1 The wilderness and the parched land shall be glad, And the desert rejoice and blossom as the rose; 2 It shall blossom abundantly, and exult with joy and singing; The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it; The beauty of Carmel and Sharon; They shall behold the glory of Jehovah, The majesty of our God; 3 Strengthen ye the weak hands, And confirm the tottering knees! 4 Say ye to the faint-hearted, “Be ye strong; fear ye not; Behold your God! Vengeance cometh, the retribution of God; He will come and save you!” 5 Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, And the ears of the deaf be unstopped. 6 Then shall the lame leap like the hart, And the tongue of the dumb shall sing; For in the wilderness shall waters break forth, And streams in the desert. 7 The glowing sands shall become a pool, And the thirsty ground springs of water; In the habitation of jackals, where they lie, Shall be a place for reeds and rushes. 8 And a path shall be there, and a highway, And it shall be called the holy way; No unclean person shall pass over it; it shall be for them alone; He that therein goeth in this way, though a fool, shall not err therein. 9 No lion shall be there, Nor shall any ravenous beast go up thereon; It shall not be found there; But the redeemed shall walk there. 10 Yea, the ransomed of Jehovah shall return; They shall come to Zion with songs: Everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; They shall obtain joy and gladness, And sorrow and sighing shall flee away.