Isaiah 41

¹Come quietly before me, O sea-lands, and let the peoples get together their strength: let them come near; then let them say what they have to say: let us put forward our cause against one another.

²Who sent out from the east one who is right wherever he goes? he gives the nations into his hands, and makes him ruler over kings; he gives them as the dust to his sword, as dry stems before the wind to his bow.

³He goes after them safely, not touching the road with his feet.

⁴Whose purpose and work was it? His who sent out the generations from the start. I the Lord, the first, and with the last, I am he.

⁵The sea-lands saw it, and were in fear; the ends of the earth were shaking: they came near.

⁶They gave help everyone to his neighbour; and everyone said to his brother, Take heart!

⁷So the metal-worker put heart into the gold-worker, and he who was hammering the metal smooth said kind words to the iron-worker, saying of the plate, It is ready: and he put it together with nails, so that there might be no slipping.

⁸But as for you, Israel, my servant, and you, Jacob, whom I have taken for myself, the seed of Abraham my friend:

⁹You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and sent for from its farthest parts, saying to you, You are my servant, whom I have taken for myself, and whom I have not given up:

¹⁰Have no fear, for I am with you; do not be looking about in trouble, for I am your God; I will give you strength, yes, I will be your helper; yes, my true right hand will be your support.