Seek Yahweh While He May Be Found

1“Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters;

And you who have no [†]money come, buy and eat.

Come, buy wine and milk

Without money and without cost.

2Why do you [†]spend money for what is not bread,

And your wages for what does not satisfy?

Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,

And delight your soul in richness.

3Incline your ear and come to Me.

Listen, that your soul may live;

And I will cut an everlasting covenant with you,

According to the faithful lovingkindnesses of David.

4Behold, I have given him as a witness to the peoples,

A ruler and commander for the peoples.

5Behold, you will call a nation you do not know,

And a nation which knows you not will run to you,

Because of Yahweh your God, even the Holy One of Israel;

For He has adorned you with beautiful glory.”

6Seek Yahweh while He may be found;

Call upon Him while He is near.

7Let the wicked forsake his way

And the unrighteous man his thoughts;

And let him return to Yahweh,

And He will have compassion on him,

And to our God,

For He will abundantly pardon.

8“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways,” declares Yahweh.

9“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

So are My ways higher than your ways

And My thoughts than your thoughts.

10For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,

And do not return there without watering the earth

And making it bear and sprout,

And giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

11So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;

It will not return to Me empty,

Without accomplishing what pleases Me,

And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

12For you will go out with gladness

And be led forth with peace;

The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you,

And all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

13Instead of the thorn bush the cypress will come up,

And instead of the nettle the myrtle will come up,

And [†]it will be to Yahweh for His [†]renown,

For an everlasting sign which will not be cut off.”