1 Die woestyn en die dor land sal bly wees, en die wildernis sal juig en bloei soos 'n narsing;

2 dit sal lustig bloei en juig, ja, met gejuig en gejubel; die heerlikheid van die L¡banon is aan hom gegee, die sieraad van Karmel en Saron; hulle d r sal sien die heerlikheid van die HERE, die sieraad van onse God.

3 Versterk die slap hande en maak die struikelende knieë vas.

4 Sê aan die wat vervaard is van hart: Wees sterk, wees nie bevrees nie! Kyk, julle God kom met wraak, met goddelike vergelding; Hy self sal kom en julle verlos.

5 Dan sal die oë van die blindes geopen en die ore van die dowes ontsluit word.

6 Dan sal die lamme spring soos 'n takbok, en die tong van die stomme sal jubel; want in die woestyn breek waters uit en strome in die wildernis.

7 En die gloeiende grond sal 'n waterplas word, en die dorsland fonteine van water; in die plek van die jakkalse waar hulle gelê en rus het, is gras met riete en biesies.

8 En d r sal 'n grootpad wees en 'n weg wat die heilige weg genoem sal word; geen onreine sal daarop voorttrek nie, maar vir hulle sal dit wees; wie die weg bewandel -- selfs die dwase sal nie dwaal nie.

9 D r sal geen leeu wees nie, en geen verskeurende dier sal daarop kom of daar aangetref word nie; maar die verlostes sal daarop wandel;

10 en die losgekooptes van die HERE sal teruggaan en na Sion kom met gejubel, en ewige vreugde sal op hulle hoof wees; vreugde en blydskap sal hulle verkry, maar kommer en gesug vlug weg.

1 The waste land and the dry places will be glad; the lowland will have joy and be full of flowers.

2 It will be flowering like the rose; it will be full of delight and songs; the glory of Lebanon will be given to it; the pride of Carmel and Sharon: they will see the glory of the Lord, the power of our God.

3 Make strong the feeble hands, give support to the shaking knees.

4 Say to those who are full of fear, Be strong and take heart: see, your God will give punishment; the reward of God will come; he himself will come to be your saviour.

5 Then the eyes of the blind will see, and the ears which are stopped will be open.

6 Then will the feeble-footed be jumping like a roe, and the voice which was stopped will be loud in song: for in the waste land streams will be bursting out, and waters in the dry places.

7 And the burning sand will become a pool, and the dry earth springs of waters: the fields where the sheep take their food will become wet land, and water-plants will take the place of grass.

8 And a highway will be there; its name will be, The Holy Way; the unclean and the sinner may not go over it, and those who go on it will not be turned out of the way by the foolish.

9 No lion will be there, or any cruel beast; they will not be seen there; but those for whom the Lord has given a price,

10 Even those whom he has made free, will come back again; they will come with songs to Zion; on their heads will be eternal joy; delight and joy will be theirs, and sorrow and sounds of grief will be gone for ever.