כֹּה אָמַר ה'אֵי זֶה סֵפֶר כְּרִיתוּת אִמְּכֶם אֲשֶׁר שִׁלַּחְתִּיהָ! אוֹ מִי מִנּוֹשַׁי אֲשֶׁר מָכַרְתִּי אֶתְכֶם לוֹ! הֵן בַּעֲוֹנֹתֵיכֶם נִמְכַּרְתֶּם וּבְפִשְׁעֵיכֶם שֻׁלְּחָה אִמְּכֶם

Continuing His response to the sense of abandonment initially expressed by Zion in the prophecy, God speaks in a sharper tone here. So said the Lord to Israel: Where is the scroll of your mother’s severance with which I sent her away? Where is the bill of divorce that was given to her? By posing this rhetorical question, God rejects the idea that the exile and suffering are like a bill of divorce that permanently separates the nation, symbolically represented as Zion’s mother, from God. Or to whom among My creditors did I sell you? I have not sold you as slaves to other nations as a business deal or for a profit, nor did I wish to get rid of you. Rather, your exile was a punishment for your actions. Behold, for your iniquities you were sold and for your transgressions was your mother sent away.

מַדּוּעַ בָּאתִי וְאֵין אִישׁ קָרָאתִי וְאֵין עוֹנֶה! הֲקָצוֹר קָצְרָה יָדִי מִפְּדוּת וְאִם אֵין בִּי כֹחַ לְהַצִּיל! הֵן בְּגַעֲרָתִי אַחֲרִיב יָם אָשִׂים נְהָרוֹת מִדְבָּר תִּבְאַשׁ דְּגָתָם מֵאֵין מַיִם וְתָמֹת בַּצָּמָא

It is therefore appropriate that you answer My call. Why did I come and there is no man, I called and there is no one to answer? Is My hand insufficient for redemption? Is there no strength in Me to rescue? Behold, with My rebuke I dry the sea, I render rivers wilderness, as a result of which their fish will reek from no water and they will die of thirst.

אַלְבִּישׁ שָׁמַיִם קַדְרוּת וְשַׂק אָשִׂים כְּסוּתָם

I clothe the heavens with blackness and I make sackcloth their garment. It is in My power to bring darkness and mourning to the world.

ה' אֱלֹהִים נָתַן לִי לְשׁוֹן לִמּוּדִים לָדַעַת לָעוּת אֶת יָעֵף דָּבָר יָעִיר בַּבֹּקֶר בַּבֹּקֶר יָעִיר לִי אֹזֶן לִשְׁמֹעַ כַּלִּמּוּדִים

The Lord God has given me a skilled tongue, eloquent speech, to know how to give timely advice to the tired, or, to help and encourage them. He rouses me each morning; He rouses my ear to hear skillfully. I have received from God not only the talent to speak but also the skill to listen.

ה' אֱלֹהִים פָּתַח לִי אֹזֶן וְאָנֹכִי לֹא מָרִיתִי אָחוֹר לֹא נְסוּגֹתִי

The Lord God has opened my ear to hear both His statements and those of the people, and I did not rebel, I did not retreat backward. Although I could have refused to develop these unique qualities and opted to remain an average person, I readily accepted them.

גֵּוִי נָתַתִּי לְמַכִּים ולְחָיַי לְמֹרְטִים פָּנַי לֹא הִסְתַּרְתִּי מִכְּלִמּוֹת וָרֹק

Consequently, I gave my body to smiters and my cheeks to pluckers of the hair of my beard; I did not hide my face from humiliation and spittle.

ה' אֱלֹהִים יַעֲזָר לִי עַל כֵּן לֹא נִכְלָמְתִּי עַל כֵּן שַׂמְתִּי פָנַי כַּחַלָּמִישׁ וָאֵדַע כִּי לֹא אֵבוֹשׁ

And although I am hated and disgraced, I am aware that the Lord God will help me; therefore I was not humiliated; therefore I made my face like a flint, so that their beatings and spittle have no effect upon me, and as I know that my prophecy is the word of God I will therefore not be ashamed.

קָרוֹב מַצְדִּיקִי מִי יָרִיב אִתִּי! נַעַמְדָה יָּחַד מִי בַעַל מִשְׁפָּטִי – יִגַּשׁ אֵלָי

I know that I am not alone: My vindicator is near, He stands at my side, and I act under His protection. Therefore, who will contend with me? Let us stand up together and contest each other. Who is my adversary? Let him approach me to argue with me.

הֵן ה' אֱלֹהִים יַעֲזָר לִי מִי הוּא יַרְשִׁיעֵנִי! הֵן כֻּלָּם כַּבֶּגֶד יִבְלוּ עָשׁ יֹאכְלֵם

Behold, the Lord God will help me; who is he that will condemn me? Behold, I rely on the Eternal God, whereas all of them, my enemies, will wear out like a garment; a moth will eat them. Their existence is temporary, like moldy, moth-eaten rags.

מִי בָכֶם יְרֵא ה' שֹׁמֵעַ בְּקוֹל עַבְדּוֹ אֲשֶׁר הָלַךְ חֲשֵׁכִים וְאֵין נֹגַהּ לוֹ יִבְטַח בְּשֵׁם ה' וְיִשָּׁעֵן בֵּאלֹהָיו!

Who among you fears the Lord, hears the voice of His servant, the prophet, who appears to you to have walked in darkness and there was no light for him, who among you can be considered trusting in the name of the Lord and relying on his God? You, however, mistakenly consider yourselves enlightened.

הֵן כֻּלְּכֶם קֹדְחֵי אֵשׁ מְאַזְּרֵי זִיקוֹת לְכוּ בְּאוּר אֶשְׁכֶם וּבְזִיקוֹת בִּעַרְתֶּם מִיָּדִי הָיְתָה זֹּאת לָכֶם לְמַעֲצֵבָה תִּשְׁכָּבוּן

Behold, all of you are igniters of fire, lighters of sparks; as you hold and bring together the sparks you have created so that they will form a flame, go in the flame of your fire and in the sparks that you kindled. Guard your flimsy light as best you can and follow it. This fate that will come upon you was for you from My hand; you will lie in suffering, without peace, consumed by worry and doubt. The light you produced will fade, and you will be left in the dark.