Chapter 53

1Who would have believed our report, and to whom was the arm of the Lord revealed?   אמִ֥י הֶֽאֱמִ֖ין לִשְׁמֻֽעָתֵ֑נוּ וּזְר֥וֹעַ יְהֹוָ֖ה עַל־מִ֥י נִגְלָֽתָה:
Who would have believed our report: So will the nations say to one another, Were we to hear from others what we see, it would be unbelievable.   מי האמין לשמועתינו: כן יאמרו העכו"ם איש לרעהו אילו היינו שומעים מפי אחרים מה שאנו רואים אין להאמין:
the arm of the Lord: like this, with greatness and glory, to whom was it revealed until now?   וזרוע ה': כזאת בגדולה והוד על מי נגלת' עד הנה:
2And he came up like a sapling before it, and like a root from dry ground, he had neither form nor comeliness; and we saw him that he had no appearance. Now shall we desire him?   בוַיַּ֨עַל כַּיּוֹנֵ֜ק לְפָנָ֗יו וְכַשֹּׁ֙רֶשׁ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ צִיָּ֔ה לֹא־תֹ֥אַר ל֖וֹ וְלֹ֣א הָדָ֑ר וְנִרְאֵ֥הוּ וְלֹֽא־מַרְאֶ֖ה וְנֶֽחְמְדֵֽהוּ:
And he came up like a sapling before it: This people, before this greatness came to it, was a very humble people, and it came up by itself like a sapling of the saplings of the trees.   ויעל כיונק לפניו: העם הזה לפני בא לו הגדולה הזאת עם שפל היה מאד ועלה מאליו כיונק מיונקת האילנות:
and like a root: he came up from dry land.   וכשורש: עלה מארץ ציה:
neither form: had he in the beginning, nor comeliness.   לא תאר: היה לו מתחלה ולא הדר:
and we saw him that he had no appearance. Now shall we desire him?: And when we saw him from the beginning without an appearance, how could we desire him?   ונראהו ולא מראה ונחמדהו: וכשראינוהו מתחלה באין מראה היאך נחמדהו:
Now shall we desire him?: This is a question.   ונחמדהו: תמוה הוא:
3Despised and rejected by men, a man of pains and accustomed to illness, and as one who hides his face from us, despised and we held him of no account.   גנִבְזֶה֙ וַֽחֲדַ֣ל אִישִׁ֔ים אִ֥ישׁ מַכְאֹב֖וֹת וִיד֣וּעַ חֹ֑לִי וּכְמַסְתֵּ֚ר פָּנִים֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ נִבְזֶ֖ה וְלֹ֥א חֲשַׁבְנֻֽהוּ:
Despised and rejected by men: was he. So is the custom of this prophet: he mentions all Israel as one man, e.g., (44:2), “Fear not, My servant Jacob;” (44:1) “And now, hearken, Jacob, My servant.” Here too (52:13), “Behold My servant shall prosper,” he said concerning the house of Jacob. יַשְׂכִּיל is an expression of prosperity. Comp. (I Sam. 18:14) “And David was successful (מַשְׂכִּיל) in all his ways.”   נבזה וחדל אישים: היה, כן דרך הנביא הזה מזכיר כל ישראל כאיש אחד אל תירא עבדי יעקב ואף כאן הנה ישכיל עבדי בבית יעקב אמר ישכיל ל' הצלחה הוא כמו ויהי דוד לכל דרכיו משכיל (שמואל א י״ח:י״ד):
and as one who hides his face from us: Because of their intense shame and humility, they were as one who hides his face from us, with their faces bound up in concealment, in order that we not see them, like a plagued man who hides his face and is afraid to look.   וכמסתיר פנים ממנו: מרוב בשתם ושפלותם היו כמסתיר פנים ממנו חבושי פנים בטמון כדי שלא נראה אותם כאדם מנוגע שמסתיר פניו וירא מהביט:
4Indeed, he bore our illnesses, and our pains-he carried them, yet we accounted him as plagued, smitten by God and oppressed.   דאָכֵ֚ן חֳלָיֵ֙נוּ֙ ה֣וּא נָשָׂ֔א וּמַכְאֹבֵ֖ינוּ סְבָלָ֑ם וַֽאֲנַ֣חְנוּ חֲשַׁבְנֻ֔הוּ נָג֛וּעַ מֻכֵּ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים וּמְעֻנֶּֽה:
Indeed, he bore our illnesses: Heb. אָכֵן, an expression of ‘but’ in all places. But now we see that this came to him not because of his low state, but that he was chastised with pains so that all the nations be atoned for with Israel’s suffering. The illness that should rightfully have come upon us, he bore.   אכן חליינו הוא נשא: אכן ל' אבל בכל מקום אבל עתה אנו רואים שלא מחמ' שפלותו בא לו אלא מיוסר היה ביסורין:
yet we accounted him: We thought that he was hated by the Omnipresent, but he was not so, but he was pained because of our transgressions and crushed because of our iniquities.   ואנחנו חשבנוהו: אנו היינו סבורים שהוא שנאוי למקום והוא לא היה כן אלא מחולל היה מפשעינו ומדוכא מעונותינו:
5But he was pained because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities; the chastisement of our welfare was upon him, and with his wound we were healed.   הוְהוּא֙ מְחֹלָ֣ל מִפְּשָׁעֵ֔נוּ מְדֻכָּ֖א מֵֽעֲוֹֽנוֹתֵ֑ינוּ מוּסַ֚ר שְׁלוֹמֵ֙נוּ֙ עָלָ֔יו וּבַֽחֲבֻֽרָת֖וֹ נִרְפָּא־לָֽנוּ:
the chastisement of our welfare was upon him: The chastisement due to the welfare that we enjoyed, came upon him, for he was chastised so that there be peace for the entire world.   מוסר שלומינו עליו: באו עליו יסורי השלום שהיה לנו שהוא היה מיוסר להיות שלום לכל העולם:
6We all went astray like sheep, we have turned, each one on his way, and the Lord accepted his prayers for the iniquity of all of us.   וכֻּלָּ֙נוּ֙ כַּצֹּ֣אן תָּעִ֔ינוּ אִ֥ישׁ לְדַרְכּ֖וֹ פָּנִ֑ינוּ וַֽיהֹוָה֙ הִפְגִּ֣יעַ בּ֔וֹ אֵ֖ת עֲו‍ֹ֥ן כֻּלָּֽנוּ:
We all went astray like sheep: Now it is revealed that all the heathens (nations [mss.]) had erred.   כולנו כצאן תעינו: עתה נגלה:
accepted his prayers: He accepted his prayers and was appeased concerning the iniquity of all of us, that He did not destroy His world.   הפגיע בו: נעתר על ידו ונתרצה על עון כולנו שלא החרי' עולמו:
accepted… prayers: Heb. הִפְגִּיעַ, espriad in O.F., an expression of supplication.   הפגיע : אשפריאי"ר בלע"ז ל' תחינה:
7He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he would not open his mouth; like a lamb to the slaughter he would be brought, and like a ewe that is mute before her shearers, and he would not open his mouth.   זנִגַּ֨שׂ וְה֣וּא נַֽעֲנֶה֘ וְלֹ֣א יִפְתַּח־פִּיו֒ כַּשֶּׂה֙ לַטֶּ֣בַח יוּבָ֔ל וּכְרָחֵ֕ל לִפְנֵ֥י גֹֽזְזֶ֖יהָ נֶֽאֱלָ֑מָה וְלֹ֥א יִפְתַּ֖ח פִּֽיו:
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted: Behold he was oppressed by taskmasters and people who exert pressure.   נגש והוא נענה: נגש הנה בנוגשים ודוחקים:
and he was afflicted: with verbal taunts, sorparlec in O.F.   והוא נענה: באונאת דברים שורפרלרי"ן בלע"ז:
yet he would not open his mouth: He would suffer and remain silent like the lamb that is brought to the slaughter, and like the ewe that is mute before her shearers.   לא יפתח פיו: סובל היה ושותק כמו השה אשר לטבח יובל וכרחל אשר לפני גוזזי' נאלמה:
and he would not open his mouth: This refers to the lamb brought to the slaughter.   לא יפתח פיו: מוסב על שה לטבח יובל:
8From imprisonment and from judgment he is taken, and his generation who shall tell? For he was cut off from the land of the living; because of the transgression of my people, a plague befell them.   חמֵעֹ֚צֶר וּמִמִּשְׁפָּט֙ לֻקָּ֔ח וְאֶת־דּוֹר֖וֹ מִ֣י יְשׂוֹחֵ֑חַ כִּ֚י נִגְזַר֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ חַיִּ֔ים מִפֶּ֥שַׁע עַמִּ֖י נֶ֥גַע לָֽמוֹ:
From imprisonment and from judgment he is taken: The prophet reports and says that the heathens (nations [mss., K’li Paz]) will say this at the end of days, when they see that he was taken from the imprisonment that he was imprisoned in their hands and from the judgment of torments that he suffered until now.   מעוצר וממשפט לוקח: הנביא מבשר ואומר כי זאת יאמרו העכו"ם באחרית הימים כשיראו כשנלקח מן העוצר שהיה עצור ביד' וממשפ' היסורין שסבל עד עתה:
and his generation: The years that passed over him.   ואת דורו: שנים שעברו עליו:
who shall tell?: The tribulations that befell him, for from the beginning, he was cut off and exiled from the land of the living that is the land of Israel for because of the transgression of my people, this plague came to the righteous among them.   מי ישוחח: את התלאות אשר מצאוהו כי נגזר היה מתחילה וגולה מארץ חיים היא ארץ ישראל אשר מפשע עמי בא הנגע הזה לצדיקים שבהם:
9And he gave his grave to the wicked, and to the wealthy with his kinds of death, because he committed no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.   טוַיִּתֵּ֚ן אֶת־רְשָׁעִים֙ קִבְר֔וֹ וְאֶת־עָשִׁ֖יר בְּמֹתָ֑יו עַל לֹֽא־חָמָ֣ס עָשָׂ֔ה וְלֹ֥א מִרְמָ֖ה בְּפִֽיו:
And he gave his grave to the wicked: He subjected himself to be buried according to anything the wicked of the heathens (nations [mss., K’li Paz]) would decree upon him, for they would penalize him with death and the burial of donkeys in the intestines of the dogs.   ויתן את רשעים קברו: מסר את עצמו להקבר ככל אשר יגזרו עליו רשעי האומות שהיו קונסין עליהם הריגה וקבורת חמורים במעי הכלבים:
to the wicked: According to the will of the wicked, he was willing to be buried, and he would not deny the living God.   את רשעים: לדעת הרשעים נתרצה ליקבר ולא יכפור באלהי' חיים:
and to the wealthy with his kinds of death: and to the will of the ruler he subjected himself to all kinds of death that he decreed upon him, because he did not wish to agree to (denial) [of the Torah] to commit evil and to rob like all the heathens (nations [mss., K’li Paz]) among whom he lived.   ואת עשיר במותיו: ולדעת המושל מסר עצמו בכל מיני מות שגזר עליו על לא רצה לקבל עליו כפירה לעשות רעה ולחמוס חמס ככל הגוים אשר היה גר ביניהם:
and there was no deceit in his mouth: to accept idolatry (to accept a pagan deity as God [Parshandatha]).   ולא מרמה בפיו: לקבל עליו עבודת כו"ם.
10And the Lord wished to crush him, He made him ill; if his soul makes itself restitution, he shall see children, he shall prolong his days, and God's purpose shall prosper in his hand.   יוַֽיהֹוָ֞ה חָפֵ֚ץ דַּכְּאוֹ֙ הֶֽחֱלִ֔י אִם־תָּשִׂ֚ים אָשָׁם֙ נַפְשׁ֔וֹ יִרְאֶ֥ה זֶ֖רַע יַֽאֲרִ֣יךְ יָמִ֑ים וְחֵ֥פֶץ יְהֹוָ֖ה בְּיָד֥וֹ יִצְלָֽח:
And the Lord wished to crush him, He made him ill: The Holy One, blessed be He, wished to crush him and to cause him to repent; therefore, he made him ill.   וה' חפץ דכאו החלי: הקב"ה חפץ לדכאו ולהחזירו למוטב לפיכך החלה אותו:
If his soul makes itself restitution, etc.: Said the Holy One, blessed be He, “I will see, if his soul will be given and delivered with My holiness to return it to Me as restitution for all that he betrayed Me, I will pay him his recompense, and he will see children, etc.” This word אָשָׁם is an expression of ransom that one gives to the one against when he sinned, amende in O.F., to free from faults, similar to the matter mentioned in the episode of the Philistines (I Sam. 6:3), “Do not send it away empty, but you shall send back with it a guilt offering (אָשָׁם).”   אם תשים אשם נפשו וגו': אמר הקב"ה אראה אם תהא נפשו נותנת ונמסרת בקדושתי להשיבה לי אשם על כל אשר מעל אגמל לו גמולו ויראה זרע וגו' אשם זה לשון כופר שנותן אדם למי שחטא לו אמינד"א בלע"ז כענין שנא' בפלשתים אל תשיבו אותו ריקם כי השב תשיבו לו אשם:
11From the toil of his soul he would see, he would be satisfied; with his knowledge My servant would vindicate the just for many, and their iniquities he would bear.   יאמֵֽעֲמַ֚ל נַפְשׁוֹ֙ יִרְאֶ֣ה יִשְׂבָּ֔ע בְּדַעְתּ֗וֹ יַצְדִּ֥יק צַדִּ֛יק עַבְדִּ֖י לָֽרַבִּ֑ים וַֽעֲו‍ֹנֹתָ֖ם ה֥וּא יִסְבֹּֽל:
From the toil of his soul: he would eat and be satisfied, and he would not rob and plunder.   מעמל נפשו: היה אוכל ושבע לא היה גוזל וחומס:
with his knowledge… would vindicate the just: My servant would judge justly all those who came to litigate before him.   בדעתו יצדיק צדיק: היה שופט עבדי משפט אמת לכל הבאים לדין לפניו:
and their iniquities he would bear: He would bear, in the manner of all the righteous, as it is said (Num. 18:1): “You and your sons shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary.”   ועונותם: היה סובל כדרך כל הצדיקים שנא' אתה ובניך תשאו את עון המקדש (במדבר יח):
12Therefore, I will allot him a portion in public, and with the strong he shall share plunder, because he poured out his soul to death, and with transgressors he was counted; and he bore the sin of many, and interceded for the transgressors.   יבלָכֵ֞ן אֲחַלֶּק־ל֣וֹ בָֽרַבִּ֗ים וְאֶת־עֲצוּמִים֘ יְחַלֵּ֣ק שָׁלָל֒ תַּ֗חַת אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֶֽעֱרָ֚ה לַמָּ֙וֶת֙ נַפְשׁ֔וֹ וְאֶת־פֹּֽשְׁעִ֖ים נִמְנָ֑ה וְהוּא֙ חֵֽטְא־רַבִּ֣ים נָשָׂ֔א וְלַפֹּֽשְׁעִ֖ים יַפְגִּֽיעַ:
Therefore: Because he did this, I will allot him an inheritance and a lot in public with the Patriarchs.   לכן: על עשותו זאת אחלק לו נחלה וגורל ברבים עם האבות הראשונים:
he poured out his soul to death: Heb. הֶעֱרָה. An expression like (Gen. 24:20), “And she emptied (וַתְּעַר) her pitcher.”   הערה למות נפשו: לשון ותער כדה (בראשית כד):
and with transgressors he was counted: He suffered torments as if he had sinned and transgressed, and this is because of others; he bore the sin of the many.   ואת פושעים נמנה: סבל יסורין כאלו חטא ופשע והוא בשביל אחרים נשא חטא הרבים:
and interceded for the transgressors: through his sufferings, for good came to the world through him.   ולפושעים יפגיע: על ידי יסורין שבאת על ידו טובה לעולם: