Isaiah 1

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

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, [ye] heavens, and give ear, [thou] earth! for Jehovah hath spoken: I have nourished and brought up children; and 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 knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib; Israel doth not know, my people hath no intelligence.

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 laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that corrupt themselves! They have forsaken Jehovah; they have despised the Holy One of Israel; they are turned away backward.

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 ye be smitten any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

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 sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in him; wounds, and weals, and open sores: they have not been dressed, nor bound up, nor mollified with oil.

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 country is desolate; your cities are burned with fire; your land, strangers eat it up in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.

Your land is desolate; your cities are burned with fire. Foreigners devour your fields before you— a desolation demolished by strangers.

8 And the daughter of Zion is left, as a booth in a vineyard, as a night-lodge in a cucumber-garden, 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 Unless Jehovah of hosts had left us a very small residue, we should have been as Sodom, we should have been like unto Gomorrah.

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 Jehovah, rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, people of Gomorrah!

Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah!

11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith Jehovah. I am sated with burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and in the blood of bullocks, and of lambs, and of he-goats I take no pleasure.

“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 When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this from your hand — to tread my courts?

When you come to appear before Me, who has required this of you— this trampling of My courts?

13 Bring no more vain oblations! Incense is an abomination unto me, — new moon and sabbath, the calling of convocations — wickedness and the solemn meeting I cannot bear.

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 new moons and your set feasts my soul hateth: they are a burden to me; I am wearied of bearing [them].

I hate your New Moons and your appointed feasts. They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them.

15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: 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, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; — cease to do evil,

Wash and cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil!

17 learn to do well: seek judgment, gladden the oppressed, do justice to the fatherless, plead for the widow.

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

18 Come now, let us reason together, saith 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, 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 If ye be willing and hearken, ye shall eat the good of the land;

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

20 but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken.

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

21 How is the faithful city become a harlot! It was full of judgment; righteousness used to lodge in it, 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 Thy silver is become dross, thy wine is mixed with water:

Your silver has become dross; your fine wine is diluted with water.

23 thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves; every one loveth presents, and hunteth after rewards; they judge not the fatherless, and the cause of the widow cometh not unto them.

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 saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel: Ah! I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of 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 turn my hand upon thee, and will thoroughly purge away thy dross, and take away all thine alloy;

I will turn My hand against you; I will thoroughly purge your dross; I will remove all your impurities.

26 and I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning. Afterwards thou shalt be called, Town of righteousness, Faithful city.

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 Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and they that return of her with righteousness.

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

28 But the ruin of the transgressors and of the sinners [shall be] together; and they that forsake Jehovah shall be consumed.

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

29 For they shall be ashamed of the terebinths that ye have desired, and ye shall blush for the gardens that ye have chosen.

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 ye shall be as a terebinth whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water.

For you will become like an oak whose leaves are withered, like a garden without water.

31 And the strong shall be for tow, and his work a spark; and they shall both burn 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.