Isaiah 29:16–19

16 You turn things upside down,

as if the potter were thought to be like the clay!

Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it,

“You did not make me”?

Can the pot say to the potter,

“You know nothing”?

17 In a very short time, will not Lebanon be turned into a fertile field

and the fertile field seem like a forest?

18 In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll,

and out of gloom and darkness

the eyes of the blind will see.

19 Once more the humble will rejoice in the Lord;

the needy will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

16 Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay:

For shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not?

Or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?

17 Is it not yet a very little while,

And Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field,

And the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest?

18 And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book,

And the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.

19 The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord,

And the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

16 How foolish can you be?

He is the Potter, and he is certainly greater than you, the clay!

Should the created thing say of the one who made it,

“He didn’t make me”?

Does a jar ever say,

“The potter who made me is stupid”?

17 Soon—and it will not be very long—

the forests of Lebanon will become a fertile field,

and the fertile field will yield bountiful crops.

18 In that day the deaf will hear words read from a book,

and the blind will see through the gloom and darkness.

19 The humble will be filled with fresh joy from the Lord.

The poor will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

16 Surely you have things turned around!

Shall the potter be esteemed as the clay;

For shall the thing made say of him who made it,

“He did not make me”?

Or shall the thing formed say of him who formed it,

“He has no understanding”?

17 Is it not yet a very little while

Till Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field,

And the fruitful field be esteemed as a forest?

18 In that day the deaf shall hear the words of the book,

And the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness.

19 The humble also shall increase their joy in the Lord,

And the poor among men shall rejoice

In the Holy One of Israel.

16 You are confused.

You think the clay is equal to the potter.

You think that an object can tell the one who made it,

“You didn’t make me.”

This is like a pot telling its maker,

“You don’t know anything.”

17 In a very short time, Lebanon will become rich farmland,

and the rich farmland will seem like a forest.

18 At that time the deaf will hear the words in a book.

Instead of having darkness and gloom, the blind will see.

19 The Lord will make the poor people happy;

they will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

16 Ye turn things upside down! Shall the potter be esteemed as clay; that the thing made should say of him that made it, He made me not; or the thing formed say of him that formed it, He hath no understanding?

17 Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest? 18 And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness. 19 The meek also shall increase their joy in Jehovah, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

16 Oh your perverseness! —Shall the potter be esteemed as the clay, so that the work should say of him that made it, He made me not; or the thing formed say of him that formed it, He hath no understanding?

17 Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest? 18 And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and, out of obscurity and out of darkness, the eyes of the blind shall see; 19 and the meek shall increase their joy in Jehovah, and the needy among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

16 You turn things upside down! 

Is the potter no better than his clay? 

Can something that has been made 

say about its maker, “He didn’t make me”? 

Can a piece of pottery 

say about the potter, “He doesn’t understand”? 

17 In a very short time Lebanon will be turned into a fertile field 

and the fertile field will be considered a forest. 

18 When that day comes, the deaf will hear the words written in the book. 

The blind will see out of their gloom and darkness. 

19 Humble people again will find joy in the Lord. 

The poorest of people will find joy in the Holy One of Israel. 

16 You have turned things around,

as if the potter were the same as the clay.

How can what is made say about its maker,

“He didn’t make me”?

How can what is formed

say about the one who formed it,

“He doesn’t understand what he’s doing”?

17 Isn’t it true that in just a little while

Lebanon will become an orchard,

and the orchard will seem like a forest?

18 On that day the deaf will hear

the words of a document,

and out of a deep darkness

the eyes of the blind will see.

19 The humble will have joy

after joy in the Lord,

and the poor people will rejoice

in the Holy One of Israel.

16 You turn things upside down!

Shall the potter be regarded as the clay?

Shall the thing made say of its maker,

“He did not make me,”

or the thing formed say of the one who formed it,

“He has no understanding”?

17 Shall not Lebanon in a very little while

become a fruitful field

and the fruitful field be regarded as a forest?

18 On that day the deaf shall hear

the words of a scroll,

and freed from gloom and darkness

the eyes of the blind shall see.

19 The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord,

and the neediest people shall exult in the Holy One of Israel.

16 Your perversity!

As if a potter shall be regarded as the clay!

That the product of its maker says,

“He did not make me,”

and the thing made into shape says of its potter,

“He has no understanding.”

17 In a very little while shall not Lebanon change into a fruitful land,

and the fruitful land be regarded as a forest?

18 And on that day, the deaf shall hear the words of a scroll,

and the eyes of the blind shall see out of gloom and darkness.

19 And the meek have joy after joy in Yahweh,

and the needy of the people shall rejoice in the holy one of Israel.

16 They turn everything upside down.

How silly they are to think that potters are like the clay they work with!

Can what is made say to the one who made it,

“You didn’t make me”?

Can the pot say to the potter,

“You don’t know anything”?

17 In a very short time, Lebanon will be turned into rich farm lands.

The rich farm lands will seem like a forest.

18 At that time those who can’t hear will hear what is read from the scroll.

Those who are blind will come out of gloom and darkness.

They will be able to see.

19 Those who aren’t proud will once again find their joy in the Lord.

And those who are in need will find their joy in the Holy One of Israel.

16 You turn things around!

Shall the potter be considered as equal with the clay,

That what is made would say to its maker, “He did not make me”;

Or what is formed say to him who formed it, “He has no understanding”?

17 Is it not yet just a little while

Before Lebanon will be turned into a fertile field,

And the fertile field will be considered as a forest?

18 On that day the deaf will hear words of a book,

And out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see.

19 The afflicted also will increase their gladness in the Lord,

And the needy of mankind will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.