The Work of the Lord's Servant
1 Everyone, listen,
even you foreign nations
across the sea.
The Lord chose me
and gave me a name
before I was born.
2 He made my words pierce
like a sharp sword
or a pointed arrow;
he kept me safely hidden
in the palm of his hand.
3 The Lord said to me,
“Israel, you are my servant;
and because of you
I will be highly honored.”
4 I said to myself,
“I'm completely worn out;
my time has been wasted.
But I did it for the Lord God,
and he will reward me.”
5 Even before I was born,
the Lord God chose me
to serve him and to lead back
the people of Israel.
So the Lord has honored me
and made me strong.
6 Now the Lord says to me,
“It isn't enough for you
to be merely my servant.
You must do more than lead back
survivors from the tribes
of Israel.
I have placed you here as a light
for other nations;
you must take my saving power
to everyone on earth.”
The Lord Will Rescue His People
7 Israel, I am the holy Lord God,
the one who rescues you.
You are slaves of rulers
and of a nation
who despises you.
Now this is what I promise:
Kings and rulers will honor you
by kneeling at your feet.
You can trust me! I am your Lord,
the holy God of Israel,
and you are my chosen ones.
The Lord Will Lead His People Home
8 This is what the Lord says:
I will answer your prayers
because I have set a time
when I will help
by coming to save you.
I have chosen you
to take my promise of hope
to other nations.
You will rebuild the country
from its ruins,
then people will come
and settle there.
9 You will set prisoners free
from dark dungeons
to see the light of day.
On their way home,
they will find plenty to eat,
even on barren hills.
10 They won't go hungry
or get thirsty;
they won't be bothered
by the scorching sun
or hot desert winds.
I will be merciful
while leading them along
to streams of water.
11 I will level the mountains
and make roads.
12 Then my people will return
from distant lands
in the north and the west
and from the city of Syene.
The Lord's Mercy
13 Tell the heavens and the earth
to celebrate and sing;
command every mountain
to join in the song.
The Lord's people have suffered,
but he has shown mercy
and given them comfort.
14 The people of Zion said,
“The Lord has turned away
and forgotten us.”
15 The Lord answered,
“Could a mother forget a child
who nurses at her breast?
Could she fail to love an infant
who came from her own body?
Even if a mother could forget,
I will never forget you.
16 A picture of your city
is drawn on my hand.
You are always in my thoughts!
17 “Your city will be built faster
than it was destroyed —
those who attacked it
will retreat and leave.
18 Look around! You will see
your people coming home.
As surely as I live,
I, the Lord, promise
that your city with its people
will be as lovely as a bride
wearing her jewelry.”
Jerusalem's Bright Future
19 Jerusalem is now in ruins!
Nothing is left of the city.
But it will be rebuilt
and soon overcrowded;
its cruel enemies
will be gone far away.
20 Jerusalem is a woman
whose children were born
while she was in deep sorrow
over the loss of her husband.
Now those children
will come and seek room
in the crowded city,
21 and Jerusalem will ask,
“Am I really their mother?
How could I have given birth
when I was still mourning
in a foreign land?
Who raised these children?
Where have they come from?”
22 The Lord God says:
“I will soon give a signal
for the nations
to return your sons
and your daughters
to the arms of Jerusalem.
23 The kings and queens
of those nations
where they were raised
will come and bow down.
They will take care of you
just like a slave
taking care of a child.
Then you will know
that I am the Lord.
You won't be disappointed
if you trust me.”
The Lord Is on Our Side
24 Is it possible to rescue victims
from someone strong
and cruel?
25 But the Lord has promised
to fight on our side
and to rescue our children
from those strong
and violent enemies.
26 He will make those cruel people
dine on their own flesh
and get drunk from drinking
their own blood.
Then everyone will know
that the Lord is our Savior;
the powerful God of Israel
has rescued his people.
Kalpa uzdevums
1 Klausieties, salas, uz mani,
un sadzirdiet, tālās tautas, –
Kungs mani jau kopš klēpja saucis,
kopš mātes miesām
viņš piesaucis manu vārdu!
2 Viņš darījis manu muti par asu zobenu,
paslēpis mani savas rokas ēnā,
viņš darījis mani par urbjošu bultu,
savā bultmakā viņš mani noglabājis!
3 Viņš man teica:
“Tu esi mans kalps, Israēl,
tevī godinās mani!”
4 Bet es teicu:
velti es pūlējos,
niekiem un tukšībai šķiedu spēkus,
tādēļ mana tiesa pie Kunga
un mana alga pie Dieva!
5 Tagad runā Kungs,
kas jau kopš klēpja
mani darījis sev par kalpu,
lai vedu Jēkabu pie viņa
un Israēlu viņam piepulcinu, –
es pagodināts Kunga priekšā,
mans Dievs ir mans stiprums!
6 Un viņš teica:
“Par maz, ka tu esi mans kalps,
ka atjauno Jēkaba ciltis
un sargā Israēlu, lai pārvestu to pie manis, –
es tevi darīšu par gaismu tautām,
lai mana glābšana sniegtos līdz zemes malai!”
7 Tā saka Kungs, Izpircējs, Israēla Svētais,
nicinātam, tautu nonievātam,
visādu valdnieku vergam:
“Ķēniņi redzēs un piecelsies,
augstmaņi zemosies,
jo Kungs ir uzticams,
Israēla Svētais tevi ir izredzējis!”
Ciānas bērni tiks pārvesti mājās
8 Tā saka Kungs:
“Laipnības laikā es tev atbildēju,
glābšanas dienā es tev palīdzēju,
es sargāju tevi un darīju par derības tautu,
lai atjaunotu šo zemi,
lai atdotu atņemto mantojumu,
9 lai sacītu ieslodzītajiem: nāciet laukā! –
un tiem, kas tumsā: rādieties šurp!
Pie visiem ceļiem tie ganīsies,
uz visām kalnu korēm tiem būs ganības!
10 Tie necietīs izsalkumu un slāpes,
tiem necirtīs svelmains vējš un saule,
jo viņu žēlotājs tos vadīs,
pie ūdens avotiem aizvedīs!
11 Visus kalnus es padarīšu par ceļiem,
un manas takas pa augšieni vīsies!
12 Redzi, šie no tālienes nāks,
Redzi, citi no ziemeļiem un jūras puses
un tie – no Sīnīmas zemes!”
13 Gavilējiet, debesis, līksmo zeme,
kalni, izlauzieties gavilēs,
jo Kungs mierinājis savu tautu
un savus apspiestos apžēlojis!
14 Un Ciāna saka:
Kungs pametis mani,
mans Kungs mani aizmirsis! –
15 Vai sieva savu zīdaini aizmirst,
vai nemīl to, kas no klēpja nācis? –
Pat ja tā tevi aizmirstu,
es tevi neaizmirsīšu!
16 Redzi, sev delnās tavu vārdu
es esmu iegriezis,
tavi mūri ir manā priekšā vienmēr!
17 Jau steidz tie, kas tevi uzcels, –
tavi postītāji un nīdētāji aizies no tevis!
18 Pacel acis un raugies visapkārt –
tie visi jau sapulcējušies un nāk pie tevis!
“Es esmu dzīvs,” saka Kungs,
“tos visus tu apliki sev kā rotu,
apjozi sev kā līgava!
19 Tavas drupas un tavs izpostījums,
un tava izdeldētā zeme
kļūs par šauru tiem, kas tur mīt,
un tavi nīdētāji būs tālu no tevis!
20 Tavas ausis vēl dzirdēs
tavus atņemtos dēlus sakām:
par šauru šī vieta,
dod plašumu, kur dzīvot!
21 Un tu savā sirdī teiksi:
kurš man dzemdējis šos?! –
jo es biju bez bērniem un padzīta,
patriekta trimdā,
un kurš šos uzaudzināja?
Redzi, es biju palikusi viena,
no kurienes šie?!”
22 Tā saka Kungs Dievs:
“Redzi, pār tautām es stiepšu savu roku,
pār tautām celšu savu karogu,
un tie nesīs sev pie krūtīm tavus dēlus
un tavas meitas nēsās uz pleciem!
23 Ķēniņi tevi auklēs,
un viņu kundzes zīdīs tevi,
tie zemosies tev ar seju līdz zemei
un tavu kāju putekļus laizīs –
tad tu zināsi, ka es esmu Kungs,
kaunā es nepalieku –
gaidi uz mani!”
24 Vai spēkavīram var atņemt guvumu,
vai varmākas gūstekņi var paglābties?
25 Jo tā saka Kungs:
“Pat spēkavīra gūstekņi tiks svabadi,
pat varmākas gūtie paglābsies –
es pats šķiršu strīdu ar tiem,
kas strīdas pret tevi,
es izglābšu tavus dēlus!
26 Tavus apspiedējus es ēdināšu
ar viņu pašu miesu,
dzirdīšu pašu asinīm kā ar vīnu –
tad visi dzīvie zinās,
ka es, Kungs, esmu tavs Glābējs,
ka Jēkaba Varenais ir tavs izpircējs!”
