Isaiah 1

1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, that he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for Jehovah has spoken. I have nourished and brought up sons, and they have rebelled against me.

Hear, heavens, and give ear, earth; for Yahweh has spoken: “I have nourished and brought up children, but they have rebelled against me.

3 The ox knows his owner, and the donkey his master's crib, but Israel does not know; my people does not consider.

The ox knows his owner, and the donkey his master's feeding trough, but Israel does not know, Israel does not understand.”

4 Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, sons who deal corruptly! They have forsaken Jehovah. They have despised the Holy One of Israel. They have gone away backward.

Woe! Nation, sinners, a people weighed down with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, sons who act corruptly! They have abandoned Yahweh, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they have estranged themselves from him.

5 Why will ye still be stricken, that ye revolt more and more? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

Why are you still being beaten? Why do you rebel more and more? The whole head is sick, the whole heart is weak.

6 From the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness in it, but wounds, and bruises, and fresh stripes. They have not been closed nor bound up nor soothed with oil.

From the sole of the foot to the head there is no part unharmed; only wounds, and bruises, and fresh open wounds; they have not been closed, cleansed, bandaged, nor treated with oil.

7 Your country is desolate. Your cities are burned with fire. Your land-strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.

Your country is ruined; your cities are burned; your fields—in your presence, strangers are destroying them— abandoned devastation, overthrown by strangers.

8 And the daughter of Zion is left as a booth in a vineyard, as a shed in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.

The daughter of Zion is left like a hut in a vineyard, like a shed in a garden of cucumbers, like a besieged city.

9 Unless Jehovah of hosts had left to us a seed, we should have been as Sodom, we should have been like Gomorrah.

If Yahweh of hosts had not left for us a small remnant, we would have been like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah.

10 Hear the word of Jehovah, ye rulers of Sodom, give ear to the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.

Hear the word of Yahweh, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah:

11 What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says Jehovah. I have had enough of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts. And I do not delight in the blood of bullocks or of lambs or of he-goats.

“What is the multitude of your sacrifices to me?” says Yahweh. “I have had enough of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fatted beasts; and in the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats I do not delight.

12 When ye come to appear before me, who has required this at your hand-to trample my courts?

When you come to appear before me, who has required this of you, to trample my courts?

13 Bring no more vain oblations. Incense is an abomination to me. New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies-I cannot bear iniquity and the solemn meeting.

Bring no more meaningless offerings; incense is an abomination to me; your new moon and Sabbath assemblies—I cannot tolerate these wicked assemblies.

14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates. They are a trouble to me. I am weary of bearing them.

I hate your new moons and your appointed feasts; they are a burden to me; I am tired of enduring them.

15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you. Yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear; your hands are full of blood.

So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even though you offer many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.

16 Wash you, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes. Cease to do evil.

Wash, cleanse yourselves; remove the evil of your deeds from my sight; stop being evil;

17 Learn to do good. Seek justice, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

learn to do good; seek justice, make straight the oppression, give justice to the fatherless, defend the widow.”

18 Come now, and let us reason together, says Jehovah, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

“Come now, and let us reason together,” says Yahweh; “though your sins are like scarlet, they will be white like snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool.

19 If ye are willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land.

If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good of the land,

20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword, for the mouth of Jehovah has spoken it.

but if you refuse and rebel, the sword will devour you,” for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken it.

21 How the faithful city has become a harlot! She who was full of justice! Righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers.

How the faithful city has become a prostitute! She who was full of justice—she was full of righteousness, but now she is full of murderers.

22 Thy silver has become dross, thy wine mixed with water.

Your silver has become impure, your wine mixed with water.

23 Thy rulers are rebellious, and companions of thieves. Everyone loves bribes, and follows after rewards. They judge not the fatherless, nor does the cause of the widow come to them.

Your princes are rebels and companions of thieves; everyone loves bribes and runs after payoffs. They do not defend the fatherless, nor does the widow's legal plea come before them.

24 Therefore says the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of my adversaries, and avenge me of my enemies.

Therefore this is the declaration of the Lord Yahweh of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel: “Woe to them! I will take vengeance against my adversaries, and avenge myself against my enemies;

25 And I will turn my hand upon thee, and thoroughly purge away thy dross, and will take away all thy tin.

I will turn my hand against you, refine away your dross as with lye, and take away all your dross.

26 And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counselors as at the beginning. Afterward thou shall be called the city of righteousness, a faithful town.

I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning; after that you will be called the city of righteousness, a faithful town.”

27 Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and her converts with righteousness.

Zion will be redeemed by justice, and her repentant ones by righteousness.

28 But the destruction of transgressors and sinners shall be together, and those who forsake Jehovah shall be consumed.

Rebels and sinners will be crushed together, and those who abandon Yahweh will be done away with.

29 For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen.

“For you will be ashamed of the sacred oak trees that you desired, and you will be embarrassed by the gardens that you have chosen.

30 For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fades, and as a garden that has no water.

For you will be like an oak whose leaf fades, and like a garden that has no water.

31 And the strong man shall be as flax, and his work as a spark. And they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.

The strong man will be like tinder, and his work like a spark; they will both burn together, and no one will quench them.”