Isaiah 45:1-13

Thus says the Lord to his anointed, Cyrus,
   whose right hand I grasp,
Subduing nations before him,
   and making kings run in his service,
Opening doors before him
   and leaving the gates unbarred:

I will go before you
   and level the mountains;
Bronze doors I will shatter,
   and iron bars I will snap.
I will give you treasures out of the darkness,
   and riches that have been hidden away,
That you may know that I am the Lord,
   the God of Israel, who calls you by your name.

For the sake of Jacob, my servant,
   of Israel my chosen one,
I have called you by your name,
   giving you a title, though you knew me not.
I am the Lord and there is no other,
   there is no God besides me.
It is I who arm you, though you know me not,
   so that toward the rising and the setting of the sun
   men may know that there is none besides me.
I am the Lord, there is no other;
   I form the light, and create the darkness,
I make well-being and create woe;
   I, the Lord, do all these things. 

Let justice descend, O heavens, like dew from above,
   like gentle rain let the skies drop it down.
Let the earth open and salvation bud forth;
   let justice also spring up!
   I, the Lord, have created this.

Woe to him who contends with his Maker;
   a potsherd among potsherds of the earth!
Dare the clay say to its modeler, “What are you doing?”
   or, “What you are making has no hands?”
Woe to him who asks a father, “What are you begetting?”
   or a woman, “What are you giving birth to?”

Thus says the Lord,
   the Holy One of Israel, his maker:
You question me about my children,
   or prescribe the work of my hands for me!
It was I who made the earth
   and created mankind upon it;
It was my hands that stretched out the heavens;
   I gave the order to all their host.
It was I who stirred up one for the triumph of justice;
   all his ways I make level.
He shall rebuild my city
   and let my exiles go free
Without price or ransom,
   says the Lord of hosts.