Isaiah 42:14–16

14 “For a long time I have kept silent,

I have been quiet and held myself back.

But now, like a woman in childbirth,

I cry out, I gasp and pant.

15 I will lay waste the mountains and hills

and dry up all their vegetation;

I will turn rivers into islands

and dry up the pools.

16 I will lead the blind by ways they have not known,

along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;

I will turn the darkness into light before them

and make the rough places smooth.

These are the things I will do;

I will not forsake them.

14 For a long time I have held my peace;

I have kept still and restrained myself;

now I will cry out like a woman in labor;

I will gasp and pant.

15 I will lay waste mountains and hills,

and dry up all their vegetation;

I will turn the rivers into islands,

and dry up the pools.

16 And I will lead the blind

in a way that they do not know,

in paths that they have not known

I will guide them.

I will turn the darkness before them into light,

the rough places into level ground.

These are the things I do,

and I do not forsake them.

14 I have long time holden my peace;

I have been still, and refrained myself:

Now will I cry like a travailing woman;

I will destroy and devour at once.

15 I will make waste mountains and hills,

And dry up all their herbs;

And I will make the rivers islands,

And I will dry up the pools.

16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not;

I will lead them in paths that they have not known:

I will make darkness light before them,

And crooked things straight.

These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.

14 He will say, “I have long been silent;

yes, I have restrained myself.

But now, like a woman in labor,

I will cry and groan and pant.

15 I will level the mountains and hills

and blight all their greenery.

I will turn the rivers into dry land

and will dry up all the pools.

16 I will lead blind Israel down a new path,

guiding them along an unfamiliar way.

I will brighten the darkness before them

and smooth out the road ahead of them.

Yes, I will indeed do these things;

I will not forsake them.

14 “I have held My peace a long time,

I have been still and restrained Myself.

Now I will cry like a woman in labor,

I will pant and gasp at once.

15 I will lay waste the mountains and hills,

And dry up all their vegetation;

I will make the rivers coastlands,

And I will dry up the pools.

16 I will bring the blind by a way they did not know;

I will lead them in paths they have not known.

I will make darkness light before them,

And crooked places straight.

These things I will do for them,

And not forsake them.

14 The Lord says, “For a long time I have said nothing;

I have been quiet and held myself back.

But now I will cry out

and strain like a woman giving birth to a child.

15 I will destroy the hills and mountains

and dry up all their plants.

I will make the rivers become dry land

and dry up the pools of water.

16 Then I will lead the blind along a way they never knew;

I will guide them along paths they have not known.

I will make the darkness become light for them,

and the rough ground smooth.

These are the things I will do;

I will not leave my people.

14 I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry out like a travailing woman; I will gasp and pant together. 15 I will lay waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and will dry up the pools. 16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they know not; in paths that they know not will I lead them; I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. These things will I do, and I will not forsake them.

14 Long time have I holden my peace; I have been still, I have restrained myself: I will cry like a woman that travaileth; I will blow and pant at once. 15 I will lay waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools. 16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they know not, in paths that they know not will I lead them; I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.

14 I have been silent for a long time. 

I kept quiet and held myself back. 

But like a woman in childbirth I will cry out. 

I will gasp and pant. 

15 I will lay waste to mountains and hills. 

I will dry up all their vegetation. 

I will turn rivers into islands. 

I will dry up ponds. 

16 I will lead the blind on unfamiliar roads. 

I will lead them on unfamiliar paths. 

I will turn darkness into light in front of them. 

I will make rough places smooth. 

These are the things I will do for them, 

and I will never abandon them. 

14 “I have kept silent from ages past;

I have been quiet and restrained Myself.

But now, I will groan like a woman in labor,

gasping breathlessly.

15 I will lay waste mountains and hills

and dry up all their vegetation.

I will turn rivers into islands

and dry up marshes.

16 I will lead the blind by a way they did not know;

I will guide them on paths they have not known.

I will turn darkness to light in front of them

and rough places into level ground.

This is what I will do for them,

and I will not forsake them.

14 For a long time I have held my peace;

I have kept still and restrained myself;

now I will cry out like a woman in labor;

I will gasp and pant.

15 I will lay waste mountains and hills

and dry up all their herbage;

I will turn the rivers into islands

and dry up the pools.

16 I will lead the blind

by a road they do not know;

by paths they have not known

I will guide them.

I will turn the darkness before them into light,

the rough places into level ground.

These are the things I will do,

and I will not forsake them.

14 I have been silent for a long time;

I have kept silent;

I have restrained myself like one giving birth;

I will moan, pant, and gasp together.

15 I will cause mountains and hills to dry up,

and I will cause all their herbage to wither;

and I will make rivers like islands,

and I will cause pools to dry up.

16 And I will lead the blind by a road they do not know;

I will cause them to tread on paths they have not known.

I will make darkness in their presence into light

and rough places into level ground.

These are the things I will do,

and I will not forsake them.

14 The Lord says, “For a long time I have kept silent.

I have been calm and quiet.

But now, like a woman having a baby,

I cry out. I am struggling to breathe.

15 I will completely destroy the mountains and hills.

I will dry up everything that grows there.

I will turn rivers into dry land.

I will dry up the pools.

16 Israel is blind.

So I will lead them along paths

they had not known before.

I will guide them on roads they are not familiar with.

I will turn the darkness into light as they travel.

I will make the rough places smooth.

Those are the things I will do.

I will not desert my people.