Isaiah 60:6-16

6  A multitude of camels will cover you,

  young camels of Midian and Ephah;

  all those from Sheba will come.

 They will bring gold and frankincense,

  and proclaim the praise of the Lord.

7  All the flocks of Kedar will be gathered to you,

  the rams of Nebaioth will serve you;

 they will offer what is acceptable on my altar,

  and I will bring glory to my glorious house.

8  Who are these who fly like a cloud,

  like doves to their windows?

9  For the coastlands wait for me;

  the ships of Tarshish are first,

 to bring your children from far away,

  their silver and gold is with them,

 for the name of the Lord your God,

  and for the Holy One of Israel,

  for he has made you beautiful!

10 Foreigners will build up your walls,

  and their kings will serve you.

 for in my wrath I struck you down,

  but in my favour I have shown you mercy.

11 Your gates will always stand open;

  they will not be shut, day or night,

 so that the wealth of the nations

will be brought to you,

  with their kings led in procession.

12 For the nation and kingdom

  that will not serve you will perish;

  those nations will be completely ruined.

13 The glory of Lebanon will come to you,

  the cypress, the plane, and the pine,

 to beautify the place of my sanctuary;

  and I will give glory to where my feet stand.

14 The sons of those who oppressed you

  will come bending low to you,

 and all who despised you

  will bow down at your feet;

 they will call you the City of the Lord,

  Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

15 Instead of being forsaken and hated,

  with no one passing through,

 I will make you majestic forever,

  a joy from age to age.

16 You will suckle the milk of nations,

  you will suck the breasts of kings;

 and you will know that I am the Lord,

  your Saviour and your Redeemer,

  the Mighty One of Jacob.

translation by Paul H Ashby © 2008 all rights reserved