Chapter 43

And now, thus said Yehovah, Thy Creator, O Jacob, and thy Fashioner, O Israel, Be not afraid, for I have redeemed thee, I have called on thy name -- thou art Mine.

When thou passest into waters, I am with thee, And into floods, they do not overflow thee, When thou goest into fire, thou art not burnt, And a flame doth not burn against thee.

For I -- Yehovah thy God, The Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour, I have appointed Egypt thine atonement, Cush and Seba in thy stead.

Since thou wast precious in Mine eyes, Thou wast honoured, and I have loved thee, And I appoint men in thy stead, And peoples instead of thy life.

Be not afraid, for I am with thee, From the east I bring in thy seed, And from the west I gather thee.

I am saying to the north, `Give up,` And to the south, `Restrain not.` Bring in My sons from afar, And My daughters from the end of the earth.

Every one who is called by My name, Even for My honour I have created him, I have formed him, yea, I have made him.

He brought out a blind people who have eyes, And deaf ones who have ears.

All the nations have been gathered together, And the peoples are assembled, Who among them declareth this, And former things causeth us to hear? They give their witnesses, And they are declared righteous, And they hear and say, `Truth.`

Ye are My witnesses, an affirmation of Yehovah, And My servant whom I have chosen, So that ye know and give credence to Me, And understand that I am He, Before Me there was no God formed, And after Me there is none.

I -- I am Yehovah, And besides Me there is no saviour.

I -- I declared, and saved, and proclaimed, And there is no stranger with you, And ye are My witnesses, an affirmation of Yehovah, And I am God.

Even from the day I am He, And there is no deliverer from My hand, I work, and who doth turn it back?

Thus said Yehovah, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: `For your sake I have sent to Babylon, And caused bars to descend -- all of them, And the Chaldeans, whose song is in the ships.

I am Yehovah, your Holy One, Creator of Israel, your King.`

Thus said Yehovah, Who is giving in the sea a way, And in the strong waters a path.

Who is bringing forth chariot and horse, A force, even a strong one: `Together they lie down -- they rise not, They have been extinguished, As flax they have been quenched.`

Remember not former things, And ancient things consider not.

Lo, I am doing a new thing, now it springeth up, Do ye not know it? Yea, I put in a wilderness a way, In a desolate place -- floods.

Honour me doth the beast of the field, Dragons and daughters of an ostrich, For I have given in a wilderness waters, Floods in a desolate place, To give drink to My people -- My chosen.

This people I have formed for Myself, My praise they recount.

And Me thou hast not called, O Jacob, For thou hast been wearied of me, O Israel,

Thou hast not brought in to Me, The lamb of thy burnt-offerings, And with thy sacrifices thou hast not honoured Me, I have not caused thee to serve with a present, Nor wearied thee with frankincense.

Thou hast not bought for Me with money sweet cane, And with the fat of thy sacrifices hast not filled Me, Only -- thou hast caused Me to serve with thy sins, Thou hast wearied Me with thine iniquities.

I -- I am He who is blotting out Thy transgressions for Mine own sake, And thy sins I do not remember.

Cause me to remember -- we are judged together, Declare thou that thou mayest be justified.

Thy first father sinned, And thine interpreters transgressed against me,

And I pollute princes of the sanctuary, And I give Jacob to destruction, and Israel to revilings!