“Tell King Hezekiah of Judah this: ‘Don’t let your God in whom you trust mislead you when he says, “Jerusalem will not be handed over to the king of Assyria.”

<p class="poetry">Indeed, they are barely planted;p> <p class="poetry">yes, they are barely sown;p> <p class="poetry">yes, they barely take root in the earth,p> <p class="poetry">and then he blows on them, causing them to dry up,p> <p class="poetry">and the wind carries them away like straw.p>

<p class="poetry">Predict how future events will turn out,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">so we might know you are gods.p> <p class="poetry">Yes, do something good or bad,p> <p class="poetry">so we might be frightened and in awe.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">Who handed Jacob over to the robber?p> <p class="poetry">Who handed Israel over to the looters?<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Was it not the <sc>Lordsc>, against whom we sinned?p> <p class="poetry">They refused to follow his commands;p> <p class="poetry">they disobeyed his law.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">So he poured out his fierce anger on them,p> <p class="poetry">along with the devastation<n id="1" /> of war.p> <p class="poetry">Its flames encircled them, but they did not realize it;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">it burned against them, but they did notice.<n id="3" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">Now, this is what the <sc>Lordsc> says,p> <p class="poetry">the one who created you, O Jacob,p> <p class="poetry">and formed you, O Israel:p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Don&#8217;t be afraid, for I will protect<n id="1" /> you.p> <p class="poetry">I call you by name, you are mine.p>

<p class="poetry">You did not bring me lambs for your burnt offerings;p> <p class="poetry">you did not honor me with your sacrifices.p> <p class="poetry">I did not burden you with offerings;p> <p class="poetry">I did not make you weary by demanding<n id="1" /> incense.p>

<p class="poetry">You did not buy me aromatic reeds;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">you did not present to me<n id="2" /> the fat of your sacrifices.p> <p class="poetry">Yet you burdened me with your sins;p> <p class="poetry">you made me weary with your evil deeds.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">This is what the <sc>Lordsc>, the one who made you, says &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">the one who formed you in the womb and helps you:p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Don&#8217;t be afraid, my servant Jacob,p> <p class="poetry">Jeshurun,<n id="1" /> whom I have chosen!p>

<p class="poetry">This is what the <sc>Lordsc> says,p> <p class="poetry">the Holy One of Israel,<n id="1" /> the one who formed him,p> <p class="poetry">concerning things to come:<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;How dare you question me<n id="3" /> about my children!p> <p class="poetry">How dare you tell me what to do with<n id="4" /> the work of my own hands!p>

<p class="poetry">Who among you fears the <sc>Lordsc>?p> <p class="poetry">Who obeys<n id="1" /> his servant?p> <p class="poetry">Whoever walks in deep darkness,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">without light,p> <p class="poetry">should trust in the name of the <sc>Lordsc>p> <p class="poetry">and rely on his God.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>

<p class="poetry">Having suffered, he will reflect on his work,p> <p class="poetry">he will be satisfied when he understands what he has done.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;My servant<n id="2" /> will acquit many,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">for he carried their sins.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">&#8220;As far as I am concerned, this is like in Noah&#8217;s time,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">when I vowed that the waters of Noah&#8217;s flood<n id="2" /> would never again cover the earth.p> <p class="poetry">In the same way I have vowed that I will not be angry at you or shout at you.p>

<p class="poetry">As for foreigners who become followers of<n id="1" /> the <sc>Lordsc> and serve him,p> <p class="poetry">who love the name of the <sc>Lordsc> and want to be his servants &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">all who observe the Sabbath and do not defile it,p> <p class="poetry">and who are faithful to<n id="2" /> my covenant &#8211;p>

<p class="poetry">The godly<n id="1" /> perish,p> <p class="poetry">but no one cares.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Honest people disappear,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">when no one<n id="4" /> minds<n id="5" />p> <p class="poetry">that the godly<n id="6" /> disappear<n id="7" /> because of<n id="8" /> evil.<n id="9" />p>

<p class="poetry">I want you<n id="1" /> to share your food with the hungryp> <p class="poetry">and to provide shelter for homeless, oppressed people.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">When you see someone naked, clothe him!p> <p class="poetry">Don&#8217;t turn your back on your own flesh and blood!<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Then your light will shine like the sunrise;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">your restoration will quickly arrive;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">your godly behavior<n id="3" /> will go before you,p> <p class="poetry">and the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s splendor will be your rear guard.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">We grope along the wall like the blind,p> <p class="poetry">we grope like those who cannot see;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">we stumble at noontime as if it were evening.p> <p class="poetry">Though others are strong, we are like dead men.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">Your gates will remain open at all times;p> <p class="poetry">they will not be shut during the day or at night,p> <p class="poetry">so that the wealth of nations may be delivered,p> <p class="poetry">with their kings leading the way.<n id="1" />p>