1 "Sing, barren, you who didn’t give birth!

Break out into singing, and cry aloud, you who didn’t travail with child!

For more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife," says Yahweh.

2 "Enlarge the place of your tent,

and let them stretch out the curtains of your habitations;

don’t spare; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes.

3 For you will spread out on the right hand and on the left;

and your offspring will possess the nations

and settle in desolate cities.

4 "Don’t be afraid, for you will not be ashamed.

Don’t be confounded, for you will not be disappointed.

For you will forget the shame of your youth.

You will remember the reproach of your widowhood no more.

5 For your Maker is your husband; Yahweh of Armies is his name.

The Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer.

He will be called the God of the whole earth.

6 For Yahweh has called you as a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit,

even a wife of youth, when she is cast off," says your God.

7 "For a small moment I have forsaken you,

but I will gather you with great mercies.

8 In overflowing wrath I hid my face from you for a moment,

but with everlasting loving kindness I will have mercy on you," says Yahweh your Redeemer.

9 "For this is like the waters of Noah to me;

for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah will no more go over the earth,

so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you, nor rebuke you.

10 For the mountains may depart,

and the hills be removed,

but my loving kindness will not depart from you,

and my covenant of peace will not be removed,"

says Yahweh who has mercy on you.

11 "You afflicted, tossed with storms, and not comforted,

behold, I will set your stones in beautiful colors,

and lay your foundations with sapphires.

12 I will make your pinnacles of rubies,

your gates of sparkling jewels,

and all your walls of precious stones.

13 All your children will be taught by Yahweh,

and your children’s peace will be great.

14 You will be established in righteousness.

You will be far from oppression,

for you will not be afraid,

and far from terror,

for it shall not come near you.

15 Behold, they may gather together, but not by me.

Whoever gathers together against you will fall because of you.

16 "Behold, I have created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame,

and forges a weapon for his work;

and I have created the destroyer to destroy.

17 No weapon that is formed against you will prevail;

and you will condemn every tongue that rises against you in judgment.

This is the heritage of Yahweh’s servants,

and their righteousness is of me," says Yahweh.

1 Jubel, onvrugbare, wat nie gebaar het nie! Breek uit in gejubel en juig, jy wat geen weë gehad het nie! Want die kinders van die eensame is meer as die kinders van die getroude, sê die HERE.

2 Maak die plek van jou tent wyd, en laat hulle die doeke van jou tentwonings oopspan. Verhinder dit nie! Maak jou lyne lank en slaan jou penne styf in.

3 Want jy sal regs en links uitbreek, en jou nageslag sal nasies in besit neem en verwoeste stede bevolk.

4 Wees nie bevrees nie, want jy sal nie beskaamd staan nie; en vrees geen skande nie, want jy sal nie nodig hê om te bloos nie; maar jy sal die skande van jou jonkheid vergeet en aan die smaad van jou weduweeskap nie meer dink nie.

5 Want jou Maker is jou Man; HERE van die leërskare is sy Naam; en die Heilige van Israel is jou Verlosser. Hy sal die God van die hele aarde genoem word.

6 Want soos 'n verlate vrou en 'n bedroefde van gees het die HERE jou geroep, en soos 'n vrou uit die jeugtyd as sy versmaad was, sê jou God.

7 Vir 'n klein oomblik het Ek jou verlaat, maar met groot ontferminge sal Ek jou vergader.

8 In 'n uitstorting van toorn het Ek vir 'n oomblik my aangesig vir jou verberg, maar met ewige goedertierenheid ontferm Ek My oor jou, sê die HERE, jou Verlosser.

9 Soos in die dae van Noag is dit vir My: soos Ek gesweer het dat die waters van Noag nie meer oor die aarde sou gaan nie, so het Ek gesweer dat Ek nie op jou toornig sal wees of jou sal dreig nie.

10 Want berge mag wyk en heuwels wankel, maar my goedertierenheid sal van jou nie wyk en my vredeverbond nie wankel nie, sê die HERE, jou Ontfermer.

11 Jy, ellendige, deur storm gejaagde, ongetrooste! Kyk, Ek lê jou stene in sierklei, en Ek grondves jou in saffiere;

12 en jou borswerings maak Ek van robyne en jou poorte van karbonkels en jou hele ringmuur van edelgesteentes.

13 En al jou kinders sal deur die HERE geleer wees, en die vrede van jou kinders sal groot wees.

14 Deur geregtigheid sal jy bevestig word; wees ver van verdrukking, want jy hoef nie bevrees te wees nie; en ver van verskrikking, want dit sal nie by jou kom nie.

15 As hulle ook die aanval begin -- dit is nie uit My nie; wie jou aanval, sal oor jou val.

16 Kyk, k het die smid geskape wat die koolvuur aanblaas en 'n wapen voortbring volgens sy ambag; ook het k die verderwer geskape om te verniel.

17 Elke wapen wat teen jou gesmee word, sal niks uitrig nie; en elke tong wat teen jou opstaan in die gereg, sal jy weerlê. Dit is die erfdeel van die knegte van die HERE en hulle geregtigheid wat uit My is, spreek die HERE.