10-11. “‘So fear no more, Jacob, dear servant.Don’t despair, Israel.Look up! I’ll save you out of faraway places,I’ll bring your children back from exile.Jacob will come back and find life good,safe and secure.I’ll be with you. I’ll save you.I’ll finish off all the godless nationsAmong which I’ve scattered you,but I won’t finish you off.I’ll punish you, but fairly.I won’t send you off with just a slap on the wrist.’
12-15. “This is God’s Message:“‘You’re a burned-out case,as good as dead.Everyone has given up on you.You’re hopeless.All your fair-weather friends have skipped townwithout giving you a second thought.But I delivered the knockout blow,a punishment you will never forget,Because of the enormity of your guilt,the endless list of your sins.So why all this self-pity, licking your wounds?You deserve all this, and more.Because of the enormity of your guilt,the endless list of your sins,I’ve done all this to you.
16-17. “‘Everyone who hurt you will be hurt;your enemies will end up as slaves.Your plunderers will be plundered;your looters will become loot.As for you, I’ll come with healing,curing the incurable,Because they all gave up on youand dismissed you as hopeless—that good-for-nothing Zion.’
18-21. “Again, God’s Message:“‘I’ll turn things around for Jacob.I’ll compassionately come in and rebuild homes.The town will be rebuilt on its old foundations;the mansions will be splendid again.Thanksgivings will pour out of the windows;laughter will spill through the doors.Things will get better and better.Depression days are over.They’ll thrive, they’ll flourish.The days of contempt will be over.They’ll look forward to having children again,to being a community in which I take pride.I’ll punish anyone who hurts them,and their prince will come from their own ranks.One of their own people shall be their leader.Their ruler will come from their own ranks.I’ll grant him free and easy access to me.Would anyone dare to do that on his own,to enter my presence uninvited?’ God’s Decree.
22. “‘And that’s it: You’ll be my very own people,I’ll be your very own God.’”
23-24. Look out! God’s hurricane is let loose,his hurricane blast,Spinning the heads of the wicked like dust devils!God’s raging anger won’t let upUntil he’s made a clean sweepcompleting the job he began.When the job’s doneyou’ll see it’s been well done.