¹ Let the desert and the dry lands be glad, let the wasteland rejoice and bloom; like the asphodel,

² let it burst into flower, let it rejoice and sing for joy. The glory of Lebanon is bestowed on it, the splendour of Carmel and Sharon; then they will see the glory of Yahweh, the splendour of our God.

³ Strengthen all weary hands, steady all trembling knees

⁴ and say to the faint-hearted, 'Be strong! Do not be afraid. Here is your God, vengeance is coming, divine retribution; he is coming to save you.'

⁵ Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, the ears of the deaf unsealed,

⁶ then the lame will leap like a deer and the tongue of the dumb sing for joy; for water will gush in the desert and streams in the wastelands,

⁷ the parched ground will become a marsh and the thirsty land springs of water; the lairs where the jackals used to live will become plots of reed and papyrus.

⁸ And through it will run a road for them and a highway which will be called the Sacred Way; the unclean will not be allowed to use it; He will be the one to use this road, the fool will not stray along it.

⁹ No lion will be there, no ferocious beast set foot on it, nothing of the sort be found; it will be used by the redeemed.

¹⁰ For those whom Yahweh has ransomed will return, they will come to Zion shouting for joy, their heads crowned with joy unending; rejoicing and gladness will escort them and sorrow and sighing will take flight.