<t /><p class="poetry">Here is a message about the Desert by the Sea:<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Like strong winds blowing in the south,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">one invades from the desert,p> <p class="poetry">from a land that is feared.p>

<p class="poetry">Your chosen<n id="1" /> cities have become a desert;p> <p class="poetry">Zion has become a desert,p> <p class="poetry">Jerusalem<n id="2" /> is a desolate ruin.p>

<p class="poetry">Justice will settle down in the desertp> <p class="poetry">and fairness will live in the orchard.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">who led them through the deep water?p> <p class="poetry">Like a horse running on flat land<n id="1" /> they did not stumble.p>

<t /><p class="poetry">Let the desert and dry region be happy;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">let the wilderness<n id="2" /> rejoice and bloom like a lily!p>

<p class="poetry">Is this the one who made the world like a desert,p> <p class="poetry">who ruined its<n id="1" /> cities,p> <p class="poetry">and refused to free his prisoners so they could return home?&#8221;&#8217;<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">Send rams as tribute to the ruler of the land,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">from Sela in the desert<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">to the hill of Daughter Zion.p>

<p class="poetry">This desolation will continue until new life is poured out on us from heaven.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Then the desert will become an orchardp> <p class="poetry">and the orchard will be considered a forest.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">A voice cries out,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;In the wilderness clear a way for the <sc>Lordsc>;p> <p class="poetry">construct in the desert a road for our God.p>

<p class="poetry">Let the desert and its cities shout out,p> <p class="poetry">the towns where the nomads of Kedar live!p> <p class="poetry">Let the residents of Sela shout joyfully;p> <p class="poetry">let them shout loudly from the mountaintops.p>

<p class="poetry">For the fortified city<n id="1" /> is left alone;p> <p class="poetry">it is a deserted settlementp> <p class="poetry">and abandoned like the desert.p> <p class="poetry">Calves<n id="2" /> graze there;p> <p class="poetry">they lie down therep> <p class="poetry">and eat its branches bare.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Then the lame will leap like a deer,p> <p class="poetry">the mute tongue will shout for joy;p> <p class="poetry">for water will flow<n id="1" /> in the desert,p> <p class="poetry">streams in the wilderness.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">I will make streams flow down the slopesp> <p class="poetry">and produce springs in the middle of the valleys.p> <p class="poetry">I will turn the desert into a pool of waterp> <p class="poetry">and the arid land into springs.p>

<p class="poetry">I will make cedars, acacias, myrtles, and olive trees grow in the wilderness;p> <p class="poetry">I will make evergreens, firs, and cypresses grow together in the desert.p>

<p class="poetry">&#8220;Look, I am about to do something new.p> <p class="poetry">Now it begins to happen!<n id="1" /> Do you not recognize<n id="2" /> it?p> <p class="poetry">Yes, I will make a road in the desertp> <p class="poetry">and paths<n id="3" /> in the wilderness.p>

<p class="poetry">The wild animals of the desert honor me,p> <p class="poetry">the jackals and ostriches,p> <p class="poetry">because I put water in the desertp> <p class="poetry">and streams in the wilderness,p> <p class="poetry">to quench the thirst of my chosen people,p>

<p class="poetry">For the fields of Heshbon are dried up,p> <p class="poetry">as well as the vines of Sibmah.p> <p class="poetry">The rulers of the nations trample all over its vines,p> <p class="poetry">which reach Jazer and spread to the desert;p> <p class="poetry">their shoots spread out and cross the sea.p>

<p class="poetry">Why does no one challenge me when I come?p> <p class="poetry">Why does no one respond when I call?<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Is my hand too weak<n id="2" /> to deliver<n id="3" /> you?p> <p class="poetry">Do I lack the power to rescue you?p> <p class="poetry">Look, with a mere shout<n id="4" /> I can dry up the sea;p> <p class="poetry">I can turn streams into a desert,p> <p class="poetry">so the fish rot away and diep> <p class="poetry">from lack of water.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">Certainly the <sc>Lordsc> will console Zion;p> <p class="poetry">he will console all her ruins.p> <p class="poetry">He will make her wilderness like Eden,p> <p class="poetry">her desert like the Garden of the <sc>Lordsc>.p> <p class="poetry">Happiness and joy will be restored to<n id="1" /> her,p> <p class="poetry">thanksgiving and the sound of music.p>