"I have arousedhim in righteousnessAnd I will makeallhis wayssmooth;He will buildMy cityand will letMy exilesgofree,Withoutany paymentor reward,"saysthe LORDof hosts.
Whoeverthere is among you of allHis people,may his Godbe with him! Let him goup to Jerusalemwhichis in Judahand rebuildthe houseof the LORD,the Godof Israel;He is the Godwhois in Jerusalem.
By awesome[deeds] You answerus in righteousness,O Godof our salvation,You whoare the trustof allthe endsof the earthand of the farthestsea;
In allyour waysacknowledgeHim, And He will makeyour pathsstraight.
Behold,I am going to stirup the Medesagainstthem, Whowill not valuesilveror takepleasurein gold.
Who madethe worldlike a wildernessAnd overthrewits cities,Who did not allowhis prisonersto [go] home?'
"Whohas arousedone from the eastWhom He callsin righteousnessto His feet?He deliversup nationsbeforehim And subdueskings.He makesthem like dustwith his sword,As the wind-driven chaffwith his bow.
"I have arousedone from the north,and he has come;From the risingof the sunhe will callon My name;And he will comeupon rulersas [upon] mortar,Even as the pottertreadsclay."
"I am the LORD,I have calledyou in righteousness,I will also holdyou by the handand watchover you, And I will appointyou as a covenantto the people,As a lightto the nations,
"[It is I] who saysof Cyrus,'[He is] My shepherd!And he will performallMy desire.'And he declaresof Jerusalem,She will be built,'And of the temple,Your foundationwill be laid.'"
"I will gobeforeyou and makethe roughplacessmooth;I will shatterthe doorsof bronzeand cutthroughtheir ironbars.
Callinga birdof preyfrom the east,The manof My purposefrom a farcountry.TrulyI have spoken;trulyI will bringit to pass.I have planned[it, surely] I will doit.
Surely,thussaysthe LORD,"Eventhe captivesof the mightymanwill be takenaway, And the preyof the tyrantwill be rescued;For I will contendwith the onewhocontendswith you, And I will saveyour sons.
"Nowtherefore, whatdo I have here,"declaresthe LORD,"seeing that My peoplehave been takenaway withoutcause?"[Again] the LORDdeclares,"Those who ruleover them howl,and My nameis continuallyblasphemedalldaylong.
"Writheand laborto givebirth,Daughterof Zion,Like a woman in childbirth;For nowyou will goout of the city,Dwellin the field,And goto Babylon.Thereyou will be rescued;Therethe LORDwill redeemyou From the handof your enemies.
