Good News Translation GNT
World English Bible WEB
1 Jerusalem, you have been like a childless woman, but now you can sing and shout for joy. Now you will have more children than a woman whose husband never left her.
1
Sing, barren, you who didn't bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, you who did not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, says Yahweh.
2 Make the tent you live in larger; lengthen its ropes and strengthen the pegs!
2
Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of your habitations; don't spare: lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes.
3 You will extend your boundaries on all sides; your people will get back the land that the other nations now occupy. Cities now deserted will be filled with people.
3
For you shall spread aboard on the right hand and on the left; and your seed shall possess the nations, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.
4 Do not be afraid - you will not be disgraced again; you will not be humiliated. You will forget your unfaithfulness as a young wife, and your desperate loneliness as a widow.
4
Don't be afraid; for you shall not be ashamed: neither be confounded; for you shall not be put to shame: for you shall forget the shame of your youth; and the reproach of your widowhood shall you remember no more.
5 Your Creator will be like a husband to you - the Lord Almighty is his name. The holy God of Israel will save you - he is the ruler of all the world.
5
For your Maker is your husband; Yahweh of Hosts is his name: and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; the God of the whole earth shall he be called.
6 Israel, you are like a young wife, deserted by her husband and deeply distressed. But the Lord calls you back to him and says:
6
For Yahweh has called you as a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit, even a wife of youth, when she is cast off, says your God.
7 "For one brief moment I left you; with deep love I will take you back.
7
For a small moment have I forsaken you; but with great mercies will I gather you.
8 I turned away angry for only a moment, but I will show you my love forever." So says the Lord who saves you.
8
In overflowing wrath I hid my face from you for a moment; but with everlasting lovingkindness will I have mercy on you, says Yahweh your Redeemer.
9 "In the time of Noah I promised never again to flood the earth. Now I promise not to be angry with you again; I will not reprimand or punish you.
9
For this is [as] the waters of Noah to me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah shall no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I will not be angry with you, nor rebuke you.
10 The mountains and hills may crumble, but my love for you will never end; I will keep forever my promise of peace." So says the Lord who loves you.
10
For the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed; but my lovingkindness shall not depart from you, neither shall my covenant of peace be removed, says Yahweh who has mercy on you.
11 The Lord says, "O Jerusalem, you suffering, helpless city, with no one to comfort you, I will rebuild your foundations with precious stones.
11
you afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in beautiful colors, and lay your foundations with sapphires.
12 I will build your towers with rubies, your gates with stones that glow like fire, and the wall around you with jewels.
12
I will make your pinnacles of rubies, and your gates of emeralds, and all your border of precious stones.
13 "I myself will teach your people and give them prosperity and peace.
13
All your children shall be taught of Yahweh; and great shall be the peace of your children.
14 Justice and right will make you strong. You will be safe from oppression and terror.
14
In righteousness shall you be established: you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not be afraid; and from terror, for it shall not come near you.
15 Whoever attacks you, does it without my consent; whoever fights against you will fall.
15
Behold, they may gather together, but not by me: whoever shall gather together against you shall fall because of you.
16 "I create the blacksmith, who builds a fire and forges weapons. I also create the soldier, who uses the weapons to kill.
16
Behold, I have created the smith who blows the fire of coals, and brings forth a weapon for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.
17 But no weapon will be able to hurt you; you will have an answer for all who accuse you. I will defend my servants and give them victory." The Lord has spoken.
17
No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of Yahweh, and their righteousness which is of me, says Yahweh.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.
The World English Bible is in the public domain.