1-3. “Listen to me, all you who are serious about right livingand committed to seeking God.Ponder the rock from which you were cut,the quarry from which you were dug.Yes, ponder Abraham, your father,and Sarah, who bore you.Think of it! One solitary man when I called him,but once I blessed him, he multiplied.Likewise I, God, will comfort Zion,comfort all her mounds of ruins.I’ll transform her dead ground into Eden,her moonscape into the garden of God,A place filled with exuberance and laughter,thankful voices and melodic songs.
12-16. “I, I’m the One comforting you.What are you afraid of—or who?Some man or woman who’ll soon be dead?Some poor wretch destined for dust?You’ve forgotten me, God, who made you,who unfurled the skies, who founded the earth.And here you are, quaking like an aspenbefore the tantrums of a tyrantwho thinks he can kick down the world.But what will come of the tantrums?The victims will be released before you know it.They’re not going to die.They’re not even going to go hungry.For I am God, your very own God,who stirs up the sea and whips up the waves,named God-of-the-Angel-Armies.I teach you how to talk, word by word,and personally watch over you,Even while I’m unfurling the skies,setting earth on solid foundations,and greeting Zion: ‘Welcome, my people!’”