1. This is what the Lord says to his chosen one,to Cyrus, whose right hand I holdin order to subdue nations before him,and disarm kings,to open doors before him,so gates remain unclosed:
2. “I will go before youand level mountains.Bronze doors I will shatterand iron bars I will hack through.
3. I will give you hidden treasures,riches stashed away in secret places,so you may recognize that I am the Lord,the one who calls you by name, the God of Israel.
4. For the sake of my servant Jacob,Israel, my chosen one,I call you by nameand give you a title of respect, even though you do not recognize me.
5. I am the Lord, I have no peer,there is no God but me.I arm you for battle, even though you do not recognize me.
6. I do this so people will recognize from east to westthat there is no God but me;I am the Lord, I have no peer.
7. I am the one who forms lightand creates darkness; the one who brings about peaceand creates calamity.I am the Lord, who accomplishes all these things.
8. O sky, rain down from above!Let the clouds send down showers of deliverance!Let the earth absorb it so salvation may grow,and deliverance may sprout up along with it.I, the Lord, create it.
9. One who argues with his creator is in grave danger,one who is like a mere shard among the other shards on the ground!The clay should not say to the potter,“What in the world are you doing?Your work lacks skill!”
10. Danger awaits one who says to his father,“What in the world are you fathering?”and to his mother,“What in the world are you bringing forth?”
11. This is what the Lord says,the Holy One of Israel, the one who formed him,concerning things to come:“How dare you question me about my children!How dare you tell me what to do with the work of my own hands!