A fool will no longer be called honorable; a deceiver will no longer be called principled.

They were silent and did not respond, for the king had ordered, “Don’t respond to him.”

Indeed Sheol does not give you thanks; death does not praise you. Those who descend into the pit do not anticipate your faithfulness.

A crushed reed he will not break, a dim wick he will not extinguish; he will faithfully make just decrees.

He will not grow dim or be crushed before establishing justice on the earth; the coastlands will wait in anticipation for his decrees.”

They do not comprehend or understand, for their eyes are blind and cannot see; their minds do not discern.

Israel will be delivered once and for all by the Lord; you will never again be ashamed or humiliated.

I am bringing my deliverance near, it is not far away; I am bringing my salvation near, it does not wait. I will save Zion; I will adorn Israel with my splendor.”

You have heard; now look at all the evidence! Will you not admit that what I say is true? From this point on I am announcing to you new events that are previously unrevealed and you do not know about.

Now they come into being, not in the past; before today you did not hear about them, so you could not say, ‘Yes, I know about them.’

Your descendants would have been as numerous as sand, and your children like its granules. Their name would not have been cut off and eliminated from my presence.

The sovereign Lord has spoken to me clearly; I have not rebelled, I have not turned back.

The one who suffers will soon be released; he will not die in prison, he will not go hungry.

You will be reestablished when I vindicate you. You will not experience oppression; indeed, you will not be afraid. You will not be terrified, for nothing frightening will come near you.

“Indeed, my plans are not like your plans, and my deeds are not like your deeds,

Look, the Lord’s hand is not too weak to deliver you; his ear is not too deaf to hear you.

We existed from ancient times, but you did not rule over them, they were not your subjects.

But your ancestors did not listen to me nor pay attention to me. They became obstinate and were more wicked than even their own forefathers.’”

The Lord said to me, “Tell them, ‘The Lord says, Do people not get back up when they fall down? Do they not turn around when they go the wrong way?

Lord, we know that people do not control their own destiny. It is not in their power to determine what will happen to them.