Israel, A Light to the Nations
1 Listen to me, distant nations,
you people who live far away!
Before I was born, the Lord chose me
and appointed me to be his servant.
2 He made my words as sharp as a sword.
With his own hand he protected me.
He made me like an arrow,
sharp and ready for use.
3 He said to me, “Israel, you are my servant;
because of you, people will praise me.”
4 I said, “I have worked, but how hopeless it is!
I have used up my strength, but have accomplished nothing.”
Yet I can trust the Lord to defend my cause;
he will reward me for what I do.
5 Before I was born, the Lord appointed me;
he made me his servant to bring back his people,
to bring back the scattered people of Israel.
The Lord gives me honor;
he is the source of my strength.
6 The Lord said to me,
“I have a greater task for you, my servant.
Not only will you restore to greatness
the people of Israel who have survived,
but I will also make you a light to the nations—
so that all the world may be saved.”
7 Israel's holy God and savior says
to the one who is deeply despised,
who is hated by the nations
and is the servant of rulers:
“Kings will see you released
and will rise to show their respect;
princes also will see it,
and they will bow low to honor you.”
This will happen because the Lord has chosen his servant;
the holy God of Israel keeps his promises.
The Restoration of Jerusalem
8 The Lord says to his people,
“When the time comes to save you, I will show you favor
and answer your cries for help.
I will guard and protect you
and through you make a covenant with all peoples.
I will let you settle once again
in your land that is now laid waste.
9 I will say to the prisoners, ‘Go free!’
and to those who are in darkness,
‘Come out to the light!’
They will be like sheep that graze on the hills;
10 they will never be hungry or thirsty.
Sun and desert heat will not hurt them,
for they will be led by one who loves them.
He will lead them to springs of water.
11 “I will make a highway across the mountains
and prepare a road for my people to travel.
12 My people will come from far away,
from the north and the west,
and from Aswan in the south.”
13 Sing, heavens! Shout for joy, earth!
Let the mountains burst into song!
The Lord will comfort his people;
he will have pity on his suffering people.
14 But the people of Jerusalem said,
“The Lord has abandoned us!
He has forgotten us.”
15 So the Lord answers,
“Can a woman forget her own baby
and not love the child she bore?
Even if a mother should forget her child,
I will never forget you.
16 Jerusalem, I can never forget you!
I have written your name on the palms of my hands.
17 “Those who will rebuild you are coming soon,
and those who destroyed you will leave.
18 Look around and see what is happening!
Your people are assembling—they are coming home!
As surely as I am the living God,
you will be proud of your people,
as proud as a bride is of her jewels.
19 “Your country was ruined and desolate—
but now it will be too small
for those who are coming to live there.
And those who left you in ruins
will be far removed from you.
20 Your people who were born in exile
will one day say to you,
‘This land is too small—
we need more room to live in!’
21 Then you will say to yourself,
‘Who bore all these children for me?
I lost my children and could have no more.
I was exiled and driven away—
who brought these children up?
I was left all alone—
where did these children come from?’”
22 The Sovereign Lord says to his people:
“I will signal to the nations,
and they will bring your children home.
23 Kings will be like fathers to you;
queens will be like mothers.
They will bow low before you and honor you;
they will humbly show their respect for you.
Then you will know that I am the Lord;
no one who waits for my help will be disappointed.”
24 Can you take away a soldier's loot?
Can you rescue the prisoners of a tyrant?
25 The Lord replies,
“That is just what is going to happen.
The soldier's prisoners will be taken away,
and the tyrant's loot will be seized.
I will fight against whoever fights you,
and I will rescue your children.
26 I will make your oppressors kill each other;
they will be drunk with murder and rage.
Then all people will know that I am the Lord,
the one who saves you and sets you free.
They will know that I am Israel's powerful God.”
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!”
