Isaiah 40:9-17

9Zion, you have good news to tell to people! So go up onto a high mountain. Yes, Jerusalem, shout the good news! Shout aloud, and do not be afraid. Say to the towns in Judah, ‘Here is your God!’

10Look! The Almighty Lord is coming with power. He will use his great strength to rule the people. Look again! He is bringing his gifts with him. He brings the prize that he has won in battle.

11He takes care of his people, like a shepherd who takes care of his sheep. He picks up the young lambs and he carries them near to his heart. He carefully leads the mother sheep that have lambs.

12Nobody has done what God has done! He measured all the water of the seas in one hand. He used his hand to measure the whole sky. He carefully weighed the soil of the earth. He carefully weighed the mountains in his scales, and the hills too.

13Nobody understands the mind of the Lord. Nobody can be his advisor, to tell him what he should do.

14He does not ask anyone to be his guide. Nobody can teach him the proper way to do things. Nobody can give him knowledge. Nobody can teach him how to understand things.

15The Lord looks at the nations as if they are a little bit of water in a bucket. They are like dust on his scales. He weighs the islands as he would weigh dust.

16All the trees from Lebanon's forests are not enough to make a fire for his altar. All its animals are not enough to offer to him as burnt offerings.

17All the nations in the world are not important to the Lord. He sees them as empty and useless.