59:14 Justice is driven back;
godliness 1 stands far off.
Indeed, 2 honesty stumbles in the city square
and morality is not even able to enter.
59:15 Honesty has disappeared;
the one who tries to avoid evil is robbed.
The Lord watches and is displeased, 3
for there is no justice.
59:16 He sees there is no advocate; 4
he is shocked 5 that no one intervenes.
So he takes matters into his own hands; 6
his desire for justice drives him on. 7
59:17 He wears his desire for justice 8 like body armor, 9
and his desire to deliver is like a helmet on his head. 10
He puts on the garments of vengeance 11
and wears zeal like a robe.
59:18 He repays them for what they have done,
dispensing angry judgment to his adversaries
and punishing his enemies. 12
He repays the coastlands. 13
59:19 In the west, people respect 14 the Lord’s reputation; 15
in the east they recognize his splendor. 16
For he comes like a rushing 17 stream
driven on by wind sent from the Lord. 18
59:20 “A protector 19 comes to Zion,
to those in Jacob who repent of their rebellious deeds,” 20 says the Lord.