Isaiah 1

1 This is the vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns 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 Listen, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the LORD has spoken: “I have raised children and brought them up, but 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 its owner, and the donkey its master’s manger, but Israel does not know; My people do not understand.”

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

4 Alas, O sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a brood of evildoers, children of depravity! They have forsaken the LORD; they have despised the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on Him.

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 do you want more beatings? Why do you keep rebelling? Your head has a massive wound, and your whole heart is afflicted.

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 your foot to the top of your head, there is no soundness— only wounds and welts and festering sores neither cleansed nor bandaged 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 land is desolate; your cities are burned with fire. Foreigners devour your fields before you— a desolation demolished 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 abandoned like a shelter in a vineyard, like a shack in a cucumber field, like a city besieged.

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 the LORD of Hosts had left us a few survivors, we would have become like Sodom, we would have resembled 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 the LORD, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the instruction of our God, you 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 good to Me is your multitude of sacrifices?” says the LORD. “I am full from the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed cattle; I take no delight in the blood of bulls and lambs and 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 you come to appear before Me, who has required this of you— this trampling of My courts?

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

13 Bring your worthless offerings no more; your incense is detestable to Me— your New Moons, Sabbaths, and convocations. I cannot endure iniquity in a solemn assembly.

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

14 I hate your New Moons and your appointed feasts. They have become a burden 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 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you multiply your prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with 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 and cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil!

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

17 Learn to do right; seek justice and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless and plead the case of the widow.”

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

18 “Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they will become like 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 you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best of the land.

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

20 But if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.”

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

21 See how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of justice; righteousness resided within her, but now only 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 Your silver has become dross; your fine wine is diluted with water.

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

23 Your rulers are rebels, friends of thieves. They all love bribes and chasing after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, and the plea of the widow never comes before 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 the Lord GOD of Hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, declares: “Ah, I will be relieved of My foes and avenge Myself on 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 I will turn My hand against you; I will thoroughly purge your dross; I will remove all your impurities.

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

26 I will restore your judges as at first, and your counselors as at the beginning. After that you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City.”

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 will be redeemed with justice, her repentant ones with righteousness.

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

28 But rebels and sinners will together be shattered, and those who forsake the LORD will perish.

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

29 Surely you will be ashamed of the sacred oaks in which you have delighted; you will be embarrassed by the gardens that you 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 you will become like an oak whose leaves are withered, like a garden without water.

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

31 The strong man will become tinder and his work will be a spark; both will burn together, with no one to quench the flames.

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