1. The people who walked in darknesshave seen a great light;Upon those who lived in a land of glooma light has shone.
2. You have brought them abundant joyand great rejoicing;They rejoice before you as people rejoice at harvest,as they exult when dividing the spoils.
3. For the yoke that burdened them,the pole on their shoulder,The rod of their taskmaster,you have smashed, as on the day of Midian.
4. For every boot that tramped in battle,every cloak rolled in blood,will be burned as fuel for fire.
5. For a child is born to us, a son is given to us;upon his shoulder dominion rests.They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero,Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.
6. His dominion is vastand forever peaceful,Upon David’s throne, and over his kingdom,which he confirms and sustainsBy judgment and justice,both now and forever.The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this!
7. The Lord has sent a word against Jacob,and it falls upon Israel;
8. And all the people know it—Ephraim and those who dwell in Samaria—those who say in arrogance and pride of heart,
9. “Bricks have fallen,but we will rebuild with cut stone;Sycamores have been felled,but we will replace them with cedars.”
10. So the Lord raises up their foes against themand stirs up their enemies to action—
11. Aram from the east and the Philistines from the west—they devour Israel with open mouth.For all this, his wrath is not turned back,and his hand is still outstretched!
12. The people do not turn back to the one who struck them,nor do they seek the Lord of hosts.