God's Offer of Mercy
1 The Lord says,
“Come, everyone who is thirsty—
here is water!
Come, you that have no money—
buy grain and eat!
Come! Buy wine and milk—
it will cost you nothing!
2 Why spend money on what does not satisfy?
Why spend your wages and still be hungry?
Listen to me and do what I say,
and you will enjoy the best food of all.
3 “Listen now, my people, and come to me;
come to me, and you will have life!
I will make a lasting covenant with you
and give you the blessings I promised to David.
4 I made him a leader and commander of nations,
and through him I showed them my power.
5 Now you will summon foreign nations;
at one time they did not know you,
but now they will come running to join you!
I, the Lord your God, the holy God of Israel,
will make all this happen;
I will give you honor and glory.”
6 Turn to the Lord and pray to him,
now that he is near.
7 Let the wicked leave their way of life
and change their way of thinking.
Let them turn to the Lord, our God;
he is merciful and quick to forgive.
8 “My thoughts,” says the Lord, “are not like yours,
and my ways are different from yours.
9 As high as the heavens are above the earth,
so high are my ways and thoughts above yours.
10 “My word is like the snow and the rain
that come down from the sky to water the earth.
They make the crops grow
and provide seed for planting and food to eat.
11 So also will be the word that I speak—
it will not fail to do what I plan for it;
it will do everything I send it to do.
12 “You will leave Babylon with joy;
you will be led out of the city in peace.
The mountains and hills will burst into singing,
and the trees will shout for joy.
13 Cypress trees will grow where now there are briers;
myrtle trees will come up in place of thorns.
This will be a sign that will last forever,
a reminder of what I, the Lord, have done.”
Bagātīgi dāvātā žēlastība
1 “Ak! Visi, kam slāpst,
nāciet pie ūdens,
kam nav sudraba –
nāciet, pērciet un ēdiet,
nāciet un pērciet,
sudraba nevajag –
par velti ņemiet
vīnu un pienu!
2 Kādēļ jums maksāt sudrabu
par to, kas nav maize,
atdot savas pūles par to,
kas nedod sāta?
Klausieties, klausieties uz mani,
tad ēdīsiet krietni,
līksmos treknumā jūsu dvēseles!
3 Pievērsiet man savu ausi
un nāciet pie manis,
klausieties un jūs būsiet dzīvi –
es slēgšu ar jums mūžīgu derību,
Dāvidam dotajai žēlastībai var uzticēt!
4 Redzi, es viņu dodu
par liecinieku tautām,
par vadoni un pavēlnieku tautām!”
5 Redzi, tu sauksi tautas,
ko nepazīsti,
un tautas, kas nepazīst tevi,
skries pie tevis,
jo tavs Dievs ir Kungs
un Israēla Svētais –
viņš cels tevi godā.
6 Meklējiet Kungu,
kamēr viņš atrodams,
piesauciet viņu,
kamēr viņš tuvu!
7 Lai ļaundaris pamet savas gaitas
un nekrietnais savus nodomus,
lai atgriežas pie Kunga,
tad viņš apžēlos to,
nāciet pie mūsu Dieva –
viņa piedošana ir plaša!
8 “Jo manas domas nav jūsu domas
un jūsu gaitas nav manas gaitas,”
saka Kungs.
9 “Cik augstākas debesis par zemi,
tik augstākas ir manas gaitas par jūsu gaitām
un manas domas par jūsu domām.
10 Jo, kā līst lietus
un sniegs krīt no debesīm,
un turp vairs neatgriežas,
bet gan veldzē zemi,
uzplaucē to un diedzē,
dod sēklu sējējam
un maizi ēdējam,
11 tā būs ar manu vārdu,
kas iziet no manas mutes
un nenāk pie manis nepiepildīts,
bet gan dara, ko es esmu gribējis,
paveic to, kādēļ es to sūtījis.”
12 Jo priekā jūs iziesiet
un mierā tiksiet vadīti,
jūsu priekšā kalniem un pakalniem
izlauzīsies gaviles,
un visi lauka koki
sitīs plaukstas!
13 Ērkšķu vietā pacelsies cipreses,
dadžu vietā sliesies mirtes –
Kungam par slavu,
par mūžīgu zīmi,
kas nekad nezudīs!
