1. the Lord says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held, to subdue nations before him, and strip kings of their armour; to open the doors before him, and the gates shall not be shut:
2. “I will go before you,and make the rough places smooth.I will break the doors of bronze in pieces,and cut apart the bars of iron.
3. I will give you the treasures of darkness,and hidden riches of secret places,that you may know that it is I, the Lord, who call you by your name,even the God of Israel.
4. For Jacob my servant’s sake,and Israel my chosen,I have called you by your name.I have given you a title,though you have not known me.
5. I am the Lord, and there is no one else.Besides me, there is no God.I will strengthen you,though you have not known me;
6. that they may know from the rising of the sun,and from the west,that there is no one besides me.I am the Lord, and there is no one else.
7. I form the light,and create darkness.I make peace,and create calamity.I am the Lord,who does all these things.
8. Rain, you heavens, from above,and let the skies pour down righteousness.Let the earth open, that it may produce salvation,and let it cause righteousness to spring up with it.I, the Lord, have created it.
9. Woe to him who strives with his Maker—a clay pot amongst the clay pots of the earth!Shall the clay ask him who fashions it, ‘What are you making?’or your work, ‘He has no hands?’
10. Woe to him who says to a father, ‘What have you become the father of?’or to a mother, ‘To what have you given birth?’”
11. the Lord, the Holy One of Israel,and his Maker says:“You ask me about the things that are to come, concerning my sons,and you command me concerning the work of my hands!
12. I have made the earth, and created man on it.I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens;and I have commanded all their army.