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.”
1 Uzklausait mani, jūras salas, un ņemiet vērā, tālās tautas! Tas Kungs aicināja mani jau no mātes miesām, jau no manas mātes klēpja Viņš domāja un atcerējās par manu vārdu. 2 Un Viņš man piešķīra muti kā asu zobenu un mani paglabāja Savas rokas ēnā. Viņš izveidoja mani par spožu bultu, paglabāja mani Savā bultu somā 3 un teica: "Tu esi Mans kalps, Israēl, kurā Es gribu parādīt Savu godību un gribu daudzināts būt." 4 Es savukārt nodomāju: es velti esmu pūlējies, es lieki un ne par ko esmu šķiedis savu spēku; tomēr mana taisnība ir pie Tā Kunga un mana alga mana Dieva rokā. 5 Tad Tas Kungs teica - Viņš, kas mani no mātes miesām izredzējis par Savu kalpu, lai es atgrieztu pie Viņa Jēkabu un pulcinātu ap Viņu Israēlu, - es tiešām esmu pagodināts Tā Kunga acīs, un mans Dievs ir mans stiprums, - 6 un tad Viņš teica: "Tas ir par maz, ka tu esi Mans kalps, lai atjaunotu Jēkaba ciltis un atvestu atpakaļ izglābtos Israēla bērnus. Nē! Es padaru tevi arī par gaismu citām tautām, ka tu būtu Manas pestīšanas nesējs līdz pasaules galam." 7 Tā saka Tas Kungs, Israēla Pestītājs, viņa Svētais, nicinātai dvēselei, novārtā liktai tautai un apspiedēju kalpam: "Ķēniņi to redzēs un piecelsies, un lielkungi zemosies Tā Kunga dēļ, jo Viņš ir uzticīgs, Israēla Svētā dēļ, kas tevi izredzējis." 8 Un vēl saka Tas Kungs: "Es tevi paklausīju žēlastības laikā un tev palīdzēju pestīšanas dienā; Es tevi pasargāšu un celšu tevi tautai par derību, lai atjaunotu kārtību zemē, lai ikviens saņemtu savu izpostīto mantas tiesu 9 un lai sacītu cietumniekiem: nāciet laukā! - bet tiem, kas sēd tumsā: nāciet gaismā! - Tie atradīs ganības jau ceļmalā un visās augstās tukšās vietās. 10 Tie neizsalks un neizslāps, tos nespiedīs ne karstums, ne saules svelme, jo viņu apžēlotājs tos vadīs, tos vedīs pie ūdens avotiem un atspirdzinās. 11 Visi Mani kalni kļūs par ceļiem, un visi Mani ceļi būs līdzeni. 12 Redzi, vieni nāks no tālienes, otri no ziemeļiem un vakariem un vēl citi no jūras un Sinimas zemes." 13 Gavilējiet, debesis, priecājies, zeme, un līksmojiet, jūs kalni! Jo Tas Kungs ir iepriecinājis Savu tautu un apžēlojies par nelaimīgajiem. 14 Bet Ciāna žēlojas: Tas Kungs mani ir atstājis, Tas Kungs mani ir aizmirsis! 15 Vai var māte aizmirst savu zīdaini un neapžēloties par savu miesīgu bērnu? Un, ja pat māte to aizmirstu, Es tevi neaizmirsīšu. 16 Redzi, abu Savu roku plaukstās Es tevi esmu iezīmējis; tavi mūri ir vienmēr Manā priekšā. 17 Tavi namdari jau steidzas šurp, bet tavi postītāji un iznīcinātāji dodas projām no tevis. 18 Pacel savas acis un raugies visapkārt! Viņi visi jau sapulcējušies un nāk pie tevis! "Tik tiešām, ka Es dzīvoju," saka Tas Kungs, "kā dārgas rotas tu apliksi viņus ap sevi un apjozīsies ar viņiem kā līgava ar jostu. 19 Jo tavas drupu vietas, tavi tuksneši un tava izpostītā zeme būs turpmāk taviem iedzīvotājiem par šauru. Tavi postītāji tad jau būs projām. 20 Tu dzirdēsi vēl ar pašas ausīm savus tev no tavas vientulības laikiem pāri palikušos bērnus katru par sevi sakām: šeit man par šauru, gādā man vietu, ka es varu dzīvot! 21 Tad tu pati savā sirdī sev jautāsi: kas man tos dzemdēja, jo es biju bez bērniem, neauglīga, dzīvoju trimdā, atstāta? Kas man tos uzaudzināja? Es taču biju viena palikusi; kur tad šie radušies?" 22 Tā saka Dievs Tas Kungs: "Redzi, Es pacelšu Savu roku pār ciltīm un uzvilkšu Savu karogu pār tautām! Tad tie atnesīs tavus dēlus uz rokām un tavas meitas uz pleciem. 23 Un ķēniņi būs tavu bērnu kopēji un viņu ķēnišķīgās laulātās draudzenes tavu bērnu zīdītājas; tavā priekšā tie metīsies uz sava vaiga pie zemes un laizīs tavu kāju pīšļus. Tad tu atzīsi, ka Es, Tas Kungs, esmu tas, kurā nevilsies tie, kas paļaujas uz Mani." 24 Vai var atņemt laupījumu stiprajam, jeb vai no viņa var aizbēgt tā gūstekņi? 25 "Tomēr," tā saka Tas Kungs, "arī paša stiprākā gūstekņus viņam var atņemt, un savu laupījumu viņš var atkal zaudēt: Es pats cīnīšos ar taviem pretiniekiem, un Es pats izglābšu tavus bērnus. 26 Es likšu taviem naidniekiem ēst savu paša miesu un apreibināties pašiem ar savām asinīm. Un visa miesa redzēs, ka Es esmu Tas Kungs, Es esmu tavs Glābējs un Pestītājs, Jēkaba Varenais."
