55 Hey, you who are thirsty, go to the water supplies,
≈ and you who have no money, go and buy grain and eat.
Yes, come and buy grain without money,
and wine and milk with no price on them.
2 Why pay money for what’s not food,
≈ and work hard for what doesn’t satisfy?
Listen carefully to me and eat good
≈ and enjoy rich foods.
3 Pay attention and come to me.
≈ Listen so you all can live,
and I’ll make a permanent agreement with you all—
≈ the reliable, loyal commitment shown to David.[ref]
4 Listen, I’ve made him a witness to the nations—
a leader and commander of the people groups.
5 Look, you’ll call a nation that you didn’t know,
and that nation that didn’t know you either, will run to you
because of your god Yahweh,
and because Yisrael’s (Israel’s) holy has caused you to be honoured.
6 Search for Yahweh while he lets himself be found.
≈ Call out to Yahweh for help while he’s near.
7 Let the wicked abandon their behaviour,
and the evil abandon their plans.
Then let them return to Yahweh so that he can have compassion for him,
and return to our god because he’ll freely forgive them.
8 Yes, my thoughts aren’t like your thoughts,
≈ and your ways aren’t like my ways.
That’s what Yahweh declares.
9 Yes, just as the skies are higher than the earth,
so too my ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts are higher than your thoughts.
10 Just like how the rain and snow come down from the skies
and don’t return there, but water the land
that then makes it produce and sprout,
seed is given to the sower and bread to the consumer,
11 so too when my message leaves my mouth.
It won’t return to me empty,
but when it’s done what was desired,
≈ and after having prospered in the place where I sent it.
12 You’ll all go out cheerfully
≈ and be led in peace.
The mountains and hills will let out a happy shout,
≈ and all the trees in the countryside will clap their hands.
13 Instead of thornbushes, cypress trees will grow up.
≈ Rather than nettles, myrtle trees will rise up,
and it’ll increase Yahweh’s reputation
as a permanent sign that will never be destroyed.
