Bible in Basic English
Who sends out the war-carriages and the horses, the army with all its force; they have come down, they will not get up again; like a feebly burning light they are put out.
Give no thought to the things which are past; let the early times go out of your minds.
See, I am doing a new thing; now it is starting; will you not take note of it? I will even make a way in the waste land, and rivers in the dry country.
The beasts of the field will give me honour, the jackals and the ostriches: because I send out waters in the waste land, and rivers in the dry country, to give drink to the people whom I have taken for myself:
Even the people whom I made to be the witnesses of my praise.
But you have made no prayer to me, O Jacob: and you have given no thought to me, O Israel.
You have not made me burned offerings of sheep, or given me honour with your offerings of beasts; I did not make you servants to give me an offering, and I did not make you tired with requests for perfumes.
You have not got me sweet-smelling plants with your money, or given me pleasure with the fat of your offerings: but you have made me a servant to your sins, and you have made me tired with your evil doings.
I, even I, am he who takes away your sins; and I will no longer keep your evil doings in mind.
Put me in mind of this; let us take up the cause between us: put forward your cause, so that you may be seen to be in the right.
Your first father was a sinner, and your guides have gone against my word.
Your chiefs have made my holy place unclean, so I have made Jacob a curse, and Israel a thing of shame.
— Isaiah 43:17-1964, Bible in Basic English
The Lord, who has taken up your cause, the Holy One of Israel, says, Because of you I have sent to Babylon, and made all their seers come south, and the Chaldaeans whose cry is in the ships.
I am the Lord, your Holy One, the Maker of Israel, your King.
This is the word of the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, and a road through the deep waters;
Who sends out the war-carriages and the horses, the army with all its force; they have come down, they will not get up again; like a feebly burning light they are put out.
Give no thought to the things which are past; let the early times go out of your minds.
See, I am doing a new thing; now it is starting; will you not take note of it? I will even make a way in the waste land, and rivers in the dry country.
The beasts of the field will give me honour, the jackals and the ostriches: because I send out waters in the waste land, and rivers in the dry country, to give drink to the people whom I have taken for myself:
Even the people whom I made to be the witnesses of my praise.
But you have made no prayer to me, O Jacob: and you have given no thought to me, O Israel.
You have not made me burned offerings of sheep, or given me honour with your offerings of beasts; I did not make you servants to give me an offering, and I did not make you tired with requests for perfumes.
You have not got me sweet-smelling plants with your money, or given me pleasure with the fat of your offerings: but you have made me a servant to your sins, and you have made me tired with your evil doings.
I, even I, am he who takes away your sins; and I will no longer keep your evil doings in mind.
Put me in mind of this; let us take up the cause between us: put forward your cause, so that you may be seen to be in the right.
Your first father was a sinner, and your guides have gone against my word.
Your chiefs have made my holy place unclean, so I have made Jacob a curse, and Israel a thing of shame.