Esias 1
1 The vision which Esaias the son of Amos saw, which he saw against Juda, and against Jerusalem, in the reign of Ozias, and Joatham, and Achaz, and Ezekias, who reigned over Judea.
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.
2 Hear, O heaven, and listen, O earth: for the Lord has spoken, [saying], I have begotten and reared up children, but they have rebelled against me.
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.
3 The ox knows his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel does not know me, and the people has not regarded me.
The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s manger, but Israel does not know; My people do not understand.”
4 Ah sinful nation, a people full of sins, an evil seed, lawless children: you have forsaken the Lord, and provoked the Holy One of Israel.
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.
5 Why should you be struck [any] more, transgressing more and more? the whole head is pained, and the whole heart sad.
Why do you want more beatings? Why do you keep rebelling? Your head has a massive wound, and your whole heart is afflicted.
6 From the feet to the head, there is no soundness in them; neither wound, nor bruise, nor festering ulcer [are healed]: it is not possible to apply a plaister, nor oil, nor bandages.
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.
7 Your land is desolate, your cities burnt with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is made desolate, overthrown by strange nations.
Your land is desolate; your cities are burned with fire. Foreigners devour your fields before you— a desolation demolished by strangers.
8 The daughter of Sion shall be deserted as a tent in a vineyard, and as a storehouse of fruits in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.
And the Daughter of Zion is abandoned like a shelter in a vineyard, like a shack in a cucumber field, like a city besieged.
9 And if the Lord of Sabaoth had not left us a seed, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been made like Gomorrha.
Unless the LORD of Hosts had left us a few survivors, we would have become like Sodom, we would have resembled Gomorrah.
10 Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodoma; attend to the law of God, you people of Gomorrha.
Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah!
11 Of what [value] to me is the abundance of your sacrifices? says the Lord: I am full of whole burnt offerings of rams; and I delight not in the fat of lambs, and the blood of bulls and goats:
“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.
12 neither shall you come [with these] to appear before me; for who has required these things at your hands? You shall no more tread my court.
When you come to appear before Me, who has required this of you— this trampling of My courts?
13 Though you bring fine flour, [it is] vain; incense is an abomination to me; I can’t bear your new moons, and your sabbaths, and the great day;
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.
14 [your] fasting, and rest from work, your new moons also, and your feasts my soul hates: you have become loathsome to me; I will no more pardon your sins.
I hate your New Moons and your appointed feasts. They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them.
15 When you stretch forth your hands, I will turn away mine eyes from you: and though you make many supplications, I will not listen to you; for your hands are full of blood.
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.
16 Wash you, be clean; remove your iniquities from your souls before mine eyes; cease from your iniquities;
Wash and cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil!
17 learn to do well; diligently seek judgement, deliver him that is suffering wrong, plead for the orphan, and obtain justice for the widow.
Learn to do right; seek justice and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless and plead the case of the widow.”
18 And come, let us reason together, says the Lord: and though your sins be as purple, I will make them white as snow; and though they be as scarlet, I will make [them] white as wool.
“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.
19 And if you be willing, and listen to me, you shall eat the good of the land:
If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best of the land.
20 but if you be not willing, nor listen to me, a sword shall devour you: for the mouth of the Lord has spoken this.
But if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.”
21 How has the faithful city Sion, [once] full of judgement, become a harlot! wherein righteousness lodged, but now murderers.
See how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of justice; righteousness resided within her, but now only murderers!
22 Your silver is worthless, your wine merchants mix the wine with water.
Your silver has become dross; your fine wine is diluted with water.
23 Your princes are rebellious, companions of thieves, loving bribes, seeking after rewards; not pleading for orphans, and not heeding the cause of widows.
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.
24 Therefore thus says the Lord, the Lord of hosts, Woe to the mighty [men] of Israel; for my wrath shall not cease against mine adversaries, and I will execute judgement on mine enemies.
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.
25 And I will bring my hand upon you, and purge you completely, and I will destroy the rebellious, and will take away from you all transgressors.
I will turn My hand against you; I will thoroughly purge your dross; I will remove all your impurities.
26 And I will establish your judges as before, and your counsellors as at the beginning: and afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful mother-city of Sion.
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.”
27 For her captives shall be saved with judgement, and with mercy.
Zion will be redeemed with justice, her repentant ones with righteousness.
28 And the transgressors and the sinners shall be crushed together, and they that forsake the Lord shall be utterly consumed.
But rebels and sinners will together be shattered, and those who forsake the LORD will perish.
29 For they shall be ashamed of their idols, which they delighted in, and they are made ashamed of the gardens which they coveted.
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.
30 For they shall be as a turpentine tree that has cast its leaves, and as a garden that has no water.
For you will become like an oak whose leaves are withered, like a garden without water.
31 And their strength shall be as a thread of tow, and their works as sparks, and the transgressors and the sinners shall be burnt up together, and there shall be none to quench [them].
The strong man will become tinder and his work will be a spark; both will burn together, with no one to quench the flames.
