¹“Sing , barren , you who didn’t give birth !

Break out into singing , and cry aloud , you who didn’t travail with child !

For more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife ,” says the LORD .

²“Enlarge the place of your tent ,

and let them stretch out the curtains of your habitations ;

don’t spare ; lengthen your cords , and strengthen your stakes .

³For you will spread out on the right hand and on the left ;

and your offspring will possess the nations

and settle in desolate cities .

⁴“Don’t be afraid , for you will not be ashamed .

Don’t be confounded , for you will not be disappointed.

For you will forget the shame of your youth .

You will remember the reproach of your widowhood no more .

⁵For your Maker is your husband ; the LORD of Armies is his name .

The Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer .

He will be called the God of the whole earth.

⁶For the LORD has called you as a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit ,

even a wife of youth , when she is cast off ,” says your God .

⁷“For a small moment I have forsaken you ,

but I will gather you with great mercies .

⁸In overflowing wrath I hid my face from you for a moment ,

but with everlasting loving kindness I will have mercy on you ,” says the LORD your Redeemer .

⁹“For this is like the waters of Noah to me ;

for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah will no more go over the earth,

so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you , nor rebuke you .

¹⁰For the mountains may depart ,

and the hills be removed ,

but my loving kindness will not depart from you ,

and my covenant of peace will not be removed ,”

says the LORD who has mercy on you .

¹¹“You afflicted , tossed with storms, and not comforted ,

behold , I will set your stones in beautiful colours ,

and lay your foundations with sapphires .

¹²I will make your pinnacles of rubies ,

your gates of sparkling jewels,

and all your walls of precious stones.

¹³All your children will be taught by the LORD ,

and your children ’s peace will be great .

¹⁴You will be established in righteousness .

You will be far from oppression ,

for you will not be afraid ,

and far from terror ,

for it shall not come near you .

¹⁵Behold , they may gather together , but not by me .

Whoever gathers together against you will fall because of you .

¹⁶“Behold , I have created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame,

and forges a weapon for his work ;

and I have created the destroyer to destroy .

¹⁷No weapon that is formed against you will prevail;

and you will condemn every tongue that rises against you in judgement.

This is the heritage of the LORD ’s servants ,

and their righteousness is of me ,” says the LORD .