Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because there is no water, and dieth for thirst.

I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering.

The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.

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(A)Why, when I came, was there no man;
    why, when I called, was there no one to answer?
(B)Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem?
    Or have I no power to deliver?
(C)Behold, by my rebuke (D)I dry up the sea,
    (E)I make the rivers a desert;
(F)their fish stink for lack of water
    and die of thirst.
(G)I clothe the heavens with blackness
    and make sackcloth their covering.”

The Lord God has given (H)me
    the tongue of those who are taught,
that (I)I may know how to sustain with a word
    (J)him who is weary.
Morning by morning he awakens;
    he awakens my ear
    to hear as those who are taught.

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When I came, why was there no one?
    When I called, why was there no one to answer?(A)
Was my arm too short(B) to deliver you?
    Do I lack the strength(C) to rescue you?
By a mere rebuke(D) I dry up the sea,(E)
    I turn rivers into a desert;(F)
their fish rot for lack of water
    and die of thirst.
I clothe the heavens with darkness(G)
    and make sackcloth(H) its covering.”

The Sovereign Lord(I) has given me a well-instructed tongue,(J)
    to know the word that sustains the weary.(K)
He wakens me morning by morning,(L)
    wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.(M)

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Why was there (A)no one when I came?
When I called, why was there no one to answer?
Is My (B)hand so short that it cannot redeem?
Or do I have no power to rescue?
Behold, I (C)dry up the sea with My rebuke,
I (D)turn rivers into a wilderness;
Their fish stink for lack of water,
And die of thirst.
I (E)clothe the heavens with blackness,
And make sackcloth their covering.”

The Lord [a]God has given Me the tongue of (F)disciples,
So that I may know how to (G)sustain the weary one with a word.
He awakens Me (H)morning by morning,
He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 50:4 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch