CHAPTER 61

1 The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon me; On that account Jehovah hath anointed me; He hath sent me to preach to the afflicted; ²⁶⁴²⁶⁴     Or, To the meek. To bind up the broken in heart; To proclaim liberty to the captives, The opening of the prison to them that are bound.

2 To proclaim the year of the good-pleasure of Jehovah, And the day of vengeance to our God; To comfort all that mourn.

3 To appoint to the mourners in Zion; That I may give to them beauty instead of ashes, The oil of joy instead of mourning, The garment of gladness instead of an afflicted spirit; To call them trees of righteousness, The plantation of Jehovah, To glorify him.

4 And they shall build the deserts of the age; They shall raise up the ancient wildernesses; And they shall restore the cities of desolation, The wildernesses of many ages.

5 And strangers shall stand And feed your sheep; And the sons of the foreigner shall be Your husbandmen And vine-dressers.

6 But ye shall be called the Priests of Jehovah; Men shall call you the Ministers of our God; Ye shall eat the substance of the Gentiles; And ye shall rise by their glory.

7 Instead of your shame there shall be a double reward; And instead of disgrace they shall rejoice in their portion; For in their land they shall possess the double, And they shall have everlasting joy.

8 For I Jehovah love judgment; I hate robbery in the burnt-offering; And I will establish their work in truth, And will make an everlasting covenant with them.

9 And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles; And their offspring in the midst of the peoples; All who see them shall acknowledge them That they are the seed blessed by Jehovah.

10 Rejoicing I will rejoice in Jehovah; My soul shall be joyful in my God; Nor he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation; He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness; As a bridegroom hath he adorned me, And as a bride decorated with her jewels.

11 For, as the earth putteth forth her bud, And as the garden causeth her seed to spring up, So the Lord Jehovah will cause righteousness to spring up, And praise before all the nations.