And he made my mouth like a sharp sword, and under the shelter of his hand he hid me; he made me like a chosen arrow, and in his quiver he sheltered me.
And I said: I have labored in vain; for emptiness and for nothing I have given my strength. Therefore my judgment is with the Lord, and my toil before my God.
And now thus says the Lord who formed me from the womb to be his own servant, to gather Jacob and Israel to him: I shall be gathered and glorified before the Lord, and my God shall be my strength.
And he said to me: It is a great thing for you to be called my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to turn back the dispersion of Israel. Behold, I have made you a covenant of a race, a light of nations, that you may be for salvation to the end of the earth.
Thus says the Lord who delivered you, the God of Israel: Sanctify the one who despises his own soul, the one abhorred by the nations, by the slaves of rulers. Kings shall see him, and rulers shall rise up and do obeisance to him, for the sake of the Lord; for the Holy One of Israel is faithful, and I have chosen you.
Thus says the Lord: In an acceptable time I heard you, and in a day of salvation I helped you; and I gave you as a covenant of nations, to establish the land and to inherit an inheritance of the desert,
saying to those in bonds: Come out; and to those in darkness: Be uncovered. And in all their ways they shall be pastured, and in all the paths shall be their pasture.
They shall not hunger nor thirst, nor shall scorching heat or the sun strike them; but he who has mercy on them shall comfort them, and lead them by springs of waters.
Rejoice, O heavens, and let the earth be glad; let the mountains break forth in gladness and the hills in righteousness; for God has had mercy on his people and has comforted the lowly of his people.
Will a woman forget her child, so as not to have mercy on the offspring of her womb? But even if a woman should forget these, yet I will not forget you, said the Lord.
Lift up your eyes round about and see them all. Behold, they were gathered and have come to you. As I live, says the Lord, you shall clothe yourself with them all and put them on like a bride's ornament.
For your desolate and ruined and fallen places shall now be too narrow because of the inhabitants, and those who swallow you up shall be far removed from you.
And you shall say in your heart: Who has borne these for me? For I am childless and a widow; and who has reared these for me? For I was left all alone; and these — where were they?
Thus says the Lord: Behold, I lift up my hand to the nations, and to the islands I will raise my signal; and they shall bring your sons in their bosom, and your daughters they shall carry on their shoulders.
And kings shall be your foster fathers, and their princesses your nurses; upon the face of the earth they shall do obeisance to you and lick the dust of your feet. And you shall know that I am the Lord, and you shall not be put to shame.
Thus says the Lord: If someone takes a giant captive, he shall take spoils; and he who takes from a strong one shall be saved. But I will judge your cause, and I will rescue your sons.
And those who afflicted you shall eat their own flesh, and they shall drink their own blood like new wine and be drunk. And all flesh shall perceive that I am the Lord who delivered you and who upholds the strength of Jacob.