1Our God says, “Encourage my people!
2Speak kindly to the people of Jerusalem;
3I hear someone who is shouting,
4Fill in the valleys;
5If you do that, it will become known that Yahweh is glorious/great,
6Someone said to me, “Shout!”
7Grass withers and flowers dry up
8The grass withers and the flowers dry up,
9You people of Jerusalem, you have good news to tell to people,
10Yahweh your God will be coming with power;
11He will take care of his people
12There is no one like Yahweh!
13And ◄who else can advise Yahweh’s Spirit?/No one else can advise Yahweh’s Spirit!► [RHQ]
14◄Has Yahweh consulted anyone else to get advice?/Yahweh has certainly not consulted anyone else to get advice!► [RHQ]
15Yahweh considers that the nations are as insignificant as [MET] one drop from a bucket full of water.
16There would be not enough wood from all the trees in Lebanon
17The nations of the world are completely insignificant/unimportant to him;
18So, to whom can you compare God?
19Can you compare him to an idol that is made in a mold,
20A man who is poor cannot buy silver or gold for his idol;
21Have you(pl) not heard this?
22God sits on his throne above the earth,
23He causes kings to have no more power,
24They start to rule, like small plants start to grow and form roots;
25The Holy One asks,
26Look up toward the sky:
27You people of Israel [DOU], why do you complain that Yahweh does not see the troubles that you are experiencing?
28Have you never heard
29He strengthens [DOU] those who feel weak and tired.
30Even youths become faint and weary,
31But those who trust in Yahweh will become strong again;