Isaiah 55

1 “Hey! Come, everyone who thirsts, to the waters! Come, he who has no money, buy, and eat! Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

Ho! every one that thirsteth! Come ye to the waters, Yea he that hath no money, —Come ye—buy corn, and eat, Yea come—buy corn without money, And without price, wine and milk,

2 Why do you spend money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in richness.

Wherefore should ye spend, Money, for that which is not bread? Or your labour, for that which, satisfieth not? Keep on hearkening unto me, And, so eat that which is good, And let your soul take exquisite delight in fatness:

3 Turn your ear, and come to me. Hear, and your soul will live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

Incline your ear, and come unto me, Hearken, That your soul, may live, —That I may solemnise for you a covenant age-abiding, The Lovingkindness to David, well-assured.

4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander to the peoples.

Lo! As a witness to the peoples, have I given him, —As a leader and commander to the peoples:

5 Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know; and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the LORD your God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he has glorified you.”

Lo! A nation thou shalt not know, shalt thou call, And, a nation which hath not known thee, unto thee, shall run, —For the sake of Yahweh thy God, And for the Holy One of Israel, because he hath adorned thee.

6 Seek the LORD while he may be found. Call on him while he is near.

Seek Yahweh while he may be found, —Call ye upon him while he is near:

7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, to our God, for he will freely pardon.

Let the lawless forsake his way, And the man of iniquity, his thoughts, —And let him return unto Yahweh That he may have compassion upon him, And unto our God, For he will abundantly pardon.

8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways,” says the LORD.

For, my thoughts, are not, your thoughts, Nor, your ways, my ways, —Declareth Yahweh.

9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

For, higher, are the heavens than the earth, —So, higher, are My ways than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.

10 For as the rain comes down and the snow from the sky, and does not return there, but waters the earth, and makes it grow and bud, and gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater;

For, as the rain and the snow descend from the heavens. And thither, do not return, Except they have watered the earth. And caused it to bring forth and bud, —And given seed to the sower, and bread to the eater,

11 so is my word that goes out of my mouth: it will not return to me void, but it will accomplish that which I please, and it will prosper in the thing I sent it to do.

So, shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth, It shall not return unto me void, —But shall accomplish that which I please, And shall prosper in that whereunto I have sent it.

12 For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace. The mountains and the hills will break out before you into singing; and all the trees of the fields will clap their hands.

For with gladness shall ye come forth, And in peace, shall ye be led, —the mountains and the hills shall break out, before you, into shouts of triumph, And all the wild trees shall clap their hands:

13 Instead of the thorn the cypress tree will come up; and instead of the brier the myrtle tree will come up. It will make a name for the LORD, for an everlasting sign that will not be cut off.”

Instead of the thorn-bush, shall come up the fir-tree, And instead of the nettle, shall come up the myrtle-tree, —So shall it become unto Yahweh, a Name, A Sign age-abiding, which shall not be cut off.