Revised Literal Translation

Isaiah 40:18-28

18To whom then will ye likenתְּדַמְּי֣וּןte.da.me.YunH1819Godאֵ֑ל'ElH410?or what likenessדְּמ֖וּתde.MutH1823will ye compareתַּ֥עַרְכוּTa.'ar.khuH6186unto him?

19The workmanחָרָ֔שׁcha.RashH2796meltethנָסַ֣ךְna.SakhH5258a graven imageהַפֶּ֙סֶל֙ha.Pe.selH6459,and the goldsmithוְצֹרֵ֖ףve.tzo.RefH6884spreadethיְרַקְּעֶ֑נּוּye.rak.ke.'E.nuH7554it over with goldבַּזָּהָ֣בba.za.HavH2091,and castethצוֹרֵֽף׃tzo.RefH6884silverכֶּ֖סֶףKe.sefH3701chainsוּרְתֻק֥וֹתu.re.tu.KotH7577.

20He that isso impoverishedהַֽמְסֻכָּ֣ןham.su.KanH5534 H5533that he hath no oblationתְּרוּמָ֔הte.ru.MahH8641choosethיִבְחָ֑רyiv.CharH977a treeעֵ֥ץ'etzH6086thatwill not rotיִרְקַ֖בyir.KavH7537;he seekethיְבַקֶּשׁ־ye.va.kesh-H1245unto him a cunningחָכָם֙cha.KhamH2450workmanחָרָ֤שׁcha.RashH2796to prepareלְהָכִ֥יןle.ha.KhinH3559a graven imageפֶּ֖סֶלPe.selH6459, thatshall not be movedיִמּֽוֹט׃yi.MotH4131.

21Have ye not knownתֵֽדְעוּ֙te.de.'UH3045?have ye not heardתִשְׁמָ֔עוּtish.Ma.'uH8085?hath it not been toldהֻגַּ֥דhu.GadH5046you from the beginningמֵרֹ֖אשׁme.RoshH7218?have ye not understoodהֲבִ֣ינֹתֶ֔םha.Vi.no.TemH995from the foundationsמוֹסְד֖וֹתmos.DotH4146of the earthהָאָֽרֶץ׃ha.'A.retzH776?

22It ishe that sittethהַיֹּשֵׁב֙hai.yo.ShevH3427upon the circleח֣וּגchugH2329of the earthהָאָ֔רֶץha.'A.retzH776,and the inhabitantsוְיֹשְׁבֶ֖יהָve.yo.she.Vei.haH3427thereof areas grasshoppersכַּחֲגָבִ֑יםka.cha.ga.VimH2284;that stretcheth outהַנּוֹטֶ֤הha.no.TehH5186the heavensשָׁמַ֔יִםsha.Ma.yimH8064as a curtainכַדֹּק֙kha.DokH1852,and spreadeth them outוַיִּמְתָּחֵ֥םvai.yim.ta.ChemH4969as a tentכָּאֹ֖הֶלka.'O.helH168to dwell inלָשָֽׁבֶת׃la.Sha.vetH3427:

23That bringethהַנּוֹתֵ֥ןha.no.TenH5414the princesרוֹזְנִ֖יםroz.NimH7336to nothing; he makethעָשָֽׂה׃'a.SahH6213the judgesשֹׁ֥פְטֵיSho.fe.teiH8199of the earthאֶ֖רֶץ'E.retzH776as vanityכַּתֹּ֥הוּka.To.huH8414.

24Yea, they shall not be plantedנִטָּ֗עוּni.Ta.'uH5193;yea, they shall not be sownזֹרָ֔עוּzo.Ra.'uH2232:yea, their stockגִּזְעָ֑םgiz.'AmH1503shall not take rootשֹׁרֵ֥שׁsho.ReshH8327in the earthבָּאָ֖רֶץba.'A.retzH776:and he shall also blowנָשַׁ֤ףna.ShafH5398upon them, and they shall witherוַיִּבָ֔שׁוּvai.yi.Va.shuH3001,and the whirlwindוּסְעָרָ֖הu.se.'a.RahH5591shall takeתִּשָּׂאֵֽם׃ סti.sa.'EmH5375them away as stubbleכַּקַּ֥שׁka.KashH7179.

25To whom then will ye likenתְדַמְּי֖וּנִיte.da.me.Yu.niH1819me, or shall I be equalוְאֶשְׁוֶ֑הve.'esh.VehH7737?saithיֹאמַ֖רyo.MarH559the Holy Oneקָדֽוֹשׁ׃ka.Do.oshH6918.

26Lift upשְׂאוּ־se.'u-H5375your eyesעֵינֵיכֶ֤ם'ei.nei.KhemH5869on highמָר֨וֹםma.RomH4791,and beholdוּרְאוּ֙u.re.'UH7200who hath createdבָרָ֣אva.Ra'H1254these things,that bringeth outהַמּוֹצִ֥יאha.mo.Tzi'H3318their hostצְבָאָ֑םtze.va.'AmH6635by numberבְמִסְפָּ֖רve.mis.ParH4557:he callethיִקְרָ֔אyik.Ra'H7121them all by namesבְּשֵׁ֣םbe.ShemH8034by the greatnessמֵרֹ֤בme.RoH7230of his mightאוֹנִים֙'o.NimH202, for that he isstrongוְאַמִּ֣יץve.'a.MitzH533in powerכֹּ֔חַKo.achH3581;not oneאִ֖ישׁ'ishH376failethנֶעְדָּֽר׃ סne'.DarH5737.

27Why sayestתֹאמַר֙to.MarH559thou, O Jacobיַֽעֲקֹ֔בya.'a.KoH3290,and speakestוּתְדַבֵּ֖רu.te.da.BerH1696,O Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'ElH3478,My wayדַרְכִּי֙dar.KiH1870is hidנִסְתְּרָ֤הnis.te.RahH5641from Yhwhמֵֽיְהוָ֔הme.Yah.wehH3068,and my judgmentמִשְׁפָּטִ֥יmish.pa.TiH4941is passed overיַעֲבֽוֹר׃ya.'a.VorH5674from my Godוּמֵאֱלֹהַ֖יu.me.'e.lo.HaiH430?

28Hast thou not knownיָדַ֜עְתָּya.Da'.taH3045?hast thou not heardשָׁמַ֗עְתָּsha.Ma'.taH8085, thatthe everlastingעוֹלָ֤ם׀o.LamH5769Godאֱלֹהֵ֨י'e.lo.HeiH430,Yhwhיְהוָה֙Yah.wehH3068,the Creatorבּוֹרֵא֙bo.Re'H1254of the endsקְצ֣וֹתke.TzotH7098of the earthהָאָ֔רֶץha.'A.retzH776,faintethיִיעַ֖ףyi.'AfH3286not, neither is wearyיִיגָ֑עyi.Ga'H3021? there isno searchingחֵ֖קֶרChe.kerH2714of his understandingלִתְבוּנָתֽוֹ׃lit.vu.na.ToH8394.

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Commentaries on Isaiah 40