主的僕人

42 「看啊,我所扶持、所揀選、所喜悅的僕人,
我已將我的靈賜給祂,
祂必將正義帶給萬邦。
祂不喧嚷,不呼喊,
不在街上高聲說話。
壓傷的蘆葦,祂不折斷;
將殘的燈火,祂不吹滅。
祂必信實地帶來正義。
祂不灰心也不沮喪,
直到祂在地上設立正義。
四海都渴望祂的訓誨。」

創造諸天、鋪展穹蒼、
設立大地和地上的一切、
賜給世人生命氣息和靈性的耶和華上帝說:
「我耶和華憑公義呼召你,
我必扶持你,保護你,
使你做我與眾民立約的中保、
成為列國的光,
使你開瞎子的眼睛、
從監牢中釋放囚犯、
領出陷在黑暗中的人。
我是耶和華,這就是我的名字。
我不會把我的榮耀給假神,
也不會把我當受的讚美給雕刻的偶像。
看啊,以前的預言都已應驗,
我現在要宣告新的預言,
把還未發生的事告訴你們。」

讚美主的歌

10 航海的和海中的一切、
眾海島和島上的居民啊,
你們要向耶和華高唱新歌,
從地極讚美祂。
11 曠野和其中的城邑以及基達人居住的村莊,
要一同揚聲頌讚。
西拉的居民要歌唱,
在山頂歡呼。
12 願他們把榮耀歸給耶和華,
在眾海島上頌讚祂。
13 耶和華像出征的勇士,
像鬥志激昂的戰士。
祂必高呼吶喊,戰勝仇敵。

上帝應許幫助以色列人

14 「我已沉默多時,我克制不語,
現在我要發出急促的呐喊,
像分娩的婦人。
15 我要使大山小丘一片荒涼,
上面的草木都枯萎。
我要使河川變成島嶼,
池塘乾涸。
16 我要帶領瞎子走他們不認識的路,
引導他們走陌生的道。
我要把他們面前的黑暗變為光明,
坎坷之地變得平坦。
我必行這些事,我必不離棄他們。
17 但那些信靠雕刻的偶像、
供奉金屬鑄像的必遭唾棄,
羞愧難當。

以色列眼瞎耳聾

18 「耳聾的人啊,聽吧!
眼瞎的人啊,看吧!
19 有誰比我的僕人更瞎,
比我差遣的使者更聾呢?
有誰像那些與我立約的人那樣瞎呢?
有誰像耶和華的僕人那樣瞎呢?
20 你們看見許多事卻不領會,
耳朵開著卻聽不見。」
21 耶和華樂意使祂的律法尊大而榮耀,
因為祂行事公義。
22 但這些百姓飽受劫掠,
都被困在坑中,囚在監內。
他們淪為俘虜,無人搭救;
被當作戰利品擄走,無人追回。
23 你們當中誰肯專心聽呢?
以後誰肯留心傾聽呢?
24 誰把雅各交給了擄掠者,
使以色列任人劫掠?
難道不是被我們得罪的耶和華嗎?
他們不肯遵行祂的道,
也不聽從祂的訓誨。
25 所以,祂把烈怒和戰火傾倒在他們身上。
他們被火包圍,卻不明白;
被烈火焚身,卻不在乎。

42 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.

He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.

A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.

He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.

Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:

I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;

To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.

Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.

10 Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof.

11 Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains.

12 Let them give glory unto the Lord, and declare his praise in the islands.

13 The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.

14 I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once.

15 I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools.

16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.

17 They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye are our gods.

18 Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see.

19 Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the Lord's servant?

20 Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.

21 The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.

22 But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore.

23 Who among you will give ear to this? who will hearken and hear for the time to come?

24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the Lord, he against whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law.

25 Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle: and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart.

The Servant of the Lord

42 “Behold! (A)My Servant whom I uphold,
My [a]Elect One in whom My soul (B)delights!
(C)I have put My Spirit upon Him;
He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.
He will not cry out, nor raise His voice,
Nor cause His voice to be heard in the street.
A bruised reed He will not break,
And [b]smoking flax He will not [c]quench;
He will bring forth justice for truth.
He will not fail nor be discouraged,
Till He has established justice in the earth;
(D)And the coastlands shall wait for His law.”

Thus says God the Lord,
(E)Who created the heavens and stretched them out,
Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it,
(F)Who gives breath to the people on it,
And spirit to those who walk on it:
“I,(G) the Lord, have called You in righteousness,
And will hold Your hand;
I will keep You (H)and give You as a covenant to the people,
As (I)a light to the Gentiles,
(J)To open blind eyes,
To (K)bring out prisoners from the prison,
Those who sit in (L)darkness from the prison house.
I am the Lord, that is My name;
And My (M)glory I will not give to another,
Nor My praise to carved images.
Behold, the former things have come to pass,
And new things I declare;
Before they spring forth I tell you of them.”

Praise to the Lord

10 (N)Sing to the Lord a new song,
And His praise from the ends of the earth,
(O)You who go down to the sea, and [d]all that is in it,
You coastlands and you inhabitants of them!
11 Let the wilderness and its cities lift up their voice,
The villages that Kedar inhabits.
Let the inhabitants of Sela sing,
Let them shout from the top of the mountains.
12 Let them give glory to the Lord,
And declare His praise in the coastlands.
13 The Lord shall go forth like a mighty man;
He shall stir up His zeal like a man of war.
He shall cry out, (P)yes, shout aloud;
He shall prevail against His enemies.

Promise of the Lord’s Help

14 “I have held My peace a long time,
I have been still and restrained Myself.
Now I will cry like a woman in [e]labor,
I will pant and gasp at once.
15 I will lay waste the mountains and hills,
And dry up all their vegetation;
I will make the rivers coastlands,
And I will dry up the pools.
16 I will bring the blind by a way they did not know;
I will lead them in paths they have not known.
I will make darkness light before them,
And crooked places straight.
These things I will do for them,
And not forsake them.
17 They shall be (Q)turned back,
They shall be greatly ashamed,
Who trust in carved images,
Who say to the molded images,
‘You are our gods.’

18 “Hear, you deaf;
And look, you blind, that you may see.
19 (R)Who is blind but My servant,
Or deaf as My messenger whom I send?
Who is blind as he who is perfect,
And blind as the Lord’s servant?
20 Seeing many things, (S)but you do not observe;
Opening the ears, but he does not hear.”

Israel’s Obstinate Disobedience

21 The Lord is well pleased for His righteousness’ sake;
He will exalt the law and make it honorable.
22 But this is a people robbed and plundered;
All of them are [f]snared in holes,
And they are hidden in prison houses;
They are for prey, and no one delivers;
For plunder, and no one says, “Restore!”

23 Who among you will give ear to this?
Who will listen and hear for the time to come?
24 Who gave Jacob for plunder, and Israel to the robbers?
Was it not the Lord,
He against whom we have sinned?
(T)For they would not walk in His ways,
Nor were they obedient to His law.
25 Therefore He has poured on him the fury of His anger
And the strength of battle;
(U)It has set him on fire all around,
(V)Yet he did not know;
And it burned him,
Yet he did not take it to (W)heart.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 42:1 Chosen
  2. Isaiah 42:3 dimly burning
  3. Isaiah 42:3 extinguish
  4. Isaiah 42:10 Lit. its fullness
  5. Isaiah 42:14 childbirth
  6. Isaiah 42:22 Or trapped in caves