall receive from my hand:^(AQ)
    You will lie down in torment.^(AR)