Chapter 45

Thus said Yehovah, To His anointed, to Cyrus, Whose right hand I have laid hold on, To subdue nations before him, Yea, loins of kings I loose, To open before him two-leaved doors, Yea, gates are not shut:

`I go before thee, and crooked places make straight, Two-leaved doors of brass I shiver, And bars of iron I cut asunder,

And have given to thee treasures of darkness, Even treasures of secret places, So that thou knowest that I, Yehovah, Who am calling on thy name -- am the God of Israel.

For the sake of my servant Jacob, And of Israel My chosen, I call also thee by thy name, I surname thee, And thou hast not known Me.

I am Yehovah, and there is none else, Except Me there is no God, I gird thee, and thou hast not known Me.

So that they know from the rising of the sun, And from the west, that there is none besides Me, I am Yehovah, and there is none else,

Forming light, and preparing darkness, Making peace, and preparing evil, I am Yehovah, doing all these things.`

Drop, ye heavens, from above, And clouds do cause righteousness to flow, Earth openeth, and they are fruitful, Salvation and righteousness spring up together, I, Yehovah, have prepared it.

Wo to him who is striving with his Former, (A potsherd with potsherds of the ground!) Doth clay say to its Framer, `What dost thou?` And thy work, `He hath no hands?`

Wo to him who is saying to a father, `What dost thou beget?` Or to a wife, `What dost thou bring forth?

Thus said Yehovah, The Holy One of Israel, and his Former: Ask Me of the things coming concerning My sons, Yea, concerning the work of My hands, ye command Me.`

I made earth, and man on it prepared, I -- My hands stretched out the heavens, And all their host I have commanded.

I have stirred him up in righteousness, And all his ways I make straight, He doth build My city, and My captivity doth send out, Not for price, nor for bribe, said Yehovah of Hosts.

Thus said Yehovah, `The labour of Egypt, And the merchandise of Cush, And of the Sebaim -- men of measure, Unto thee pass over, and thine they are, After thee they go, in fetters they pass over, And unto thee they bow themselves, Unto thee they pray: Only in thee is God, And there is none else, no other God.

Surely Thou art a God hiding Thyself, God of Israel -- Saviour!

They have been ashamed, And they have even blushed -- all of them, Together gone in confusion have those carving images.

Israel hath been saved in Yehovah, A salvation age-during! Ye are not ashamed nor confounded Unto the ages of eternity!

For thus said Yehovah, Creator of heaven, He is God, Former of earth, and its Maker, He established it -- not empty He prepared it, For inhabiting He formed it: `I am Yehovah, and there is none else.

Not in secret have I spoken, in a dark place of the earth, I have not said to the seed of Jacob, In vain seek ye Me, I am Yehovah, speaking righteousness, Declaring uprightness.

Be gathered, and come in, Come nigh together, ye escaped of the nations, They have not known, Who are lifting up the wood of their graven image, And praying unto a god that saveth not.

Declare ye, and bring near, Yea, they take counsel together, Who hath proclaimed this from of old? From that time hath declared it? Is it not I -- Yehovah? And there is no other god besides Me, A God righteous and saving, there is none save Me.

Turn to Me, and be saved, all ends of the earth, For I am God, and there is none else.

By Myself I have sworn, Gone out from my mouth in righteousness hath a word, And it turneth not back, That to Me, bow doth every knee, every tongue swear.

Only in Yehovah, said hath one, Have I righteousness and strength, Unto Him he cometh in, And ashamed are all those displeased with Him.

In Yehovah are all the seed of Israel justified, And they boast themselves.`