Isaiah 51

The LORD calls those who pursue righteousness to look to Abraham and Sarah, from whom He called a nation out of one man. He will comfort Zion and make her wilderness like Eden. Israel is told to awake and put on strength; the cup of the LORD's fury that made them stagger will be taken from their hand and put into the hand of their tormentors.

v	King James Version	Modern English
1	Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.	Listen to Me, You who pursue righteousness, You who seek the LORD. Look to the rock from which You were cut and to the quarry from which You were dug.
2	Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.	Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you. I called him alone and blessed him and made him many.
3	For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.	For the LORD will comfort Zion; He will comfort all her desolate places. He will make her wilderness like Eden and her desert like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness will be found in her — thanksgiving and the sound of singing.
4	Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people.	Listen to Me, My people; give ear to Me, My nation. A law will go out from Me, and My justice shall be a light to the peoples.
5	My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust.	My righteousness is near; My salvation has gone out; My arms will judge the peoples. The coastlands wait for Me, and in My arm they put their hope.
6	Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.	Lift up Your eyes to the heavens and look at the earth beneath. The heavens shall vanish like smoke; the earth shall wear out like a garment; its inhabitants shall die like gnats. But My salvation will be forever, and My righteousness will never fail.
7	Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.	Listen to Me, You who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is My law. Do not fear the reproach of men; do not be dismayed at their insults.
8	For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.	For the moth shall eat them like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool. But My righteousness shall be forever, and My salvation to all generations.
9	Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon?	Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD. Awake as in the days of old, the generations of long ago. Was it not You who cut Rahab in pieces, who pierced the dragon?
10	Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over?	Was it not You who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep — who made the depths of the sea a road for the ransomed to cross over?
11	Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.	So the redeemed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing. Everlasting joy shall be on their heads. They shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
12	I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass;	I, I am He who comforts you. Why then do you fear a man who is mortal — the son of man who is made like grass?
13	And forgettest the LORD thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?	You have forgotten the LORD Your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth. You live in constant terror all day long because of the fury of the oppressor who is bent on destruction. But where is the fury of the oppressor now?
14	The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail.	The captive who crouches shall quickly be set free. He shall not die in the pit; His food shall not run out.
15	But I am the LORD thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The LORD of hosts is his name.	For I am the LORD Your God, Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar. The LORD of hosts is His name.
16	And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.	I have put My words in Your mouth and covered You in the shadow of My hand — stretching out the heavens and laying the foundations of the earth, and saying to Zion, "You are My people."
17	Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out.	Wake up, wake up! Rise up, O Jerusalem — you who have drunk from the hand of the LORD the cup of His wrath. You have drunk to the dregs the cup that makes men stagger.
18	There is none to guide her among all the sons whom she hath brought forth; neither is there any that taketh her by the hand of all the sons that she hath brought up.	There is no one to guide her — none of all the children she has borne. There is no one to take her by the hand — none of all the children she has raised.
19	These two things are come unto thee; who shall be sorry for thee? desolation, and destruction, and the famine, and the sword: by whom shall I comfort thee?	These two things have come on You — who will grieve with You? — devastation and destruction, famine and sword. By whom shall I comfort You?
20	Thy sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, as a wild bull in a net: they are full of the fury of the LORD, the rebuke of thy God.	Your sons have fainted; they lie at the head of every street like an antelope caught in a net. They are full of the wrath of the LORD, the rebuke of Your God.
21	Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine:	So listen to this, You afflicted one, drunk — but not with wine.
22	Thus saith thy Lord the LORD, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again:	Thus says Your Lord, the LORD — your God Who defends His people: "I am taking from Your hand the cup that made You stagger, the dregs of My cup of wrath. You shall never drink it again.
23	But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over.	I will put it into the hand of Your tormentors, who said to You, 'Bow down so we can walk over You.' You made Your back like the ground and like a street for them to walk on."