Isaiah 49:13-21

New International Reader's Version

¹³ Shout for joy, you heavens!
    Be glad, you earth!
    Burst into song, you mountains!
The Lord will comfort his people.
    He will show his tender love to those who are suffering.

¹⁴ But the city of Zion said, “The Lord has deserted me.
    The Lord has forgotten me.”

¹⁵ The Lord answers, “Can a mother forget the baby
    who is nursing at her breast?
Can she stop having tender love
    for the child who was born to her?
She might forget her child.
    But I will not forget you.
¹⁶ I have written your name on the palms of my hands.
    Your walls are never out of my sight.
¹⁷ Your people will hurry back.
    Those who destroyed you so completely will leave you.
¹⁸ Look up. Look all around you.
    All your people are getting together
    to come back to you.
You can be sure that I live,”
    announces the Lord.
“And you can be just as sure that your people
    will be like decorations you will wear.
    Like a bride, you will wear them proudly.

¹⁹ “Zion, you were destroyed. Your land was left empty.
    It was turned into a dry and empty desert.
But now you will be too small to hold all your people.
    And those who destroyed you will be far away.
²⁰ The children born during your time of sorrow
    will speak to you. They will say,
‘This city is too small for us.
    Give us more space to live in.’
²¹ Then you will say to yourself,
    ‘Whose children are these?
I lost my children.
    And I couldn’t have any more.
My children were taken far away from me.
    And no one wanted them.
    Who brought these children up?
I was left all alone.
    So where have these children come from?’ ”