7. The woodworker encourages the goldsmith,the one who beats with the hammer, him who strikes on the anvil,Saying of the soldering, “It is good!”then fastening it with nails so it will not totter.
8. But you, Israel, my servant,Jacob, whom I have chosen,offspring of Abraham my friend—
9. You whom I have taken from the ends of the earthand summoned from its far-off places,To whom I have said, You are my servant;I chose you, I have not rejected you—
10. Do not fear: I am with you;do not be anxious: I am your God.I will strengthen you, I will help you,I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.
11. Yes, all shall be put to shame and disgracewho vent their anger against you;Those shall be as nothing and perishwho offer resistance.
12. You shall seek but not findthose who strive against you;They shall be as nothing at allwho do battle with you.
13. For I am the Lord, your God,who grasp your right hand;It is I who say to you, Do not fear,I will help you.
14. Do not fear, you worm Jacob,you maggot Israel;I will help you—oracle of the Lord;the Holy One of Israel is your redeemer.
15. I will make of you a threshing sledge,sharp, new, full of teeth,To thresh the mountains and crush them,to make the hills like chaff.
16. When you winnow them, the wind shall carry them off,the storm shall scatter them.But you shall rejoice in the Lord;in the Holy One of Israel you shall glory.
17. The afflicted and the needy seek water in vain,their tongues are parched with thirst.I, the Lord, will answer them;I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
18. I will open up rivers on the bare heights,and fountains in the broad valleys;I will turn the wilderness into a marshland,and the dry ground into springs of water.
19. In the wilderness I will plant the cedar,acacia, myrtle, and olive;In the wasteland I will set the cypress,together with the plane tree and the pine,
20. That all may see and know,observe and understand,That the hand of the Lord has done this,the Holy One of Israel has created it.
21. Present your case, says the Lord;bring forward your arguments, says the King of Jacob.
22. Let them draw near and foretell to uswhat it is that shall happen!What are the things of long ago?Tell us, that we may reflect on themand know their outcome;Or declare to us the things to come,