This page has been prepared to compare between the Hebrew version of Isaiah 53 as received in the Masoretic Text (MT) and the Aramaic version of the text as received in the Targum Yonatan (Jonathan). The English translation used here for the Targum is taken from the Driver and Neubauer translation of Targum Yonatan. It is popularly published on the Internet by people on both sides of the debate. The English translation that accompanies the Hebrew is the King James Version, one of the most popular of Christian translations. The Hebrew text is the standard Masoretic Text with trope notations. The Aramaic text is taken from the Mikra’ot G’dolot (מקראות גדולות), commonly known as the “Rabbinic Bible.” The version that I have used was published in Qiryath Gath (קרית גת), Israel, by Dani Books Publishing Company.
| Hebrew Version :: King James Version | Aramaic Version :: Driver-Neubauer Translation | ||
| 52.13 | הִנֵּ֥ה יַשְׂכִּ֖יל עַבְדִּ֑י יָר֧וּם וְנִשָּׂ֛א וְגָבַ֖הּ מְאֹֽד׃ | הָא יַצְלַח עַבְדִי מְשִיחָא יְרוּם וְיִסְגֵי וְיִתְקוֹף לַחֲדָא׃ | |
| Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. | Behold my servant Messiah shall prosper; he shall be high, and increase, and be exceeding strong: | ||
| 52.14 | כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֨ר שָֽׁמְמ֤וּ עָלֶ֨יךָ֙ רַבִּ֔ים כֵּן־מִשְׁחַ֥ת מֵאִ֖ישׁ מַרְאֵ֑הוּ וְתֹֽאֲר֖וֹ מִבְּנֵ֥י אָדָֽם׃ | כְּמָא דִסְבַרוּ לֵיהּ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל יוֹמִין סַגִיאִין דַהֲוָה חֲשִׁיךְ בֵּינֵי עַמְמַיָא חֶזְוֵהוֹן וְזִיוְהוֹן מִבְּנֵי אֱנָשָׁא׃ | |
| As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: | as the house of Israel looked to him during many days, because their countenance was darkened among the peoples, and their complexion beyond the sons of men, | ||
| 52.15 | כֵּ֤ן יַזֶּה֙ גּוֹיִ֣ם רַבִּ֔ים עָלָ֛יו יִקְפְּצ֥וּ מְלָכִ֖ים פִּיהֶ֑ם כִּ֠י אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־סֻפַּ֤ר לָהֶם֙ רָא֔וּ וַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־שָׁמְע֖וּ הִתְבּוֹנָֽנוּ׃ | כֵּן יְבַדַר עַמְמִין סַגִיאִין עֲלוֹהִי יִשְׁתְקוּן מַלְכִין יְשַׁווּן יְדֵיהוֹן עַל פוּמְהוֹן אֲרֵי דְלָא אִשְׁתַּעִיאוּ לְהוֹן חֲזוֹ וּדְלָא שְׁמַעוּ אִסְתַּכַּלוּ׃ | |
| So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider. | so will he scatter many peoples; at him kings shall be silent, and put their hands upon their mouth, because that which was not told them have they seen, and that which they had not heard they have observed. | ||
| 53.1 | מִ֥י הֶֽאֱמִ֖ין לִשְׁמֻֽעָתֵ֑נוּ וּזְר֥וֹעַ יְהוָ֖ה עַל־מִ֥י נִגְלָֽתָה׃ | מַן הֵימִין לִבְסוֹרְתָּנָא דָא וּתְקוֹף דְרַע גְבוּרְתָּא דַיָי כְּדוּן עַל מַן אִתְגְלִיאַת׃ | |
| Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? | Who hath believed this our glad tidings? and the strength of the mighty arm of the Lord, upon whom as thus hath it been revealed? | ||
| 53.2 | וַיַּ֨עַל כַּיּוֹנֵ֜ק לְפָנָ֗יו וְכַשֹּׁ֨רֶשׁ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ צִיָּ֔ה לֹא־תֹ֥אַר ל֖וֹ וְלֹ֣א הָדָ֑ר וְנִרְאֵ֥הוּ וְלֹֽא־מַרְאֶ֖ה וְנֶחְמְדֵֽהוּ׃ | וְיִתְרְבָא צַדִיקָא קֳדָמוֹהִי הָא כְלַבְלְבִין דְפָרְחִין וּכְאִילָן דִמְשַׁלַח שׁוֹרְשׁוֹהִי עַל נַגְדִין דְמַיִין כֵּן יִסְגוֹן תּוּלְדַת קוּדְשָׁא בְּאַרְעָא דַהֲוַת צְרִיכָא לֵיהּ לָא חֵיזוּ חוּלָא חֶזְוֵיהּ וְלָא אֵימְתֵיהּ אֵימַת הֶדְיוֹט וִיהֵי זִיו קוּדְשָׁא זִיוֵיהּ דְכָל דְיַחְזִינֵיהּ יִסְתַּכֵּל בֵּיהּ׃ | |
| For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. | The righteous will grow up before him, yeah, like blooming shoots, and like a tree which sends forth its roots to streams of water will they increase – a holy generation in the land that was in need of him; his countenance no profane countenance, and the terror at him not the terror at an ordinary man; his complexion shall be a holy complexion, and all who see him will look wistfully upon him. | ||
| 53.3 | נִבְזֶה֙ וַֽחֲדַ֣ל אִישִׁ֔ים אִ֥ישׁ מַכְאֹב֖וֹת וִיד֣וּעַ חֹ֑לִי וּכְמַסְתֵּ֤ר פָּנִים֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ נִבְזֶ֖ה וְלֹ֥א חֲשַׁבְנֻֽהוּ׃ | בְּכֵן יְהֵי לְבוּסרָן וְיִפסִיק יְקָר כָּל מַלְכְּוָתָא יְהוֹן חֲלָשִׁין וְדָוָן הָא כֶּאֱנָשׁ כֵּיבִין וּמְזוּמַן לְמַרְעִין וּכְמָא דַהֲוָת מְסַלְקָא אַפֵּי שְׁכִינְתָא מִנָנָא בְסִירִין וְלָא חֲשִׁיבִין׃ | |
| He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. | Then he will become despised, and will cut off the glory of all the kingdoms; they will be prostrate and mourning, like a man of pains and like one destined for sicknesses; and as though the presence of the Shekhinah had been withdrawn from us, they will be despised, and esteemed not. | ||
| 53.4 | אָכֵ֤ן חֳלָיֵ֨נוּ֙ ה֣וּא נָשָׂ֔א וּמַכְאֹבֵ֖ינוּ סְבָלָ֑ם וַֽאֲנַ֣חְנוּ חֲשַׁבְנֻ֔הוּ נָג֛וּעַ מֻכֵּ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים וּמְעֻנֶּֽה׃ | בְּכֵן עַל חוֹבָנָא הוּא יִבְעֵי וַעֲוָיָתָנָא בְּדִילֵהּ יִשְׁתַּבְקוּן וַאֲנַחְנָא חֲשִׁיבִין כְּתִישִׁין מָחָן מִן קֳדָם יְיָ וּמְעַנָן׃ | |
| Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. | Then for our sins he will pray, and our iniquities will for his sake be forgiven, although we were accounted stricken, smitten from before the Lord, and afflicted. | ||
| 53.5 | וְהוּא֙ מְחֹלָ֣ל מִפְּשָׁעֵ֔נוּ מְדֻכָּ֖א מֵעֲוֹֽנֹתֵ֑ינוּ מוּסַ֤ר שְׁלוֹמֵ֨נוּ֙ עָלָ֔יו וּבַחֲבֻֽרָת֖וֹ נִרְפָּא־לָֽנוּ׃ | וְהוּא יִבְנֵי בֵּית מַקְדְשָׁא דְאִתְּחַל בְּחוֹבָנָא אִתְמְסַר בַּעֲוָיָתָנָא וּבְאוּלְפְנֵהּ שְׁלָמָא יִסְגֵי עֲלָנָא וּכַדְנָצֵית לְפִתְגָמוֹהִי חוּבָנָא יִשְׁתַּבְּקוּן לָנָא׃ | |
| But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. | But he will build up the Holy Place, which has been polluted for our sins, and delivered to the enemy for our iniquities; and by his instruction peace shall be increased upon us, and by devotion to his words, our sins will be forgiven us. | ||
| 53.6 | כֻּלָּ֨נוּ֙ כַּצֹּ֣אן תָּעִ֔ינוּ אִ֥ישׁ לְדַרְכּ֖וֹ פָּנִ֑ינוּ וַֽיהוָה֙ הִפְגִּ֣יעַ בּ֔וֹ אֵ֖ת עֲוֹ֥ן כֻּלָּֽנוּ׃ | כּוּלָנָא כְּעָנָא אִתְבַּדַרְנָא גְבַר לָקֳבֵיל אוֹרְחֵהּ גְלֵינָא וּמִן קֳדָם יְיָ הֲוָת רַעֲוָא לְמִשְׁבַּק חוֹבֵי כוּלָנָא בְדִילֵיהּ׃ | |
| All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. | All we like sheep had been scattered, we had each wandered off on his own way; but it was the Lord’s good pleasure to forgive the sins of all of us for his sake. | ||
| 53.7 | נִגַּ֨שׂ וְה֣וּא נַֽעֲנֶה֮ וְלֹ֣א יִפְתַּח־פִּיו֒ כַּשֶּׂה֙ לַטֶּ֣בַח יוּבָ֔ל וּכְרָחֵ֕ל לִפְנֵ֥י גֹֽזְזֶ֖יהָ נֶֽאֱלָ֑מָה וְלֹ֥א יִפְתַּ֖ח פִּֽיו׃ | בְּעֵי וְהוּא מִתְּתָב וְעַד לָא פְּתַח פּוּמֵיהּ מִתְקַבֵּל תַּקִיפֵי עַמְמַיָא כְּאִמְרָא לְנִכְסְתָא יִמְסַר וּכִרְחֵלָא דְקָדָם גָזָהָא שָׁתְקָא וְלֵית לְקִיבְלֵהּ דְפָּתַח פּוּמֵהּ וּמְמַלֵיל מִלָא׃ | |
| He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. | He prayed, and he was answered, and ere even he had opened his mouth he was accepted; the mighty of the peoples he will deliver up like a sheep to the slaughter and like a lamb dumb before her shearers; there shall be none before him opening his mouth or saying a word | ||
| 53.8 | מֵעֹ֤צֶר וּמִמִּשְׁפָּט֙ לֻקָּ֔ח וְאֶת־דּוֹר֖וֹ מִ֣י יְשׂוֹחֵ֑חַ כִּ֤י נִגְזַר֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ חַיִּ֔ים מִפֶּ֥שַׁע עַמִּ֖י נֶ֥גַע לָֽמוֹ׃ | מִיִסוּרִין וּמִפּוּרעֲנוּת יְקָרֵיב גָלְוָתָנָא וּפְרִישָׁן דְיִתְעַבְדָן לָנָא בְּיוֹמוֹהִי מַן יִכּוּל לְאִשְׁתְּעָאָה אֲרֵי יַעְדֵי שׁוּלְטָן עַמְמַיָא מֵאַרְעָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל חוֹבִין דְחָבוּ עַמִי עַד לְוַתְהוֹן יִמטֵי׃ | |
| He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. | Out of chastisements and punishment he will bring our captives near; the wondrous things done to us in his days who shall be able to tell? For he will cause the dominion of the Gentiles to pass away from the land of Israel and transfer to them the sins which my people have committed. | ||
| 53.9 | וַיִּתֵּ֤ן אֶת־רְשָׁעִים֙ קִבְר֔וֹ וְאֶת־עָשִׁ֖יר בְּמֹתָ֑יו עַ֚ל לֹֽא־חָמָ֣ס עָשָׂ֔ה וְלֹ֥א מִרְמָ֖ה בְּפִֽיו׃ | וְיִמְסַר יַת רַשִׁיעַיָא לְגֵהִנָם וְיַת עֲתִּירֵי נִכְסַיָא דַאֲנַסוּ בְּמוֹתָא דְאָבַדְנָא בְּדִיל דְלָא יִתְקַיְמוּן עָבְדֵי חֶטְאָה וְלָא יְמַלְלוּן נִכְלִין בְּפוּמְהוֹן׃ | |
| And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. | He will deliver the wicked into Gehinnom, and those that are rich in possessions into the death of utter destruction, in order that those who commit sin may not be established, nor speak deceits with their mouth. | ||
| 53.10 | וַֽיהוָ֞ה חָפֵ֤ץ דַּכְּאוֹ֙ הֶֽחֱלִ֔י אִם־תָּשִׂ֤ים אָשָׁם֙ נַפְשׁ֔וֹ יִרְאֶ֥ה זֶ֖רַע יַֽאֲרִ֣יךְ יָמִ֑ים וְחֵ֥פֶץ יְהוָ֖ה בְּיָד֥וֹ יִצְלָֽח׃ | וּמִן קֳדָם יְיָ הֲוָת רַעֲוָא לְמִצְרַף וּלְדַכָּאָה יַת שְׁאָרָא דְעַמֵהּ בְּדִיל לְנַקָאָה מֵחוֹבִין נַפְשֵׁיהוֹן יֶחֱזוּן בְּמַלְכוּת מְשִׁיחֵיהוֹן יִסגוּן בְּנִין וּבְנָן יוֹרְכוּן יוֹמִין וְעָבְדֵי אוֹרַיְתָא דַיָי בִּרְעוּתֵהּ יִצְלְחוּן׃ | |
| Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. | But it is the Lord’s good pleasure to try and to purify the remnant of his people, so as to cleanse their souls from sin; these shall look on the Kingdom of their Messiah, their sons and their daughters shall be multiplied, they shall prolong their days, and those who perform the Law of the Lord shall prosper in his good pleasure. | ||
| 53.11 | מֵֽעֲמַ֤ל נַפְשׁוֹ֙ יִרְאֶ֣ה יִשְׂבָּ֔ע בְּדַעְתּ֗וֹ יַצְדִּ֥יק צַדִּ֛יק עַבְדִּ֖י לָֽרַבִּ֑ים וַעֲוֹֽנֹתָ֖ם ה֥וּא יִסְבֹּֽל׃ | מִשִׁעְבּוּד עַמְמַיָא יְשֵׁיזֵיב נַפְשְׁהוֹן יֶחֱזוּן בְּפוּרְעֲנוּת סַנְאֵיהוֹן יִסְבְּעוּן מִבִּזַת מַלְכֵיהוֹן בְּחוּכְמְתֵהּ יְזַכֵּי זַכָּאִין בְּדִיל לְשַׁעְבָּדָא סַגִיאִין לְאוֹרַיְתָא וְעַל חוֹבֵיהוֹן הוּא יִבְעֵי׃ | |
| He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. | From the subjection of the nations he will deliver their souls, they shall look upon the punishment of those that hate them, and be satisfied with the spoil of their kings; by his wisdom he will hold the guiltless free from guilt, in order to bring many into subjection to the law; and for their sins he will intercede. | ||
| 53.12 | לָכֵ֞ן אֲחַלֶּק־ל֣וֹ בָֽרַבִּ֗ים וְאֶת־עֲצוּמִים֮ יְחַלֵּ֣ק שָׁלָל֒ תַּ֗חַת אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֶֽעֱרָ֤ה לַמָּ֨וֶת֙ נַפְשׁ֔וֹ וְאֶת־פֹּֽשְׁעִ֖ים נִמְנָ֑ה וְהוּא֙ חֵטְא־רַבִּ֣ים נָשָׂ֔א וְלַפֹּֽשְׁעִ֖ים יַפְגִּֽיעַ׃ | בְּכֵן אֲפַלֵיג לֵיהּ בִּזַת עַמְמִין סַגִיאִין וְיַת נִכְסֵי כְּרַכִּין תַּקִיפִין יְפַלֵג עֲדָאָה חֲלָף דִמְסַר לְמוֹתָא נַפְשֵׁהּ וְיַת מָרוֹדַיָא שַׁעְבַּד לְאוֹרַיְתָא וְהוּא עַל חוֹבִין סַגִיאִין יִבְעֵי וְלִמְרוֹדַיָא יִשְׁתְּבֵיק בְּדִילֵהּ׃ | |
| Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. | Then will I divide for him the spoil of many peoples, and the possessions of strong cities shall he divide as prey, because he delivered up his soul to death, and made the rebellious subject to the Law: he shall intercede for many sins, and the rebellious for his sake shall be forgiven |
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