Unto Us a Child Is Born
(Matthew 4:12–17; Mark 1:14–15; Luke 4:14–15)
1 כִּ֣י (But) לֹ֣א (there is no) מוּעָף֮ (gloom) לַאֲשֶׁ֣ר (for the one who) מוּצָ֣ק (is in distress) לָהּ֒ (herself), כָּעֵ֣ת (As in the time) הָרִאשׁ֗וֹן (earlier) הֵקַ֞ל (He treated lightly) אַ֤רְצָה (the land) זְבֻלוּן֙ (of Zebulun) וְאַ֣רְצָה (and the land) נַפְתָּלִ֔י (of Naphtali), וְהָאַחֲר֖וֹן (and afterward) הִכְבִּ֑יד (He will honor) דֶּ֤רֶךְ (the Way) הַיָּם֙ (of the Sea), עֵ֣בֶר (beyond) הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן (the Jordan), גְּלִ֖יל (Galilee) הַגּוֹיִֽם׃ (of the nations).
2 הָעָם֙ (The people) הַהֹלְכִ֣ים (who are walking) בַּחֹ֔שֶׁךְ (in the darkness)
רָא֖וּ (have seen) א֣וֹר (a light) גָּד֑וֹל (great);
יֹשְׁבֵי֙ (for those sitting) בְּאֶ֣רֶץ (in the land) צַלְמָ֔וֶת (of the shadow of death),
א֖וֹר (a light) נָגַ֥הּ (has shone) עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ (upon them).
3 הִרְבִּ֣יתָ (You have multiplied) הַגּ֔וֹי (the nation);
לֹא (not) הִגְדַּ֣לְתָּ (have You have increased) הַשִּׂמְחָ֑ה (the joy)?
שָׂמְח֤וּ (They rejoice) לְפָנֶ֙יךָ֙ (before Your face)
כְּשִׂמְחַ֣ת (according to the joy) בַּקָּצִ֔יר (of the harvest),
כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר (like those) יָגִ֖ילוּ (who rejoice) בְּחַלְּקָ֥ם (in dividing) שָׁלָֽל׃ (the plunder).
4 כִּ֣י׀ (For) אֶת־ (-) עֹ֣ל (the yoke) סֻבֳּל֗וֹ (of his burden),
וְאֵת֙ (and) מַטֵּ֣ה (the staff) שִׁכְמ֔וֹ (of his shoulder)—
שֵׁ֖בֶט (the rod) הַנֹּגֵ֣שׂ (of the one pressing) בּ֑וֹ (on him)—
הַחִתֹּ֖תָ (You have broken) כְּי֥וֹם (as on the day) מִדְיָֽן׃ (of Midian).
5 כִּ֤י (For) כָל־ (every) סְאוֹן֙ (boot) סֹאֵ֣ן (treading) בְּרַ֔עַשׁ (with quaking),
וְשִׂמְלָ֖ה (and the garment) מְגוֹלָלָ֣ה (rolled) בְדָמִ֑ים (in blood),
וְהָיְתָ֥ה (and will be) לִשְׂרֵפָ֖ה (for burning)— מַאֲכֹ֥לֶת (as fuel) אֵֽשׁ׃ (for fire).
6 כִּי־ (For) יֶ֣לֶד (a child) יֻלַּד־ (has been born) לָ֗נוּ (unto us),
בֵּ֚ן (a son) נִתַּן־ (has been given) לָ֔נוּ (unto us),
וַתְּהִ֥י (and will be) הַמִּשְׂרָ֖ה (the government) עַל־ (upon) שִׁכְמ֑וֹ (his shoulder).
וַיִּקְרָ֨א (And will be called) שְׁמ֜וֹ (his name)
פֶּ֠לֶא (Wonderful), יוֹעֵץ֙ (Counselor), אֵ֣ל (God) גִּבּ֔וֹר (Mighty),
אֲבִיעַ֖ד (Everlasting Father), שַׂר־ (Prince) שָׁלֽוֹם׃ (of Peace).
7 לְםַרְבֵּה (Of the increase) הַמִּשְׂרָ֜ה (of His government) וּלְשָׁל֣וֹם (and peace)
אֵֽין־ (will be no) קֵ֗ץ (end),
עַל־ (over) כִּסֵּ֤א (the throne) דָוִד֙ (of David)
וְעַל־ (and over) מַמְלַכְתּ֔וֹ (his kingdom),
לְהָכִ֤ין (to establish) אֹתָהּ֙ (it) וּֽלְסַעֲדָ֔הּ (and sustain it)
בְּמִשְׁפָּ֖ט (with justice) וּבִצְדָקָ֑ה (and with righteousness)
מֵעַתָּה֙ (from now) וְעַד־ (and even to) עוֹלָ֔ם (forever).
קִנְאַ֛ת (The zeal) יְהוָ֥ה (of YHWH of) צְבָא֖וֹת (Hosts) תַּעֲשֶׂה־ (will accomplish) זֹּֽאת׃ס (this).
Judgment against Israel’s Pride
8 דָּבָ֛ר (A word) שָׁלַ֥ח (has sent) אֲדֹנָ֖י (YHWH) בְּיַעֲקֹ֑ב (against Jacob),
וְנָפַ֖ל (and it has fallen) בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (upon Israel).
9 וְיָדְעוּ֙ (And will know) הָעָ֣ם (the people) כֻּלּ֔וֹ (all of it)—
אֶפְרַ֖יִם (Ephraim) וְיוֹשֵׁ֣ב (and the one dwelling in) שֹׁמְר֑וֹן (Samaria)—
בְּגַאֲוָ֛ה (in pride) וּבְגֹ֥דֶל (and arrogance) לֵבָ֖ב (of heart)
לֵאמֹֽר׃ (they will say):
10 לְבֵנִ֥ים (The bricks) נָפָ֖לוּ (have fallen down),
וְגָזִ֣ית (and with hewn stone) נִבְנֶ֑ה (we will rebuild);
שִׁקְמִ֣ים (the sycamores) גֻּדָּ֔עוּ (are cut down),
וַאֲרָזִ֖ים (and with cedars) נַחֲלִֽיף׃ (we will replace them).
11 וַיְשַׂגֵּ֧ב (And raises up) יְהוָ֛ה (YHWH) אֶת־ (-) צָרֵ֥י (the adversaries) רְצִ֖ין (of Rezin) עָלָ֑יו (against him)
וְאֶת־ (and) אֹיְבָ֖יו (his enemies) יְסַכְסֵֽךְ׃ (He joins together),
12 אֲרָ֣ם (Aram) מִקֶּ֗דֶם (from the east), וּפְלִשְׁתִּים֙ (and Philistia) מֵֽאָח֔וֹר (from the west),
וַיֹּאכְל֥וּ (and they will devour) אֶת־ (-) יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (Israel) בְּכָל־ (with a whole) פֶּ֑ה (mouth).
בְּכָל־ (In all) זֹאת֙ (this), לֹא־ (not) שָׁ֣ב (is turned back) אַפּ֔וֹ (His anger)
וְע֖וֹד (and still) יָד֥וֹ (His hand) נְטוּיָֽה׃ (is stretched out).
Judgment against Israel’s Hypocrisy
13 וְהָעָ֥ם (And the people) לֹא־ (not) שָׁ֖ב (did turn) עַד־ (to) הַמַּכֵּ֑הוּ (the One striking it),
וְאֶת־ (and) יְהוָ֥ה (YHWH of) צְבָא֖וֹת (Hosts) לֹ֥א (not) דָרָֽשׁוּ׃ס (did they seek).
14 וַיַּכְרֵ֨ת (Will cut off) יְהוָ֜ה (YHWH) מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֗ל (from Israel) רֹ֧אשׁ (the head) וְזָנָ֛ב (and tail),
כִּפָּ֥ה (palm branch) וְאַגְמ֖וֹן (and reed), י֥וֹם (in a day) אֶחָֽד׃ (single).
15 זָקֵ֥ן (The elder) וּנְשׂוּא־ (and the uplifted) פָנִ֖ים (of face)— ה֣וּא (he is) הָרֹ֑אשׁ (the head)—
וְנָבִ֥יא (and the prophet) מֽוֹרֶה־ (teaching) שֶּׁ֖קֶר (lies), ה֥וּא (he is) הַזָּנָֽב׃ (the tail).
16 וַיִּֽהְי֛וּ (And for) מְאַשְּׁרֵ֥י (the guides) הָֽעָם־ (the people) הַזֶּ֖ה (this) מַתְעִ֑ים (mislead them),
וּמְאֻשָּׁרָ֖יו (and those they mislead) מְבֻלָּעִֽים׃ (are being swallowed up).
17 עַל־ (Upon) כֵּ֨ן (thus), עַל־ (in) בַּחוּרָ֜יו (its young men) לֹֽא־ (not) יִשְׂמַ֣ח׀ (does rejoice) אֲדֹנָ֗י (YHWH),
וְאֶת־ (and) יְתֹמָ֤יו (on its fatherless) וְאֶת־ (and) אַלְמְנֹתָיו֙ (widows) לֹ֣א (not) יְרַחֵ֔ם (does He have compassion),
כִּ֤י (for) כֻלּוֹ֙ (everyone) חָנֵ֣ף (is godless) וּמֵרַ֔ע (and an evildoer),
וְכָל־ (and every) פֶּ֖ה (mouth) דֹּבֵ֣ר (speaks) נְבָלָ֑ה (foolishness).
בְּכָל־ (In all) זֹאת֙ (this) לֹא־ (not) שָׁ֣ב (is turned away) אַפּ֔וֹ (His anger),
וְע֖וֹד (and still) יָד֥וֹ (His hand) נְטוּיָֽה׃ (is stretched out).
Judgment against Israel’s Unrepentance
18 כִּֽי־ (For) בָעֲרָ֤ה (burns) כָאֵשׁ֙ (as the fire) רִשְׁעָ֔ה (wickedness);
שָׁמִ֥יר (brier) וָשַׁ֖יִת (and thorn) תֹּאכֵ֑ל (it will devour),
וַתִּצַּת֙ (and it is kindled) בְּסִֽבְכֵ֣י (in the thickets) הַיַּ֔עַר (of the forest),
וַיִּֽתְאַבְּכ֖וּ (and they mount up) גֵּא֥וּת (in a rising) עָשָֽׁן׃ (of smoke).
19 בְּעֶבְרַ֛ת (By the wrath) יְהוָ֥ה (of YHWH) צְבָא֖וֹת (of hosts)
נֶעְתַּ֣ם (is scorched) אָ֑רֶץ (the land),
וַיְהִ֤י (are) הָעָם֙ (the people) כְּמַאֲכֹ֣לֶת (fuel) אֵ֔שׁ (for the fire);
אִ֥ישׁ (a man) אֶל־ (upon) אָחִ֖יו (his brother) לֹ֥א (not) יַחְמֹֽלוּ׃ (will have pity).
20 וַיִּגְזֹ֤ר (And one cuts down) עַל־ (on) יָמִין֙ (the right),
וְרָעֵ֔ב (and is hungry),
וַיֹּ֥אכַל (and he eats) עַל־ (on) שְׂמֹ֖אול (the left),
וְלֹ֣א (and not) שָׂבֵ֑עוּ (they have been satisfied);
אִ֥ישׁ (each man) בְּשַׂר־ (the flesh) זְרֹע֖וֹ (of his own arm) יֹאכֵֽלוּ׃ (devours)
21 מְנַשֶּׁ֣ה (Manasseh) אֶת־ (-) אֶפְרַ֗יִם (Ephraim),
וְאֶפְרַ֙יִם֙ (and Ephraim) אֶת־ (-) מְנַשֶּׁ֔ה (Manasseh);
יַחְדָּ֥ו (together) הֵ֖מָּה (they) עַל־ (are against) יְהוּדָ֑ה (Judah).
בְּכָל־ (In all) זֹאת֙ (this) לֹא־ (not) שָׁ֣ב (has turned back) אַפּ֔וֹ (His anger),
וְע֖וֹד (and still) יָד֥וֹ (His hand) נְטוּיָֽה׃ס (is stretched out).
