Isaiah 50:2–4

2 When I came, why was there no one?

When I called, why was there no one to answer?

Was my arm too short to deliver you?

Do I lack the strength to rescue you?

By a mere rebuke I dry up the sea,

I turn rivers into a desert;

their fish rot for lack of water

and die of thirst.

3 I clothe the heavens with darkness

and make sackcloth its covering.”

4 The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue,

to know the word that sustains the weary.

He wakens me morning by morning,

wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.

2 Wherefore, when I came, was there no man?

When I called, was there none to answer?

Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem?

Or have I no power to deliver?

Behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea,

I make the rivers a wilderness:

Their fish stinketh, because there is no water, and dieth for thirst.

3 I clothe the heavens with blackness,

And I make sackcloth their covering.

4 The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned,

That I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary:

He wakeneth morning by morning,

He wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.

2 Why was no one there when I came?

Why didn’t anyone answer when I called?

Is it because I have no power to rescue?

No, that is not the reason!

For I can speak to the sea and make it dry up!

I can turn rivers into deserts covered with dying fish.

3 I dress the skies in darkness,

covering them with clothes of mourning.”

4 The Sovereign Lord has given me his words of wisdom,

so that I know how to comfort the weary.

Morning by morning he wakens me

and opens my understanding to his will.

2 Why, when I came, was there no man?

Why, when I called, was there none to answer?

Is My hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem?

Or have I no power to deliver?

Indeed with My rebuke I dry up the sea,

I make the rivers a wilderness;

Their fish stink because there is no water,

And die of thirst.

3 I clothe the heavens with blackness,

And I make sackcloth their covering.”

4 “The Lord God has given Me

The tongue of the learned,

That I should know how to speak

A word in season to him who is weary.

He awakens Me morning by morning,

He awakens My ear

To hear as the learned.

2 I came home and found no one there;

I called, but no one answered.

Do you think I am not able to save you?

Do I not have the power to save you?

Look, I need only to shout and the sea becomes dry.

I change rivers into a desert,

and their fish rot because there is no water;

they die of thirst.

3 I can make the skies dark;

I can make them black like clothes of sadness.”

4 The Lord God gave me the ability to teach

so that I know what to say to make the weak strong.

Every morning he wakes me.

He teaches me to listen like a student.

2 Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? Behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stink, because there is no water, and die for thirst. 3 I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering.

4 The Lord Jehovah hath given me the tongue of them that are taught, that I may know how to sustain with words him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as they that are taught.

2 Wherefore did I come, and there was no man? I called, and there was none to answer? Is my hand at all shortened that I cannot redeem, or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make rivers a wilderness; their fish stink because there is no water, and die for thirst. 3 I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering.

4 The Lord Jehovah hath given me the tongue of the instructed, that I should know how to succour by a word him that is weary. He wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the instructed.

2 Why was no one here when I came? 

Why was no one here to answer when I called? 

Am I too weak to reclaim you? 

Don’t I have the power to rescue you? 

I dry up the sea with my command, 

and I turn rivers into deserts. 

Their fish stink because there is no water, 

and people die of thirst. 

3 I clothe the heavens in darkness 

and cover them with sackcloth. 

4 The Almighty Lord will teach me what to say, 

so I will know how to encourage weary people. 

Morning after morning he will wake me 

to listen like a student. 

2 Why was no one there when I came?

Why was there no one to answer when I called?

Is My hand too short to redeem?

Or do I have no power to deliver?

Look, I dry up the sea by My rebuke;

I turn the rivers into a wilderness;

their fish rot because of lack of water

and die of thirst.

3 I dress the heavens in black

and make sackcloth their clothing.

4 The Lord God has given Me

the tongue of those who are instructed

to know how to sustain the weary with a word.

He awakens Me each morning;

He awakens My ear to listen like those being instructed.

2 Why was no one there when I came?

Why did no one answer when I called?

Is my arm powerless to redeem?

Or have I no strength to deliver?

By my rebuke I dry up the sea;

I make the rivers a desert,

so that their fish stink for lack of water

and die of thirst.

3 I clothe the heavens with blackness

and make sackcloth their covering.

4 The Lord God has given me

a trained tongue,

that I may know how to sustain

the weary with a word.

Morning by morning he wakens,

wakens my ear

to listen as those who are taught.

2 Why was there no man when I came,

no one who answered when I called?

Do I lack the strength to save?

Or is there no power in me to deliver?

Look! by my rebuke I dry up the sea;

I make the rivers a desert;

their fish stink because there is no water,

and they die because of thirst.

3 I clothe the heavens with darkness,

and I make their covering sackcloth.”

4 The Lord Yahweh has given me the tongue of a pupil,

to know how to help the weary with a word.

He awakens morning by morning,

awakens an ear for me to listen as do the pupils.

2 When I came to save you, why didn’t anyone welcome me?

When I called out to you, why didn’t anyone answer me?

Wasn’t my arm powerful enough to set you free?

Wasn’t I strong enough to save you?

I dry up the sea with a single command.

I turn rivers into a desert.

Then fish rot because they do not have any water.

They die because they are thirsty.

3 I make the sky turn dark.

It looks as if it is dressed in black clothes.”

4 The Lord and King has taught me what to say.

He has taught me how to help those who are tired.

He wakes me up every morning.

He makes me want to listen like a good student.

2 “Why was there no man when I came?

When I called, why was there none to answer?

Is My hand so short that it cannot ransom?

Or have I no power to deliver?

Behold, I dry up the sea with My rebuke,

I make the rivers a wilderness;

Their fish stink for lack of water

And die of thirst.

3 “I clothe the heavens with blackness

And make sackcloth their covering.”

4 The Lord God has given Me the tongue of disciples,

That I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word.

He awakens Me morning by morning,

He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple.